Ceolas: The Fiddler's Companion

Result of search for "Country Dance":

A' BODY LOO'S ME. Scottish, Country Dance Tune (4/4 time). The tune appears in the Bodleian MS (1740), written by David Young, Edinburgh, and can also be found in Neil Stewart's 1761 collection (pg. 18).

A LA MODE DE FRANCE. AKA and see "Nonesuch." English, Country Dance Tune (2/2 or 4/4 time). E Minor (Chappell): D Major (Fleming-Willliams). Standard. AAB (Fleming-Williams): AA'BB' (Chappell). Under this title it is found in Musick's Recreation on the Lyra Viol and Musick's Delight on the Cithren, sometimes in a major key. Chappell (Popular Music of the Olden Time), Vol. 1, 1859; pg. 322. Fleming-Williams & Shaw (English Dance Airs; Popular Selection, Book 1), 1965; pg. 9.

A SAN MALO A BORD DE MER (San Malo by the Sea). Canadian, Set Dance (cut time). Canada, Prince Edward Island. G Major. Standard. AABBCC. The tune is named for a French town in the region of that country where a majority of the Acadien population originated. The parts are irregular--the 'A' part has 10 measures, the 'B' four and the 'C' six. Source for notated version: Louise Arsenault (b. 1956, Mont Carmel, East Prince County, Prince Edward Island; now resides in Wellington) [Perlman]. Perlman (The Fiddle Music of Prince Edward Island), 1996; pg. 152.

The Abbots Bromley Horn Dancers. Photographed by Sir Benjamin Stone (1838-1914).
***
Besides the yearly performance at Abbots Bromley, the dance can be seen each year on stage during the revival "Revels" performances in many cities throughout North America. This version of the accompanying tune is known as the "1857 air," presumably because it was collected in that year. Abbots Bromley is a village in Yorkshire, England. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 83.

ABERGENNY. English, Welsh; Country Dance Tune (2/2 time). G Minor. Standard. AB (Mellor): AABB (Barnes, Raven). The Welsh or Brittonic prefix 'Aber-' means 'mouth', and was attached to names of rivers. Thus Abergenny means the 'mouth of the Genny,' but probably refers to Abergavenny in Monmouth according to Kidson, "which is sufficiently Welsh county in manner and customs to be musically included." Kidson also points out the tune bears a strong resemblance to "Cold and Raw." The tune appears in the 1665 and later editions of Playford's Dancing Master. Barnes (English Country Dance Tunes), 1986. Mellor (Welsh Dance Tunes), 1935; pg. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 18.

ACADEMY JIG, THE. Scottish (?), Country Dance Tune (6/8 time). G Major. Standard. AABB. Composed by J. Rule. Kerr (Merry Melodies), Vol. 1; No. 28, pg. 30.

ACCOMPLISHED MAID, THE. English, Country Dance Tune (6/8 time). G Major. Standard. AAB. First published around 1790. Barnes (English Country Dance Tunes), 1986.

ADSON'S SARABAND, NEW. AKA - "New, New Exchange," "Royal Exchange." English, Country Dance (2/2 time). A Minor. Standard. AABB. Published before 1730. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 13.

ADSON'S SARABAND (Old). AKA and see "The New New Exchange." English, Country Dance (2/2 time). F Major. Standard. AABB. Published by Playford in his "The English Dancing Master" (1651) as a dance tune, "longways for six." The melody is quite old and was considered part of the traditional repertoire in John Playford's day (Pulver, 1923). Barnes (English Country Dance Tunes), 1986. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 39. Sharp (Country Dance Tunes), 1909/1994; pg. 31.

ALCHURCH. English, Country Dance Tune (6/8 time). G Major. Standard. AABB. Published in 1718. Barnes (English Country Dance Tunes), 1986.

ALDERMAN'S HAT, THE. English, Country Dance Tune (cut time). G Minor. Standard. AABB. Published before 1730. Barnes (English Country Dance Tunes), 1986. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 29.

ALE WIFE AND HER BARREL, THE. Scottish. The melody appears in Neil Stewart's 1761 collection (pg. 52). A country dance mentioned as taught in a country dancing school as mentioned by MacTaggart in The Scottish Gallovidian Encyclopedia (1824).

ALL FLOWERS IN (OF THE) BROOME. The tune appears in William Ballet's Lute Book of 1594. English, Country Dance Tune (3/2 time). G Major. Standard. AA'BBCC'. Chappell (1859) notes the tune is mentioned as a dance tune by Nicholas Breton in Works of a Young Wit (1577) and by Nashe in Have with you to Saffron-Walden (1596). Chappell (Popular Music of the Olden Time), Vol. 1, 1859; pgs. 236-237.

ALL IN A GARDEN GREEN. AKA and see "Gathering Peascods," "The Maid in the Moon (Morn)." English, Dance Tune (2/2 or 4/4 time). G Major (Karpeles, Merryweather, Raven): D Major (Laufman): F Major (Chappell). Standard. AB (Chappell): AABB (Karpeles, Laufman, Merryweather, Raven). The earliest published version extant can be found in John Playford's first edition of The English Dancing Master (1651), though the tune appears earlier in William Ballet's Lute Book (1594), and therefore is probably older than the seventeenth century. In fact, it was already considered part of the established traditional repertoire in Playford's day (Pulver, 1923), the mid-17th century. A ballad was registered with the Stationers' Company (an early form of copyrighting, and mandatory at the time) in 1566 called "All in a garden green, between two lovers," which may or may not have been sung to the tune that later appeared in Ballet's MS and Playford. A further reference can be found in A Handefull of Pleasant Delites (1584) in which mention is made of "An excellent Song of an outcast Lover, to All in a Garden green." Whether these early references referred to the melody printed in Playford is not known, for the opening line, remarks Kines (1964), is common to many songs of the period. It begins:
***
All in a garden green two lovers sat at ease,
As they could scare be seen among, among the leafy trees.
***
Kines attributes the marrying of the "All in a garden green" poem to the air "Gathering Peascods" in William Ballet's book to the musicologist Chappell in the mid-19th century. Merryweather notes that variants of the tune appeared on the Continent, including the Dutch Unter den Linden Grune by Sweelinck, and Onder de Lindegroene by Vallet. Not only was the tune used for ballads and country dancing, continues Merryweather, but it was also absorbed into church hymnody, set, for example to psalm 47 ("All people clap your hands, Sing laud unto the Lord"). Chappell (1859) also prints a version in 6/4 time from the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book. Chappell (Popular Music of the Olden Times), 1859, Vol. 1; pgs. 79-80. Karpeles & Schofield (A Selection of 100 English Folk Dance Airs), 1951; pg. 21 (appears under the dance title "The Maid in the Moon"). Kines (Songs From Shakespeare's Plays and Popular Songs of Shakespeare's Time), 1964; pg. 74. Laufman (Okay, Let's Try a Contra, Men on the Right, Ladies on the Left, Up and Down the Hall), 1973; pg. 27. Merryweather (Merryweather's Tunes for the English Bagpipe), 1989; pg. 39. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 25. Harmonia Mundi 907101, The King's Delight - "17c. Ballads for Voice & Violin Band" (1992).

ALL IN/ON A MISTY MORNING. AKA and see "The Friar and the Nun," "Wiltshire Wedding," "London 'prentice," "A Beggar Got a Beadle." English, Air. Chappell (1859) finds early references to a ballad called "Frere and the Nunne" in accounts dating from 1542 and 1592. John Gay prints the tune under the title "Before the barn door crowing," from a song in his Beggar's Opera (1729), but the air also appears in other ballad operas. It appears in Pills to Purge Melancholy as "The Wiltshire Wedding" (and twice with other names); and in Playford's Dancing Master (1650) and Musick's Delight on the Cithren (1666) as "The Friar and the Nun." Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 57.

ALL IN THE DOWNS. AKA and see "Sweet Williams Farewell (to Black-ey'd Susan)," "Black Eye'd Susan." English, Air (3/4 time). This ballad appears in John Gay's ballad opera The Beggar's Opera (1729) under the title "Thus when the swallow, seeking prey"; Gay also wrote another set of lyrics to the tune called "Black-ey'd Susan." The words were by Gay, but the music was composed by Richard Leveridge. Kidson (1922), however, says the air is by P.G. Sandoni, a maker of harpsichords and spouse of the singer Cuzzoni. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 60.

ALL 'ROUND MY HAT [1]. AKA and see "Green Willow." Irish, English; Air and Country Dance Tune (4/4 time). D Dorian. Standard. One part. As "Green Willow," the tune is used for an English country dance, fashioned in 1932.
***
All round my hat I will wear the green willow:
All round my hat for a twelvemonth and a day;
And if anyone should ask me the reason that I wear it,
I'll tell him that my true-love is gone far away. (Joyce).
***
Joyce (Old Irish Folk Music and Song), 1909; No. 90, pg. 47. Chrysalis CHR 1091, Steeleye Span - "All Around My Hat."
T:All around my hat
L:1/8
M:C
S:Joyce - Old Irish Folk Music
K:G Dorian
G2 AF G2 f>e|d2 c>A G>F D2|G2 A>F G2 Bc|dcBc d2 d>e|fedc f2 A>G|
GBAG G>F D>E|FEFG F>G A/=B/c|d2 c>A G3z||

ALL YOU THAT MUST TAKE A LEAP (IN THE DARK). English, Air. The tune was published by John Gay in his Beggar's Opera (1729) under the title "Would I might be hanged." The original, according to Kidson (1922), refers to a song "upon the execution of two criminals by Mr. Ramondon." Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 70.

