GREAT BIG TATER(S) IN SANDY LAND. AKA - "Great Big Taters." AKA and see "Sandyland," "Better Quit Kickin My Dog Around," "Sail Away Ladies." Old-Time, Breakdown. USA; Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas, Texas, Alabama, Mississippi. A Major: G Major (W.E. Claunch, Kuntz, Sweet). AEAE or Standard. ABB (Rankin): ABB' (Phillips/Wills): AABB' (Sweet): AABBCC (Phillips/Eck Robertson). The melody is directly related to "Sail Away Ladies" (and thus to "Sally Ann") and some indicate it is merely a variant of that tune, though the title "Great Big Taters" and its variations is considerably disseminated in the South and Old Southwest. Arizona fiddler Kenner C. Kartchner knew a tune by this title in the very odd key of C Major (for this kind of tune), which he learned from Frank Pruitt, about 1900. The title was one of those in a list of traditional Ozark Mountain fiddle tunes compiled by musicologist/folklorist Vance Randolph, published in 1954, and it was mentioned in an article entitled "Fiddler's Jubilee" in the Fayette Banner (Fayette County, Alabama) of January 2, 1908 (Cauthen, 1990).
***
Another of Ira Ford's (1940) improbable tales goes: "From a fiddler who played 'Great Big Taters in Sandy Land' as his favorite tume, comes the following tradition obtained by the writer thirty years ago. The fiddler was then a man more than seventy years old, who had 'larned' the 'chune' when a you fellow of twenty, from the 'feller' who composed it (c. 1860?). It appears that Steve, the composer homesteaded 160 acres of land in the rough sandstone hills in a remote section of the country, it being the only land left open for homesteading. Steve was engaged to be married to a beautiful young girl of the community and the wedding was to take place as soon as he developed his farm and got his place built. He broke the new ground, which was all in patches on the tops of the hills, the remainder of the farm consisting of steep rocky hillsides and gullies. As his first crop he planted oats and corn. The oats only came up a few inches and the corn did not even make 'nubbins'. So the wedding had to be postponed. The boys teased Steve considerably about trying to make a living on the sandy land, but he took it all good-naturedly, as did the girl. That same year there was a shortage in the potato crop, and, as the land around there was not suitable for potato growing, the farmers had to pay exorbitant prices for the potatoes they had to ship in. Betty, Steve's girl, suggested that he plant potatoes for his next crop. The following spring he planted all his ground accordingly, to the great amusement of his friends. But their amusement was changed to astonishment when that fall Steve harvested 300 bushels to the acre of high grade potatoes and sold them to the farmers as a good price. The wedding was elaborately celebrated with a big supper, followed by a dance that lasted until morning. This tune, composed by Steve and afterwards played at all the dances, was commonly known as 'Steve's Tune', but it was Betty who originated the verses. To get even with those who had 'poked fun' at Steve and his sand farm, she invented the verses, singing them at the dance that night much to the amusement of the guests."
***
Thede says the Henry Hilderbrand referred to in the lyrics which she collected with the Oklahoma version given in her book was a farmer who lived near West Plains, Missouri, and that Eli was a mule.
***
Great big tater in the sandy land,
Plow it up Henry Hilderbrand;
Great big tater in the sandy land,
Git there Eli of you can. (Thede)
***
Great big taters in sandy land,
We-all dig 'em out as fast as we can.
The folds all buy 'em from a foolish man,
Raisin' great big taters in sandy land.
***
Sow them oats, but you can't get a stand,
Corn won't grow in that sandy land.
Folks won't think you're much of a man,
If you can't make a livin' on sandy land. (Ford)
***
Sift the meal and save the bran,
Goodby gals I'm goin' in
Raise big taters in sandy land,
Raise big taters in sandy land. (W.E. Claunch)
***
Sources for notated versions: Eck Robertson (Texas) and Earl Collins (Oklahoma/Texas) [Brody, Phillips]; Bob Wills (Texas) [Phillips]; Jubal Anderson (Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma) [Thede]; Liz Slade (Yorktown, New York) [Kuntz]. Brody (Fiddler's Fakebook), 1983; pg. 125. Ford (Traditional Music in America), 1940; pg. 39. Kuntz, Private Collection. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Music), Vol. 1, 1994; pg. 103 (two versions). Rankin, 1985; Notes to "Great Big Yam Potatoes: Anglo American Fiddle Music from Mississippi." Ruth (Pioneer Western Folk Tunes), 1948; No. 43, pg. 16. Sweet (Fifer's Delight), 1964/1981; pg. 75. Thede (The Fiddle Book), 1967; pg. 80-81. Briar 0798, Earl Collins- "That's Earl." County 517, Eck Robertson and J.B. Cranfill- "Texas Farewell." Folkways 31062, Ship in the Clouds- "Old Time Instrumental Music" (1978. Learned from Bruce Molsky). Gennet 3255 (78 RPM_, Sam Long (1926. Appears as "Sandy Land"). Mississippi Department of Archives and History AH-002, W.E. Claunch - "Great Big Yam Potatoes: Anglo-American Fiddle Music from Mississippi" (1985). Rebel 1515, Curly Ray Cline- "My Little Home in West Virginia." Sonyatone 201, Eck Robertson- "Master Fiddler." Victor 40205 (78 RPM), Eck Robertson (1929. 2nd fiddle by Dr. J.B. Cranfill).
