Bonnie Jean Cameron

Subject: RE: Bonnie Jean Cameron
From: weerover
Date: 24 May 20 - 09:26 AM

I have heard both Mick and Alan sing this (many years ago) and, from memory, both sang "Jean" rather than "Jeanie", perhaps a minor alteration to scan better with Alan's melody

Subject: RE: Bonnie Jean Cameron
From: Jack Campin
Date: 24 May 20 - 05:58 AM

Rather horrible piece of Jacobite cliche and the original tune doesn't redeem it.

I looked at it (and the competing versions of the story) when researching "Embro, Embro" but I think I ended up leaving it out.

Subject: RE: Bonnie Jean Cameron
From: GUEST,kenny
Date: 24 May 20 - 05:24 AM

Thanks Reinhard - that is more or less what both Jamie McMenemy and Mick West sing.
https://youtu.be/YN2hw_BcZZs

Subject: RE: Bonnie Jean Cameron
From: Reinhard
Date: 24 May 20 - 04:24 AM

Here's the entry from the Traditonal Ballad Index:

Bonnie Jeanie Cameron

DESCRIPTION: "You'll a' hae heard tell o' bonnie Jeanie Cameron, how she fell sick... And a' that they could recommend her Was ae blythe blink o' the Young Pretender." She sends a letter to Prince Charlie, who arrives soon after and takes her in his arms.
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1901 (Ford)
KEYWORDS: love disease Jacobites
FOUND IN: Britain(Scotland)
REFERENCES (1 citation):
Ford-Vagabond, pp. 221-223, "Bonnie Jeanie Cameron" (1 text, 1 tune)
Roud #13082
NOTES [290 words]: Ford has several stories allegedly about the later life of this young woman, who supposedly died in 1773. I checked both a biography of Bonnie Prince Charlie and assorted histories of the Forty-Five, however, and found no mention of a liaison, even brief, with a woman of this name.
Abby Sale pointed me to the apparent solution to the question. According to a web commentary on Eyre-Todd's Ancient Scots Ballads, based on Ray's Complete History of the Rebellion, Cameron had been born as early as 1695, and had been in trouble with men by the time she was in her mid-teens. Not even putting her in a nunnery could apparently control her passions, and after the death of her father and brother, managed to take a spot as "tutor" to her nephew, who reportedly was of limited intellectual capacity.
At the time of the 1745 rebellion, Ray reports, Cameron raised the Camerons of Glendessary, bringing some 250 men to Bonnie Prince Charlie, who under the circumstances naturally treated her to a large dose of his considerable charm. Considering that Jean Cameron was rather older than Charlie's mother, one doubts any romantic connection. But singers might easily ignore that.
The Eyre-Todd report continues through much contradictory data, finally going so far as to speculate that perhaps there were *two* Jean Camerons. But the real answer appears to be that it's all a Hanoverian smear: ""the Hanoverians tried to make propaganda of 'affairs' with mistresses in Scotland, especially poor, innocent Jenny Cameron, who did nothing more than bring a group of Cameron men to join his army, but was piloried by pamphleteers and cartoonists, and Flora MacDonald" (Hugh Douglas, Bonnie Prince Charlie in Love, Alan Sutton, 1995, p. 4). - RBW
Last updated in version 3.7
File: FVS221

Subject: Lyr Add: BONNIE JEANIE CAMERON (from Robert Ford)
From: Reinhard
Date: 24 May 20 - 04:15 AM

This is from Robert Ford: Vagabond Songs and Ballads of Scotland Volume 2 (1901):

BONNIE JEANIE CAMERON

You'll a' ha'e heard tell o' bonnie Jeanie Cameron,
How she fell sick, and she was like to dee;
And a' that they could recommend der
Was a'e blythe blink o' the Young Pretender:
    Rare, O rare, bonnie Jeanie Cameron!
    Rare, O rare, Jeanie Cameron!

The doctor was sent for, to see if he could cure her;
Quickly he came—he made no delay;
But a' that he could recommend her
Was a'e blythe blink o' the Young Pretender:
    Rare, O rare, bonnie Jeanie Cameron!
    Rare, O rare, Jeanie Cameron!

To Charlie she wrote a very long letter,
Stating who were his friends and who were his foes;
And a' her words were sweet and tender,
To win the heart o' the Young Pretender:
    Rare, O rare, bonnie Jeanie Cameron!
    Rare, O rare, Jeanie Cameron!

O, scarcely had she sealed the letter wi' a ring,
When up flew the door and in came her king;
She prayed to the saints—bade angels defend her
And sank in the arms o' the Young Pretender:
    Rare, O rare, bonnie Jeanie Cameron!
    Rare, O rare, Jeanie Cameron!

Subject: RE: Bonnie Jean Cameron
From: GUEST,kenny
Date: 24 May 20 - 03:32 AM

Hi Joe - if no one does it before me, I'll do it later today. I'd need to search through some recordings.

Subject: RE: Bonnie Jean Cameron
From: Joe Offer
Date: 24 May 20 - 01:38 AM

Are there actual lyrics for this song? Charlie Baum sang a song about the "Young Pretender" and Bonnie Jean Cameron. What are the lyrics.

Subject: RE: Bonnie Jean Cameron
From: GUEST,Bonnie Jean MacKay
Date: 17 Aug 17 - 10:28 AM

Thank you for this lovely thread! I discovered a recording on YouTube when looking up my own name for songs which might include it, and decided upon hearing the rendering of the song by the loveliest voice of a woman named Kelley in a Houston group called Four Bricks out of Hadrian's Wall. I decided I must include it in my own repertoire. So I am delighter to have the background information you have provided.