ALL WELL. English, Country dance (2/4). G Major. Standard. AABB. Huntington (William Litten's), 1977; pg. 25.

ALLASTOR. Scottish, Country Dance Tune. The melody appears in the Drummond Castle Manuscript, "A Collection of Country Dances written for the use of his Grace the Duke of Perth by Dav. Young, 1734." The MS was in the possession of the Earl of Ancaster at Drummond Castle in the early 1970's.

ALLEMANDE SWISS. AKA - "Cotillon allemand Swiss." English, American; Country Dance Tune. The music first appeared as "Cotillon allemand Swiss" in the English publication The Compleat Tutor for the Guittar (Thompson, London, 1770). A well known tune in America, the dancing master John Griffiths published directions for a dance to it in his 1794 Collection (Northampton, Mass.). The first two phrases are musically identical to the tune known as "The Faithful Shepherd."

ALLIE CROKER. AKA - "Ally Croaker," "Ally Crocker," "Alley Crocker." AKA and see "Alas My Little Bag," "Stick the Minister," "The Shamrock Cockade." Scottish, Irish, English, American, Canadian; Reel, Country Dance. USA, New England. D Major. Standard. AB (Kerr's, Messer): ABB (Brody): AABB (Miller & Perron, Sloanaker, Sweet). This song, as "Ally Croker," was written and music composed by Lawrence (Larry) Grogan of Johnstown Castle, County Wexford, who was reknowned as a "gentleman piper" and composer of Irish airs (Grogan, by the way, was the first performer on the improved version of the Irish pipes called the uilleann or (archaically) Union pipes). It is his most famous composition. Both the air and song date from 1725, according to Crofton Croker, with single sheet editions of the song from c. 1730 and c. 1740 extent. The lyrics describe the vagarancies of a disappointed suitor of Miss Alicia Croker, the sister of Edward Croker, High Sheriff of County Limerick (for more on Larry Grogan and Alicia Croker see T.C. Croker's Popular Songs of Ireland). It quickly found favor and was adopted by ballad singers, inform Flood (1906) and O'Neill (1913), and was soon introduced into the play Love in a Riddle (1729), Sam Foote's comedy The Englishman in Paris (1753, in which the lyrics were slightly revised and the tune called "Ally Croaker," by which spelling it usually appears after this date), and Kane O'Hara's Midas (1760). The tune was printed by Rutherford c. 1754 in his Choice Collection of 60 Country Dances.
***
In 1803 the air was wedded by George Colman to a song entitled "The Unfortunate Miss Bailey" and Tom Moore used it for his lyric "The Shamrock." The English musicologist Chappell claimed the air was English because of its appearence in "Love in a Riddle," however, Flood asserts Larry Grogan is the author/composer due to a reference to the tune by Pierce Creagh of County Clare in his 1730 "The County of Limerick Buck Hunt." Creagh may have been partisan though, for he and Grogan were great friends (Creagh even named one of his race horses after him-- "Larry Grogan" won at least one purse for its owner). "Allie Crocker/Croaker" continued to be in vogue throughout the century and was the air set to the song "The Shamrock Cockade," popular in Munster with the Irish Volunteers (1774-1784). It is one of the "lost tunes" from William Vicker's 18th century Northumbrian dance tune manuscript. Brody (Fiddler's Fakebook), 1983; pg. 21. Cole (1001 Fiddle Tunes), 1940; pg. 8 (appears as "Ally Croaker"). Kerr (Merry Melodies), Vol. 1; No. 9, pg. 22. Messer (Way Down East), 1948; No. 6. Messer (Anthology of Favorite Fiddle Tunes), 1980; No. 26, pg. 26. Miller & Perron (New England Fiddlers Repertoire), 1983; No. 135 (Appears as "Alice Crocker's Reel"). Sweet (Fifer's Delight), 1964; pg. 47. Fretless 119, Rodney and Randy Miller- "Castles in the Air."
T:Allie Crocker
L:1/8
M:C|
K:D
Ad dc d2df|ed cd ef ga|fd dc d2df|ed cB AG FE|
Dd dc d2df|ed cd ef ga|fd dc d2df|ed cd ef ge:|
|:fa a^g a3a|ba gf ef g2|Ag gf g2gb|ag fe de f2|
Ad dd dc cc|cB BB BA AA|Ag gf g3b|ag fe d2d2:|

ALMAN, ANON. English, Country Dance (2/2 time). G Major. Standard. AABBCC. The title is a derivative of the French "allemande", referring to a supposedly German style dance characteristically moderate in tempo. Published before 1730. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 7.

ALTERATIONS. English, Country Dance Tune (2/4 time). A Major. Standard. AABB. Barnes (English Country Dance Tunes), 1986.

ALTHEA. English, Country Dance Tune (6/8 time). B Flat Major. Standard. AABB. Sharp (Country Dance Tunes), 1909/1994; pg. 30.

AMARILLIS/AMARYLLIS. English, Air or Country Dance Tune (4/4, 2/2 or cut time). E Flat Major (Chappell): G Major (Barnes, Sharp, Watson). Standard. AB (Chappel, Sharp, Watson): AAB (Barnes). The tune appears in many works, including Porter's play The Villain (1663), Merry Drollery Complete (1670), The New Academy of Compliments, and Playford's Dancing Master (1665), Musick's Delight on the Cithern (1666), and Apollo's Banquet (1670). A popular tune, it was used following the convention of the period as the vehicle for numerous 18th century ballads, according to Chappell (1859), including "The Coy Shepherdess; or Phillis and Amintas" (Roxburghe Collection) {from which title the ballad was sometime known as "Phillis (or Amintas) on the new-made hay"}; "'Love in the blossom' or 'Fancy in the bud'" (Roxburghe); "Fancy's Freedom' or 'True Lovers' bliss'" (Roxburghe); "'The True Lovers' Happiness' or 'Nothing venture, nothing have, &c'" (Douce Collection/Roxburghe): "The Cotsall (Cotswold) Shepherds" (Folly in Print, or a Book of Rhymes" {1667}); "'The Virgin's Constancy' or 'The True Lovers' Happiness'" and "'The True Lovers' Happiness' or 'Nothing venture, nothing have'" (Pepys Collection). Barnes (English Country Dance Tunes), 1986. Chappell (Popular Music of the Olden Time), Vol. 2, 1859; pgs. 12-13. Sharp (Country Dance Tunes), 1994; pg. 25. Watson, 1975; No. 8, pg. 9.

AMELIA'S WALTZ [1]. AKA - "Amelia." American, Waltz. USA, New Hampshire. D Major. Standard. AA'BB'. This waltz was composed in 1981 by New Hampshire accordionist and composer Bob McQuillen (Peterboro, N.H.) for three-and-a-half year old Amelia Stiles, daughter of Deana Stiles, a flute player friend who played with Dudley Laufman's Canterbury Country Dance Orchestra. McCutcheon relates that "current legend" has it that Amelia was named because of the fact that her family lived in a house built around a shipping crate for Amelia Earhart's plane. Deana Stiles has been a member of Dudley Laufman's Canterbury Country Orchestra and currently plays with McQuillen in the trio "Old New England." The tune has proved quite popular at New England dances, an instant classic. McQuillen apparently prefers the title to be simply "Amelia." Johnson (The Kitchen Musician's Occasional: Waltz, Air and Misc.), Vol. 1, 1991; pg. 12. Matthiesen (Waltz Book I), 1992; pg. 11. McQuillen, Bob's Notebook #5, 1981. Alcazar FR 2204, Rodney and Randy Miller - "New England Chestnuts, Vol. 2" (1981). BM-91, Buddy MacMaster - "Glencoe Hall." Greenhays GR 710, John McCutcheon - "Fine Times at Our House" (1982. Learned from Rodney and Randy Miller). Smithsonian Folkways SFW CD 40126, Bob McQuillen & Old New England - "Choose Your Partners!: Contra Dance & Square Dance Music of New Hampshire" (1999). Whistlers Music, New England Tradition - "Farewell to the Hollow."
T:Amelia's Waltz
M:3/4
L:1/8
S:Gregory Taylor, Ir-trad, april 1997
K:D
"D"D3E3D2|"D"D2F3E|"Bm"D2F2BF|"F#m"A3FA2|\
"G"B2G3B|"D"A2F3E|"Bm"D2B3^A|"G"B4A2|
"D"D3ED2|"D"D2F3E|"Bm"D2F2BF|"G"B3cD2|\
"G"d2e2f2|"A"e2c2A2 :|"A"A3fag|"D"f2a3b|
"D"a2f2df|"A"e3cb2|"A"A3cfe|"Bm"d3cd|\
"Bm"f3ed2|"F#m"c3BA2|"F#m"F3EF2|"G"G2B3G|
"D"F2A2d2|"A"e3ce2|"D"f2d2f2|"G"g3fg2|\
"D"a2f2e2|"A"a2e2c2|"D"d4 |>|

AMERICA [2]. Scottish. A country dance witnessed by Samuel Johnson and James Boswell at Armadale in Skye in 1773 during their tour of Scotland and the Isles. Bowell records: "We had...in the evening a great dance. We made out five country squares without sitting down; and then we performed with much alacrity a dance which I suppose the emigration from Skye has occasioned. They call it 'America'. A brisk reel is played. The first couple begin, and each sets to one--then each to anther--then as they set to the next couple, the second and third couples are setting; and so it goes on till all are set a-going, setting and wheeling round each other, while each is making the tour of all in the dance. It shows how emigration catches till all are set afloat..."