T:Great Big Taters in Sandy Land
L:1/8
M:2/4
S:Liz Slade
Z:Transcribed by Andrew Kuntz
K:G
e/f/|g/f/g/e/ e/(A/d)|(e/ e) (e/ e)(e|e/)f/e/(A/ d/)A/B/(B/|d>)B dd|
g/a/g/e/ e/(A/d)| )|(e/ e) (e/ e)(e|e/)f/e/(A/ d/)A/B|A>B (A A/):|
|:(A/|B/)A/B/B/ A/D/G|(G/ B) (G/ B)B/c/|d/B/d/A/ B/D/E|(A/ B) (A/ B>)(A|
B/)A/B/B/ A/D/G|(G/ B) (G/ B)(D|D/)D/B A/B/A/(D/|A/ B) (G/ B)z/:|
|:(D|D/)D/B A/(D/G)|(G/ B) (G/ B/)A/B|1 D/D/B/(B/ A/)B/A/D/|
(G/ B) (G/ B):|2 d/A/B/B/ A/B/A/D/|G/ [GB] G/ [GB]||
HAWK'S GOT/CAUGHT A CHICKEN. Old-Time, Breakdown. USA; Kentucky, Texas. G Major (the 'A' part starts on an E Minor chord). Standard. ABACC. A tune indigenous to east-central Kentucky, according to Charles Wolfe (1982). It was recorded by Kentucky fiddler Doc Roberts, and though he recorded many sides, he was supposed by Wolfe to have paid little attention to music outside his home region. Roberts' son James remembered playing the tune with his father in the mid-1920's, thus dating it early in Roberts' repertoire. Musically, Wolfe thinks the end phrases resemble the Kessinger Brothers' "Little Betty Brown." Texas fiddler Eck Robertson, who recorded in the 1920's, seems also to have known a tune by this name, as did north Virginia fiddler John Ashby (1915-1979). Source for notated version: Eck Robertson (Texas) [Phillips]. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes), Vol. 1, 1994; pg. 108. County 202, "Eck Robertson: Famous Cowboy Fiddler." County 773, John Ashby and the Free State Ramblers - "Fiddling by the Hearth." County 412, "Fiddling Doc Roberts." Gennett 7110 (78 RPM), Doc Roberts (1930).
T:Hawk Got a Chicken
L:1/8
M:2/4
S:Howdy Forrester, from his Uncle Bob; transcribed by John Hartford
N:Sung to the 'A' part: "Old man, old man, get your gun, The hawks got a chicken N:and away he run. Vocal melody is third part
K:E Minor
Be (e2|e/)f/e/d/ B>A|Be d/B/A/G/|ED G>A:|
B/G/A/G/ B/G/A/G/|B/c/d/B/ G>A|B/G/A/G/ B/G/A/G/|ED G>G|
G/BB/ B2|B/c/B/A/ GA|B/G/A/d/ B/G/A/G/|ED G>A|]
eeee|ed B>d|ee/e/ d/B/A/G/|ED G2||
MISS BETTY HUNTER. Scottish, Reel. C Major. Standard. AAB (Athole): AABB' (Kerr). Kerr (Merry Melodies), Vol. 2; No. 103, pg. 13. Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; pg. 78.
T:Miss Betty Hunter
L:1/8
M:C|
R:Reel
B:The Athole Collection
K:C
f|edcB c2Gc|AcGc EDDf|edcB c2Gc|AcGc ECC:|
F|ECEG cGAF|ECEG FDDF|ECEG cGAF|EcDF ECCF|
ECEG cGAF|ECEG FDDF|ECEG cdec|defd ec~c||
PRETTY POLLY ANN(A) [2]. AKA and see "Sugar Betsy Ann."
