Ceolas: The Fiddler's Companion

Result of search for "At the Fair":

ARKANSAS TRAVELER. Old-Time, Bluegrass, American; Reel, Country Dance. USA, almost universally known. D Major (Rosenberg, Sweet): G Major (Shaw): A Major (Kerr). Standard or ADAE. One part (Burchenal): AB (Shaw): AABB (most versions): AABBA'A' (Phillips, 1994). One of, if not the most famous of American fiddle tunes. E. Southern (1983) calls "Arkansas Traveller" a "plantation fiddle tune" (pg. 186), while Cauthen (1990) writes that it "had been played and sung as (an) anonymous folk tune, claimed and popularized by minstrel performers, then passed into the realm of folk music once more" (pg. 15). It is true that at least some of the elements of the famous dialogue typically attached to the melody (i.e. the conversation between the 'hick' and the 'city-slicker') were in circulation in the 1820's-1830's, during the plantation era, and it has been found that the tune and sketch had been joined and were being performed not long after (Yates and Russell, O.T.M. # 31 Winter 78/79). {For more information see article by H.C. Mercer in JEMFQ VI:2 (18) Summer 1970.} Rosenberg (198-) records that "Arkansas Traveller" was first published by Oliver Ditson and Company of Boston in 1863 and attributed to an itinerant musician or stage comedian named Mose Case, although Cazden (et al, 1982) reports it had been previously published in Buffalo, N.Y., by Blodgett & Bradford in 1858.
***
The music itself was in print in 1847, Rosenberg states, and both the tune and the accompanying skit are presumed by him to have been in oral circulation at the time. Bayard (1981) thinks the whole melody may be an "American amalgam," as he was unable to locate a recognizable version in British Isles traditions. The second strain became a "floater," according to him, and appears in otherwise unrelated tunes, and he speculates a portion of the first part may itself have been a 'floater' that became attached to the tune. In Francis O'Neill's Waifs and Strays of Gaelic Melody (1922), No. 255, "Arkansas Traveller" is regarded as having a 'presumable' Irish history and three tunes are given which are proffered as in part ancestral to the American melody.
***
In Maine the piece was used for the dance "Green Mountain Volunteers" by the Singing Smiths (South Parsonfield, Me.), though the traditional tune for that dance was "Green Mountain Boys." It was one of the 'tune catagories' for an 1899 fiddle contest at Gallatin, Tenn.; i.e. the fiddler who played the best rendition of "Arkansas Traveller" won a prize (C. Wolfe, The Devil's Box, Vol. 14, No. 4, 12/1/80). Arthur Tanner (Ga.) remembers his father (Gid Tanner of Sillet Lickers fame) and uncle (Arthur Hugh Tanner) playing it "from the stage (in the 1920's/30's) and setting around the house...It would tear the audience up" (Rosenberg). The piece was found in the repertory of most traditional fiddlers in Union and Snyder counties, Pa. (Guntharp), while Cazden (et al, 1982) found the melody and humerous text well known throughout the Catskill Mountain (New York) region (he recorded a version from that locale in 1949). Cauthen (1990) notes in a very complete statewide survey that it was variously recorded as having been played throughout Alabama: in the northeast part of the state (in reports of the 1926-31 De Kalb County Annual Convention), the northwest (mentioned in a 1925 Univ. of Ala. master's thesis), southwest (recorded in a newspaper account of a contest in Grove Hill, May, 1929, and recalled by Alfred Benners in his 1923 book Slavery and Its Results as having been played by slave fiddler Jim Pritchett in Marengo County), southeast (listed by Robert Park in his book Sketch of the 12th Alabama Infantry as played by Ben Smith, a Georgian in the regiment in the Civil War; and recorded as having been played at a fiddlers' convention in July 1926 at the Pike County Fairgrounds), and finally the central part of the state (played at a contest in Verbena in 1921, as recorded by the Union Banner).
***
In another Deep South state, Mississippi, it was recorded in the field from the playing of old-time fiddlers Stephen B. Tucker, John Hatcher and W.E. Claunch (Mississippi Department of Archives and History). The tune was listed for sale on cylanders in a 1901 Columbia catalogue, and in the same format the next year by Edison (Standard Cylander 8202, played by Len Spencer, Oct. 1902 {The tune was re-released as "Return of the Arkansas Traveller" in 1910 by the same company [Standard Cylander 10356]}). Edison also released a version played by Joseph Samuels in Nov. 1919 contained in the "Devil's Dream Medley" (1st tune). Texas fiddler Eck Robertson's (a duet with fiddler and Confederate veteran Henry Gilliland) recording of the piece (backed by "Turkey in the Straw") was the third best-selling record of 1923. The piece was "very popular" at Southwest dances around turn of the century, according to Arizona fiddler Kenner C. Kartchner. It was cited as having commonly been played for dances in Orange County, New York, in the 1930's (Lettie Osborn, New York Folklore Quarterly), and appears in Vance Randolph's list of traditional Ozark Mountain tunes he recorded for the Library of Congress in the early 1940's. Finally, it was recorded as having been in the repertory of Maine fiddler Mellie Dunham, Henry Ford's national champion old-time fiddler, and regularly played by him in the 1920's. During the 78 RPM era an old recording of "Arkansas Traveller" was released in Québec under the title "Reel des Voyagers."
***
Sources for notated versions: Frank George (W.Va.) [Krassen]; James Marr (Mo., 1948) [Bayard]; eleven Pa. sources [Bayard]; Gordon Tanner (Dacula, Gwinnett County, Ga.) [Rosenberg]. Bayard (Dance to the Fiddle), 1981; No. 20 (appendix), pg. 580; No. 74, pg. 49 (an odd variation); and No. 316, pgs. 267-271. Brody (Fiddler's Fakebook), 1983; pg. 25- 26 (3 versions- 1 Bluegrass). Burchenal (American Country Dances, Vol. 1), 1917; pg. 58. Cazden (Dances from Woodland), 1945; pg. 25. Cole (1001 Fiddle Tunes), 1940; pg. 4. Ford (Traditional Music in America), 1940; pg. 46. Jarman, Old-Time Fiddlin' Tunes. Johnson (The Kitchen Musician: Occasional Collection of Old-Timey Fiddle Tunes for Hammer Dulcimer, Fiddle, etc.), No. 2, 1988; pg. 1. Kerr (Merry Melodies), Vol. 1; No. 5, pg. 22. Krassen (Appalachian Fiddle), 1973; pg. 44 (includes 'A' part variation). Linscott (Folk Songs from Old New England), 1939 - "The Country Dance," pg. 83. Phillips (Fiddlecase Tunebook), 1989; pg. 3. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes), 1994; pg. 17. Rosenberg, 198-; pg. 106. Ruth (Pioneer Western Folk Tunes), 1948; No. 30, pg. 12. Shaw (Cowboy Dances), 1943; pg. 390. Sweet (Fifer's Delight), 1964; pg. 53. American Heritage 516, Jana Greif- "I Love Fiddlin.'" Atlantic Records LP1350, Hobart Smith - "American Folk Songs for Children." Brunswick 225 (78 RPM), The Tennessee Ramblers. CCF2, Cape Cod Fiddlers - "Concert Collection II" (1999). Columbia 15019-D (78 RPM), Gid Tanner & Riley Pucket. County 514, Earl Johnson and His Clodhoppers- "Hell Broke Loose in Georgia" (orig. rec. 1927). County 517, Eck Robertson and Henry Gilliland- "Texas Farewell." County 723, Cockerham, Jarrell, and Jenkins- "Back Home in the Blue Ridge." County 775, Kenny Baker- "Farmyard Swing." Edison 51381 (78 RPM), Jasper Bisbee {appears as 1st tune of "Girl I Left Behind Me" medley}. Flying Fish 102, New Lost City Ramblers - "20 Years/Concert Performances" (1978). Folkways FA2337, Clark Kessinger- "Live at Union Grove." Folkways FA2371, Roger Sprung- "Ragtime Bluegrass 2." Folkways FTS 31089. Heritage 060, Art Galbraith - "Music of the Ozarks" (Brandywine 1984). Kicking Mule 203, Art Rosenbaum- "The Art of the Mountain Banjo." Missouri State Old Time Fiddlers' Association, Cyril Stinnett - "Plain Old Time Fiddling." Missouri State Old Time Fiddlers' Association, Kelly Jones (b. 1947) - "Authentic Old-Time Fiddle Tunes." Old Homestead OHCS-145, the Skillet Lickers --"A Day at the Country Fair" ("The Original Arkansas Traveller"). Paramount 3015 (78 RPM) {the same as Brunswick 8052}, 1927, and Edison 52294 (78 RPM), 1928, John Baltzell (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) {Baltzell was taught to play fiddle in part by minstrel Dan Emmett, d. 1904, who was born in and returned to [1888] the same town}. Rebel 1552, Buck Ryan- "Draggin' the Bow." Rebel 1515, Curly Ray Cline- "My Little Home in West Virginia." Rounder 0100, Byron Berline- "Dad's Favorites." Rounder 0117, "Blaine Sprouse". Sonyatone 201, Eck Robertson (Texas) and Henry Gilliland (Ok.) - "Master Fiddler." Supertone 9172 (78 RPM), Doc Roberts. Tennvale 003, Pete Parish- "Clawhammer Banjo." Victor 18956 (78 RPM), Eck Robertson (Texas) {1922}. Victor 21635 (78 RPM), Jilson Setters (AKA Blind Bill Day, from Rowan Cty. Ky.), 1928. Voyager 301, Byron Berline- "Fiddle Jam Session." Voyager 304, Bill Long and Bill Mitchell- "More Fiddle Jam Sessions." Recorded by Franklin County, Va. fiddler J.W. "Peg" Thatcher in 1939 for Library of Congress, and by Clayton McMichen (Ga.) and Dan Hornsby in 1928. In repertoire of Uncle Jimmy Thompson (Texas/Tenn.) {1848-1931}, Uncle Bunt Stevens (Tenn.), Fiddlin' Cowan Powers (Russell County, S.W. Va.) {1877-1952?}.

ASHPLANT [1]. AKA and see "An Maide Fuinnseoige." Irish, Reel. Ireland, Co. Sligo. E Minor. Standard. AB (Breathnach, Flaherty, McNulty): AABB (Carlin, Miller & Perron). An ashplant was the name for a common implement among farmers and drovers of cattle in Ireland, made from a sapling of an ash tree. The root ball would be trimmed to a knob which fit easily in the hand, and the length trimmed into a switch. It would be applied to the hide of the buttocks of an animal as a means of motivating and steering them. The implement has been known to be employed in brawls on fair days, grasped at the opposite end with the knob then the business end! Sources for notated versions: piper Pat Brophy (Ireland) [Breathnach]; flute player Noel Tansey (b. 1940, Cuilmore, Co. Sligo, Ireland) [Flaherty]. Breathnach (CRE I), 1963; No. 116, pg. 48. Carlin (Master Collection), 1984; No. 211, pg. 124. Flaherty (Trip to Sligo), 1990; pg. 94. McNulty (Dance Music of Ireland), 1965; pg. 5. Miller & Perron (Traditional Irish Fiddle Music), 1977; Vol. 1, No. 63. Gael-Linn CEF 114, Noel Hill & Tony MacMahon - "I gCnoc na Graí." Leader LEACD 2004, "Martin Byrnes" (1969).
T:Ashplant, The
R:reel
D:Noel Hill & Tony McMahon: \'I gCnoc na Gra\'I
L:1/8
M:C|
K:Edor
BE~E2 BAGA|BE~E2 ~G3A|1 BE~E2 BABd|gedB A2GA:|2 ~B3A (3Bcd ef|gedB A2GA||
|:B2eB fBeB|~B2ed BAGA|1 B2eB ~f3d|efdB A2GA:|2 (3Bcd ef ~g3a|gedB A2GA||

AT THE FAIR [1]. English?, Contra Dance (2/4 time). C Major. Standard. AABB. Hardings All Round Collection, 1905, No. 42, pg. 12-13.

AT THE FAIR [2]. English? Reel. C Major. Standard. AABB'. Hardings All Round Collection, 1905; No. 102, pg. 32.

AURETTI'S DUTCH SKIPPER. AKA and see "Dutch Skipper"?? English, Jig. G Major (Johnson): B Flat Major (Barnes). Standard. AABB. The tune was first published c. 1756. Barnes (English Country Dance Tunes), 1986. Johnson (Twenty-Eight Country Dances as Done at the New Boston Fair), Vol. 8, 1988; pg. 3. F&W Records 3, "Canterbury Dance Orchestra."

BATH CARNIVAL. AKA and see "Keppel's Delight." English, Country Dance Tune (6/8 time). A Major. Standard. AABB. First published in 1777. The Roman name for Bath was Aquae Sulis, the 'waters of Sulis' (Sulis was a Celtic goddess with affinities to Minerva), referring to the hot springs found there, but when the English conquered the territory they called it simply 'the baths,' later simply Bath (Matthews, 1972). For many years it was part of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Mercia, and its abbey was chosen by Dunstan as the site of the first major coronation in 973 when Edgar was crowned King of the English with his queen Elfrida. Bath regained notoriety as a spa in the 18th century when much of the town center was rebuilt, and received patronage from George III and his queen, Charlotte, and after, George IV, and it is to this era that the title speaks. The Assembly Rooms at Bath, part of the spa, were built in the 1740's and were in the form of a long, rectangular space to accommodate country dancing. Barnes (English Country Dance Tune), 1989. Johnson (Twenty-Eight Country Dances as Done at the New Boston Fair), Vol. 8, 1988; pg. 1.

BELLE CATHARINE, LA [1]. AKA "Lady Belle Catherine." AKA and see "Come (Let Us) Dance and Sing," "The Rising Sun," "The Sons of William," "Inkle and Yarico," "Shrewsbury Quarry." British Isles, Reel. England; Shropshire, Dorset. D Major. Standard. AAB (Johnson): AABA (Ashman, Trim): AABB (Sweet). The tune (popular with fifers as well as fiddlers) dates from the 18th century (Moffatt-Kidson gives it from 1780, calling it an "allemand"). Johnson (1988) also dates the tune to 1780. Editor Gordon Ashman identifies it as used for the Shrewsbury Show, where it became the traditional tune for the Show under the title "Shrewsbury Quarry." Source for notated version: The Entire New and Compleat Tutor for the Violin by 18th century Italian violinist Geminiani (who lived in the British Isles), via the Hardy Collection. Source for notated version: a c. 1837-1840 MS by Shropshire musician John Moore [Ashman]. Ashman (The Ironbridge Hornpipe), 1991; No. 45a, pg. 16. Gow (Collection of Srathspey Reels), Vol. 2, 1788; pg. 36. Johnson (Twenty-Eight Country Dances as Done at the New Boston Fair), Vol. 8, 1988; pg. 2. Skillern, 1780; No. 29. Sweet (Fifer's Delight), 1964/1981; pg. 65. Trim (Thomas Hardy), 1990; No. 86. Wilson (Companion to the Ballroom), 1840; pg. 117. North Star NS0038, "The Village Green: Dance Music of Old Sturbridge Village." Wild Asparagus WA 003, Wild Asparagus - "Tone Roads" (1990).

BÍMÍD AG ÓL IS AG PÓGADH NA mBAN (Let's be drinking and kissing the Women). AKA - "Bímid ag Ól" [2]. Irish, Double Jig. G Major. Standard. AB (Petrie): AABB (Breathnach, Mitchell). See also "Let us be drinking," "I court the fair Maidens," "My name is O'Sullivan." Breathnach (1963) states that the tune is named after a song written by Eoghan Rua Ó Súilleabháin c. 1780. This jig is melodically related to "Sean Reid's Reel" (AKA "The West Wind") and the hornpipe "An Buachaill Dreoite." In CRE II (1976) Breathnach noted that the reel "Gilibeart Mhac Fhlannchadha" (Gilbert Clancy) was related to this tune. Joyce's and Breathnach's parts are reversed from each other. The song was said to have been sung by Captain Francis O'Neill in 1870 at Bloomington, Illinois, at his wedding to Anna Rogers, also a lover of traditional music. The song was a favorite of his father's (Carolan, 1997). O'Neill (who led an adventurous early life) was a seaman on the Great Lakes at the time, some three years prior to his joining the Chicago police force. O'Neill prints settings in Music of Ireland (No. 479) and in Irish Music (No. 9) under alternate titles. Breathnach finds versions in Petrie's Ancient Music of Ireland (pgs. 130-131) and in the Stanford/Petrie edition pgs. 1063-1064. Sources for notated versions: piper Willie Clancy/Liam Mac Flannchadha (1918-1973, Miltown Malbay, west County Clare, Ireland) [Breathnach, Mitchell]; from Father Walsh, parish priest at Sneem, bordering on Kenmare Bay [Petrie]. Breathnach (CRE I), 1963; No. 17, pg. 8. Mitchell (Dance Music of Willie Clancy), 1993; No. 7, pg. 32. Stanford/Petrie (Complete Collection), 1905; Nos. 1063 & 1064, pgs. 269-270. Columbia 35612, "The Chieftains" (1978. Played as a three-part tune, the third part not normally played by musicians but sung as a chorus by by the singers of Ballyvourney, West Cork).