AN OLD MAN IS A BED FULL OF BONES. English, Country Dance (Longways for as man as will). The melody is quite old and was considered part of the traditional repertoire in John Playford's day (Pulver, 1923). Playford, English Dancing Master (1651). Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 44. Familiar Records FAM 47, Pyewackett - "7 to Midnight" (1985).

AN OLD WOMAN CLOTHED IN GRAY. AKA and see "Unconstant Roger," "Let Oliver now be forgotten," "How unhappy is Phillis in love." English, Air (6/8 time). G Minor. Standard. One Part. According to Chappell (1859) the air appears in a manuscript of 1662, and also has appeared in Salter's Genteel Companion for the Recorder (1683), Lady Catherine Boyd's MS. Lyra Viol Book, Henry Carey's Musical Century (vol. ii), John Gay's Beggar's Opera (1728, where it appears as "Through all the employments of life"), Humours of the Court (1732), and Walsh's Dancing Master, among other publications (see Chappell {1859}). A popular tune, state Chappell (1859) and Pulver (1923), to which the number of appearances in period publications attests; it was used for numerous political ballads, especially around the turbulent year 1680, and appears under different titles in many ballad operas of the early 18th century. The original song begins:
***
An old woman clothed in gray
Whose daughter was charming and young,
But chanced to be once led astray
By Roger's false flattering tongue.
***
It appears in Playford's "Dancing Master" under the title "Unconstant Roger" after the Roger in the song. Chappell (Popular Music of the Olden Time), Vol. 2, 1859; pgs. 120-121. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 50.

AND HER GOLDEN HAIR WAS HANGING DOWN HER BACK. English, Music Hall Song. A Major. Standard. AB. British music hall tune which may or may not have been associated with the Abbots Bromley (Staffordshire) horn dance (see note for "Bobby Shaftoe") {Bullen}. Bullen, Andrew, Country Dance and Song, May 1987, Vol. 17, pg. 12.

ANDREW CAREY [1]. AKA - "Andy Carey," "Andrew Carr." AKA and see "Tipperary Hills," "Scotland," "The Yairds o' Finnigirth." Irish, English, Scottish; Hop Jig (slip jig) and Air. England, Northumberland. D Major (Athole, Cole, Gow, Raven, Roche): G Major (Bruce & Stokoe, Vickers). Standard. AAB (Athole, Gow, Hunter): AABB. The tune's title appears in Henry Robson's list of popular Northumbrian song and dance tunes ("The Northern Minstrel's Budget"), which he published c. 1800./ Appears as a country dance called "Scotland" in Playford (1709), and as a slower version in "The Yairds o' Finnigirth" from the Shetlands. Bruce & Stokoe print lyrics to the tune, beginning:
***
As I went to Newcastle, My journey was not far,
I met with a sailor lad, His name was Andrew Carr.
And hey for Andrew, Andrew, Ho for Andrew Carr,
And hey for Andrew, Andrew, Ho for Andrew Carr.
***
Bruce & Stokoe, Northumbrian Minstrelsy, 1882; pg. 179 (appears as "Andrew Carr"). Charlton Memorial Tune Book, 1956; pg. 17 (appears as "Andrew Carey"). Cole (1001 Fiddle Tunes), 1940; pg. 78. Gow (Complete Repository), Part 1, 1799; pg. 36. Hunter (Fiddle Music of Scotland), 1988; No. 290. O'Neill (1001 Gems), No. 430 (appears as "Tipperary Hills"). Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 130. Roche Collection, 1982; Vol. II, pg. 24. Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; pg. 138 (appears as "Andrew Carr"). Seattle (William Vickers), 1987, Part 2; No. 306.
T:Andrew Carr
L:1/8
M:9/8
R:Slip Jig
B:The Athole Collection
K:D Major
F2(A A)FA AFD|G2B Bcd c2A|F2A AFA Bcd|A,2 D DEF E2D:|
d2A ABA AGF|E2e efg f2e|d2A AFA Bcd|A,2D DEF E2D|
d2A ABA AGF|E2e efg f2e|d>cB AFA Bcd|A,2D DEF E2D||
T:Andrew Carr
L:1/8
M:9/8
S:Bruce & Stokoe - Northumbrian Minstrelsy
K:G
B2d dBd dBG|B2e efg f2d|B2d dBd def|g2G GAB A2G:|
|:g2e dBG dBG|g2e ege f2d|gfe dBd def|g2G GAB A2G:|

ANE ALMAN MORELSS. Scottish. The title is derivative of the French term "allemande," referring to a style of German dance, characteristically moderate in tempo. Williamson suggests the title refers to an allemande used among Scottish Morris dancers, and notes that Morris dancing in that country was first referred to by James I (1406-37) in his poem "Christkirk on the Green." From the Skene MS, c. 1620. Flying Fish, Robin Williamson - "Legacy of the Scottish Harpers," Vol. 2.

ANNA MARIA. English, Country Dance Tune (3/2 time). B Flat Major. Standard. AABB. Published in 1698. Barnes (English Country Dance Tunes), 1986.

APLEY HOUSE. English, Dance Tune (2/2 time). G Major ('A' and 'C' parts) & D Major ('B' part). Standard. ABC (Sharp): AABBCC (Barnes, Karpeles, Raven). First published in 1703. Barnes (English Country Dance Tunes), 1986. Karpeles & Schofield (A Selection of 100 English Folk Dance Airs), 1951; pg. 23. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 22. Sharp (Country Dance Tunes), 1909/1994; pg. 77.

ARCADIAN NUPTIALS. English, American; Country Dance Tune (9/8 time). F Major. Standard. AABBCC. Thomson's 200 Country Dances, volume III (London, 1773, pg. 100) contains the earliest printing of this melody, however, it must have been quite a bit older since the piece was recorded as having been one of the melodies danced to at a 1752 "turtle frolic" at Goats Island, near Newport, Rhode Island (a turtle frolic was a special event when West Indes turtles, towed astern from the Carribean, arrived in port). It appears in America in a Connecticut MS by Asa Willcox from 1793, and is the third tune in the Select Collection, printed in Ostego, New York, in 1808. Knowles (A Northern Lass), 1995; pg. 7.

ARETHUSA, THE. AKA and see "The Princess Royal." See also Oswald's "My Love is Lost to Me," which Bayard questions as to whether it is derivative of or ancestral to Carolan's tune. The song appeared in the opera The Lock and Key, acted in 1796, with words by Prince Hoare, music composed and selected by William Shield, and relates the engagement of the English frigate The Arethusa with a larger French warship, La Belle Poule, in the English Channel in June, 1778. Although often attributed to Shield, he himself only claimed to have added the bass. Irish writers have claimed that Turlough O'Carolan (1670-1738) composed the tune as "The Princess Royal," in honor of a daughter of Macdermott Roe. Kidson (Groves), however, maintains it was an English country dance from the early 18th century, dedicated to Anne, daughter of George II, who married the Prince of Orange in 1734.

ARGEERS. English, Country Dance (2/2 time). B Flat Major (Barnes, Fleming-Williams, Raven, Sharp): D Major (Williamson). Standard. AABB. The tune dates at least to 1650, when it was first published in Playford's English Dancing Master. Williamson (1976) identifies the melody as a morris dance tune from southern England, and suggest that the title might have been a garbled version of the word 'Algiers.' Barnes (English Country Dance Tunes), 1986. Fleming-Williams & Shaw (English Dance Airs; Popular Selection, Book 1), 1965; pg. 7. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 20. Sharp (Country Dance Tunes), 1994; pg. 30. Williamson (English, Welsh, Scottish and Irish Fiddle Tunes), 1976; pg. 17. Maggie's Music MMCD216, Hesperus - "Early American Roots" (1997).

ARGILE'S BOULING GREEN. Scottish, Country Dance. The melody appears in the Holmain Manuscript (1710-50), a six-page book of instructions for country dances.