Old-Time, Breakdown. USA, Texas. A Major. AEAE or AEAC#. AABBCCA'A'. Bob Carlin (1985) notes the tune is possibly a variant of the song "Little Betty Ann," and that, as "Betty Ann," it was recorded in 1947 for Columbia Records by fiddler Jesse Ashlock (who credited the tune to the father of his former employer, Texas swing fiddler Bob Wills). The tune was recorded for the Library of Congress by musicologist/folklorist Vance Randolph from Ozark Mountain fiddlers in the early 1940's. The melody was also recorded by Texas fiddler Eck Robertson. Source for notated version: Tom Fuller via Brad Leftwich [Kuntz]. Kuntz, Private Collection. Rounder C-11565, Brad Leftwich - "Rounder Fiddle" (1990). Rounder 0197, Bob Carlin - "Bangin' and Sawin'" (1985).
T:Pretty Polly Ann
L:1/8
M:2/4
S:Brad Leftwich
N:AEAE tuning-written as if fingered in standard tuning, not as actually heard.
K:A
A/B/|cc/A/ B/cA/B/|cc/A/ DA/B/|cc/A/ B/c/A/E/|D/D/E/D/ A:|
|:DDED AA/c/|B/A/E/D/ A>(D|D)DED AA/c/|B/A/E/G/ D>(D|
D)/D/E/D/ AA/c/|B/A/B/A/ c(A/B/|c)e e/c/A/B/|c/A/B/c/ A2:|
|:c/ e e/ ef|c/d/e/f/ e>e|ce ef/e/|c/A/E/G/ D z:|
RATTLING, ROARING WILLIE. AKA and see "Rantin' Roarin' Willy," "Mr. Robertson of Ladykirk's Delight," "The Mitford Galloway," "Tom Noke's Jig," "Come Open the Door Sweet Betty". Scottish, English; Slip Jig. England, Northumberland. A Mixolydian (Gow, Hunter, Kerr): D Mixolydian (Alburger, Vickers): G Mixolydian (Neil, Stokoe & Bruce). Standard. One part (Alburger, Neil): AB (Stokoe): AABB (Gow, Hunter, Kerr): AABBCC (Vickers). The tune is old, appearing in the Blakie Manuscript (1692). It was supposed to have been composed by John Cowan, who, according to Robert Riddell (d. 1794) was : "a very noted performer on the Fiddle, at Newton Stewart in Galloway. He died (as I have been informed,) before the middle of the present Century, having obtained longevity in its plentitude. Old Peter MacNaughtan Fiddler at Monniehive [Moniave] told me he was taught by John Cowan about the year 1725, and he was then an old man" (Alburger, 1983). Directions for the dance to this tune were written down by John McGill in 1752, dancing master in Girvan, for his students. Robert Burns wrote the words for the tune which appear in Johnson's Scots Musical Museum and tell the tale of a protagonist who is claimed to be the same character who is the subject of the Border ballad entitled "Rattlin' Willie". The air he collected is from Atkinson's 1694 manuscript.
**
Rattlin' Roarin' Willie
O he held tae the fair
An for tae sell his fiddle
And buy some other ware
But partin wi' his fiddle
The salt tear blin't hie e'e
And rattlin roarin Willie
Ye're welcome hame tae me.
**
Rattlin' Willie was a wandering fiddler famous as both a musician and as a brawler in the Jedburgh (Jeddart) area, whose "sword-hand was dreaded as much as his bowing arm was admired". He fell out with another fiddler named Robin Rool (Robin of Rule Water) after an argument over their respective musical abilities and in the fight that ensued Robin was killed. His death was avenged at the hands of two of the Elliots, who in turn slew Willie. Scott alludes to Rattlin' Roarin' Willie (described as "the jovial harper") in his The Lay of the Last Minstrel, noting that he was a real person. Other accounts say that Willie, still a 'rantin', roarin' lad, lived in the 17th century and did business in the Hawick and Langholm districts, until, having had the misfortune to murder a brother in trade who passed by the name of 'Sweet Milk', he was executed at Jedburgh. Neil (1991) quotes the following verse:
**
The Lasses of Ousenam Water
Are rugging and riving their hair,
And a' for the sake O' Willie-
They'll hear his sangs nae mair,
Nae mair to his merry fiddle
Dance Teviot's maidens free;
My curses on their cunning
That gar'd sweet Willie dee!