BISHOP, THE [1]. AKA and see "Miss Dolland's Delight." English, Country Dance Tune (4/4 time). A Major. Standard. AABB. Barnes (English Country Dance Tunes), 1986. Johnson (Twenty-Eight Country Dances as Done at the New Boston Fair), Vol. 8, 1988; pg. 2.

BLAIR ATHOLL [2]. Scottish, Reel. A Minor/Dorian. Standard. AB (Kerr): AABB (Lerwick, Songer). Blair Castle is the seat of the Duke of Athole, and lies just northwest of the village of Blair Athole, in the parish of Blair Athole, district of Athole, Perthshire. Still a functional residence, some of its buildings are open to the public. The castle dates to the 13th century when its oldest part, Comyn's Tower, was constructed. It was occupied by the Marquess of Montrose in 1644, and again garrisoned by Claverhouse in 1689 (Claverhouse was killed in the battle of Killiecrankie, and his body brought to Blair Castle where his cuirass can be seen today). Bonnie Prince Charlie and his troops rested at the Castle on their journey south during the Jacobite rebellion of 1745, and the castle was damaged the next year in a bombardment. It was restored as a manor house at the end of the century, minus all fortress-like vestiges, but these were restored in the Victorian era.
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In the autumn of 1787 the poet Robert Burns, at that time on a tour in the Highlands, came to Blair Athole with a letter of introduction to the Duke. His Grace was not a home when Burns arrived, but he was cordially welcomed by the Duchess of Athole and stayed a few days at the castle, with the Duke returning before the poet left. He found staying at the same time the Duchess sister, Mrs. Graham along with their youngest sibling, Miss Cathcart, then in her seventeenth year. Burns declared later that the two days he spent there were among the happiest days of his life. He wrote from Inverness soon after to Mr. Walker (later a Professor of Humanity) of Glasgow, who was then residing at Blair Athole, and enclosed his composition "Humble Petition of Bruar Water." In the letter he says:
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The "little-angel band"-I declare I prayed for them very sincerely
today at the Fall of Fyers. I shall never forget the fine family-piece
I saw at Blair: the amiable, the truly noble Duchess, with her smiling
little seraph in her lap, at the head of the table; the lovely "olive-plants,"
as the Hebrew bard finely says, round the happy mother; the beautiful
Mrs. Graham; the lovely sweet Miss Cathcart, &c. I wish I had the
power of Guido to do them justice.'
***
As fate would have it, the three sisters, known for their beauty all passed away when relatively young. The Duchess survived Burns's visit only three years, and Mrs. Graham five. Miss Cathcart, who was singularly amiable as well as beautiful, was cut off at twenty-four.
***
Kerr (Merry Melodies), Vol. 3; No. 146, pg. 17. Lerwick (The Kilted Fiddler), 1985; pg. 25. Songer (Portland Collection), 1997; pg. 32. Green Linnet SIF 1047, John Cunningham - "Fair Warning" (1983).

BLACK ROGUE, THE [1] (An Rógaire Dub). AKA and see "Bunch of Green Rushes" [2], "The Bark is on the Swelling Shore" "Before I Was Married," "Billy O'Rourke's Jig," "The Black Joke" [2], "Come Under My Plaidie," "Donnybrook Fair," "God Bless the Grey Mountain," "Humors of Donnybrook Fair," "Inishowen," "Irish Lady," "Irish Lass," "Johnny McGill," "Life is All Chequered," "Little Bench of Rushes," "Michael Malloy/Molloy/Mulloy," "Nature and Melody," "O Pleasant Was the Moon," "Shane/Shaun Glas," "Sublime Was the Warning," "Shandrum Boggoon," "This Life is All Chequered," "Tis a bit of a thing," "What sounds can compare." Irish, Double Jig. G Major (O'Neill): D Major (Taylor). Standard. AABB. Said to have been composed by Ayrshire, Scotland, musician Johnny McGill, but also claimed as Irish. Source for notated version: set dance music recorded live at Na Píobairí Uilleann, mid-1980's [Taylor]. O'Farrell, pg. 40. O'Neill (1850), 1979; No. 915, pg. 170. O'Neill (1001 Gems), 1986; No. 302, pg. 65. Stanford/Petrie (Complete Collection), 1905; No. 1265. Taylor (Music for the Sets: Yellow Book), 1995; pg. 27.
T:Black Rogue, The [1]
L:1/8
M:6/8
S:O'Neill
K:G
g|dBB BAB|dBB B2g|dBB BAB|GEE E2g|dBB BAB|dBB BAG|Abc BAB|GEE E2:|
|:d|gfg aga|bge edB|gfg aga|bge e>f/g/a/|bag agf|gef g2e|dBB BAB|GEE E2:|

BONNIE LASS O' BALLOCHMYLE, THE. Scottish, Air (4/4 time). F Major. Standard. One part. The music, a modern air, is by William Jackson, with lyrics by Robert Burns, though he originally set them to the tune "Johnnie's Grey Breeks." Burns wrote his words while on a stroll one evening along the banks of the Ayr river. The braes of Ballochmyle run along the right or north side of the water, about two miles from Burns' farm of Mossgiel. According to Neil (1991) they "form the most distinctive part of the estate of Ballochmyle, owned by Claude Alexander." The 'bonnie lass' was Claude's sister, Wilhelmina Alexander, to whom Burns sent a copy of the verses in 1786, asking her leave to publish them. She did not deign to reply at the time, but later, after the poet had become famous, she had both the song and the letter accompanying it framed and hung in the hall of her home.
***
Fair is the morn in flowery May
And sweet is night in autumn mild,
When roving through the garden gay
Or wandering in the lonely wild.
But woman, nature's darling child!
There all her charms she does compile,
Ev'n there her other works are foil'd
By the bonnie lass o' Ballochmyle.
***
Neil (The Scots Fiddle), 1991; No. 184, pg. 239.

BONNIE WELLS O' WEARIE, THE. Scottish, Air (4/4 time). G Major. Standard. AB. The melody was composed by the self-taught musician John Charles Greive, who proved skilled enough in his craft to lecture on harmony at Heriot-Watt College and to start up a "kind of children's opera" (Neil, 1991). The Wells o' Wearie were to be found in Holyrood Park at the foot of Arthur's Seat opposite 'Samson's Ribs' and were once used by washer women from a nearby village (Echo Bank) and, perhaps because of this, were a gathering place for young men. In 1831 one of Scotland's first railways was built which ran nearby, according to Neil (1991), and was called "The Innocent Railway" because the cars (which carried coal from Dalkeith to Edinburgh) were pulled by horses due to popular fears about the use of steam engines. Words to the tune were written by Alexander MacLagan, a contemporary of Grieve's who lived in Edinburgh and a regular contributor to the Edinburgh Literary Review.
**
O lang may bonnie lassies fair,
Wi' nature's charms around them,
Still bleach their claes on flow'ry braes
Wi' nae sad cares to wound them.
Lang may her sons' mid fairy scenes,
Wi' hearts richt leal and cheerie,
Still meet to sing their patriot sangs
Beside the Wells o' Wearie.
**
Neil (The Scots Fiddle), 1991; No. 20, pg. 26.

BOB AND JOAN. See "Boban John," "Bobbing Joan," "Bobbing Joe," "Hey for Stoney Batter," "Fill the Bumper Fair," "Love and Whiskey," "Stoneybatter" [1]. Irish, Air or March (9/8). G Major (E Minor, 'A' part?). Standard. AB (Roche): AABB (Breathnach). A variant of the Scottish tune "Boban John" in a different time. The air was used in the opera The Wife of Two Husbands for the song "Love and Whiskey," to which Thomas Moore later wrote "Fill the Bumper Fair." Breathnach (1963) gives these words:
***
Hi for Bob and Joan,
Hi for Stoneybatter;
Leave your wife at home
Or surely I'll be at her.
***
Crofton Croker mentions "Bob and Joan" in conjunction with James Gandsey (1769-1857), the famous Kerry piper (as reported by Brendan Breathnach in The Man and His Music {1997}). Gandsey, who was nearly blind from smallpox contracted as an infant, nevertheless was an incomparable talent of his time on his instrument, whose talents also included telling a good story, singing a good song and holding his own at capping Latin verses (a skill learned as a youth in a hedge school) with any educated person in the county. Croker describes several musical encounters with Gandsey at Gorham's Hibernian Hotel, at one of which a request was made of the piper for a lively song. "Come boy, scrape away," said Gandsey to his son, a fiddler, and responded by singing "Bob and Joan," to which he had set his own words:
***
To Killarney we will go,
And see fair nature's beauties,
The mountain topped with snow,
And covered with arbutus.
Oh! Then, to hear at night,
At Gorham's, how entrancing,
Old Gandsey play his pipes,
Which steps the maids a dancing!
Tow, row, row, row, row etc.
***
Source for notated version: piper Seán Potts (Ireland) [Breathnach]. Breathnach (CRE I), 1963; No. 63, pg. 27. Roche Collection, Vol. II, 1982; No. 343, pg. 61.

BOBBY SHAFTOE/SHAFTO [1]. English, New England; Polka, Reel or Sword Dance. England, Northumberland. C Major (Karpeles, Peacock): D Major (Brody, Raven): G Major (Miller & Perron {polka}, Raven {sword dance version}): B Flat Major (Stokoe). Standard. AB (Raven & Karpeles {sword dance versions}, Bruce & Stokoe): AAB (Brody): AABB (Miller & Perron): AABBCCDD (Raven): AABBCCDDEEFFGG (Peacock). "Bobby Shaftoe" is better known to recent generations as a nursery rhyme and jump-rope song. There is a morris dance {called "Castlering"} from Lichfield, England, which is performed to an altered version of this tune (tune and dance printed in Raven, pg. 87). The 'B' part of the tune is the same as "Lady's Breast Knot," "Bonny Breast Knot," and, in America, "Jaybird," "Skip to My Lou," and "Daddy Shot a Bear." The sword dance version is from the village of Askham Richard, England (Karpeles).
***
Bobby Shaftoe's gaen to sea, Siller buckles on his knee;
He'll come back and marry me, Bonny Boddy Shaftoe.
Bobby Shaftoe's bright and fair, Combing down his yellow hair;
He's me awn for ever mair, Bonny Bobby Shaftoe. (Northumbrian, Stokoe & Bruce)
***
Bobby Shaftoe's gone to sea,
Silver buckles at his knee:
He'll come back and marry me,
Bonny Bobby Shaftoe!
***
Bobby Shaftoe's tall and slim,
Always dressed so neat and trim;
The ladies they all look at him,
Bonny Bobby Shaftoe!
***
Bobby Shaftoe's gone to sea,
Silver buckles at his knee:
He'll come back and marry me,
Bonny Bobby Shaftoe! (English, Time Hart)
***
Bobby Shaftoe's gone to sea,
With silver buckles on his knee;
He'll come back and marry me,
Bonny Bobby Shaftoe.
***
Bobby Shaftoe's bright and fair,
Combing down his yellow hair,
He's ma' ain for ever mair,
Bonny Bobby Shaftoe.
***
Bobby Shaftoe's getten a bairn,
For to dandle in his airm;
In his airm, and on his knee,
Bobby Shaftoe loves me. (Scottish)
***
Source for notated version - Dudley Laufman (N.H.) [Brody]. Brody (Fiddler's Fakebook), 1983; pg. 50. Bruce & Stokoe (Northumbrian Minstrelsy), 1882; pg. 115. Karpeles & Schofield (A Selection of 100 English Folk Dance Airs), 1951; pg. 32. Kennedy (Fiddlers Tune Book), Vol. 1, 1951; No. 52, pg. 26. Miller & Perron (101 Polkas), 1978; No. 100. Peacock (Peacock's Tunes), c. 1805/1980; No. 44, pg. 20. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 161, pg. 87. Front Hall 03, Dudley Laufman- "Swinging on a Gate." Front Hall 010, Fennigs All Stars- "The Hammered Dulcimer Strikes Again."
T:Bobby Shaftoe
L:1/8
M:2/4
S: Bruce & Stokoe - Northumbrian Minstrelsy
K:B_
BB Be|df dB|FF FB|Ac AF|BA Be|df dB|ce cA|B2B2||
df dB|df d2|ce cA|ce c2|df dB|df d2 ce cA|B2B2||

BROOM, THE BONNY, BONNY BROOM. AKA - "Broom of the Cowdenknowes," "Cowden Knowes," "Cowdenknowes," "The Lovely Northerne Lass," "O My King," "O, the Broom." English, Scottish; Air and Country Dance Air (2/2 time). England; Northumberland, Shropshire. F Major (Barnes, Karpeles, Raven, Sharp, Williamson): G Major (Ashman). Standard. One part (Ashman, Karpeles, Raven, Sharp, Williamson): AABB (Barnes). This very old Northumbrian air has been set to various words, but most famously appears as "The Broom of the Cowdenknows." Broom is a bush with brilliant yellow flowers that grows all over England and Southern Scotland on hillsides. Stems of the plant were at one time bundled together and bound to sticks for use as sweepers, hence the name 'broom' for the common implement. Cowdenknowes itself, with its famous broom, is situated on the east bank of the River Leader, five miles northeast of Melrose.
***
Williamson (1976) states that the piece can be traced back to the mid-17th century and believes it was probably one of those introduced into England after 1603 with the advent of the Stuart monarchy. The tune was popular, widely known in Britain, and frequently used as the vehicle for numerous lyrics; it appears, for example, set for four different songs in the Tea Table Miscellany, though the earliest English appearance seems to have been in the first edition of Playford's English Dancing Master (1651). Scots versions predate English ones with the melody used for broadside ballads at least as early as 1632; later Scots versions of the song are to be found in Orpheus Caledonius (1725) and The Scots Musical Museum (1787). The song was mentioned in the text of the very first ballad opera, The Gentle Shepherd (1725), written by Allan Ramsay (although his work was not performed before Gay's 1729 Beggar's Opera became a hit), and subsequently in the ballad operas Beggar's Opera, The Highland Fair and The Decoy. Even the German composer J.C. Bach (son of the more famous Johan Sebastian) penned a setting of this melody.
***
The name of the tune appears in a 1721 poetic address by Allan Ramsay addressed to the Edinburgh Musical Society.
***
While vocal tubes and consort strings engage
To speak the dialect of the Golden Age,
Then you whose symphony of souls proclaim
Your kin to heaven, add to your country's fame,
And show that musick may have so good fate
In Albion's glens, as Umbria's green retreat:
And with Corelli's soft Italian song
Mix Cowden Knows, and Winter Nights are long.
***
Playford, The English Dancing Master (1651) {appears as "The Bonny Bonny Broome"}. Ashman (The Ironbridge Hornpipe), 1991; No. 66-67, pg. 26. Barnes (English Country Dance Tunes), 1986. Karpeles & Schofield (A Selection of 100 English Folk Dance Airs), 1951; pg. 16. John Gay, The Beggar's Opera (1729) {appears as "O, the Broom"}, Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 55. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pgs. 45 & 76. Sharp (Country Dance Tunes), 1909/1994; pg. 34. Williamson (English, Welsh, Scottish and Irish Fiddle Tunes), 1976; pg. 28. Flying Fish Records FF358, Robin Williamson - "Legacy of the Scottish Harpers, Vol. 1." Green Linnet SIF 3037, Silly Wizard - "Golden, Golden" (1985). Harmonia Mundi 907101, The King's Noyse - "The King's Delight: 17c. Ballads for Voice and Violin Band" (1992. Appears as the tune for the song "The Lovely Northerne Lass").
T:Broom, the Bonny, Bonny Broom
L:1/8
M:2/2
K:F
c3dc3d|cBAG F4|f2fg agfe|d6e2|f3ga2ga|f2FG A2GF|G2G2d3B|G8||