ARGLYE('S) BOWLING GREEN. AKA and see "The Braes of Glencoe." Scottish, Reel. C Major. Standard. AB (Gow/Repository): AAB (most versions). The melody appears in the Drummond Castle Manuscript, inscribed "A Collection of Country Dances written for the use of his Grace the Duke of Pert by Dav. Young, 1734," which in the early 1970's was in the possession of the Earl of Ancaster at Drummond Castle. However, perhaps not aware of that work, Glen finds the earliest appearence of the piece in Bremner's 1757 collection (pg. 70). It has been suggested that the 'bowling green' title is an Englished corruption of the Gaelic "buaile na greine" (sunny cattle-fold). A melody by this name ("Argile's Bouling Green") appears in the Holmain Manuscript (1710-50), a six-page book of instructions for country dances. The name Argyll derives from the Gaelic 'Airer Gaedel', or 'coast of the Gaels,' and refers to the area of Scotland first invaded by the Irish tribes in the 5th century. Source for notated version: George MacPhee (b. 1941, Monticello, North-East Kings County, Prince Edward Island) [Perlman]. Gow (Completre Repository), Part 4, 1817; pg. 31. Kerr (Merry Melodies), Vol. 2; No. 85, pg. 12. Lowe (A Collection of Reels and Strathspeys), 1844. MacDonald (The Skye Collection), 1887; pg. 120. Perlman, 1996; pg. 119. Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; pg. 66. Surenne (Dance Music of Scotland), 1852.
T:Argyle Bowling Green
L:1/8
M:C|
R:Reel
B:The Athole Collection
K:C
E|C2c2 cded|cdcA G^FED|C2c2 cded|cBcE D3:|
c|GecE GEEA|GecE G2 GA|GecE GEEF|GAGE D2Da|
gec'e geea|gec'e g2ga|gec'e geef|gage d2d||

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?}.

ARON'S MAGGOT. English, Country Dance Tune (cut time). England, Northumberland. G Major. Standard. AABBCC. A maggot was a longways country dance from late 16th century England, often dedicated to a personage whose name appears in the title. The term comes from the Italian magioletta and means a plaything, or a slight thing of little consequence. Another meaning for maggot was as another name for a dram, a small unit of liquid measure. Seattle (William Vickers), 1987; No. 241.

ARTHUR'S SEAT [4]. Scottish, Country Dance Tune (4/4 time). A tune by this name (version #3???) appears in the Bodleian Manuscript, inscribed "A Collection of the Newest Country Dances Performed in Scotland written at Edinburgh by D.A. Young, W.M. 1740" which is located in the Bodleian Library, Oxford.

AS I WENT TO WASHINGTON. English, Country Dance (3/4 time). A Minor. Standard. One part. Published before 1730. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 8.

AS QUICK AS YOU PLEASE. English, Country Dance Tune (6/8 time). A Minor. Standard. AABB. The tune was first published in 1728. Barnes (English Country Dance Tunes), 1986.

ASH GROVE (Llwyn Onn). AKA - "Ashtree Grove"?? AKA and see "Sir Watkin William Wynn." Welsh (originally), Scottish, New England; Waltz. C Major (Laufman): G Major (Johnson). Standard. AB (Kerr): AAB (Johnson, Laufman). The air is considered by some to be an early 18th century melody from Wales, perhaps because it is attributed to that country in Gow's Strathspey Reels (book 4, pg. 24), where it appears as "Sir Watkin William Wynn." In fact the earliest Welsh printing is not until Jones's Bardic Museum (1802), where it is given that it was named after 'Mr. Jones's mansion near Wrexham'. Robin Huw Bowen says it is played in the form 'theme and variations', a form poular with Welsh harpists of the early 18th century. It appears under different guises in period publications and can be found in Gay's Beggar's Opera (1729) and in the repertoire of Irish harper Turlough O'Carolan (1670-1738). "The Ash Grove" was used as a vehicle for English morris dancing, and various words were set to it, bawdy and otherwise. One set begins:
***
Down yonder green valley, where streamlets meander
Where twilight is fading, I pensively rove--
Or at the bright noontide, in solitude wander
Amid the dark shade of the lonely ash tree.
***
Johnson (The Kitchen Musician's Occasional: Waltz, Air and Misc.), No. 1, 1991; pg. 1. Kerr (Merry Melodies), Vol. 3; No. 309, pg. 33. Laufman (Okay, Let's Try a Contra, Men on the Right, Ladies on the Left, Up and Down the Hall), 1973; pg. 23. Matthiesen (Waltz Book I), 1992; pg. 13. Flying Fish FF70610, Robin Huw Bowen - "Telyn Berseiniol Fy Ngwlad/The Sweet Harp of My Land" (1996). Green Mountain Volunteers - "New England Country Dance Music."
T:Ash Grove
R:Waltz
C:Trad.
M:3/4
L:1/8
K:D
|:"A"A|"D"d2f2ag|f2d2d2|"G"e2gfed|"A"c2A2A2|"D"d2fedc|"G"B2G2B2|"D"A2d2"
A"c2|"D"d4:||:efg||"D"a2fgab|a2g2f2|"A7"g2efga|g2f2e2|"D"f2defg|"Bm"f2e2
d2|"A"c2a2^"E"g2|"A"a4A|"D"d2f2ag|f2d2d2|"G"e2gfed|"A"c2A2A2|"D"d2fedc|"
G"B2G2B2|"D"A2d2"A"c2|"D"d4:||

ASHFORD ASSEMBLY, THE. English, Country Dance Tune (6/8 time). E Minor/G Major. Standard. AABB. Barnes (English Country Dance Tunes), 1986.

ASHLEY'S FLAG. AKA - "Astley's Flag," "Distillery Hay." English, Reel. England, North-West. B Flat Major. Standard. AABB. The tune first appears in Longman, Lukey & Broderips's Bride's Favourite Collection of 200 Select Country Dances, Cotillions and Allemands (London, 1776). Transported to America it appears as "Astley's Flag" in Joshua Cushing's Fifer's Companion (pg. 49) printed in 1805 in Salem, Massachusetts, and in the Elisha Belknap manuscript, compiled in Framingham, Massachusetts, in 1784 as "Distillery Hay" (a title which refers probably to the circle-eight dance figure called a 'hey' or 'hay'). Knowles (Northern Frisk), 1988; No. 100.

ASTLEY'S RIDE. AKA and see "Astley's (Hornpipe)," "Drumley's Ride," "Ashley's Ride," "Leslie's Hornpipe." English, Country Dance (2/4 time) or Hornpipe. D Major (Huntington, Kennedy, Raven): C Major (Hardings). Standard. AABB. The second strain of the Pennsylvania collected "Frank Keeney" appears in in this tune. Harding's All Round Collection, 1905; No. 2, pg. 1 (Hornpipe). Huntington (William Litten's), 1977; pg 23 (appears as "Ashley's Ride"). Kennedy (Fiddlers Tune Book), Vol. 2, 1954; pg. 26. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 145. North Star Records NS0038, "The Village Green: Dance Music of Old Strubridge Village."

ATHOL(L) HOUSE. AKA - "Athole House." Scottish, Reel. F Major. Standard. AAB. One of the most famous compositions of Edingburgh music teacher Daniel (or perhaps Donald) Dow (c. 1783). Little is known about Dow, who was born in Kirkmichael, Perthshire, but "his compositions were highly esteemed in their time and still live" (Emmerson, 1971). The tune was originally published as a country dance in the Edinburgh Magazine and Review in 1773. Originally printed without dotted rhythms, the Gows later added them in places to change the tune to a strathspey (Alburger says this may illustrate Niel Gow's up-driven bowing style). The piece first appears published by Dow (pg. 1) in his c. 1775 collection.
***
Athole (or Atholl) House was the seat of the Duke of Atholl, who in the mid-18th century was the first patron of the famous Scots fiddler and composer Niel Gow, who besides his noted skill on his instrument, also possessed an earthy frankness and who was not intimidated by social standing. On one occasion when he was playing for dancing at Atholl, a portion of the invited party lingered in the ballroom, loath to forsake the dancing. Gow, not impressed with the fashionable indifference to the waiting supper, soon became exasperated and called out to the remaining crowd: "Gang doun to your supper, ye daft limmers, and dinna hand me reelin' here, as if hunger and drouth were unkent i' the land--a'body can naethin' done for you!" The name Athole (or Atholl) derives from the Gaelic ath Fodla, generally translated as New Ireland, and stems from the first invasion of the northern land by the Irish tribe the Scots in the 7th century (Matthews, 1972).
***
Alburger (Scottish Fiddlers and Their Music), 1983; Ex. 60, pg. 97. Glen (The Glen Collection of Scottish Dance Music), Vol. II, 1895; pg. 25. Gow (Complete Repository), Part 1, 1799; pg. 31. MacDonald (The Skye Collection), 1887; pg. 151. McGlashan (A Collection of Reels), c. 1786; pg. 27. Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; pg. 211.
T:Athole House
L:1/8
M:C|
R:Reel
B:The Athole Collection
K:F
f|cFAF cF d/c/B/A/|cFAF EGGf|cFAF cAfc|d/c/B/A/ cC DFF:|
c|~f2 a/g/f/e/ fcAc|Fc d/c/B/A/ BGGc|~f2 a/g/f/e/ fcAc|d/e/f e/f/g cf~fc|
fcaf ecbg|afcf eggb|afcf dBGB|AFcC DF~F||