**
The title ("Ranting Roaring Willie") appears in Henry Robson's list of popular Northumbrian song and dance tunes ("The Northern Minstrel's Budget"), which he published c. 1800, though Stokoe & Bruce (1882) say that the tune is better known to Northumbrian pipers as "The Mitford Galloway". They continue: "(The melody) is of English parentage, as it can be traced to the year 1669, where it appears in the first edition of Apollo's Banquet as 'Tom Noke's Jig'. Afterwards, it is to be found in the ballad operas of Flora, 1729; The Cobbler's Opera, 1729; and Achilles, 1733, in each of which works it is called 'Come Open the Door Sweet Betty'. Under this title many popular ballads were written to it. The time, indeed, is different--it is in 6/8 time; but it is virtually the same tune. The writer of the ballad, 'The Mitford Galloway', was Thomas Whittle, an eccentric and ingenious poet, who lived at Cambo in the beginning of last century [i.e. 18th]. The song is a description of the adventures of a whirligig maker or wood turner in the pursuit of a runaway galloway or pony, and the ingenious way in which the names of the different localities are interwoven with the story reveal a marvellous command of the rhyming faculty. Whittle died in indigent circumstances at East Shaftoe, and was buried at Hartburn on the 19th April, 1731. His poetical works were published in 1815 by William Robson, schoolmaster, Cambo" (Bruce & Stokoe). Alburger (Scottish Fiddlers and Their Music), 1983; Ex. 86, pg. 139. Bruce & Stokoe (Northumbrian Minstrelsy), 1882; pgs. 189-190 (appears as "Rantin' Roarin' Willie"). Carlin (Gow Collection), 1986; No. 371. Hunter (Fiddle Music of Scotland), 1988; No. 302. Kerr (Merry Melodies), Vol. 3; No. 216, pg. 25. Neil (The Scots Fiddle), 1991; No. 29, pg. 37. Seattle (William Vickers), 1987; No. 286 (appears as "Rantin' Roaring Willy"). Criona - "The Old Man's Teeth."
T:Rantin' Roarin' Willie
T:The Mitford Galloway
L:1/8
M:9/4
S:Bruce & Stokoe
K:G
e2|dcBABG d4 G2 Bc d2e2|=f2 gfed f2c2A2 c4 e2|
dcBABG B4 G2 Bc d2 ef|efefge g2d2B2 d4 ef|
gfefge g2d2B2 d2c2B2|c2B2A2=f2c2A2 cBcdef|g4d2e4d2 gfefge|
dcBcdB c2A2F2G4||e2|G2 BcdB d2 BcdB G2 BcdB|
F2 ABcA =f2 c2A2 c4e2|G2 BcdB d2 BcdB G2 BcdB|
g2 BcdB d2 BcdB d4 ef|g2 BcdB d2 B cdB g2 BcdB|
c2 ABcA =f2 c2 A2 cBcdef|g4d2 e4d2 gfefge|dcBcdB c2A2F2 G4||
STUMPIE/STUMPEY. AKA - "Reel of Stumpie." AKA and see "Butter'd Peas(e)," "Highland Wedding," "Jack's Be the Daddy On't," "The Rosses Highland." Scottish (originally), Canadian, English; Strathspey. Canada; Cape Breton, Prince Edward Island. G Major (Dunlay & Greenberg, Dunlay and Reich, Perlman, Sweet): A Major (Athole, Gow, Honeyman, Hunter, Kennedy, Raven & Skye). Standard. AB (Honeyman): AAB (Dunlay & Greenberg, Dunlay and Reich): AABB (Hunter, Kennedy, Perlman, Raven, Skye, Sweet): AABB' (Athole): AABBCCDDEEFF (Carlin/Gow). "A very old tune" (Gow). The earliest recorded appearances of this double-tonic tune are in John Walsh's Caledonian Country Dances, book 1, c. 1743-44 (under the title "Butter'd Pease"), and in David Young's Duke of Perth Manuscript (AKA the Drummond Castle MS) which predates it, having been printed in 1734. William Stenhouse stated the "Reel o' Stumpie" was in the ballad opera The Female Parson (1729) under the title "Jockey has gotten a wife," though John Glen (Early Scottish Melodies, p. 201-2) said that the "Jockey..." tune was an entirely different melody. Bruce Olsen finds they were both right as the titles "Butter'd Peas" (Stumpie) and "Jockey has gotten a wife" were switched around in The Female Parson. It is usually rendered in the key of 'A' Major in Scottish versions, but the Mabou (Cape Breton) version is in 'G' and is played a bit differently (Dunlay & Reich). Some melodic material from "Stumpie" is shared with "Lady Betty Wemyss' Reel;" James C. Dick states they cover the "same subject."