BUFFALO GALS [1]. See "Alabama Gals (Won't You Come Out Tonight)," "Bowery Girls," "Brown Town Gals," "Cincinnati Girls," "Hagtown Girls," "Hagantown Gals" (Pa), "I Danced with the Girl with the Hole in Her Stocking," "Jackto(w)n" {or "Jackstown"} (Pa.), "Jimtown (Gals)," "Johnstown" (Pa.), "Louisiana Gals," "Lubly Fan," "Lushbaugh Girls," "Midnight Serenade," "Old Johnnie Walker" (English Country Dance), "Round Town Gals," "Yellow Gals." Old-Time, American, English; Breakdown, Reel or Polka. USA; Oklahoma, Arkansas, Texas, Mississippi, New York, Pa., Arizona. F Major (Shaw): G Major (most versions). Standard. AB (Shaw, Sweet): AAB: AABB (Phillips). The name Buffalo for the New York town derives from the name of a Native American and was first called Buffalo Creek, becoming simply Buffalo as the town grew. The tune is widespread in American tradition, though as Samuel Bayard (1944) points out, the song is widely disseminated and is now an 'international melody'. Curiously, he thinks the air itself probably originated in Germany, but came to America and was assimilated in 'British style'. Intrumental versions, not surprisingly, are more ornate than vocal settings and display much wider variation, as a comparison of the sources listed below will attest. "Version B ('Johnstown Gals') affords a good example of how the influence of common melodic formulae, combined with tendencies toward attaining easy bowing and fingering will modify the outlines of a tune in instrumental tradition. Version A ('Hagantown Gals') is much like some recorded further south; B is in some ways distinctive...Sets from American tradition are Lomax, American Ballads and Folk Songs, pp. 288-289; Ford, p. 53; Adam, No. 12; and three playparty versions from Texas in Owens, Swing and Turn, pp. 45, 54, 103. (Bayard, 1944). See also "O Dear Mother My Toes Are Sore " [3] for a 6/8 version ('A' part only).
***
In America it is one of the most frequently mentioned fiddle tunes of the entire repertory. It appears listed in the early 20th century repertories of such geographically disparate Arizona fiddler Kenner C. Kartchner and Union County, Pa., fiddler Harry Daddario. Musicologist/Folklorist Vance Randolph recorded the tune from Ozark Mountain fiddler for the Library of Congress in the early 1940's. Cauthen (1990) says the tune had folk origins but was published in 1848 as a minstrel tune. "It was already well known in the gulf town of Mobile, Alabama, in 1846, where a woman who had once been "a flower, innocent and beautiful but long since turned from its stem, trampled, soiled and desecrated" was arrested for drunkenly singing 'Mobile gals, won't you come out tonight' on the streets" (pgs. 13-14). Bronner (1987) says that although the tune had a long traditional history its popularity in America stems from its use in the 19th century popular theater. In the 1840's one Cool White (real name: John Hodges), a blackface performer, sang a tune called "Lubly Fan, Won't You Come Out Tonight" with the popular minstrel troupe the Virginia Serenaders. He claimed to have composed it, and credit is often given to him, but it was first printed on sheet music in New York in 1848 with "author unknown." Alan Jabbour found a tune called "Midnight Serenade" in George P. Knauff's Virginia Reels, volume IV, printed in Baltimore in 1839, that is a set of "Buffalo Gals," and since it preceeds the minstrel era or at least publication of "Lubly Fan," he suggests the tune was at the time in oral tradition at least in the Upland South.
***
Overseas the song can be found in English songsters of the 19th and early 20th centuries; in Scott (1926) it appears as sung by the Ethiopian Serenaders. The tune briefly entered the British top 20 (rising as high as #9) at the end of 1982 when Malcom McLaren, promoter of the punk bands Sex Pistols and Bow Wow Wow, recorded a version consisting of himself vocalizing dance calls to a music track by East Tennessee's Roan Mountain Hilltollers (led by septugenarian fiddler Joe Birchfield) and assorted synthsized sounds, scratching and other arranged noise. Bayard (1944) reports that a German version may be seen in Burchenal's volume Folk-Dances of Germany (p. 21), while three Jugoslav sets he finds strongly resemble his American (Pennsylvania-collected) versions, which serves for his to heighten the suggestion that the tune originally came from Germany (these latter are located in Fr. S. Kuhac, Juznoslovjenske Narodne Popievke (Zagreb), II, (1879), pp. 222-224, Nos. 686-688, to a song entitled "Liepa Mara"). That the melody has also spread into France is evinced by its presence in J. Tiersot, Chansons Populaires Recueillies dans les Alpes Francaises, p. 532. tune 1, a 'Monferine.' Cf. also J.B. Bouillet, Album Aunergnat, p. 25, first part of the 'Bourree d'Issoire'". In East Lothian, Scotland, "Buffalo Gals" was the tune invariably played for the country dance called The Lads of Glasgow, which was performed at regional kirns until the 1930's and in some isolated areas until World War II (Flett & Flett, 1964). The melody was better known in East Lothian as tune for the bothy ballad "Whar'll bonnie Annie lie."
***
A feature of the tune has long been the multiplicity of place names attached to it in the title. Bronner notes it has been called "Jimtown Gals," "Brown Town Gals," "Alabama Gals," "Roundtown Gals," "Johnstown Gals," "Lushbaugh Girls," "Louisiana Gals," "Bowery Gals," "Cincinnati Gals," "Hagtown Gals," and "Hagantown Gals," as well as "Buffalo Gals." He speculates that Buffalo (New York) became the primary city name attached to the title because it was a "common terminal point for the minstrel circuit from New York city to Albany across to westernmost Buffalo, the city's name and its frontier reputation made it an easy and appropriate substitute for performances of 'Lubly Fan'" (pg. 216). Ceclia Conway, in African Banjo Echoes in Appalachia (1995), notes that the term "Buffalo" was used by Native Americans to refer to blacks (as in "Buffalo Soldiers").
***
As I was walking down the street,
Down the street, down the street;
A pretty little girl I chanced to meet,
Oh, she was fair to see.
***
I asked her if she would have some talk,
Have some talk, have some talk;
Her feet covered up the whole sidewalk,
As she stood close to me.
***
I Asked her would she have a dance,
Have a dance, have a dance;
I thought that I might get a chance
To shake a foot with her.
***
I'd like to make that gal my wife,
Gal my wife, gal my wife;
I would be happy all my life,
If I had her by my side.
***
Chorus:
Buffalo gals, ain't you comin' out tonight,
Ain't you comin' out tonight, ain't you comin' out tonight;
Buffalo gals, ain't you comin' out tonight
And dance by the light of the moon. (Ford).
***
Sources for notated versions: Frank Potter (Nowata County, Oklahoma) [Thede]; Hornellsville Hillbillies, 1943 (New York State) [Bronner]; caller George Van Kleeck (Woodland Valley, Catskill Mtns., New York) [Cazden]. Irvin Yaugher Jr., Mt. Independence, Pennsylvania, October 19, 1943 (learned from his father) [Bayard, 1944]; 10 different fife and violin sources from southwestern Pa. given by Bayard, 1981.Bayard (Hill Country Tunes), 1944; No. 1A. Bayard (Dance to the Music), 1981; No. 167A-J, pgs. 113-117. Bronner (Old Time Music Makers of New York State), 1987; No. 20, pg. 90. Cazden (Dances from Woodland), 1945; pg. 13. Ford (Traditional Music in America), 1940; pg. 53. Jarman (Old Time Fiddlin' Tunes); No. or pg. 3. Kennedy (Fiddlers Tune Book), Vol. 1, 1951; No. 56, pg. 28. Miller & Perron (101 Polkas), 1978; No. 26 (polka). Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes), Vol. 1, 1994; pg. 40 (two versions). Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 145 (appears as "Old Johnnie Walker"). Scott (English Song Book), 1926; pg. 74. Shaw (Cowboy Dances), 1943; pg. 382. Sweet (Fifer's Delight), 1964; pg. 12. Thede (The Fiddle Book), 1967; pg. 119. In the repertoire of Uncle Jimmy Thompson (1848-1931) {Texas, Tenn.}. Flying Fish FF 90468, Critton Hollow - "Great Dreams" (1988). Missouri State Old Time Fiddlers' Association, Vee Latty (1910-1956) - "Fever in the South."
T:Buffalo Gals
L:1/8
M:2/4
S:Shaw - Cowboy Dances
K:F
z2 zC|FG AB|dc A2|cB G2|dc A3C|FG AB|dc A>f|ec BG|F3z||
f/f/e dc/c/|d/cB/ A2|c/BA/ G2|d/cB/ A2|f/f/e dc/c/ d/cB/ A>f|ec/c/ BG/G/|F3 z||

CARMAN'S WHISTLE, THE. English, Air (6/4 or 6/8 time). D Major. Standard. One part (Kines): AABB (Chappell, Raven). The air, harmonized by the famous English composer William Byrd, appears in both the "Fitzwilliam Virginal Book" and "My Lady Nevells Virginal Book" (1591), as well as Jane Pickering's "Virginal Book" and a British Museum Eg. MSS. 2,046. Chappell (1859) decided the popular sixteenth century ballad "was not suitable for publication" in his book, being risque by Victorian standards. The unexpurgated lyrics are printed by Kines (1964) and contain the usual double entendres of such bawdy songs of the period:
***
When he had played unto her
One merry note or two,
Then was she so rejoiced
She knew not what to do.
"Oh, God-a-mercy, carman,
Thou art a lively lad;
Thou hast as rare a whistle
As ever carman had." (Kines)
***
Chappell explains that in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries carriages and coaches were introduced from Europe and the trade of carter or carman developed. These individuals "appear to have been singularly famous for their musical abilities; but especially for whistling their tunes." Chappell and Pulver (1923) reference several works which allude to the musical skill of the carmen; one is Ben Jonson's Bartholomew Fair (I,1) when Waspe says:
***
I dare not let him walk alone, for fear of learning idle tunes, which
he will sing at supper and in the sermon times! If he meet but a carman
in the street, and I find him not talk to keep him off him, he will whistle
him all his tunes over at night, in his sleep. (Act i., sc. 1)
***
Shakespeare has Falstaff say of Justice Swallow in Henry IV, Part II, Act 3, that he "Sang the tunes he heard the carmen whistle and swore they were his Fancies or his Good-nights." Chappell (Popular Music of the Olden Time), Vol. 1, 1859; pg. 253. Kines (Songs From Shakespeare's Plays and Popular Songs of Shakespeare's Time), 1964; pg. 57. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 8.

CAT IN THE CORNER, THE [3]. Irish, Slide (12/8 time). G Major. Standard. AAB. Source O'Leary liked to pair this tune with "A Night at the Fair." Source for notated version: Bill the Weaver via accordion player Johnny O'Leary (Sliabh Luachra region of the Cork-Kerry border) [Moylan]. Moylan (Johnny O'Leary), 1994; No. 348, pg. 196.

CHELMSFORD ASSEMBLY. English, Country Dance Tune (6/8 time). G Major. Standard. AABB (x3). The tune was first published in 1750. Chelmsford, in Essex, is an Anglo-Saxon name denoting a ford across a river belonging to a man named Ceolmar (pronounced almost as Chelmer) {Matthews, 1972}. Barnes (English Country Dance Tunes), 1986. Johnson & Luken (Twenty-Eight Country Dances as Done at the New Boston Fair), 1988, Vol. 8; pg. 2.

COCK A BENDIE. AKA - "Cockabendie." AKA and see "Cawdor Fair," "Hawthorne Tree of Cawdor." Scottish, Country Dance Tune (4/4) or March. The melody appears in both the Drummond Castle Manuscript (1734) and the Bodleian Manuscript, the latter residing in the Bodleian Library, Oxford. The MS is inscribed "A Collection of the Newest Country Dances Performed in Scotland written at Edinburgh by D.A. Young, W.M. 1740." The melody appears in Middleton's and, as a march, in Ross's Collection of Pipe Music (1885, 1976).

COLLEGE HORNPIPE. AKA and see "Sailor's Hornpipe," "Lancashire Hornpipe," "Jack's the Lad." English, Scottish, Irish, Canadian, American; Hornpipe. D Major (Ashman, Huntington): G Major (Johnson, Perlman): C Major (Harding, Raven): B Flat Major (Athole, Burchenal, Cole, Cranford, Emmerson, Honeyman, Howe, Hunter, Kerr, McGlashan, Skinner, Vickers). Standard. AABB (most versions): AA'BB' (Cranford). A country dance and tune which was extremely popular both in England and in America (where it appears, for example, on page 28 of a dance MS of the Pepperell, Massachusetts, maid Nancy Shepley, c. 1766) in numerous collections. Carr published in America the tune in Evening Amusement (pg. 15) about August, 1796, and, some one hundred and fifty years later, the tune was still popular for New England dances. Burchenal (1918) printed another contra dance of the same name to the tune. A variant is familiar to most modern people as the theme to the mid-20th century cartoon "Popeye the Sailor Man."
**
In England, Chappell's editor concludes that it cannot date from earlier than the second half of the 18th century, and Chappell himself believes that the tune was an old sailor's song called "Jack's the Lad." The melody has become associated with the nautical hornpipe type of dance which became popular solo step-dance on the stage at the end of the 18th century, and, in fact, it is popularly known as "The Sailor's Hornpipe" today. One of the earliest printings of the tune appears in a volume entitled Compleat Tutor for the German Flute, published by Jonathan Fentum, London, c. 1766, the same year as Nancy Shepley's American dance MS. Another early British printing appears (as "Colledge Hornpipe") in Thompson's Compleat Collection of 120 Favourite Hornpipes (London, Charles and Samuel Thompson c. 1764-80.) and the title was entered at Stationers' Hall in 1798 by J. Dale, London, as "The College Hornpipe." Ken Perlman (1996) dates the tune to the 17th century or earlier and states that it was used by Henry Purcell (c. 1658-1695) in his opera Dido and Aeneas. Perlman does not cite any substantiating data, nor where he obtained this information, and at present his assumption seems unlikely.
**
"The College Hornpipe" was mentioned in an account of one of the old pipers of County Louth, a man named Cassidy, as recorded by William Carleton in his Tales and Sketches of the Irish Peasantry, published in 1845. Breathnach (1997) believes the first name of this piper was Dan, and that he was blind. Carleton, born in 1794, was a dancing master who taught in the 1820's, and was engaged to teach the children of the 'dreadful' Mrs. Murphy. It seems that Carleton:
**
having spent several nights at piper Cassidy's house weighing up the local
dancers ...was impelled by vanity to show them how good a dancer he was
himself. He asked one of the handsomest girls out on the floor, and, in
accordance with the usual form, faced her towards the piper, asking her to
name the tune she wished to dance to. Receiving the customary reply, 'Sir,
your will is my pleasure,' Carleton called for the jig Polthogue. He next
danced Miss McLeod's Reel with his partner, and then called for a hornpipe,
a single dance, this is, one done without a partner. It was considered
unladylike for girls to do a hornpipe. The College Hornpipe was his choice
for this dance. (pg. 59)
**
Breathnach, however, adds the the tune piper Cassidey played for Carleton may not have been the one we now associate with the title "College Groves." It may have been the "Cork Hornpipe" (known usually under the title 'Harvest Home'), which was the name often used for the 'ubiquitous piece' in county Longford. He thinks it more likely, though, that the tune was "Jack's the Lad" which, around Derrylin in Fermanagh was also known as 'The College Hornpipe' (pg. 68). It is an interesting tie-in with Chappell's assertion that the tune was originally called "Jack's the Lad" in England.
**
Sources for notated versions: seven southwestern Pa. fiddlers and fifers [Bayard]; a c. 1837-1840 MS. by Shropshire musician John Moore [Ashman]; Peter Chaisson, Jr. (B. 1942, Bear River, North-East Kings County, Prince Edward Island) [Perlman]; Winston Fitzgerald (Cape Breton) [Cranford]. Ashman (The Ironbridge Hornpipe), 1991; No. 75, pg. 31. Bayard (Dance to the Fiddle), 1981; No. 310A-G, pgs. 261-264. Burchenal (American Country Dances, Vol. 1), 1918; pg. 45. Cazden (Jigs, Reels, and Squares), Vol. 1, pg. 47. Chappell (Popular Music of the Olden Time), pgs. 740-741. Cole (1001 Fiddle Tunes), 1940; pg. 87. Cranford (Fitzgerald), 1997; No. 22, pg. 8. Emmerson (Rantin' Pipe and Tremblin' String), 1971; No. 88, pg. 164. Harding's All-Round Collection, No. 6. Honeyman, 1898; pg. 51. Howe (Musician's Omnibus) Pg. 45. Hunter (Fiddle Music of Scotland), 1988; No. 336. Huntington (William Litten's), 1977; pg. 19. Jarman (Old Time Fiddlin' Tunes); No. or pg. 29. Johnson & Luken (Twenty-Eight Country Dances as Done at the New Boston Fair), Vol. 8, 1988; pg. 3. Kerr (Merry Melodies), Vol. 1; No. 28, pg. 46. McGlashan (A Collection of Scots Measures), c. 1780, pg. 33. Old Time Jigs and Reels, pg. 45. Perlman (The Fiddle Music of Prince Edward Island), 1996; pg. 65. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 163. Seattle (William Vickers), 1987, Part 3; No. 439. Skinner (The Scottish Violinist, with variations). Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; pg. 299. Sweet (Fifer's Delight); pg. 43. White's Unique Collection, pg. 87. Old Time Fiddler's Favorite Barn Dance Tunes. Edison 51382 (78 RPM), Jasper Bisbee, 1923. Missouri State Old Time Fiddlers' Association, Cyril Stinnett (1912-1986) - "Plain Old Time Fiddling."
T:College
L:1/8
M:C|
R:Hornpipe
B:The Athole Colletion
K:B_
BA|B2 B,2 B,2 FE|DF B2 ~B2 dB|c2 C2 C2 cB|Ac f2 ~f2 ga|bagf gfed|
edcB BAGF|GBAc Bdce|d2 B2 ~B2:|
|:FE|DFBF DFBF|G2 E2 E2 GF|=EGcG EGcG|A2 F2 F2 ed|e2 g2 gfed|
edcB BAGF|GBAc Bdce|d2 B2 B2:|