AULD STEWART'S/STUART'S BACK AGAIN. AKA and see "Old Stewart's Back Again." Scottish, Reel. D Mixolydian. Standard. AAB (Gow, Vickers): AABB' (Athole). According to John Glen the piece was first published in Neil Stewart's 1761 collection (pg. 23), however, the tune appears to be popularly known somewhat earlier than that, as evidenced by this excerpt from a letter written by Ralph Bigland in 1749 of an entertainment on the London stage (quoted by Emmerson, 1972):
***
I have since I came here [London] been lately two or three times at the play
and what invited me most was to see a new dance called the Scots Dance
consisting of about 20 lads and lasses dress'd after the Highland fashion. The
scene represents a very romantic, rocky, or mountainous country seemingly,
at the most distant view you behold a glorious pair (which far surpass all the
other actors) sitting among the rocks, while the rest are dancing below among
groves of trees. Some are also representing with their wheels a spinning; all
the while the music plays either Prince Charlie's minuet or the Auld Stewarts
Back Again. At last descends from the mountains the glorious pair which to
appearance is a prince and princess. Then all the actors retire on each side
while the royal youth and his favourite dance so fine, in a word that the
whole audience clap their hands for joy. Then in a moment the spinning
wheels are thrown aside and every lad and lass join in the dance and jerk
it away as quick as possible while the music briskly plays--Over the Water
to Charlie, a bagpipe being in the band. In short it was so ravishing seemingly
to the whole audience that the people to express their joy clap their hands in a
most extraordinary manner indeed.
***
Carlin (The Gow Collection), 1986; No. 525. Gow (Complete Repository), Part 2, 1802; pg. 37. Seattle (William Vickers), 1987, Part 3; No. 516. Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; pg. 102.
T:Auld Stewart's Back Again, The
L:1/8
M:C|
R:Reel
B:The Athole Collection
K:D
=c|BGAG F>GA=c|BGAF BEE=c|BGAG F>GAg|fdec dDD:|
|:g|f>gaf gabg|f>gaf beeg|1 f>gaf gabg|fdec dDD:|2 fgaf gabg|faef dDD||

AULD WIFE AYOND/AHUNT THE FIRE, THE. AKA and see "Aald Wife Ahunt the Fire," "Old Wife Beyond the Fire." Scottish, Reel, Slow Strathspey or Country Dance Tune (4/4 time); Shetland, Reel. G Major (Cranford, Gow, Kerr): F Major (Hunter). Standard. One part (Hunter): AAB (Gow): AABB (Kerr): AA'BB (Cranford). Known also throughout the Shetlands. According to Glen the tune was first published by Bremner (1757, pg. 90) and Stewart (1761, pg. 12), however, the melody appears earliest in the Drummond Castle Manuscript (in the possession of the Earl of Ancaster at Drummond Castle), inscribed "A Collection of Country dances written for the use of his Grace the Duke of Perth by Dav. Young, 1734." Carlin (The Gow Collection), 1986; No. 8. Cranford (Jerry Holland's), 1995; No. 164, pg. 47. Gow (Complete Repository), Part 1, 1799; pg. 14. Gow (Complete Repository), Part 2, 1802; pg. 6 (slow strathspey). Hunter (Fiddle Music of Scotland), 1988; No. 43. Kerr (Merry Melodies), Vol. 2; No. 115, pg. 14. Fiddlesticks cass., Jerry Holland - "A Session with Jerry Holland" (1990).
X:1
T:Auld wife ayont the Fire, The
L:1/8
M:C|
S:Gow - 1st Repository
K:G
c|{c}B2 AG E/E/E cA|{c}B2 AG G/G/G gd|{c}B2 AG E/E/E (cA)|(B/c/d) A>B G2G:|
c|B(dd)e c>dcB|Bddg (g/f/e/f/) g>d|B(dd>)e c>dcA|(B/c/d) (AB) G2 Gc|B(dd>)e c>dcA|
Bddg (g/f/e/f/) g>d|B>cde c>dcA|B<d A>B {F}G3||
X:2
T:Auld wife ayont the Fire
L:1/8
M:C
R:"Very Slow" Strathspey
S:Gow - 2nd Repository
K:G
d|{c}B2 ~A>G FGA{B}c|{c}B2 ~A>G Gg g>d|(cB) ~AG F>GAc|(B<d) A>B {F}G2G:|
c|B>cde ~c>dcA|(Bc)de de/f/ gd|B>cde c>dcA|(B<d) A>B {F}G2 G>c|B>cde ~c>dcA|
B>c de/f/ (g/f/)g/a/ g>d|B>cde ~c>d cA|(B<d) A>B G2G||

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."

AWAY WITH MELANCHOLY. Scottish, Country Dance (2/4 time). G Major. Standard. AABB. Kerr (Merry Melodies), Vol. 3; No. 392, pg. 43.

AY(E) ME. AKA - "The Simphony" [sic]. English, Country Dance Tune (cut time). C Major. Standard. ABB (Sharp): AABB (Kidson, Raven). A "longways for eight" dance tune first published in Playford's English Dancing Master of 1651 and later editions. Apparently not much more is known about the tune. The great 19th century English collector Chappell is silent about it and Kidson could find no references to it, though he supposed it to be the tune to "some plaintive ditty of the 17th century." Kidson (Old English Country Dances), 1890; pg. 1. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 44. Sharp (Country Dance Tunes), 1994; pg. 45.

BABBITY BOWSTER/BOLSTER. AKA - "Bee-Ba-Babbity." AKA and see "Country Bumpkin," "Who learned you to dance and a towdle." Scottish, Jig. This common Scottish melody (which Emmerson {1972} states is "yet on the lips of every Lowland child") first appears in the Skene Manuscript (1620) under the title "Who learned you to dance and a towdle," and later was printed by Stewart in his Reels (c. 1768) as "Country Bumpkin" and by Aird in Airs (1782) as "Bab at the Bowster." A tune by this title shows up as a fugue theme in Barsanti's overture in G, op. IV no. 9, c. 1750. Flett & Flett (1964) explain that "Babbity Bowster" is the name of a kissing dance once widely performed as the last dance at country dances in Scotland, though the name changed from region to region. In the Borders and Aberdeenshire it was known as "Babbity Bowster," a corruption of "Bob at the Bolster," in Fife and Lanarkshire as "Bee Bo Bobbity," in the Highlands and the Isles under the Gaelic titles "Ruidhleadh nam Pog" (The Kissing Reel), "Dannsadh nam Pog" (The Kissing Dance), and also by the English names "Blue Bonnets," "The Bonnet Dance," "The Bonny Lad," "Pease Strae" and "The White Cockade." In Orkney (where it was danced as late as 1925) it was called the "Lang Reel," "The Swine's Reel", "The Reel of Barm" or as "Babbity Bowster." The dance began with a man displaying a twisted handkerchief who then selected a woman, spread the handkerchief on the floor and both knelt and kissed. Then it was her turn to join the dance and to select another from the audience to kiss and join the dance. There were many variations of steps and endings, and in some regions it was customary for the man to escort the woman home whom he had chosen during the dance. A poetic description is given in Alexander Fordyce's piece A Country Wedding (1818):
***
...but custom is pressing
That Bob at'e Bowster be danced ere you go
We must close in the door, tho' constraint be distressing,
Bestman, let us see where the napkin you'll throw:
***
That's plenty o' capers, come, kiss and be done, Sir,
Another, another, and round, round you go
The circle increases; that squeak in the tune, Sir,
Is meant, by the fiddler, more kissing to show.
***
Flett & Flett make the connection of this dance with an earlier and very similar dance called "The Cushion Dance" or "Joan Sanderson," which was danced at court at the time of the Restoration. The 'bolster' of the Scottish title was in fact the 'cushion' referred to in the English name, and refers to the small pillow that was used at one time before the handkerchief was substituted.

BABES IN THE WOODS [3]. AKA and see "Timour the Tarter." Scottish, Country Dance Tune (2/4 time). A Major. Standard. AABB. Kerr (Merry Melodies), Vol. 1; No. 4, pg. 22.

BACCA PIPES JIG (GREENSLEEVES). AKA and see "Greensleeves". English, Morris Dance. A Dorian (Bacon {Bampton, Hinton}, Karpeles, Raven): G Major (Bacon {Ascot-Under-Wychwood}). Standard. AB (Bacon {Ascot}): AAB (Bacon {Hinton}): AABB (Karpeles, Raven): ABA'B'A''B''A'''B'''(Bacon {Headington}). From the Ascot-under-Wychwood, Bampton, and Headington areas of England's Cotswolds. 'Bacca' pipes refers to the long-stemmed clay tobacco pipes (sometimes called 'churchwarden' pipes), which were crossed and placed on the ground (in the manner of some sword dances) whilst a solo jig was danced between them. Although not related to the tune it is interesting to note that the term 'bacca-pipes' in lower class English slang of the early 19th century referred to whiskers curled in small close ringlets. Bacon (The Morris Ring), 1974; pgs. 26, 197, & 204. Karpeles & Schofield (A Selection of 100 English Folk Dance Airs), 1951; pg. 36. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 74. EFDSS CD03, William Kimber - "Absolutely Classic: The Music of William Kimber." Topic 12T249, William Kimber - "The Art of William Kimber" (William Kimber played the anglo concertina for Headington Quarry Morris on Boxing Day, 1899, when Cecil Sharp first encountered them, which led to a morris dance revival).
T:Bacca Pipes Jig (Greensleeves)
L:1/8
M:6/8
K:A Dorian
c3 c2e|d2c B3|c2B A3|B2A G3|(c3 c2)e|d2c B3|c2A B2G|A3 A3||
g2f g2e|d2B G3|g2f g2e|a2f d3|g2f g2e|d2c B3|c2d e2d|A3 A3||