**
The tune was used, as so many famous Scots melodies were, by Robert Burns for one of his revisions of a Scots song (No. 457 in Johnson's Scots Musical Museum {1796}). This song is also published in Dick's The Songs of Robert Burns (1903, No. 205) though he omitted parts he apparently deemed too risqué for the times. Charles Gore gives that the tune (or song) had been previously published as "Hap and row the Feetie o't," and that Burns reworked the material as he did with numerous other older songs. These lyrics appear in The Merry Muses of Caledonia:
**
Wap and row, wap and row,
Wap and row the feetie o't
I thought I was a maiden fair,
Till I heard the grettie o't
**
My daddie was a fiddler fine,
My minnie she made mantie O,
And I mysel a thumpin quean,
And try'd the reel of stumpie O.
**
Lang kail, pease and leeks,
They were at the kirst'nin' o't,
Lang lads wanton breeks,
They were at the getting o't.
Wap and row, &c.
**
The Bailie he gaed farthest ben,
Mess John was ripe and ready o't,
But the Sherra had a wanton fling,
The Sherra was the daddie o't.
Wap an' row, &c.
**
The Burns lyrics go:
**
Hap and row, hap and row,
Hap and row, the feetie o',t
I thocht I was a maiden fair
Till I heard the greetie o't.
My daddy was a fiddler fine,
My minnie she made mankie-o; (mankie=calamanco, a silk-wool material)
And I mysel' a thumpin' quean,
Wha danced the reel o' Stumpie O.
**
Gossip cup, the gossip cup,
The kimmer clash and caudle-O;
The glowin moon, the wanton loon,
The cuttie-stool and cradle-O.
Douce dames maun hae their bairn-time borne,
Sae dinna glower sae glumpie-O,
Birds love the morn and craws love corn,
And maids the reel o' Stumpie-O.
**
Dunlay and Greenberg (1996) report that Scots bagpiper Hamish Moore feels that the modern march "Highland Wedding" was derived from "Stumpie" and that he supplies a Gaelic title for the tune, "'Buail gu dluth le'd chluigean mi', meaning "strike me incessantly with your {?}." Sources for notated versions: Donald Angus Beaton (Mabou, Cape Breton) [Dunlay & Greenberg]; Paul MacDonald (b. 1974, Charlottetown, Queens County, Prince Edward Island) [Perlman]. Aird (Selection of Scotch, English, Irish and Foreign Airs), Vol. 2, 1782; No. 44. Carlin (Gow Collection), 1986; No. 221. Dunlay & Greenberg (Traditional Celtic Violin Music of Cape Breton), 1996; pg. 93. Dunlay and Reich (Traditional Celtic Fiddle Music of Cape Breton), 1986; pg. 59. Gow (Strathspey Reels), book I, 1784 (appears as "Stumpie Strathspey"). Gow (The Beauties of Niel Gow), Part 3, 1819. Gow (Collection). Honeyman (Strathspey, Reel and Hornpipe Tutor), 1898; pg. 34. Hunter (Fiddle Music of Scotland), 1988; No. 150. Kennedy (Fiddler's Tune Book), Vol. 2, 1954; pg. 16. Kerr (Merry Melodies), Vol. 1; Set 6, No. 3, pg. 6. Lowe (A Collection of Reels and Strathspeys), 1842. MacDonald (The Skye Collection), 1887; pg. 4. Perlman (The Fiddle Music of Prince Edward Island), 1996; pg. 188. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 168. Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; pg. 13. Surenne (Dance Music of Scotland), 1852. Sweet (Fifer's Delight), 1965/1981; pg. 57. Also found in many old collections. Beltona BL2128 (78 RPM), The Edinburgh Highland Strathspey and Reel Society (1936). Celtic CX 45, Wilfred Gillis - "Arisaig Airs." CTRAX 073, Hamish Moore - "Stepping on the Bridge/Daansa' air an Drochaid" (1994). DAB4-1985, Donald Angus Beaton- "A Musical Legacy" (1985. Appears as "A Mabou Strathspey"). JC 126, John Campbell- "Cape Breton on the Floor" (1981. Appears as "Traditonal Strathspey"). STEPH 1-94, Stephanie Wills - "Tradition Continued" (1994).
T:Stumpie
L:1/8
M:C
S:Strathspey
B:The Athole Collection
K:A
d|c>e a2 a/g/f/e/ a2|c>e a2 b<B B>d|c>e a2 a/g/f/e/ a2|c>eB>d c<AA:|
|:d|c>e e>d/c/ d>f f>e/d/|c>e e>d/c/ f<B B>d|1 c>e e>d/c/ d>f f>ed|c>eB>d c<AA:|2
c>e a2 b/a/g/f/ a2|c>aB>d c<AA||