COMICAL FELLOW, THE. English, Country Dance Tune (6/8 time). D Major. Standard. AABB (Johnson, Raven): AAAABB (Barnes). Published c. 1776. Barnes (English Country Dance Tunes), 1986. Johnson (Twenty-Eight Country Dances as Done at the New Boston Fair), Vol. 8, 1988; pg. 3. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 31.

COOLUN/COOLIN, THE (An Chuilfhionn) AKA- "An Cuilfion Le Atrugad," "An Cuilrionn," "The Coulin," "The Coolin," "Cuilin." AKA and see "In This Calm Sheltered Villa," "Had You Seen My Sweet Coolin," "Oh! Hush the Soft Sigh," "Oh! The Hours I Have Passed," "Though the Last Glimpse of Erin," "The Lady of the Desert." Irish, Slow Air (3/4 time). D Major (Gow): G Major (Ó Canainn, O'Neill/1915 & 1850, Roche): F Major (Joyce). Standard. AB (Joyce, O'Neill/1850, Sullivan): AAB with variations (Roche): AA'B (Ó Canainn): AABB (Gow). "The Queen of Irish Airs" maintains Francis O'Neill (1913). There are many versions of this ancient and celebrated air "of which Bunting's and Moore's are not among the best: they are both wanting in simplicity," states Joyce (1909), who prints the tune as collected by Forde from Hugh O'Beirne (a Munster fiddler from whom a great many tunes were collected). He considers Forde's version "beautiful...(and) probably the original unadulterated melody," and adds that it is similar to the version he heard the old Limerick people sing in his youth during the 1820's. Flood (1906) states it is probable the air dates from the year 1296 or 1297, believing it must have been composed not long after the Statute, 24th of Edward I, in 1295, which forbade those English in Ireland (who were becoming assimilated into the majority Gaelic culture) to affect the Irish hair style by allowing their locks to grow in 'coolins.' The original song, told from a young maiden's point of view, berates those Anglo-Irish who conformed to the edit by cutting their hair, and praises the proud Irishman who remained true to ancestral custom (the Gaelic title "An Chuilfhionn," means 'the fair-haired one'). The Irish Parliament passed another law in 1539 forbidding any male, Irish or Anglo-Irish, from wearing long or flowing locks of hair--this enactment, relates Flood, is the supposed impetus for the claim that Thomas Moore wrote the song and tune of "The Coolin," which was printed by Walker in 1786.
***
The tune was played by Irish harper Charles Fanning for the first prize (ten guineas) at a harp festival organized at Grannard in 1781. Fanning, then 56 years old, won a similar contest eleven years later at the Belfast Harp Festival with the same air (Flood, 1906), though Bunting (who was in attendance, recording the tunes played) says he was not the best performer but used modern variations on the tune which was much in vogue with young pianoforte players at the time. It was well known enough to have been mentioned by name by the Belfast Northern Star of July 15th, 1792, as having been one of the tunes played in competition by one of ten Irish harp masters (i.e. by Fanning) at the last great convocation of the ancient harpers, the Belfast Harp Festival, held that week.
***
In the alternate title for the tune, "The Lady of the Desert," the word 'Desert' may refer to "Dysert" (though it has the same meaning), a place name in several parts of Ireland, including North Kerry. Bunting's source Hempson claimed to have his version from Cornelius Lyons, a North Kerry musician.
***
Sources for notated versions: the Irish collector Edward Bunting noted the tune from the harper "Hempson, at Magilligan in 1796," who learned his set with variations from the famous harper Cornelius Lyons (of the Barony of Clanmaurice) who composed them in 1700 (Lyons, a friend and companion of O'Carolan, had built his reputation as the arranger of variations in a more 'modern' style to old melodies such as this and "Eileen a Roon"); Joyce prints the version collected by Forde from Hugh O'Beirne, a reknowned fiddler from Ballinamore in the mid-19th century; "From Taig MacMahon, as sung in Clare" [Stanford/Petrie]; fiddler James O'Neill (Chicago) [O'Neill]. Carlin (Gow Collection), 1986; No. 537. Gow (Complete Repository), Part 2, 1802; pg. 10. Hime (Pocket Book), c. 1810; pg. 33. Holden (Old Established Tunes), 1806-7; pg. 28. Joyce (Old Irish Folk Music and Song), 1909; No. 564, pg. 299 (appears as "The Coolin"). Kinloch (100 Airs), c. 1815; No. 25. McFadden (Scotch, English, Irish and Foreign Airs), volume V, 1790-7; pg. 29. Mooney (History of Ireland), 1846; pg. 532. Murphy (Irish Airs and Jigs), 1809; pg. 8. Ó Canainn (Traditional Slow Airs), 1995; No. 103, pg. 88. O'Farrell (National Pipe Music), 1797-1800; pg. 33. O'Farrell (Pocket Companion), 1801-10; No. 122. O'Neill (1915 ed.), 1987; No. 46, pg. 30 (with variations). O'Neill (1850), 1979; No. 89, pg. 16 (with nine variations). O'Sullivan/Bunting, 1983; No. 119, pgs. 168-170. Roche Collection, 1982; Vol. 1, pg. 22, No. 43. Stanford/Petrie (Complete Collection), 1905; Nos. 598 & 599, pgs. 150-151. Sullivan (Session Tunes), Vol. 3; No. 40, pg. 17. Walker (Historical Memoirs of the Irish Bards), part X, 1786; pg. 8. Green Linnet SIF 1084, Eugene O'Donnell - "The Foggy Dew" (1988).
T:Coolun
L:1/8
M:3/4
S:Gow - 2nd Repository
K:D
(3ABc|d2 ~d>f (f/e/)d/c/|~d2 A2 (3DFA|d2 (de/f/) {f}e>d|(d2c)z ~d>c|
~(B2 B)c/d/ (e/d/)(c/B/)|A2 (FA)(d>A)|(c/B/)A/G/ F2 E2|D4:|
|:A>G|~F>E(D>E)(FG)|A>^G ABcA|~d>c (de/f/) ed|(d2c2) d>c|
~B2 (B/c/d/c/) (e/d/)(c/B/)|A2 (FA)d>A|(c/B/)(A/G/) F2 E2|D4:|

COUNTRY COURTSHIP, THE. AKA and see "The Irish Washerwoman," (Irish), "The Free Masons," "In Bartholomew Fair," "Satr at Liwis," "The Scheme," "Corporal Casey," "Paddy McGinty's Goat," "The Snouts and Ears of America," "The Big Jig." English, Rapper Sword Dance Tune (6/8 time). G Major (Karpeles, Raven): C Major (Chappell). Standard. AB. Bayard (1981) states this tune is from "perhaps 1688, but certainly from 1715," and says it arose from an earlier tune called "Dargason," first published in 1609. His authority for the 1688 date apparently is Chappell (1859) who stated that in that year a song entitled "The Country Courtship," beginning 'Honest Sir, give me thy hand,' was entered at Stationers' Hall, to John Back. The well-known "Irish Washerwoman" is a nearly identical outgrowth of the "Courtship" tune. Chappell, writing in England in the 1850's declared the tune to be in common use in his time. It appears in Playford's Dancing Master (vol. iii), and Walsh's New Country Dancing Master. Chappell (Popular Music of the Olden Times), Vol. 2, 1859; pg. 128. Karpeles & Schofield (A Selection of 100 English Folk Dance Airs), 1951; pg. 31. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 74.

CRIEFF FAIR. Scottish, English; Reel or Strathspey. England, Northumberland. D Minor. Standard. AAB. The town of Crieff is in Perthshire, though Vickers spelled it "Creef" in his MS. Scot, in The Scottish Country Dance Book labeled the tune "from Bremner, 1760." Bayard thought the American tune "Fine Times At Our House" bore some resemblance to this tune. Glen (1891) finds the earliest printing of the tune in Robert Bremner's 1757 collection (pg. 69). Seattle (William Vickers), 1987, Part 3; No. 507 (reel). Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; pg. 244 (strathspey).
T:Crieff Fair
L:1/8
M:C
R:Strathspey
B:The Athole Collection
K:D Minor
A>BA>G A2 F>G|c>dc>A c>dc>A|A>BA>G F>G A2|f>de>^c d/d/d d2:|
d>ef>g a>fg>e|f>dc>A F>GA>c|d>ef>g a>fg>e|f>de>^c d/d/d d>f|
d>ef>g a>fg>e|f>dc>A F>GA>F|A>cF>A A/A/A a>g|f>de>^c d/d/d d2||

CUCKOO'S NEST [14] (Nead na Cuaiche" or "Nead an Cuaic"). See "Cuckoo Hornpipe." AKA and see "All Around," "Captain Moss's," "Come Ashore," "Come Ashore, Jolly Tar, With Your Trousers On," "Coo Coo's Nest," "I do confess thou art sae fair," "Jacky Tar" (Hornpipe), "The Mower," "The Mountain Top," "An Spealadoir" (The Mower), "The Trowsers On," "The Yellow Heifer." British Isles, Old-Time, Bluegrass; Hornpipe, Reel, Breakdown. D Major (Brody, Carlin {setting #1), Kerr, Moylan, Phillips/1995 {setting #1}: D Dorian (Roche, 1st setting): G Major (Harding, Merryweather & Seattle, Mulvihill, O'Neill/Krassen & 1001, Phillips/1995 {setting #2}, Roche {setting 2}: E Aeolian (O'Neill/Krassen -1st setting): A Dorian (Phillips): A Major (Carlin, setting #2). Standard. AB (Begin): AABB (Brody, Harding, Kerr, Moylan, Phillips, Roche, O'Neill, Phillips and Carlin {1st settings}): AABC (Mulvihill): AABBCC (Kennedy, Merryweather & Seattle, O'Neill/Krassen, 1001 & 1915, Roche, and Carlin {2nd settings}).
***
An extremely popular English melody known throughout the British Isles and British North America whose title, the 'cuckoo's nest,' commonly referred to female pubic hair and accompanying anatomy. It dates to at least the early 18th century. James Aird's printing in his Selection of Scotch, English, Irish and Foreign Airs, Vol. 1 (1782, pg. 66) includes an interesting fourth strain, not found in other sources. Matt Seattle (1987, 1994) believes the tune to originally have been a Scots Measure in D Minor with the title "Come Ashore Jolly Tar (with) Your Trousers On," but notes that many versions of this tune exist, with quite substantial variation between them, in major and minor keys (he remarks that the Northumbrian William Vicker's late 18th century setting is evidently minor, despite the key signature). The title appears in numerous 18th and 19th century dance collections, and made Henry Robson's list of popular Northumbrian song and dance tunes, which he published c. 1800. In Jacobite Relics (1819) James Hogg prints a song to the melody, commenting: "It must have been a great favourite in the last age, for about the time when I first began to know one tune from another, all the old people that could sing at all, could sing "The cuckoo is a bonny bird." He prints the following words to the tune:
***
The cuckoo's a bonny bird when he comes home,
The cuckoo's a bonny bird when he comes home;
He'll fley away the wild birds that hank about the throne,
My bonny cuckoo when he comes home.
***
The Cuckoo's Nest is also the name of a Scottish country dance, which, though increasingly rare, was danced in parts of the country (e.g. West Berwickshire) through the 19th century.
***
The 18th century Munster poet Eoghan Rua O Suilleabhain used the tune for his poem "An Spealadoir." Doolin, north County Clare tin whistle player Micho Russell also associated the tune with a 'spailpin,' or wandering harvest laborer (he called the tune "The Man that cuts the hay with the Scythe"). Bayard (1944) and Breathnach (1985) both cite the collector Father Henebry (A Handbook of Irish Music, pgs. 170-1) who was convinced that the third part of the Irish versions was modern (i.e. in his time, c. 1900), and "was tastelessly added to the original two parts or the air." Breathnach (1985) also notes that many songs were written to the air, and gives a verse from Seán Ó Dálaigh's collection of a rural love ballad popular in Munster:
***
Tá páircín bheag agamsa
de bhán, mhín, réidh;
Gan claí, gan fál, gan falla léi,
ach a haghaidh ar an saol;
Spealodóir do ghlacfainnse,
Ar task na d'réir an acara,
Bé acu sud do b'fhearr leis,
nó páigh in aghaidh an lae.
(Literal translation by Paul de Grae:)
I have a small little field
white, smooth, ready;
without fence, without hedge, without wall,
but its face to the world:
I'd take a mower
on a task or by the acre,
whichever he'd prefer,
or paid by the day.
***
Breathnach thinks the "An Spealdoir" (by which it is commonly known in Ireland) title stems from this verse.
***
In America, the melody was included in New Windsor, Connecticut, musician Giles Gibbs' MS collection of 1777, Henry Beck's flute manuscript of 1785 (pg. 56), and Clement Weeks' collection of dances made in 1783. It was even preserved in a chime clock of the period manufactured by New Windsor, Connecticut, clockmaker Daniel Burnap. The tune remains a popular staple at New England contra dances to this day. In other American traditions, the title appears in a list of traditional Ozark Mountain fiddle tunes compiled by musicologist/folklorist Vance Randolph, published in 1954. Similarly, in modern times in the United States the tune has been assumed into Texas fiddling tradition, probably derived from Canadian or Midwestern sources (Guthrie Meade & Mark Wilson).
***
Sources for notated versions: "loosely based on the playing of Dave Swarbrick" (England) [Phillips/1989]; piper Seamus Ennis (Ireland) [Breathnach]; from "an old music book of 1723" [Bunting]; from a MS collection by fiddler Lawrence Leadley, 1827-1897 (Helperby, Yorkshire) [Merryweather & Seattle]; Ruthie Dornfeld and James Chancellor [Phillips/1995]; accordion player Johnny O'Leary (Sliabh Luachra region of the Cork-Kerry border), recorded at a recital at Na Píobairí Uilleann, February, 1981 [Moylan]; fiddler Dawson Girdwood (Perth, Ottawa Valley, Ontario) [Begin]. Aird (Scotch, English, Irish and Foreign Airs), volume I, No. 190 (appears as "Come ashore Jolly Tar"). Begin (Fiddle Music in the Ottawa Valley: Dawson Girdwood), 1985; No. 22, pg. 37. Breathnach (CRE III), 1985; No. 221, pg. 101. Brody (Fiddler's Fakebook), 1983; pg. 81. Carlin (Master Collection), 1984; pgs. 163-164, No.'s 291-292 (arrangements by John Kimmel). Harding's All Round Collection, 1905; No. 52, pg. 16. Jarman, Old Time Fiddlin' Tunes; No. or pg. 23. Kennedy (Fiddlers Tune Book), Vol. 1, 1951; No. 27, pg. 14 [note for note the same as Raven's version]. Kerr (Merry Melodies), Vol. 4; No. 282, pg. 30. Merryweather & Seattle (The Fiddler of Helperby), 1994; No. 28, pg. 35. Mulvihill (1st Collection), 1986; No. 26, pg. 96 (appears as "Cuckoo's Nest No. 1," identical to O'Neill's 1850 2nd setting). O'Neill (1915 ed.), 1987; No. 321, pg. 158. O'Neill (Krassen), 1976; pg. 205 (two settings). O'Neill (1850), 1903/1979; Nos. 1733 & 1734, pg. 322. O'Neill (1001 Gems), 1907/1986; No. 913, pg. 156. O'Sullivan/Bunting, 1983; No. 110, pgs. 157-158. Phillips (Fiddlecase Tunebook), 1989; pg. 14. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes), Vol. 2, 1995; pg. 188. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 177 (appears as "The Cuckoo's Nest {New}" and is the same version as O'Neill's second setting). Roche Collection, 1982; Vol. II, pg. 19 and Vol. 3, pg. 60, No. 170. Russell (The Piper's Chair), 1989; pg. 26 (appears as "The Man that cuts the Hay with the Scythe"). Sannella, Balance and Swing (CDSS). Stanford-Petrie (Complete Collection), 1905; No. 1206. Seattle (William Vickers), 1987, Part 2; No. 289. Folkways FS 3809, Dan White and John Summers- "Fine Times at Our House." Fretless 103, "Clem Myers: Northeast Regional Old Time Fiddle Champion 1967 & 1970." Fretless 201, Jerry Robichaud- "Maritime Dance Party" (1978). Front Hall 017, Michael and McCreesh- "Dance, Like a Wave of the Sea" (1978. Learned from the playing of Martin Carthy & Dave Swarbrick). Kicking Mule 204, Pat Dunford- "The Old-Time Banjo In America." Rounder 0046, Mark O'Conner- "National Junior Fiddle Champion." Rounder 0060, Brother Oswald and Charlie Collins- "Oz and Charlie." Sonet SNTF 764, Dave Swarbrick and Friends- "The Ceilidh Album." Tara Records 1009, Seamus Ennis - "The Fox Chase" (1977).
T:Cuckoo's Nest, The [14]
L:1/8
M:C|
R:Hornpipe
S:O'Neill - 1001 Gems (913)
K:G
dc|BABA GBdg|fdcB cedc|BABG FGAB|c2A2 A2dc|
BABA GBdg|fdcB cedc|BABG FGAc|B2G2G2:|
|:Bc|dBGB dBGB|dcBA G2 AB|cAFA cAFA|cBAG F2BA|
GABc d2g2|fdcB cedc|BABG FGAc|B2G2G2:|
|:Bc|dggf gabg|afd^c d2 de|=fede ^fgaf|gfdB cedc|
BABA GBdg|fdcB cedc|BABG FGAc|B2G2G2:|

