Outlander's Opening Credits Song Has a Deeper Hidden Meaning
The song, which makes every Outlander fan's heart skip a beat, is the perfect backdrop for the time-hopping show.
For many viewers, Outlander's opening credits are a special experience. The song that opens each new chapter of Claire and Jamie Fraser's adventures is, in fact, a unique piece that carries a deep meaning and a strong connection to the themes of the hit Starz series.
The Outlander theme song, The Skye Boat Song, is derived from a Scottish song whose title translates as Cuckoo in the Grove. The first version of the song was composed by William Ross in 1782. A century later, Robert Louis Stevenson wrote alternate lyrics that turned the song into a story about Bonnie Prince Charlie being taken into hiding after losing the Battle of Culloden.
This aspect of the song is directly related to Outlander. The show's entire premise is built around Jamie being part of the Jacobite Uprising, an attempt by the Scots to put James II, whom they believed to be the true king, on the throne. Bonnie Prince Charlie, the son of James, is one of the characters in the series. The protagonists meet him in France in Season 2.
In addition to the story of the Jacobite Rebellion and its impact on the royal family and the native Scots, the lyrics of the Outlander theme song directly reference what happens to Claire.
Sing me a song of a lass that is gone
Say, could that lass be I?
These words perfectly describe how a World War II nurse gets lost in time and finds herself in 18th-century Scotland. The show's composer, Bear McCreary, altered the lyrics to change the narrator from male to female. 'Lass' is 'lad' in the original song.
‘These [lyrics] are much better suited to Claire’s story, and after we altered a few consonants to change the gender of the speaker, they connected even more directly.’ McCreary wrote on his blog.
On top of that, The Skye Boat Song serves as a perfect soundtrack for the drama, which takes its heroes to different locations and storylines each season. As the Frasers move from one place to another, the song takes on a different tone, from traditional Scottish instruments to lyrics sung in French, to Jamaican percussion, to American folk music vibes, to an a cappella choir, to a duet version, and finally to Sinéad O'Connor's vocals with string accompaniment in the latest seventh season.
Outlander Season 7 Episode 2 is scheduled for release on 23 June 2023.
Source: STARZ YouTube , Bear McCreary Blog.