Subject: RE: Bonnie Jean Cameron
From: Steve Byrne
Date: 22 Jul 11 - 06:48 AM

That's not Kornog, it's a German band called Foreign Feathers.

Subject: RE: Bonnie Jean Cameron
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 25 May 11 - 11:46 AM

Hi, kenny. Thanks for the info that the tune was composed by Alan MacFadyen. I was wondering where it came from. It's lovely.

Subject: RE: Bonnie Jean Cameron
From: Anne Neilson
Date: 24 May 11 - 05:24 PM

Said Alan McFadyen was a regular at the Forum Folk Club in East Kilbride in c.1970 -- a fine guitarist and a quiet singer who sang BJC on more than one occasion. And there was an East Kilbride connection with the lady herself after all the Jacobite business was over and done with; as far as I can remember, she settled here, never married and the presumption was that she could not imagine anyone to match Charles Stewart.
There are, in fact, two street names in the town which mark her -- Mount Cameron Drive and Glen Dessary.

Subject: RE: Bonnie Jean Cameron
From: GUEST,kenny
Date: 24 May 11 - 04:16 PM

I think it should be mentioned that the tune used by both Jamie McMenemy of "Kornog", and Mick West for the song "Bonnie Jean Cameron" is not traditional, but was composed by singer guitarist Alan MacFadyen. Both Mick and Jamie mention this in his sleeve notes.
Jena - by a strange coincidence, I was listening to the Jamie McMenemy / "Kornog" version a few days ago, as I've just put a copy of their "Premiere" CD up on eBay. [ Declaration of commercial interest ! ] It's a live recording from the mid-1980s, and "Bonnie Jean Cameron" is on it. I got it recently from "Green Linnet", who were selling off some stock, so they may still have copies. If not, I'm sure Mick would be delighted to sell you his CD, if he has any left. He's on "Facebook", I believe, but if you want to get in touch with him, leave me a message here, and I can help.
The "Kornog" sleeve-notes say the following, which may be of some interest :
"A lovely song, once again, with a tune by Alan MacFadyen. Jean Cameron was a strong supporter of the Jacobites, and was, at least in the song, in love with Prince Charles of Scotland, the "Young Pretender". She is buried in East Kilbride, near Glasgow, where there is a street called Mount Cameron Drive, named after her family. The words come from the collection "Ancient Scots Ballads" by George Eyre Todd".

Subject: RE: Bonnie Jean Cameron
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 23 May 11 - 08:33 PM

Hi, Jena, thanks for sharing your findings with us. The Mick West version of the song should still be available. It is on Greentrax, or if you live in the States, Camsco Music will probably get it for you.

Subject: RE: Bonnie Jean Cameron
From: GUEST,Jena Peterson
Date: 27 Apr 11 - 10:40 PM

I can give you information on Bonnie Jean Cameron-she's an ancestor of mine. I know this is an old thread, but I thought I'd put the information here in case anyone else is looking for it.

Jean Cameron was the daughter of Allan Cameron, 2nd of Glendessary and Dungallon, and Christian Cameron.

The Camerons were Jacobite supporters. When Bonnie Prince Charlie landed in Scotland in 1745, Jean's brothers were abroad. Her nephew, the Laird was a child, too young to answer the call to support the Prince. So Jean Cameron decided to rally her clansmen herself.

Miss Cameron gathered together two hundred and fifty clansmen, and rode at their head to Glenfinnan. The account of one historian described her as "...dressed in a sea green riding habit with a scarlet lapel trimmed in gold, her hair tied behind in loose curls, with a velvet cap and scarlet feathers. Instead of a whip she carried a sword in her hand." According to the story, the Prince came out to meet her, and she saluted him, and presented her men to him and told him "These men Sir, are yours; they have devoted themselves to your service; they bring you hearts as well as hands. I can follow you no further, but I shall pray for your success." The Prince invited her to his tent and attended her with great courtesy, then she returned home.

Those wishing to put a more romantic spin on the story suggested that she was in love with the Prince, or he with her, but this is not generally thought to be accurate. She was known thereafter as "Jenny of the '45" and "Bonnie Jean Cameron".

She's one of the more interesting kinswomen I've found in my research. I'll have to find a recording of the Ballad-I'd love to learn it.

Subject: RE: Bonnie Jean Cameron
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 16 Oct 00 - 07:50 PM

The book 'Damn Rebel Bitches - The women of the '45' by Maggie Craig (Mainstream Publishing, Edinburgh and London 1997) should answer your question. To be honest, I haven't got round to reading it yet, but there were apparently several Jean or Jenny Camerons who in some way or other meddled in the Jacobite Rising of 1745. If nobody finds a website (which would surprise me!) I'll try and find a quotation of suitable length over the next few days and type it in. BTW, I've got a beautiful recording by Mick West from Glasgow, from his first CD 'Fine Flowers and Foolish Glances'.

Subject: RE: Bonnie Jean Cameron
From: GUEST,Angun
Date: 16 Oct 00 - 05:42 PM

I think you also can find this song on the first Kornog CD, Green Linnet.

Angun

Subject: RE: Bonnie Jean Cameron
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 15 Oct 00 - 05:34 PM

You haven't given us much to go on; could you quote some lines from the song?  A lot of people (well, certainly me!) have never heard of "Bachelors Walk", but might be able to help given a little more information.

Malcolm

Subject: Bonnie Jean Cameron
From: GUEST,McTischer
Date: 15 Oct 00 - 04:09 PM

There's that song "Bonnie Jean Cameron" sung by "Bachelors Walk" on the CD "The boys in the black room". I'd like to know who is "Jean Cameron". What happened to her ? Has anybody any information about her ?