DANTON ME. Scottish, Air. Used by Mitchell in his opera The Highland Fair or Union of the Clans, performed at Drury Lane in London in 1731. The tune was later adapted by James Oswald (1710-1769) who set it with new variations.

DRIMOLEAGUE FAIR (Aonac Druim-Da-Leac). AKA and see "Danny Boy," "Derry Air," "Londonderry Air." Irish, Air (4/4 time). G Major. Standard. AB. Drimoleague is a town in south County Cork, at the opposite end of the country from Derry (O'Neill's joke title for "Derry Air"?). O'Neill (1850), 1903/1979; No. 316, pg. 55.

DONNY BROOK [1]. AKA and see "O'Flynn's Fancy," "(I'm) Over Young to Marry," "The Pretty Lass," "Were You at the Fair?" Irish, The tune appears under this title in Levey, Vol. 2.

DOWN AMONG THE DEAD MEN. English, Air (4/4 time). C Minor. Standard. AB. An English song that gained great notereity. The 'dead men' of the title are nothing more sinister that empty bottles rolled under the table, a metaphor still in use today for empty alcoholic beverage containers. Kidson (Groves) says it dates to the early years of Queen Anne's reign. Many songs were set to the air, often appearing on broadside sheets. One was engraved on a half-sheet from around 1715, headed "A Song sung by Mr. Dyer at Mr. Bullock's Booth at Southwark Fair," and begins:
***
Here's a health to the King and a lasting peace,
Let faction be damn'd and discord (cease).
***
The tune appears on broadside sheets, and also in Playford's Dancing Master (vol. iii, c. 1726), Hogg's Jacobite Relics (1st series) and Walsh's Compleat Country Dancing Master (vol. iii). Chappell (Popular Music of the Olden Time), Vol. 2, 1859; pgs. 173-174.

EILEAN FHIANAIN (Finan's Isle). Scottish, Air (6/8 time). D Mixolydian. Standard. AA'BB'. The tune was composed by Charles MacFarlane. Eilean Fhianain is a small island in Loch Shiel, Moidart, Inverness-shire, named for Saint Finan, a Celtic saint who lived there around 575 A.D. and a contemporary of St. Columba. He was known as 'Fhianan Luibre' (the Leper) or as 'the infirm' from the disease which was said to have been self-inflicted, received from a child whom he ministered. Later a fair named in his honor was held on the island each March 18th. Neil (1991) relates:
***
One of the few ancient bronze bells, in use in Scotland in the 9th
century, is to be found on Finan's Isle. It is on record that the bell
was stolen by one of the English troops during the 1745 Rebellion,
while they were garrisoned near Moidart. Fortunately he was
apprehended by Niall Mor Man Eilean (Big Niel of the Island),
who was custodian of the bell. Niall had given chase and had
caught him at Glenfinnan. It is said that the culprit was tied to
a tree by Niall, who then gave him a severe thrashing as a
punishment for his misdeeds, while his companions simply
looked on, without lifting a finger to help. It was found that
the tongue of the bell had somehow been removed, and it
subsequently had to be replaced with on of iron.
***
Neil (The Scots Fiddle), 1991; No. 145, pg. 185.

EXHIBITION OF 1862, THE. English, Jig. D Major. Standard. AABB. There was great international exhibition in London in 1862 May 1st to Nov. 15th, attended by Queen Victoria and sponsored by Prince Albert, drawing on the success of the exhibition of 1851 and the Crystal Palace. It was the last significant world's fair in England until 1923. Among the innovations featured at the exhibition was an undercover police officer who posed as a stature, and actually successfully captured a thief!
***

FASTEN THE LEGGIN'. AKA - "Daingnig An Cos Orrti," "Fasten the Leg in Her," "Fasten the Wig on Her," "Johnny is so long at the fair." Irish, Double Jig. G Major. Standard. AAB (Tubridy): AABB (Allan, Mallinson, Mulvihill, O'Neill): AA'BB' (Mitchell). Source for notated version: piper Willie Clancy (1918-1973, Miltown Malbay, west Clare) [Mitchell]. Allan's Irish Fiddler, No. 6, pg. 3. Mallinson (Enduring), 1995; No. 40, pg. 17. Mitchell (Willie Clancy), 1993; No. 73, pg. 71. Mulvihill (1st Collection), 1986; No. 63, pg. 78 (appears as "Fasten the Leg"). O'Neill (Krassen), 1976; pg. 35 (appears as "Fasten the Leg in Her"). O'Neill (1850), 1979; No. 860, pg. 160 (appears as "Fasten the Leg in Her"). O'Neill (1001 Gems), 1907/1986; No. 120, pg. 35 (appears as "Fasten the Leg in Her"). Tubridy (Irish Traditional Music, Book Two), 1999; pg. 33. Claddagh Records, Paddy Taylor - "Boy in the Gap" (an unusual, old West Limerick, setting). Maire O'Keeffe - "Coisir/House Party."
T:Fasten the leg in her
S:Marie O'Keeffe - "Coisir/House Party" (based on fluteplayer Paddy Taylor's old Limerick version).
M:6/8
L:1/8
Z:Barbara Rubenstein
K:G
~B3 GDD|GBd edB |ABA DFA |DFA cBA|
~B3 GDD|GBd edB |ABA DFA |1 AGF G2A:|2 AGF GBd
|:~f3 def|~g3 efg|fAA AFA |BAF Ade|
~f3 def |~g3 efg|fed ^cBc|1 dfe dfa:|2 dfe d2c||
X:2
T:Fastne the Leg in Her
L:1/8
M:6/8
S:O'Neill - 1001 Gems (120)
K:G
d/c/|B2B BAB|GBd gdB|A2A AGA|Bee dBA|B2B BAB|GBd gfg|efg f<ag|fdd d2:|
|:e/f/|gag fgf|ede fdB|ABA AGA|Bee dBA|gag fgf|ede fdB|def e<ag|fdd d2:|

FEMALE SAYLOR/SAILOR, THE. English, Country Dance Tune (6/8 time). G Dorian. Standard. AAB (Barnes): AABB' (Johnson). The tune dates from c. 1706, according to Johnson and Barnes. Barnes, 1986. Johnson (Twenty-Eight Country Dances as Done at the New Boston Fair), Vol. 8, 1988; pg. 4.

FAIR AT DUNGARVAN, THE (Aonac Dungarbain). AKA and see "Alas My Bright Lady," "Dungarvan," "Lament for Kilcash," "Nelly, My Love, and Me," "Rose Connolly," "There is a Beech-Tree Grove," "Were You Ever in Sweet Tipperary?" Irish, Air (3/4 time). G Major. Standard. One part. See note for "Lament for Kilcash." O'Neill (1915 ed.), 1987; No. 28, pg. 22. O'Neill (1850), 1979; No. 99, pg. 18.

FAIR MAIDENS' BEAUTY WILL SOON FADE AWAY. Irish, Air (4/4 time). D Dorian. Standard. One part. "I learned both the air and the words of this song from my father4. It was very well known in my early days among the people of the south; and there are more verses in the song; but those I give are all that I can remember. One day, about seventy years ago, a number of persons--old and young--were merrily engaged saving hay. A good way off, at the other side of the little river, were some reapers working away, among them Tom Long, a splendid singer with a powerful voice. As a sort of variety, to break in on the hard work, they asked him to sing; and he, nothing loth, sat down and gave them this very song in glorious style. Instantly both mihuls threw down their sickles, rakes, and forks, and sat down in mute attention and rapt delight, till Tom had finished; when they at once started up and resumed their work" (Joyce). Appears in Joyce's Ancient Irish Music as well. Joyce (Old Irish Folk Music and Songs), 1909; No. 400, pgs. 209-210.

FAIRY DANCE (Rinnce Na Sideoga/Sideog). AKA and see "Fisher Laddie," "The Haymaker," "La Ronde des Vieux," "Largos Fairy Dance," "The Merry Dance" (New England), "Old Molly Hare" (Old-Time). Irish, English, Scottish, Shetlands, American, Canadian; Reel. D Major (most versions): G Major (Merryweather): A Major (O'Neill/1001). Standard. AB (Honeyman, Raven): AAB (O'Neill/1001): AABB (Ashman, Brody, Ford, Sweet, Taylor, Trim): AABB' (Kerr): AA'BB' (Athole, Merryweather): AABCCD (Roche): AABBCCDDEEF (Cranford/Fitzgerald). Often this tune is a "beginning tune" for fiddlers, and though simple, it seems to have retained its popularity through the years. It was one of 197 compositions claimed and published (in Fifth Collection,"1809) by Nathaniel Gow under the title "Largo's Fairy Dance," which dates it to the latter eighteenth or early nineteenth century. Breandan Breathnach states that it was composed by Niel Gow for the Fife Hunt Ball held in 1802, but this is only partly true, according to Nigel Gatherer, for it was actually a pair of tunes Gow wrote, the second being "The Fairies Advance." Both tunes together make up "Largo's Fairy Dance." Emmerson identifies this tune in a class of tunes defined by the rhythm 'quarter note-two eighths-quarter note-two eigths,' which includes "De'il Among the Tailors," "Rachel Rae," and "The Wind that Shakes the Barley" (which Emmerson {1971} says is substantially a set of "Fairy Dance").
***
In Ireland, it was learned by Joyce in his boyhood in County Limerick, c. 1840. He (1909) says a Donegal setting of this will be found in the 'Journal of the Irish Folk Song Society.' O'Neill (1913) records that a special dance was performed to the tune in that country. Under the title "The Fairy Reel" the tune features in stories of enchantment by the wee folk. A tale is told by Padraig Mac Aodh-O'Neillin in his 1904 book Songs of Uladh (Songs of Ulster) of the origins of the tune which stem from a fiddler of the Mac Fhionnlachs from Flacarragh:
***
There was a gathering of Bel-Taine on St. John's Day (23rd of June), around
the bonfire in Caislean-na-dThuath in northern Dun-na-nGall about 150-160
years ago (~1850).
***
"...the fire was wearing low, the dancing nearly over, and the sturdiest
steppers getting tired, a stranger came among the people, announcing himself
in the words: "Sonas, sonas--luck on all here! The music called me, and I
going to bed." He said no more.
***
He was attired only in his night-garments. Much consternation was
caused by his curious appearance and behaviour, the more so as he was quite
unknown to the festive-maker. He went around asking the young girls to
dance with him; but out of fifty or more assembled there, he found but one
(and she, happily, was not a native of the district) who expressed herself
willing to accept his invitation. There were three or four fidilers there
and one piper, and he called on them to turn on the "Fairy Reel." But not
one of them knew it; every man of them declared that the air and the name
was new to him. Whereupon the mysterious stranger snatched the fidil out of
the hands of mac Fhionnlaoich, the Falcarrach man, who was nearest him, and
flourishing his bow with the grace of a master, turned on the tune himself,
the people standing around with their mouths wide open in wonderment.
***
"Now," he said to mac Fhionnlaoich, when he had finished the wonderful
tune, "there's your fidil for you. Turn on the 'Reel.' Play it after me;
for you're the only man in the Five Kingdoms can do that same!"
***
So mac Fhionnlaoich complied--somewhat reluctantly, it must be said-and played the 'Fairy Reel: through from beginning to end without a break, while the weird stranger and his fair partner danced, all the people looking on. When he had finished dancing with the girl he slipped a gold peiece into her hand, and turning solemnly towards the people, said: "Remove the fire seven paces to the North, and enjoy yourselves till daybreak. A Sonas, sonas--luck with all here!"
***
And so saying, he strode off into the darkness, disappearing as
mysteriously as he had come.
***
I give this story pretty much as I got it from my friend Padraig mac
Aodh o Neill, who got it from Proinseas mac Suibhne, the schoolmaster of
Losaid, in Gartan
***
Another fairy tale collected (by Seamus Ennis) on Tory Island mentions the tune, is again related by Mac Aoidh, and has parallels in other cultures. It seems that an islander, while going to collect his sheep at Port Glas, overheard wonderful music emanating nearby and investigated. The fairy folk were playing the "Fairy Reel" and the man, being an avid and accomplished dancer, felt compelled to join in. The music and dancing lasted and lasted, and he danced and danced, unable to stop until by chance another islander came upon him. This second man heard no music, and saw nothing of the fairy celebration, and asked the first what he was doing. He got the reply that the dancer was enchanted and would not be able to stop until a mortal laid hand on him. This was done, and the dancer saved from his fate. Mac Aoidh translates: "The soles of his shoes and his socks were worn through and his feet were sore to the bone from the roughness of the place he was dancing on." A similar tale is told by Canadian storyteller Alan Mills (to the accompanying fiddling of Montreal musician Jean Carignan) collected from French-Canadian tradition, which he calls "Ti-Jean and the Devil" (with the Devil substituting for Fairies).
***
A Pennsylvania collected version appears in Bayard (1981) as "Rustic Dance" (No. 52, pg. 38), and, as "La Ronde des Vieux" it was recorded in the latter 1920's by French-Canadian fiddler Willie Ringuette.
***
The tune is associated with a traditional dance in the village of Askham Richard, which lies a few miles from York, England. The famous Dorset novelist Thomas Hardy, himself an accordion player and fiddler, mentioned the tune in The Fiddler of the Reels:
***
Then another dancer fell out - one of the men - and went into
the passage in a frantic search for liquor. To turn the figure into
a three-handed reel was the work of a second, Mop modulating
at the same time into 'The Fairy Dance,' as best suited to the
contracted movement, and no less one of those foods of
love which, as manufactured by his bow, had always intoxicated her.
***
Sources for notated versions: Dave Swarbrick (England) [Brody]; a c. 1837-1840 MS by Shropshire musician John Moore [Ashman]; Winston Fitzgerald (1914-1987, Cape Breton), who adapted J. Scott Skinner's variations [Cranford]. Ashman (The Ironbridge Hornpipe), 1991; NO. 30b, pg. 9. Bain (50 Fiddle Solos), 1989; pg. 7. Brody (Fiddler's Fakebook), 1983; pg. 100. Cranford (Fitzgerald), 1997; No. 129, pg. 53. Ford (Traditional Music in America), 1940; pg. 71. Honeyman (Secrets of the Gaelic Harp), 1898; pg. 8. Jarman (Old Time Fiddlin Tunes); No. or pg. 24. Joyce (Old Irish Folk Music and Song), 1909; No. 129, pgs. 65-66. Kerr (Merry Melodies), Vol. 1; Set 14, No. 2, pg. 10. Merryweather (Merryweather's Tunes for the English Bagpipe), 1989; pg. 53. O'Neill (1001 Gems), 1986; No. 986, pg. 170. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 162. Roche Collection, 1982, Vol. 3; No. 138, pg. 43 (listed as a Long Dance). Skinner, Harp and Claymore, 1903. Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; pg. 113. Sweet (Fifer's Delight), 1964/1981; pg. 61. Taylor (Where's the Crack), 1989; pg. 13 (appears as "Fairy Reel"). Trim (Thomas Hardy), 1990; No. 24. Edison 50653 (78 RPM), Joseph Samuels (appears as 4th tune of "Devil's Dream Medley"). Glencoe 001, Cape Breton Symphony- "Fiddle." Transatlantic 341, Dave Swarbrick- "Swarbrick 2." Fife Strathspey and Reel Society - "The Fiddle Sounds of Fife" (1980). "Bob Smith's Ideal Band, Ideal Music" (1977). "Fiddlers Three Plus Two." Ron Gonella- "A Tribute to Niel Gow."
X:1
T:Fairy Dance
L:1/8
M:C|
R:Reel
B:The Athole Collection
K:D
f2fd f2fd|f2fd cAeA|f2fd gfed|1 cABc d2de:|2 cABc defg||
|:a2af b2ba|gfge a2ag|1 fefd B2 e>d|cABc defg:|2 fefd Bged|
cABc d2D2||
X:2
T:Fairy Dance, The
L:1/8
M:C
S:Joyce - Old Irish Folk Music
K:D
f2fd f2fd|gfed cdeg|f2fd gfed|cABc d2d2|f2fd f2fd|gfed cdeg|fafd gfed|cABc defg||
a2af b2bf|g2ge a2 ag|f2fd gfed|cABc defg|a2af b2bf|g2ge a2 ag|fagf gfed|cABc d2d2||
X:3
T:Fairy Reel, The (Irish)
R:reel
Z:Transcribed by Philippe Varlet
M:C
L:1/8
K:G
~B3 A GBdB|{d}cBAG FGAc| BG~G2 cBAg|fdaf {a}gedc|
~B3 A GBdB|{d}cBAG FGAc| BG~G2 cBAG|1 FDEF G3 A :|2 FDEF GABc||
~d3 g e3 d|cA A/A/A d3 c|BG~G2 cBAg|fdaf {a}gfge|
~d3 g e3 d|cA A/A/A d3 c|BG~G2 cBAG|1 FDEF GABc :|2 FDEF G4||