BACK OF THE GRAMPIANS. AKA - "Back of the Grampian Hills." AKA and see "North Side of the Grampians." English, Country Dance. England, Northumberland. D Major. AAB. Originally a Scottish tune appearing in Captain Simon Fraser's collection as "North Side of the Grampian's." Hall & Stafford (Charleton Memorial Tune Book), 1974; pg 57. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 187.
T:Back of the Grampians
L:1/8
M:C|
K:D
F>GA>B AFFd|A>dF>A df e2|F>GA>B A>BA>G|G>EC>A, (3CDE G2:|
||g|fd (3fga fddg|fddg (3fga (3gab|fd (3fga fddf|gecA (3cde g2|
fd (3fga fddg|fddg (3fga (3gab|(3agf (3edc (3dcB (3AGF|GECA, (3BDE G2||

BACK UP AND PUSH. AKA and see "Rubber Dolly." Bluegrass; Breakdown. USA, widely known. C Major. Standard. One part (Lowinger): AABB (Brody): AA'BB (Phillips): AA'BB' (Reiner). Gid Tanner and the Skillet Lickers' 1934 version of the piece (backed with "Down Yonder") became the third best-selling country music record for that year. Gid's son, 17 year old Gordon Tanner, played uncredited fiddle lead at the session, according to Tony Russell. Sources for notated versions: Kenny Baker [Brody]; Curley Ray Cline [Phillips]. Brody (Fiddler's Fakebook), 1983; pg. 31. Lowinger (Bluegrass Fiddle), 1974; pg. 62. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes), Vol. 1, 1994; pg. 18. Reiner (Anthology of Fiddle Styles), 1977; pg. 41. County 770, Kenny Baker- "Frost on the Pumpkin." RCA Camden CAL-719, Bill Moinroe- "The Father of Bluegrass Music." Magg 3901, Marion Sumner and Jesse McReynolds- "Old Friends." Rounder 7002, Graham Townsend- "Le Violin/ The Fiddle." Rebel 1552, Buck Ryan- "Draggin' the Bow." CMH 9006, Benny Martin - "The Fiddle Collection." Condor 977-1489, "Graham & Eleanor Townsend Live at Barre, Vermont." Fretless 101, "The Campbell Family--Champion Fiddlers." Fretless 103, "Clem Myers: Northeast Regional Old Time Fiddle Champion 1967 & 1970." F&W Records 6, The Fireside String Band- "Square Dance Tunes For a Yankee Caller." Bluebird 5562B (78 RPM), Skillet Lickers (Ga.) {1934}.

BAFFLED KNIGHT, THE. English, Country Dance Tune and Air (6/8 time). E Flat Major. Standard. One part (Chappell): AABB (Barnes). The air appears in "Youth's Delight on the Flagelet" (9th and 11th editions, 1697), and, as was common in the period the tune was written, is the vehicle for other songs of the early 17th century.
***
It was a Knight was drunk with wine,
A riding along the way, Sir;
And there he met with a lady fine,
Among the cocks of hay, Sir.
***
Barnes (English Country Dance Tunes), 1986. Chappell (Popular Music of the Olden Times), Vol. 2, 1859; pg. 69.
T:Baffled Knight, The
L:1/8
M:6/8
S:Chappell - Popular Music of the Olden Time
K:E_
E|E2B B>cB|G2F E2d|e2d c>de|d3 c2d|e>dc _B>AG|c2F F>GA|B>AG E2D|E3B2||

BAG OF PRATIES, THE. Irish, Country Dance Tune (4/4 time). D Mixolydian. Standard. AAB. Does not appear to be "The Bag of Potatoes" [1] or [2]. Kerr (Merry Melodies), Vol. 1; No. 2, pg. 22.

BALANCE THE/A STRAW [1]. AKA and see "From the Man I Love," "The Tulip," "Lads a Bunchum," "The Captain and His Whiskers." English (originally), American; Country and Morris Dance Tune (4/4 time). G Major. Standard. AABB (Bacon, Ascot-Under-Wychwood): AABCC (Raven, Bledington version): AAB, CCB, CCB (Mallinson, Bledington versin). The melody and title are derived from the chorus of the first and last stanzas of a popular song by James Oswald (died c. 1769), sung in the opera The Reprisal and first performed in London in 1757. The opening line contains the alternate title by which it was known--From the Man I Love--and both titles appear in period references from England and the United States. As a morris dance tune it was collected in the Ascot-under-Wychwood, Bledington, and Brackley England, areas during the latter 19th century (when most morris tunes were sought out and recorded). Ernest MacMillan identifies a tune having this title in an instrumental setting of 1759, though the melody is unrelated to the one here referenced, being clearly a version of "Wearing of the Green." Bacon (The Morris Ring), 1974; pgs. 21, 93, & 104. Mallinson (Mally's Cotswold Morris Book), Vol. 2 (Bledington version), 1988; No. 21, pg. 12. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 80.

BALL, THE. English, Country Dance Tune (6/8 time). A Major. Standard. AABB. This melody can be found in The Entire New and Compleat Tutor for the Violin by Geminiani, via a MS collection by Thomas Hardy. Kidson (1890) finds it also in Fourteen favourite Cotillion and Country Dances...The Fifteenth Book, for the year 1786...Thomas Budd" and it was included in the John Carr's 1801 American publication First Book of Cotillions. Kidson (Old English Country Dances), 1890; pg. 13. Trim (Thomas Hardy Collection), 1990; No. 87. Maggie's Music MMCD216, Hesperus - "Early American Roots" (1997).

BALQUHIDDER LASSES. English, Country or Morris Dance Tune (4/4 time). England, Northwest. E Minor. Standard. ABCD. The tune is used for a polka step dance in the Northwest England morris dance tradition./ There is some resemblance of this tune and the 'B' part of "Johnny Cope." Wade (Mally's North West Morris Book), 1988; pg. 11. F&W Records 5, Canterbury Dance Orchestra--"Mistwold."

BANKS OF ALLAN, THE. AKA - "Banks of the Allan." Scottish, Country Dance Tune (6/8) or Jig. D Major. Standard. ABB (Sharp): AABB (Gow, Karpeles, Kerr, Raven). "This tune is also suitable as an accompaniment to Rapper Sword Dance" (Karpeles). See also the Irish variant "The Tailor's Thimble." Source for notated version: the tune was popularized in the mid-1980's in the Portland, Oregon, dance community by accordion player Dennis Rothrock, then with the band Fiddle Head Rock; Rothrock learned it from the Battlefield band recording [Songer]. Carlin (The Gow Collection), 1986; No. 530. Gow (Complete Repository), Book 2, 1802; pg. 38. Karpeles & Schofield (A Selection of 100 English Folk Dance Airs), 1951; pg. 26-27. Kerr (Merry Melodies), Vol. 1; No. 7, pg. 31. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 75. Sharp (Country Dance Tunes), 1909/1994; pg. 59. Songer (Portland Collection), 1997; pg. 22. Topic 2052, Battlefield Band - "Stand Easy" (1979). Topic TSCD468, Battlefield Band - "Opening Moves" (compilation CD).
T:Banks of Allan, The
L:1/8
M:6/8
K:D Major
DE|FGF FED|FAA A2 d|Bdd Add|Bdd Add|
FGF FED|FAA A2 d|BdB AFD|FEE E2 :||
de|fgf fed|faa a2 g|fgf fed|gbb b2 a|
fga efg|def fed|BdB AFD|FEE E2:||

BANKS OF THE DEE. English; Waltz, Jig and Morris Dance Tune. G Major. England; Northumberland, Cotswolds. Standard. AABBCCDD (Hall & Stafford, Raven): AABBBCCCBBB, repeat four times (Mallinson). The tune is better known as a morris dance tune, but is occasionally performed as a waltz. Mallinson's morris version is from the Fieldtown area of England's Cotswolds. The title appears in Henry Robson's list of popular Northumbrian song and dance tunes, which he published c. 1800. Hall & Stafford (Charlton Memorial Tune Book), 1974; pg. 4. Mallinson (Mally's Cotswold Morris Book), Vol. 1, 1988; No. 43, pg. 27. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 113. Topic 12TS382, New Victory Band - "One More Dance and Then" (1978).

BARHAM DOWN. English, Country Dance Tune. D Major. Standard. AABB. The tune was published in 1701. Barnes (English Country Dance Tunes), 1989. Varrick C-VR-013, Bare Necessities - "English Country Dances" (1987).

BARLEY CAKES [2]. AKA and see "Barley Sugar." Scottish, Jig. G Mixolydian. Standard. AABB. John Glen finds the tune first published in Bremner's 1757 collection (pg. 68). The tune is suggested by the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society (in RSCDS Book 13) as the accompaniment for the dance Barley Bree, a dance in which one turn last 40 bars rather than the usual 32, the whole dance being four turns long. Carlin (The Gow Collection), 1986; No. 389. Gow (Complete Repository), Part 3, 1806; pg. 17.
T:Barley Cakes [2]
L:1/8
M:6/8
S:Gow - 3rd Repository
K:G
c|B2G (B/c/dB)|A2=F (A/B/cA)|B2G (B/c/dB)|~d3g3|B2G (B/c/dB)|A2=F ABc|
dcB cBA|G3G,2:|
|:d|gag fgf|{f}e2d B3|gag f2g|a3d3|c2a B2g|ABG F>ED|G>AB AGF|G3G2:|

BARLEY MOW, THE. English, Jig and Air. D Major. Standard. AABB. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 119.

