Mitch Miller - My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean (HD)

My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean (1881) "This old favorite was originally, no doubt, a Scottish folk song. There doesn't appear to be any record of its age, composers or its publication, although in the late 1870's a number of people were requesting at the music stores a certain anonymous song bearing this title. No one knows how it all started, but word surely got around. The story has it that a certain music publisher, seeking to capitalize on this ready-made demand, persuaded composer Charles E. Pratt to produce this mysterious song, and to write it in such a manner that people would feel inclined to join in the singing. Although it is not known, it is conceivable that Pratt may have had access to the missing Scottish folk song, but in any case, he did produce "My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean" under the pseudonyms J.T. Wood (words) and H.J. Fulmer (music). This song, bearing real folk-music qualities, was published in 1881, and promptly rose to hit proportions. "My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean" soon became a favorite with college singing groups and was heard on many campuses. It made a fine "gang" song and people felt quite inclined to join in the singing. It was perfect for community singing with children as well as adults, and barbershop singers adopted it as their very own. No doubt about it, the song was a solid success. "My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean" (also known as "My Bonnie" and "Bring Back My Bonnie To Me") has been continually popular ever since its American publication, when we were a country of only thirty-eight states, and it will probably remain popular for a long time to come." ~The American Song Treasury by Theodore Raph