FANDANGO, THE. English, Country Dance Tune (6/8 time). D Major. Standard. AABB. Published before 1730 according to Raven, though Barnes and Johnson date it to 1774. Barnes (English Country Dance Tunes), 1986. Johnson (Twenty-Eight Country Dances as Done at the New Boston Fair), Vol. 8, 1988; pg. 3. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 28. Flying Fish FF90564, Bare Necessities - "Take a Dance" (1991)

FILL THE BUMPER FAIR (Lion Suas An Glucaid). AKA and see "Bob and Joan," "Keep Your Wife at Home," "Love and Whiskey," "Stoneybatter" [1]. Irish, Air (3/4 time, "lively"). G Major. Standard. AB. The title comes from a song by Thomas Moore. O'Neill (1850), 1903/1979; No. 440, pg. 77.

FINE TIMES AT OUR HOUSE [1]. AKA - "Fine Fun at Our House" (Pa.). AKA and see "Kitty's Got a Baby-O." Old-Time, Breakdown. USA; central W.Va., Virginia, Indiana, southwestern Pa. D Major/Mixolydian (Krassen {Hammons}, Bayard {Yeager & Yaugher}): A Mixolydian (Bayard {Smalley & Ireland}). AEAE, ADAE (Hammons) or standard. ABB (Bayard, 1981): AABB (Krassen). Bayard (1981) points out that the tune "shades" between major and mixolydian in many versions, which is "a genuine, and once common, feature of our fiddling tradition" (pg. 255). He sees some vague resemblance between this tune and the Scottish "Crieff Fair," but was unable to trace the tune further in British Isles collections. Bayard's (1944) source 'Bub' Yaugher knew the following rhyme associated with this tune:
***
Possum up a gum stump, Coonie in the holler,
Devil's on the other side--Don't you hear him holler?
***
While another from Fayette County, Pa., (Bayard, 1981) gave the following:
***
Fine times at our house, Sally's got a little one:
A great beg yellow devil just like the other one.
***
Gerry Milnes collected this verse in West Virginia:
***
Fine times at our house, Kate's got a little one;
Bless its little soul, it's another little pretty one.
***
(Bayard, 1944). See "Possum Up a Gum Stump." Sources for notated versions: Burl Hammons (Marlinton, Pochahontas County, W.Va.) [Krassen]: John Summers (Marion, Indiana) [Krassen, Phillips]: Irvin Yaugher Jr. (Mt. Independence, Pennsylvania, 10/19/1943, learned from his great-uncle) [Bayard, 1944]: James Smalley (Westmoreland County, Pa., 1944), Walter Ireland (Greene County, Pa., 1944), Henry Yeager (Centre County, Pa., 1930's) [Bayard, 1981]. Bayard (Hill Country Tunes), 1944; No. 76. Bayard (Dance to the Fiddle), 1981; No. 301A-C, pgs. 254-255. Krassen (Masters of Old Time Fiddling), 1983; pg. 80 and pgs. 137-139. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes, Vol. 1), 1994; pg. 84. Wilkinson, Southern Folklore Quarterly, VI, I, March, 1942; pg. 10. Flying Fish Records FF089, The Red Clay Ramblers - "Chuckin' the Frizz" (1979. Learned from Indiana fiddler John Summers, whose version was in 'A', standard tuning). Greenhays GR 710, John McCutcheon - "Fine Times at Our House" (1982. Learned largely from W.Va. fiddler Burl Hammons). Library of Congress AFS L65-66, Burl Hammons- "The Hammons Family."
T:Fine Times at Our House
L:1/8
M:2/2
S:James H. "Uncle Jim" Chisholm, Greenwood, Albermarle County, Va.
K:A Mixolyian
E2 E>D CD E2|EAA>A A>BcA|E2 E>D CDE>F|G>EAG F D3|
E2 E>D C>D E2|EA A2 ABcd|efgf e2d2|cABd c A3||
A,4 CD E2|EA A2 ABcA|EDCD E2F2|GEAG F D3|EDCD E2A2|
A2A2 ABcd|edcB Aagf|edcB c A3||
K:A Dorian
ed c2 (d//c)Bcd|efga gagf|ed c2 (d//cBcd|ea2b a2 gf|edcB ABcd|1
efga g2d2|efgf e2d2|^cABc c A3:|2 egfa g2d2|ed^cB Aagf|ed^cA c A3||

FIRST OF APRIL, THE. English, Country Dance Tune (6/8 time). A Major. Standard. AABB. Published before 1730 according to Raven, though Barnes and Johnson date it c. 1773. Barnes (English Country Dance Tunes), 1986. Johnson (Twenty-Eight Country Dances as Done at the New Boston Fair), Vol. 8, 1988; pg. 4. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 27.

FISHER'S HORNPIPE (Crannciuil {Ui} Fishuir). AKA "The Fisher's," "Fisherman's Hornpipe." AKA and see "The Blacksmith's Hornpipe" (Ireland {Joyce}), "China Orange Hornpipe," "Egg Hornpipe," "Fisherman's Lilt," "The First of May," "Kelly's Hornpipe" [3], "Lord Howe's Hornpipe," "O'Dwyer's Hornpipe," "Peckhover Walk Hornpipe," "Roger MacMum" (Irish), "Sailor's Hornpipe," "Wigs on the Green" (Ireland {Roche}). English, Irish, Scottish, Shetlands, Canadian, Old-Time, Texas Style, Bluegrass; Hornpipe, Reel, Breakdown. USA & Canada, widely known. D Major {most modern versions}: G Major {often in the Galax, Va. area, also Bayard's version collected in Prince Edward Island}: A Major (Mississippi fiddler Charles Long): F Major {Burchenal, Cranford, Honeyman, Linscott, Miller & Perron, Miskoe & Paul, Perlman, Raven, Phillips/1995, Welling}. Standard or ADAD. AABB (most versions): AA'BB (Perlman): AA'BB' (Miskoe & Paul). On the subject of the title, several writers have posited various speculations on who the 'Fisher' might have been. Charles Wolfe, among others, believes it was originally a classical composition by German composer Johann Christian Fischer (1733-1800), a friend of Mozart's, which thought Samuel Bayard (1981) concurs, noting the tune goes back to latter 18th century England where it was composed by "J. Fishar" and "published in 1780" (Most of the alternate titles he gives {and which appear above} are "floaters"). Van Cleef and Keller (1980) identify the composer as probably one James A. Fishar, a musical director and ballet master at Covent Garden during the 1770's, and note it is included as "Hornpipe #1" in J. Fishar's (presumably James A. Fishar's) Sixteen Cotillons Sixteen Minuets Twelve Allemands and Twelve Hornpipes (John Rutherford, London, 1778). A few years later the melody appeared in England under the title "Lord Howe's Hornpipe" in Longman and Broderip's 5th Selection of the Most Admired Dances, Reels, Minuets and Cotillions (London, c. 1784). McGlashan printed it about the same time in his Collection of Scots Measures (c. 1780, pg. 34) under the title "Danc'd by Aldridge," a reference to the famous stage dancer and pantomimist Robert Aldridge, a popular performer in the 1760's and 1770's. Although it is known in Europe as a hornpipe, it has also been played as a reel for dancing the Shetland Reel in Scotland's Shetland Islands. Linscott (1939) thinks the melody resembles an "ancient" Irish folk tune known as "Roger MacMum," implying it might have been derived from that source.
***
The tune became widely popular in a short span of time. It was already known as "Fisher's Hornpipe" in both England and the newly independent United States when it was written out by the American John Greenwood in his copybook for the German flute of c. 1783. Another 18th century American publication, a 1796 collection entitled An Evening Amusement for German Flute and Violin, was printed in Philadelphia by Carr and contains the hornpipe set in 'D' Major. An American country dance was composed to the tune and first appeared in this country in John Griffith's Collection, a Rhode Island publication of 1788. Both dance and tune became American classics and entered traditional repertory throughout the county. A fiddler with the Moses Cleaveland surveying party (the city of Cleveland, Ohio, is named after him) is recorded as having played "Fisher's" during an impromptu dance on the first evening the party camped on the banks of the Cuyahoga river, as recorded in the diary of a surveyor with the party. It was one of the most widely known fiddle tunes and, along with "Rickett's Hornpipe," the most popular hornpipe played in the Southern Appalachians (although as time went on hornpipes were not generally dropped from the repertoire, certainly as an accompaniment for dancing, but "Fishers" remained in the repertoire as a fiddler's tune which was frequently played when a few musicians would get together for their own enjoyment). The tune retained its popularity, and Jim Kimball states that both "Fishers" and "Ricketts" (along with "Devil's Dream" and "Soldier's Joy") were favorite tunes for the last figure of square dances in western New York state into the early 20th century.
***
Around the Galax, Va., region quite a few fiddlers, like Charlie Higgins and John Rector, play 'Fisher's' in the key of 'G' Major. Tommy Jarrell, of nearby Mt. Airy, N.C., plays the tune in 'D' Major, as did his father, Ben Jarrell, though the tune usually appears in 'F' Major in early collections (the earliest American appearance, John Greenwood's flute MS of 1783, has the tune in 'G,' however). 'F' Major renditions are still common (along with 'D' Major versions) among fiddlers in central and north Missouri-- though relatively rare in the Ozarks region of the state--perhaps because of the because of the influence of the old town orchestras or brass bands (with flat-keyd wind instruments), radio broadcasts from Canadian fiddlers, and local classically trained music professors. Despite the seeming prevalence of the hornpipe set in 'F' major in early publications, Jim Kimball finds that the John Carroll manuscript collection, copied before 1804, gives "Fisher's" in the key of D Major, as does the John Studderd manuscript, c. 1808-1815, and the John Seely manuscript, c. 1819-1830 (Carroll was an Irish-American military musician stationed at Fort Niagara at the time he wrote his manuscript who apparently played both fife and fiddle; Studderd was a native of England prior to emigrating to western New York state in the 1820's; Seely, according to family history, was a fiddler who lived in western New York state for whom "Fishers" was a favorite tune).
***
The title "Fisher's Hornpipe" has been mentioned frequently in periodicals and other printed sources in America over the years. For example, it was recorded as having been one of the catagory tunes at the 1899 Gallatin, Tenn., fiddlers contest; each fiddler would play his version of the tune, with the best rendition winning a prize (C. Wolfe, The Devil's Box, Vol. 14, No. 4, 12/1/80). Similarly, it was listed in the Fayette Northwest Alabamian of 8/29/1929 as one of the tunes likely to be played by local fiddlers at an upcoming convention (Cauthen, 1990). Moving north, another citation stated it had commonly been played for country dances in Orange County, New York, in the 1930's (Lettie Osborn, New York Folklore Quarterly), while Burchenal (1918) printed a dance from New England of the same name to the tune. A Report of the Celebration Held in August 1914 for the 150th Anniversary of the Town of Lancaster (N.H.) gives the title as one of the tunes and dances performed at a cotillion that month. The title appears in a list of Maine fiddler Mellie Dunham's repertoire (Dunham was Henry Ford's champion fiddler in the late 1920's) and Gibbons (1982) notes it has been "a traditional dance melody familiar to fiddlers throughout Canada." Perlman (1996) notes it has status as one of the "good old tunes" played by Prince Edward Island fiddlers. In the South and Midwest the tune was recorded for the Library of Congress from the playing of Ozark Mountain fiddlers in the early 1940's by musicologist/folklorist Vance Randolph, and (by Herbert Halpert) from the playing of Mississippi fiddlers Charles Long and Stephen B. Tucker in 1939. The Arizona fiddler Kenner C. Kartchner related that it, in modern times, it was "played often at (the) Weiser (Idaho) annual (fiddle) contest" (Shumway), to which Louie Attebery (1979) concurs, calling it part of the "standard fare" of many fiddlers at that festival and contest.
***
In the repertiore of Uncle Jimmy Thompson (1848-1931) {Texas, Tenn.}, and Buffalo Valley, Pa. dance fiddler Harry Daddario. See also "Miss Thompson's Reel," which particularly resembles the "Fisher's" in it's second section.
***
Sources for notated versions: Edson Cole (Freedom, N.H.) [Linscott]: Frank George (W.Va.) [Krassen]; Frank Lowery (Prince George, British Columbia) [Gibbons]; Lorin Simmonds (Prince Edward Island, 1944) [Bayard, 1981]; transplanted French-Canadian fiddler Omer Marcoux {1898-1982} (Concord, N.H.), who learned the tune when young in Quebec [Miskoe & Paul]; 6 southwestern Pa. fiddlers and fifers [Bayard, 1981]; Ruthie Dornfeld and Major Franklin (Texas) [Phillips/1995 {two different versions}]; accordion player Johnny O'Leary (Sliabh Luachra region of the Cork-Kerry border), recorded in recital at Na Piobairi Uilleann, February, 1981 [Moylan]; Dennis Pitre (b. 1941, St. Felix, West Prince County, Prince Edward Island) [Perlman]; Winston Fitzgerald (1914-1987, Cape Breton) [Cranford]; set dance music recorded at Na Píobairí Uilleann, in the 1980's [Taylor]. Allan's (Allan's Irish Fiddler), No. 105, pg. 27. Bayard (Dance to the Fiddle), 1981; No. 345, pgs. 332-334 and Appendix No. 3, pg. 573. Brody (Fiddler's Fakebook), 1983; pg. 107. Burchenal (American Country Dances, Vol. 1), 1918; pg. 47. R.P. Christeson (Old Time Fiddlers Repertory, Vol. 1), 1973; pg. 57. Cranford (Fitzgerald), 1997; No. 45, pg. 17. Ford (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes), 1940; pg. 39. Gibbons (As It Comes: Folk Fiddling From Prince George, British Columbia), 1982; No. 6, pgs. 18-19. Honeyman (Strathspey, Reel and Hornpipe Tutor), 1898; pg. 40 (two versions, one in Newcastle and Sand Dance style, on in Sailor's style). Jarman, Old Time Fiddlin' Tunes; No. 20, pg. 67. Johnson & Luken (Twenty-Eight Country Dances as Done at the New Boston Fair), Vol. 8, 1988; pg. 4. Joyce (Old Irish Folk Music and Song), 1909; No. 103. Krassen (Appalachian Fiddle), 1973; pg. 79. Kerr (Merry Melodies), Vol. 1; No. 3, pg. 42. Linscott (Folk Music of Old New England), 1939; pg. 77. Miller & Perron (New England Fiddlers Repertoire), 1983; No. 117. Miskoe & Paul (Omer Marcoux), 1994; pg. 31. Moylan (Johnny O'Leary), 1994; No. 63, pg. 36. O'Neill (1915 ed.), 1987; No. 351, pg. 171. O'Neill (Krassen), 1976; pg. 168. O'Neill (1850), 1903/1979; Nos. 1575 & 1576, pg. 292. O'Neill (1001 Gems), 1907/1986; No. 825, pg. 143. Perlman (The Fiddle Music of Prince Edward Island), 1996; pg. 117. Phillips, 1989 (Fiddlecase Tunebook: Old-Time); pg. 19. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes), Vol. 2, 1995; pgs. 1992-193. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 163. Reiner (Anthology of Fiddle Styles), 1977; pg. 26. Roche Collection, Vol. 3, No. 181. Ruth (Pioneer Western Folk Tunes), 1948; No. 23, pg. 10. Spandaro (10 Cents a Dance), 1980; pg. 10. Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; pg. 297. Sweet (Fifer's Delight), 1964/1981; pg. 42. Taylor (Music for the Sets: Yellow Book), 1995; pg. 14. Welling (Welling's Hartford Tunebook), 1976; pg. 20. Alcazar Dance Series FR 204, "New England Chestnuts" (1981). Breton Books and Records BOC 1HO, Winston "Scotty" Fitzgerald - "Classic Cuts" (reissue of Celtic Records CX 17). Caney Mountain CEP 212 (privately issued extended play album), Lonnie Robertson (Mo.), 1965-66. Claddagh CC5, Denis Murphy & Julia Clifford - "The Star Above the Garter" (appears as "Fisherman's Hornpipe"). County 405, "The Hill-Billies." County 707, Major Franklin- "Texas Fiddle Favorites." County 756, Tommy Jarrell- "Sail Away Ladies" (1986. The only time Tommy's famous fiddling father, Ben Jarrell {who took no active part in his musical education and rarely commented on his son's efforts}, praised his playing in front of him was after hearing the younger fiddler play the tune, remarking "By gawd, that's the best I've ever heard "Fisher's Hornpipe" played"). Elektra EKS 7285, The Dillards with Byron Berline- "Pickin' and Fiddlin.'" F&W Records 4, "The Canterbury Country Orchestra Meets the F&W String Band." Folkways FA 2381, "The Hammered Dulcimer as played by Chet Parker" (1966). Folkways FG 3531, Jean Carignan- "Old Time Fiddle Tunes" (1968). Fretless 101, "The Campbell Family: Champion Fiddlers." Gourd Music 110, Barry Phillips - "The World Turned Upside Down" (1992). North Star NS0038, "The Village Green: Dance Music of Old Sturbridge Village." Rounder 0035, Fuzzy Mountain String Band- "Summer Oaks and Porch" (1973). Rounder 7004, Joe Cormier- "The Dances Down Home" (1977). Smithsonian Folkways SFW CD 40126, Northern Spy - "Choose Your Partners!: Contra Dance & Square Dance Music of New Hampshire" (1999). Topic 12T309, Padraig O'Keeffe, Denis Murphy & Julia Clifford - "Kerry Fiddles" (appears as "Fisherman's Hornpipe").
X:1
T:Fisher's Hornpipe
L:1/8
M:C|
K:F
|:c2|fc Ac Bd cB|Ac Ac Bd cB|Ac Fc Bd Gd|Ac FA G2 (3cde|
fc Ac Bd cB|Ac Fc Bd cB|AB cd ef ge|f2a2f2:|
|:ef|ge ce ge bg|af cf af ba|ge ce ga ba|gf ed c2 Bc|
dB FB dB fd|cA FA cA fc|df ed cB AG|F2A2F2:|
X:2
T:Fishers
L:1/8
M:C|
R:Hornpipe
B:The Athole Colletion
K:D
dc|dAFA GBAG|FAFA GBAG|FDFD GEGE|FDFD E2 dc|dAFA GBAG|
FAFA GBAG|FAdf gedc|d2 d2 d2:||:cd|ecAc ecge|fdAd fdaf|ecAc ecgf|
edcB A3A|BGDG BGdB|AFDF AFdA|BdcB AGFE|D2 D2 D2:|