BARN DOOR (JIG), THE. AKA - "The Old Barndoor Jig." AKA and see "Fagamaoid sud mar ata se" (Let Us Leave That As It Is), "Rakes of Kildare," "The Galbally Farmer," "The Cranbally Farmer," "Get Up Early." English, Irish; Jig. A Minor. Standard. AABB. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 120.

BARN ELMS. English, Country Dance Tune (3/2 time). G Minor. Standard. AABB. First published in 1713. Barnes (English Country Dance Tunes), 1989.

BARNACLE (WALTZ), THE. Irish, English; Waltz or Redowa. D Major. Standard. AABBCC: AABBC (Kennedy). A version of this tune is known in County Down, Ireland, as "Jackie Donnan's." Kennedy (Fiddlers Tune Book), Vol. 2, 1954; pg. 33. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 132. Roche Collection, 1982; Vol. III, pg. 50, No. 152.

BARNEY BRALLAGHAN (Bernard Ua Brolcain). AKA and see "Blewitt's Jig," "Mrs. Barney Brallaghan," "'Twas on a windy night." Irish, English; Hop or Slip Jig (9/8 time). D Major. Standard. One part (Raven): AABBC (Roche, O'Neill/1850 & 1001): AABBCC (Cole, Kerr, Tubridy): AABBCC' (O'Neill/Krassen). The tune was set to the words "Barney B(r)allaghan's Courtship" by Hudson, c. 1850. Cole (1001 Fiddle Tunes), 1940; pg. 57. Emmerson (Rantin' Pipe and Tremblin' String), 1971; No. 69, pg. 155. Kerr (Merry Melodies), Vol. 2; No. 229, pg. 26. O'Neill (Krassen), 1976; pg. 83. O'Neill (1850), 1903/1979; No. 1145, pg. 216. O'Neill (1001 Gems), 1907/1986; No. 429, pg. 84. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 131. Roche Collection, 1982; Vol. II, pg. 26, #259. Tubridy (Irish Traditional Music, Book Two), 1999; pg. 42. Cottey Light Industries CLI-903, Dexter et al - "Over the Water" (1993).
T:Barney Brallaghan
L:1/8
M:9/8
K:D
F2A ABA ABA|F2A ABA Bcd|F2A ABA ABA|B2e e2d cBA:|
|:f2a f2a fed|f2a f2a gfe|f2a f2a fed|g2f e2d cBA:|
|:f3a3d3|g2f e2d cBA|f2f efe d2A|Bcd A2G FED:|

BARNGANN GILL, THE. English, Country Dance (cut time). England, Northumberland. G Major. Standard. AAB. A 'gill' is a type of liquid measure. Hall & Stafford (Charlton Memorial Tune Book), 1974; pg. 13. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 182.

BARRACK HILL [1] (Cnoc An t-Sluaigteac). Irish, English; Single Jig or Slide (12/8 time). Ireland, Munster. A Dorian. Standard. AAB (Moylan, Sharp): AABB (Karpeles, O'Neill, Raven, Roche, Stanford/Petrie). A slide-time version of the melody known as "Haughs o' Cromdale," "O'Neill's March" and "Tralee Gaol." Editor Moylan notes the melody has also been known as "The cat jumped into the mouse's hole and didn't come down till morning." Petrie (1855) identifies the melody as "a Munster jig" and remarks that "it had a peculiar kind of dance." He also adds "Same as a Scotch tune." Source for notated version: accordion player Johnny O'Leary (Sliabh Luachra region of the Cork-Kerry border) [Moylan]. Karpeles & Schofield (A Selection of 100 English Folk Dance Airs), 1951; pg. 25. Moylan (Johnny O'Leary), 1994; No. 320, pg. 183. O'Neill (1001), 1907/1986; No. 410, pg. 81. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 178. Roche Collection, 1982, Vol. II; No. 250, pg. 23. Sharp (Country Dance Tunes), 1909/1994; pg. 57.
T:Barrack Hill [1]
L:1/8
M:6/8
R:Single Jig
S:O'Neill - 1001 Gems (410)
K:A Dorian
e2A A2f|e2d Bcd|e2A A2B|G2A Bcd|e2A A2f|e2d Bcd|e2d g2B|A3 A3:|
|:e2d efg|a2b g2e|d2e d2B|d2e dcB|1 e2d efg|a2b g2e|d2B g2B|A3 A2:|2
e2d e2f|g2a b2a|g2e d2B|A2a agf||

BASHFUL SWAIN, THE. English, Country Dance (2/2 or cut time). D Minor. Standard. AABB. The melody was first published in Playford's "Dancing Master" of 1728. Barnes (English Country Dance Tunes), 1989. Kidson (Old English Country Dances), 1890; pg. 5. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 17.

BATH, THE. English, Country Dance ("Longways for as many as will"). Playford, The English Dancing Master (1651). Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 42.

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.

BATH MEDLEY. English, Country Dance Tune (6/4 time). G Major. Standard. AABB. 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 noteriety 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. Barnes (English Country Dance Tunes), 1989.

BATH WALTZ, THE. English, Waltz (3/4 or 3/8 time). England; Shropshire, Sussex, Northamptonshire. G Major (Ashman, Raven): E Flat Major: B Flat Major. Standard. AABBCC. This English waltz appears to have been known throughout the country. It is also printed in the Welch MSS (Sussex) and John Clare's MSS (Northamptonshire). See note for "Bath Carnival" for more on Bath. Source for notated version: a c. 1837-1840 MS by Shropshire musician John Moore [Ashman]. Ashman (The Ironbridge Hornpipe), 1991; No. 35a, pg. 11. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 138.

BAULK, THE. AKA - "The Balk." English, American; Country Dance Tune (4/4 time). England, Northumberland. USA, New England. G Minor. Standard. AABB. The melody appears in Johnson's Wright's Collection (London, c. 1742), volume I, 49, and in Thompson's 200 Country Dances, volume II (London, 1765). Seattle (William Vickers), 1987, Part 2; No. 291.

BEAN SETTING [1]. English, Morris Dance Tune ('A' part - 12/16, 'B' part- 6/8 and 9/8 [Bacon, Raven]). G Major. Standard. AABB (Bacon, Raven): AB, x4 (Mallinson). From the area of Headington in England's Cotswolds. Bacon (The Morris Ring), 1974; pg. 175. Karpeles & Schofield (A Selection of 100 English Folk Dance Airs), 1951; pg. 32-33. Mallinson (Mally's Cotswold Morris Book), Vol 2, 1988; No. 56, pg, 27. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 74. Carthage CGLP 4406, Hutchings et al. - "Morris On" (1983/1972).
T:Bean Setting [1]
L:1/16
M:12/16
K:G
G3 G2A B3 B3|A2B cBA G2A B3|G3 G2A B3B3|A2B cBA G6:|
L:1/8
M:6/8
|:B>AG B>AG|B<dd d2B|A>BA A2B|c2d e>dc|B>AG B<dB|
L:1/8
M:9/8
A>Bc def g3:|

BEAN SETTING [2]. AKA - "Bean Setters." English, Morris Dance Tune (6/8 time). G Major. Standard. AAB (Bacon): AABB (Raven): AABBBB, x2 (Mallinson). Collected from the village of Brackley, Northamptonshire, England, where the morris dance "was always preceded by the entry of the Fool with cow's tail, bladders (for whacking other dancers), and tin containing stones which he rattled 'to scare away the birds'" (Bacon, 1974). See also note for "Bryan O'Lynn" for a similar dance in Irish tradition. Bacon (The Morris Ring), 1974; pg. 101. Journal EFDSS, Dec. 1955. Mallinson (Mally's Cotswold Morris Book), Vol. 2, 1988; No. 40, pg. 20 (appears as "Bean Setters"). Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 78.

BEATRICE HILL'S THREE HANDED REEL. English, Reel. D Major. Standard. AABB. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 157.

BEAU STRATAGEM, THE. English, Country Dance Tune (2/2 time). A Minor. Standard. AABB. The French word 'beau' became a nickname for eighteenth century dandified men, especially after a rage for English fashions swept the Continent. The tune was printed in later editions of Playford. Williamson (English, Welsh, Scottish and Irish Fiddle Tunes), 1976; pg. 35.

BEAUS OF ALBANY [2]. AKA and see "Spitfire." New England, Reel. B Flat Major. Standard. AB. Burchenal also prints a dance of the same name to the tune. Burchenal (American Country Dances, Vol. 1), 1917; pg. 32.

BEAUX OF LONDON CITY [1]. (AKA - "Shooting"?) English, Morris Dance Tune (9/8 time). F Major (Bacon, Raven): G Major (Mallinson). Standard. AABB (Bacon, Raven): AABBB, x6 (Mallinson). From the Adderbury area of England's Cotswolds. Bacon (The Morris Ring), 1974; pg. 7. EFDSSS News, 1950; pg. 74. Mallinson (Mally's Cotswold Morris Book), Vol. 2, 1988; No. 7, pg. 5. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 78.