FLOWER O' THE QUERN, THE. Scottish, Slow Air (4/4 time). A Major. Standard. One Part (Hunter, Neil, Skinner): AABB (Martin). Published in song form by J. Gordon Phillips, Elgin (Scotland), whose words were written as a tribute to a young woman, Mary Morrison. Mary, who lived in Forres in the latter half of the 19th century, was described as "the bonniest lass from Inverness to Aberdeen", but was widowed at an early age. She remarried David Flyslop who was the chauffeur to the Earl of Moray, and lived in a lodge at the end of one of the driveways to Darnaway Castle. The music was composed by J. Scott Skinner as a tune for the song, but the melody also became popular as a slow air. It appears in his Logie Collection, dedicated to another girl, Miss Jessie Stockwell.
**
The flo-ers grow fair on the lowland vales,
an' green grow the wids on the braes,
an' saft an' low sing the scented gales
in the lang, lang simmer days;
But dearer to me are the mountains blue
where grow the heath an' fern,
an' the bonniest flo'er is the ane I lo'e
that blooms 'mang the braes o' the Quern.
**
A quern (pronounced 'kern') is Gaelic for 'hollow'. Hunter (Fiddle Music of Scotland), 1988; No. 28 (arranged by James Hunter for string quintent). Martin (Ceol na Fidhle), Vol. 1, 1991; pg. 14 (includes a harmony part). Neil (The Scots Fiddle), 1991; No. 88, pg. 119. Skinner (The Scottish Violinist), pg. 35.

FLOWERS OF EDINBURGH [1] (Blata Duin-Eudain). AKA - "Flooers o' Edinburgh." AKA and see "Cois Lasadh/Leasa" (Beside a Rath), "Flowers of Donnybrook," "My Love's Bonny When She Smiles On Me," "My Love was Once a Bonny Lad," "Rossaviel," "To the Battle Men of Erin," "Old Virginia." Scottish (originally), Shetland, Canadian, American; Scots Measure, Country Dance Tune or Reel: English, Reel, Country or Morris Dance Tune (4/4, cut or 2/2 time); Irish, Reel or Hornpipe. Originally from Scotland, Lowlands region. USA; New England, southwestern Pa., Missouri, New York, Arizona. Canada; Prince Edward Island, Cape Breton. G Major (most versions): Morris version in D Major (Mallinson). Standard. AB (Bacon, Kerr): AAB (Bain, Mitchell): AABB (most versions): AA'BB (Phillips). Gow and others credit composition of the melody to James Oswald (Gow). Its earliest appearance in print is in Oswald's c. 1742 collection of Curious Collection of Scots Tunes (II), which appeared in London and contained the "Flowers" tune as a "crude" song entitled "My Love's bonny when she smiles on me." He printed the melody again in 1750 with the words "My love was once a bonny lad." The first version of the song and tune with the title "The Flower of Edinburgh" appeared in The Universal Magazine, April, 1749. That same year it was printed in John Johnson's Twelve Country Dances for the Harpsichord. Oswald himself republished it in 1751 in his volume Caledonian Pocket Companion under the title "The Flower of Edinburgh."
***
As regards the title, the convention "Flower of..." usually referenced a woman, although in the case of "Edinburgh" the plural form was appended at some point and stuck. The plural title appears in Herd's Scots Songs (without music) and in The Scots Musical Museum (1787, No. 13). Gow notes parenthetically in his Complete Repository (Part 4, 1817) that the 'flowers' of Edinburgh did not refer to comely females but in fact referenced the magistrates of the town. Some say the 'flowers' were female, although the females in question were prostitutes. It has also been suggested that the title refers to the stench of the old, overcrowded urban Edinburgh-a city fondly referred to as "Auld Reekie", which does not bespeak of a putrid, reeking smell, but rather comes from the Norwegian word røyk, meaning smoke. Thus 'Auld Reekie' refers to the pall of smoke that once hovered over the city, having been constantly spewed forth by its hearths. Finally, the 'flowers of Edinburgh' has been taken to refer to the contents of chamber pots which were, in the days before modern sewage systems, once disposed of by being thrown into the city streets (with or without the shouted warning "Gardez l'eau!" or "Mind yourself!"). Paul de Grae finds this latter interpretation in modern times incorporated by novelist Ian Rankin in one of his Inspector Rebus crime novels. Rebus, an Edinburgh detective, is being addressed by an "hard man" whose warning narrowly averted the Inspector's stepping in canine excrement. It will help to know human waste is called keech or keach in Ulster and Scotland (similar to the French caca, Italian cacca, Finnish and Icelandic kakku, and German kaka):
:***
"Know what 'flowers of Edinburgh' are?"
"A rock band?"
"Keech. They used to chuck all their keech out of the
windows and onto the street. There was so much of it
lying around, the locals called it the flowers of Edinburgh.
I read that in a book."
***
The renowned County Donegal fiddler, John Doherty (1895-1980) had his own idiosyncratic take on the title. In the notes for the album "The Floating Bow," Alun Evans writes of Doherty:
***
I can only say that I never found him to be other than exhilarating
company. Yet he was hard to pin down on detail, for in his mind fact and
fantasy were so tightly interwoven as to be indivisible - at least he led
you to believe so. He would tell how James Scott Skinner had composed the
tune 'The Flowers of Edinburgh' after a Miss Flowers with whom he was
besotted at the time. John must have known that this didn't ring true but a
story was a story, perhaps an example of the 'true Celtic madness' which is
said to be 'not psychotic but merely a poetic confusion of the real and the
imagined.'
***
English morris versions are from the Bampton area of England's Cotswolds and the North-West (England) tradition (where it is used as the tune for a polka step). Editor Seattle remarks of William Vickers' Northumbrian country dance version that it is "A fine setting with some distinctive 18th century touches."
***
In America the melody has also been used for country dances for over two hundred and twenty years. It was included by Greenland, New Hampshire, dancer Clement Weeks in his MS dance collection of 1783, and by Giles Gibbs (East Windsor, Ellington Parish, Connecticut) in his 1777 fife manuscript (Van Cleef & Keller, 1980). In the latter MS it is also called "Darling Swain." As "Old Virginia (Reel)" it was printed by George P. Knauff in Virginia Reels, volume II (Baltimore, 1839). Much later it was cited as having commonly been played for country dances in Orange County, New York, in the 1930's (Lettie Osborn, New York Folklore Quarterly), and was in the repertoire of Arizona dance fiddler Kenner C. Kartchner in the early twentieth century. The title also appears in a list of traditional Ozark Mountain fiddle tunes compiled by musicologist/folklorist Vance Randolph, published in 1954. Howard Marshall writes that Art Galbraith (d. 1992) of Springfield, Missouri, "had the most famous version in his area which was handed down through his family from at least 1840. Art's version is distinctive for its retention of the old 'extra beat' that has been lost in other versions." This famous Scottish reel is as well known to Pennsylvania fiddlers as it is to country players everywhere in the area of British folk music tradition, says Bayard (1944), and is one tune to which a single title has been transmitted intact through the generations of folk process.
***
In Ireland "Flowers of Edinburgh" is most common rendered as a hornpipe. The Irish "Cois Leasa" (Beside a Rath) is a version of this tune, maintains O'Neill (Dance Music of Ireland), who perhaps found it in Haverty's 100 Irish Airs, 2nd series, 1859, where "The Flowers of Edinburgh" is given in parenthesis as an alternate title for the "Rath" tune. Bayard (1981) agrees with O'Neill, though Sullivan (Bunting Collection) and Alfred Moffat do not, and the connection is not addressed in the Fleischmann index (Sources of Irish Traditional Music, 1998). Stanford/Petrie notes his Arranmore-collected Irish tune "Rossaveel" is "the old form of 'Flowers of Edinburgh.'" Finally, a version is played under the title of "The Flower of Donneybrook" in Ireland.
***
Sources for notated versions: Fennigs All Stars (New York) [Brody]; John Kubina, (near) Davistown, Pennsylvania, September 3, 1943 (learned from traditional players in Pittsburgh) [Bayard]; Gilpin, Yaugher, Hall, Wright, Shape (all southwestern Pa. fiddlers whose versions were collected in the 1940's) [Bayard]; Arnold Woodley (Bampton, England) via Roy Dommett [Bacon]; Art Stamper (Mo.) [Phillips]; piper Willie Clancy (1918-1973, Miltown Malbay, west Clare) [Mitchell]; Elliot Wright (b. 1935, North River, Queens County, Prince Edward Island) [Perlman]; fiddler Dawson Girdwood (Perth, Ottawa Valley, Ontario) [Begin]. Bacon (The Morris Ring), 1974; pgs. 46, 57, 81. Bain (50 Fiddle Solos), 1989; pg. 33. Bayard (Hill Country Tunes), 1944; No. 54. Bayard (Dance to the Fiddle), 1981; No. 340A=E, pgs. 326-327. Begin (Fiddle Music from the Ottawa Valley: Dawson Girdwood), 1985; No. 46, pg. 55. Brody (Fiddler's Fakebook), 1983; pg. 109. Burchenal (Rinnce na h-Eireann), p. 24. Calliope, pg. 28. Carlin (The Gow Collection), 1986; No. 256. Gow (Complete Repository), Part 4, 1817; pg. 16. Hardie (Caledonian Companion), 1992; pg. 32 (includes variations by Bill Hardie). Harding's Orig. Coll., No. 177. Hogg (Jacobite Relics), II, p. 129. Henderson (Flowers of Scottish Melody), 1935 (includes sets of variations). Howe's School for the Violin, p. 34. Howe's Diamond School for the Violin (1861); pg. 44. Hunter (Fiddle Music of Scotland), 1988; No. 310. Jarman (Old Time Fiddlin' Tunes); No. or pg. 6. JEFDSS, I, 82, second half of 'Birds-a-Building' equals the second half of No. 54. Jigs and Reels, p. 12. Johnson (Scots Musical Museum, edition of 1853), Vol. I, No. 13. Johnson, S.L. (Twenty-Eight Country Dances as Done at the New Boston Fair), Vol. 8, 1988; pg. 5. Kerr (Merry Melodies), Vol. 1; No. 1, pg. 23. Lerwick (Kilted Fiddler), 1985; pg. 19. Levey, No. 4. Mallinson (Mally's Cotswold Morris Book), 1988, Vol. 2; No. 30, pg. 16. Mallinson (Enduring), 1995; No. 19, pg. 8. Miller & Perron (New England Fiddlers Repertorie), 1983; No. 122. Mitchell (Dance Music of Willie Clancy), 1993; No. 88, pg. 79. Neal (Esperance Morris Book), pt. II, p. 29. O'Neill (1915 ed.), 1987; No. 350, pg. 171. O'Neill (Krassen), 1976; pg. 208. O'Neill (1001 Gems), 1907/1986; No. 920, pg. 157. O'Neill (1850), 1903/1979; No. 1746, pg. 325. Perlman (The Fiddle Music of Prince Edward Island) 1996; pg. 61. Petrie, No. 372. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes), Vol. 1, 1994; pg. 90. Reavy (The Collected Compositions of Ed Reavy), No. 86. Reiner (Anthology of Fiddle Styles), 1979; pg. 52. Robbins, Nos. 28 & 152. Saar, No. 29. Seattle (William Vickers), 1770/1987, Part 2; No. 384. Sharp and Macilwaine (Morris Dance Tunes), Set V, pp. 2,3 (same version printed in other Sharp folk dance books). Sharp (Country Dance Tunes), 1909/1994; pg. 6. Smith (Scottish Minstrel), III, 25. Calliope (4th edition, 1788), p. 28. Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; pg. 146. Sweet (Fifer's Delight), 1964/1981; pg. 59. Tolman (Nelson Music Collection), 1969; pg. 12. Wade (Mally's North West Morris Book), 1988; pg. 22. White's Unique Coll., No. 71. Williamson (English, Welsh, Scottish and Irish Fiddle Tunes), 1976; pg. 53. Breakwater 1002, Rufus Guinchard- "Newfoundland Fiddler." Edison 52313 (78 RPM), John Baltzell (Mt. Vernon, Ohio), 1928 {appears as "Flowers at Edingurgh"} [Baltzell was taught to play the fiddle by minstrel Dan Emmett]. Front Hall 01, Fennigs All Stars- "The Hammered Dulcimer." Glencoe 001, Cape Breton Symphony- "Fiddle." Kicking Mule 209, Ken Perlman- "Melodic Clawhammer Banjo." North Star NS0038, "The Village Green: Dance Music of Old Sturbridge Village." Olympic 6151, The Scottish Festival Orchestra- "Scottish Traditional Fiddle Music" (1978). Philo 1008, "Kenny Hall." Sonet 764, Dave Swarbrick and Friends- "The Ceiledh Album." Voyager VRCD 344, Howard Marshall & John Williams - "Fiddling Missouri" (1999. Learned from the playing of Missouri fiddler Art Galbraith).
X:1
T:Flowers of Edinburgh
L:1/8
M:C|
R:Country Dance
B:The Athole Collection
K:G
GE|D3E G3A|BGdG cBAG|FGFE DEFG|AFdF E3F|
D3E G3A|BGBd efge|dcBA GFGA|B2G G2:|
|:d|gfga gbag|fdfg fagf|edef gfed|B2 e>f efge|dBGB B/c/d cB|
egfa g2fe|dcBA GFGA|B2G2G2:|
X:2
T:Flowers of Edinburgggg
M:2/4
L:1/8
S:Bruce Molskey
R:Old-time
Z:M. Reid 27-Jan-199
K:G
D2|G3 D|ED B,D|G2 G2|BA Bd|cB AG|FG FE|DE FG|A4|A,4|ED EF|G3 A| BA Bc|d2
ef|ga ge|dB GB|A2 Ac|B2 F2 |1 G4-|G2:|2 G4-|G4 |:g3 a|b2 ag|fe fg|a2
A2|e3 f|gf ed|B2 e2|e2 ef|g2 e2|dB GB| Bd- dB|d2 ef|gf ef|ga ge|dB GB|A2
Ac|B2 F2|1 G4-|G4:|2 G4-|G2|]
X:3
T:Flower of Edinburgh
S:Twelve Country Dances for the Harpsichord, 1749.
Q:60
Z:Transcribed by Bruce Olson
L:1/4
M:C|
K:G
(3 G/F/E/|D3/2E/G3/2A/|B/G/ B/d/{c/}BA/G/|{G/}F3/2E/ D/E/ F/G/|\
A/F/ d/F/EF/E/|D/E/ F/D/G3/2A/|(3B/A/G/ (3 B/c/d/ e3/2g/|\
d/B/ A/G/EG/A/|BG/A/G||d|g/f/ g3/4a/4 f/4a/4b/ a/g/|\
f/e/ f3/4g/4 f/4g/4a/ g/f/|e/d/ e/f/ g/f/ e/d/|\
Bee3/2 g/8f/8e/4|d/B/ A/G/dc/B/|e/d/ e/f/ g3/2g/8a/8b/4|\
c/B/ A/G/ EG/A/|BGG|]
X:4
T:Flowers of Edinburgh
S:Scots Musical Museum, #13 (1787)
Q:60
Z:Transcribed by Bruce Olson
L:1/4
M:C
K:F
C/|C3/2 D/F3/2G/|(A/F/) (c/F/) {B/}AG/F/|\
~E3/2D/ C3/4D/4 E3/4F/4|G/E/ c/E/ ~D3/2E/|\
C3/2D/F3/2G/|~(A3/4G/4A/) c/d (d/4e/4f/)|\
(B/A/) (G/F/) {A}/G (F/G/)|A~G3/4F/4F||(c/4d/4e/)|\
(f3/4e/4f/) g/ (f/4g/4a/) ~(g/f/)|\
~(e3/4d/4e/) f/ (e/4f/4g/) ~(f/e/)|\
(d3/4c/4d/) e/ (f/e/) (d/c/)|Ad3/4e/4 d(d/4e/4) f/|\
{c/}A G/F/c(B/A/)|d/c/d/e/ .g3/2 {g/a/} A/|\
(B/A/) G/ F/ GF/G/|A~G3/4F/4F|]
X:5
T:Flowers of Edinburgh
S:from the playing of Dave Swarbrick,
S:from "The Ceilidh Album" (?)
Z:Transcribed by Nigel Gatherer
N:An English morris version?
M:2/4
K:G
L:1/8
D|GG BG/B/|dB g>e|dB B/A/G/A/|BG ED|
GG BG/B/|dB g>e|dB B/A/G/A/|BG G:|]
d|g2 f>e|Be e>f|g2 f/g/f/e/|Be eg/e/|
d/B/G/B/ dd|e/d/e/f/ gg/e/|dB B/A/G/A/|BG G:|]

FOGGY DEW, THE [2] (Drucd an Ceo). AKA and see "Sloan's Lamentation," "Granuaile." Irish, Air (4/4 time). G Major (Roche, O'Neill): A Flat Major (O'Sullivan Bunting). Standard. AB (O'Neill/1850): AAB (Roche). The tune converts easily to the minor key (see versions #1 & #3). Cazden (et al, 1982) mentions that the tune strain itself came to serve as a symbol of Irish nationalism and was used for a number of "songs of resistance." He finds the earliest printed version to be an 1828 setting of a poem by William Kennedy called "The Irish Emigrant," where it is called an "old Irish melody." Also related to Bunting's melody is a Catskill Mountain (New York) version collected by Norman Cazden (et al, 1982), while another melody printed in Bunting, "Sloan's Lament," is a variant. The Gaelic title for the tune is "Granuaile," for which there is an interesting story (see note for the tune), though it should be noted there are a great many tunes with the title "Granuaile" or its variants in existance. Source for notated version: the Irish collector Edward Bunting noted the melody from "J. McKnight, Esq., Belfast, 1839." O'Neill (1850), 1979; No. 186, pg. 33. O'Sullivan/Bunting, 1983; No. 150, pgs. 207-208. Roche Collection, 1982, Vol. 3; No. 45, pg. 13. DREY 36191, Alan Stivell - "Olympia Concert." Green Linnet SIF 1084, Eugene O'Donnell - "The Foggy Dew" (1988). Green Linnet SIF 1101, Eugene O'Donnell - "Playing with Fire: the Celtic Fiddle Connection" (1989).
**
´Twas down the glen one Eastern morn, to a city fair rode I
When Ireland´s lines of marching men in squadrons passed me by.
No pipes did hum, no battle drum did sound its loud tattoo.
But the Angelus bell o´er the Liffey´s swell, rang out in the foggy dew
**
Right proudly high over Dublin town, they hung out a flag of war.
'Twas better to die ´neath an Irish sky than at Suvla or Sud El Bar;
And from the plains of Royal Meath, strong men came hurrying through,
While Brittanias´s huns, with their long range guns, sailed in from the foggy dew.
**
O, the night fell black and the rifles crack made "Perfidious Abion" reel
´Mid the leaden rail, seven tongues of flame did shine o´er the lines of steel
By each shining blade a prayer was said that to Ireland her sons be true,
and when morning broke still the war flag shook out its fold in the foggy dew
**
´Twas England bade our Wild Geese go that small nations might be free.
But their lonely graves are by Suvla´s waves, on the fringe of the Grey North sea
But had they died by Pearse´s side, or had fought with Cathal Brugha,
Their names we would keep where the fenians sleep, ´neath the shroud of the foggy dew.
**
But the bravest fell, and the requiem bell, rang mournfully and clear,
for those who died that Eastertide in the springtime of the year.
And the world did gaze, in deep amaze, at those fearless men, but true
who bore the fight that freedom´s light might shine through the foggy dew
**
Ah, back through the glen I rode again and my heart with grief was sore
For I parted then with valiant men whom I never shall se more
but to and fro in my dreams I go, and I´d kneel and pray for you,
for slavery fled, O glorious dead, when you fell in the foggy dew.

FORTUNE MY FOE [1]. AKA - "The Hanging Tune." Irish, English; Slow Air (3/4 time). E Minor (Williamson): F Major (Flood). Standard. AABB. This 16th century Irish tune was used, according to Flood (1906), in 1576 for a ballad on the death of a great patron of music, Walter Devereux, Earl of Essex, in Dublin, entitled "Welladay, or Essex's Last Goodnight." The tune appears in several early collections, including William Ballet's Lute Book (1593), Fitzwilliam Virginal Book (where the setting is by the famous English composer William Byrde {1528-1625}), and William Foster's Virginal Book (1624). It was licensed as a ballad in 1565-6 and is mentioned in Shakespeare's The Merry Wives of Windsor (Act II, Scene 3, where Falstaff says, "I see what thou wert, if Fortune thy foe were not, Nature thy friend."). In fact, various songs and ballads came to be sung to the tune, including an early ballad "Titus Andronicus Complaint," on which Shakespeare founded his play, and most of these songs seem to have been about themes of gloom, misery, and death; Chappell (1859) says "Indeed, its mournful character was so thoroughly established that none but the most lugubrious matter seems ever to have been sung to it." The tune appears as "Farewell, Fair Armelia" which appears in Luke Wadding's (the Bishop of Ferns) A Pious Garland of Godly Songs for the Solace of his Friends and Neighbors in their Afflictions, 1680. Early references, according to Flood, also date from 1649-50 from a "contemporary chronicle" which described Irish pipers attached to Lord Inchiquin's army which drew off from Naas to the march of "Fortune My Foe." In 1676 the tune (as it appears in Playford's Choice Airs and Songs) was used by Irishman Thomas Duffet for (one) setting of his lyric "Since Coelia's My Foe" (another setting is set to "Limerick's Lamentation"). "'Fortune My Foe' was sung and played so frequently at public executions that it became known as 'The Hanging Tune'...'Fortune My Foe' originated in Ireland. The setting written here is believed to be the earliest version" (Williamson, 1976). Source for notated version: Playford [Flood]. Flood (A History of Irish Music), 1906; pgs. 218-219. Williamson (English, Welsh, Scottish and Irish Fiddle Tunes), 1976; pg. 39.

FORTY-SECOND HIGHLANDER'S FAREWELL, THE. Scottish, Pipe March (2/4 time). B Minor. Standard. AA'B. The 42nd Highlanders, known as the Black Watch, were one of the most famous units in the British Army, originally composed of Scots Highlanders. As with many old British regiments, the Black Watch acqurired its own distinctive lore and customs over the centuries. They were, for example, given the privaledge of wearing a red vulture feather on their bonnets in recognition of the regiment's gallantry at the battle of Guildermalson in 1794. Another story goes that during the Indian Muntiny its troopers found a huge gong in a bullock cart and appropriated it; ever after it was used to sound the hours wherever the regiment was stationed. Like many Scots regiments the Watch ws known for its drinking; on return from the victory of Waterloo they had to be doled out their pay in installments, else the regiment would have disintigrated from the huge benders of its troops. The officers drank as well--an English officer gazetted to the regiment would be required to wash down a Scots thistle with a glass of whiskey, making him an honorary Scotsman. The Black Watch had their share of defeats; they were beaten back by the backwoods riflemen of Andrew Jackson and the Battle of New Orleans, and in 1884 Dervishes temporarily broke a British square of which the Black Watch formed a part during the battle of Tamai. A reference to the latter by another regiment in a pub would invariably provoke a brawl (Farwell, 1981). Kerr (Merry Melodies), Vol. 3; No. 419, pg. 47. Green Linnet SIF 1047, John Cunningham - "Fair Warning" (1983).

FOURTH OF JULY. AKA and see "Chinky Pin," "Love Somebody," "My Love She's But a Lassie Yet," "Too Young to Marry," "Midnight Serenade," "Yellow Eyed Cat," "Buffalo Nickel," "Ten Nights in a Bar Room," "Hair in the Butter," "Richmond Blues," "Farmer Had a Dog," "Lead Out," "Sweet Sixteen," "Darling Child," "I Am My Momma's Darling." Old-Time, Fiddle Tune. The tune was recorded under this title for the Library of Congress by musicologist/folklorist Vance Randolph in the early 1940's from Ozark Mountain fiddlers. It may or may not be the Georgia Yellow Hammers 1927 song "Fourth of July at a Country Fair."

FRIEZE BREECHES/BRITCHES [1] ("An Briste Breidin" or "An Brístín Mire"). AKA and see "(An) Bristin Mire," "Cunla," "Friar's Breeches," "Friar's Britches," "Gallagher's," "Gallagher's Frolics," "Gallagher's Lament," "I Buried My Wife (and Danced On Top of Her)," "O'Gallagher's Frolics," "On St. Patrick's Day I was Gay," "The Trumlo." Irish, Double Jig or Single Jig (Breathnach). D Mixolydian (Breathnach): D Major/Mixolydian. Standard. AB (Breathnach): AABB (Russell): AA'BB' (Mitchell): AABBCCDDEE (Brody, Mitchell): AABBCCDDEE' (Mallinson): AABB'CCDDEE' (O'Neill/Krassen): AABCCDDEEF (O'Neill/1850 & 1001). Frieze is a coarse woollen cloth with a shappy nap. The melody was known in the Sliabh Luachra region of the Cork-Kerry border as "Gallagher's," and accordion player Johnny O'Leary identified the title "Frieze Breeches" as coming from "the Galway crowd." North Clare tin whistle player Micho Russell remembered that "long ago" the tune was only in two parts and was known as "La San Sean, ba chraite an mhaidin i'," and that it was later used for the song "Cunla" (popularized in the 1970's by the band Planxty):
***
Who comes there tickling the toes of me?
There is nobody here but Cunla.
***
Breathnach (1963) prints these words:
"Cé hé sin thiós ag briseadh na gclaiocha?" (x3)
"Mise féin" a deir Connla.
"Chonnla chroí ná teara níos goire dhom" (x3)
"Mhaisce, tiocfad", a deir Connla.
Translated by Paul de Grae:
"Who is that down there breaking the fences?
"Myself says Connla.'
"Connla dear don't come any nearer to me"
"Wisha, I will," says Connla.
***
O'Neill (Irish Folk Music, pg. 97) states this jig was "in some form known all throughout Munster. A strain remembered by from my mother's singing of it was added to Delaney's version, making a total of six in our printed setting. A ridiculous, although typical folk song, called 'I Buried My Wife and Danced on Top of Her' used to be sung to this air, which bears a close resemblance to our version of 'O'Gallagher's Frolics'." Russell said "Frieze Britches" was a very popular tune around Ennistymon, County Clare, and related that his father had been to the fair in that city and met with one Paddy Cearnuf, who lilted the melody and, obviously enamored, called it "the first tune that was ever played in heaven" (Russell, 1989). Breathnach (1963) maintains Joyce's third part does not belong to this jig. Sources for notated versions: Chicago piper Bernard Del

Ceolas > Tunes > Fiddler's Companion

The Fiddler's Companion