BECAUSE HE/I WAS A BONNIE/BONNY LAD (she bid him aye come back). AKA and See "Boney (Bonny) Lad(s)," "Jack's Favourwright (Favorite)." Scottish, Shetland, English, Cape Breton; Country Dance (cut time) or Reel. England, Northumbria. Shetland, Whalsay. G Major (Cole, Raven): A Major (Athole, Gow, Hunter, Kerr, Skye). Standard. AB (Cole, Hunter, McGlashan): AAB (Athole, Gow, Kerr, Skye): AABB (Raven). A popular country dance dating back to at least 1752, according to Alburger (1983), when fiddler and dancing master John McGill of Girvan wrote down the instructions for his pupils. Glen finds its earliest appearence in print in Bremner's 1757 collection (pg. 14). The tune appears, however, in the somewhat earlier Drummond Castle Manuscript, which is inscribed "A Collection of Country Dances written for the use of his Grace the Duke of Perth by Dav. Young, 1734." Young's MS was in the possession of the Earl of Ancaster at Drummond Castle in the early 1970's, and hence its present-day title. It retained its popularity through that century and into the next, for the title appears in Henry Robson's list of popular Northumbrian song and dance tunes, which he wrote c. 1800./ The tune, attached to an alternate 'B' parts, turns up in southwestern Pa. as 1) a fife tune (4/4 time) in the repertory of Hiram Horner (1944) who had the tune from a Scots fifer, and known simply as "Old Bagpipe Air" [Bayard, 1981; No. 252, pg. 216], and 2) as a jig called "Nancy Fat" played by fifers in Greene County, Pa., and by one "crippled Jack Anderson" in particular [Bayard, 1981; No. 566, pg. 503]. Bruce & Stokoe (Northumbrian Minstrelsy), 1882; pg. 155. Cole (1001 Fiddle Tunes), 1940; pg. 46. Gow (Complete Collection), Part 1, 1799; pg. 23. Hunter (Fiddle Music of Scotland), 1988; No. 118. Kerr (Merry Melodies), Vol. 2; No. 10, pg. 4. MacDonald (The Skye Collection), 1887; pg. 9. McGlashan (A Collection of Reels), 1786; pg. 44. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 183. Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; pg. 13. Rounder 7011, "The Beatons of Mabou: Scottish Violin Musci from Cape Breton" (1978).
X:1
T:Because He Was a Bonny Lad
L:1/8
M:C|
S:Reel
B:The Athole Collection
K:A
e|c>BA>a (f/g/a (ec|d>fe>c B/B/B ~B>e|c>BA>a (f/g/a (e>c|dfec A/A/A A:|
e|cBAc defd|cAec B/B/B (Bd|cBAc defg|agac A/A/A (Ae|cAeA fA eA|
cAec B/B/B (Bg|afge efec|dfec A/A/A A||
X:2
T:Because He Was a Bonny Lad
L:1/8
M:C
S: Bruce & Stokoe - Northumbrian Minstrelsy
K:G
d|B>Agg e/f/g d>B|c>edB cAAc|B>Agg e/f/g d>B|c>edc BGG:|
|:d|BGdG eGdG|c>edB cAAc|BGdB eGdG|c>edc BGG:|

BEDS OF ROSES. Scottish, Country Dance tune (2/4 time). A Major. Standard. AAB
McGlashan (A Collection of Reels), c. 1786; pg. 40.
T:Beds of Roses
L:1/8
M:2/4
S:McGlashan - Reels
K:A
c/d/|e>fea|fedc|BAdc|B/A/G/F/ Ec/d/|efea|fedc|d>f e/d/c/B/|A2 A2:|
cA AA|cA c/A/c/A/|dB BB|dB d/B/d/B/|ec cc|ec e/c/e/c/|fa g/f/e/^d/|e2 e||

BEGGAR BOY, THE. English, Country Dance Tune (6/4 time). C Major (Chappell): G Minor (Barnes). Standard. AABC (Chappell): AABB (Barnes). The air appears in it's earliest printing Playford's English Dancing Master of 1650, and Chappell (1859) notes several ballads were written to the tune, as was the convention of the period with a popular tune. Barnes (English Country Dance Tunes), 1989. Chappell (Popular Music of the Olden Times), Vol. 1, 1859; pg. 307. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 37. Harmonia Mundi 907101, The King's Noyse - "The King's Delight: 17c Ballads for Voice and Violin Band" (1992).

BEGONE DULL CARE. English, Scottish; Air and Country Dance Tune (6/8 time). England, Northumbria. D Major. Standard. AABB. The title appears in Henry Robson's list of popular Northumbrian song and dance tunes, which he wrote c. 1800.
***
Begone dull care, I prithee be gone from me!
Begone dull care you and I shall never agree.
Long time hast thou been tarrying here and feign thou wouldst me kill.
But in faith, dull care, thou never shalt have thy will.
***
Kerr (Merry Melodies), Vol. 3; No. 399, pg. 44. Flying Fish FF425, Sally Rogers & Claudia Schmidt - "Closing the Distance" (1987).

BELISLE MARCH. AKA - "Belile's March." Scottish. The tune appears in the Gillespie Manuscript, 1768. A dance by that title was mentioned by MacTaggart in an account in The Scottish Gallovidian Encyclopedia of 1824 as being taught at a country dancing school of the time.

BELLAMIRA. English, Country Dance Tune (2/2 time). G Minor. Standard. AAB. The air was first published in 1721. Barnes (English Country Dance Tunes), 1989.

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).

BELLE HALIMANDE, LA. English, Country Dance (2/4 time). England, North-West. G Major. Standard. AAB. Knowles (Northern Frisk), 1988; No. 73.

BELLINGHAM BOAT, THE. English, Jig. England, Northumberland. G Major. Standard. AABB'. Hall & Stafford (Charlton Memorial Tune Book), 1974; pg. 4. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 113.

BERENDANS (Bear Dance). AKA - "The Dancing Bear." Flemish, Country Dance Tune (2/4 time). A Minor. Standard. AA'BB'. From the title it appears the tune was used to accompany dancing bears, and comes from the Flemish speaking part of Belgium, although now-a-days the tune is popular throughout Europe. The tune was recorded by the Irish band Dervish, but Henrik Norbeck states that it was first recorded by a band from Holland named "The Kings Galliard" in the 1970's. A printing of the tune appears in Encyclopedia Blowzabellica. See also the related Spanish jig "Danza del oso." Dervish - "The Boys of Sligo" (c. 1989. Appears as "The Dancing Bear"). Metamora - "The Great Road" (late 1980's. Appears in a set of Flemish tunes). Pyewackett - "The Man in the Moon Drinks Claret" (early 1980's, described as a Belgian tune).
T:Berendans
L:1/8
M:C
K:Am
e2A2 ABcd|e2A2 A2AB|c2c2 B2c2|d2d2 c2d2|\
e2A2 ABcd|e2A2 A2AB|c2c2 BAG2|1A2AG ABcd:|2A2AG A2AB|:\
c2ee dcB2|c2ee dcB2|gdBd g2_B2|A2f2 e2^g2|\
a2e2 cdcB|A2AB c2ee|fedc BAG2|1A2AG A2AB:|2A2AG ABcd|]

BERWICK LASSES. English, Country Dance Tune (4/4 time). England, Yorkshire. D Major. Standard. AABB. The editors identify this tune as a variant of the Lowland/Border tune "Carrick's Rant," which itself is a variant of "Mary Scott." The Old English name Berwick has to do with a dwelling place or outlying farm involved with barley. The town of Berwick-on-Tweed the northernmost town in England and was constantly the scene of disputes with the neighboring Scots, so much so that it changed hands thirteen times since it was founded in 870 before passing finally to England in 1482. Queen Elizabeth I began a fortification of the city in 1558 (completed in 1565) called the Elizbethan Wall. Source for notated version: a MS by fiddler Lawrence Leadley, 1827-1897 (Helperby, Yorkshire) [Merryweather & Seattle]. Merryweather & Seattle (The Fiddler of Helperby), 1994; No. 124, pg. 65.

BETTY BLACK. AKA - "Petticoat String." English, Country Dance (cut time). G Major. Standard. AABA. Kennedy (Fiddler's Tune Book), Vol. 2, 1954; pg. 12. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 178.

BEVERLY RACES. English, Hornpipe. D Major. Standard. AABBCC. Beverley (Yorkshire) is an Old English name meaning 'the clearing of the beavers' (Matthews, 1972). Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 195.

BILE THEM CABBAGE DOWN. AKA - "Boil Them Cabbage Down," "Bake Them Hoecakes Brown." Old-Time, Breakdown. USA; Oklahoma, Arkansas, southwestern Pa., northeast Alabama. D Major (Bayard, Thede): A Major (Reiner, Ruth, Sweet). Standard or AEAE (McMichen). One part: AABB (Sweet): AABBCCDD' (Ruth). The word 'bile' means 'boil'. Ralph Rinzler traces the tune to an early English country dance "Smiling Polly," in print in 1765. "Bile Them Cabbage Down" is commonly found in beginning fiddle instructors and in ditty-books, and is "a negro reel tune which has become universally popular among white square dance musicians" (Alan Lomax). African-American origins are evident in collections of White, Scarborough and Brown-all from black informants. Tennessee banjoist and entertainer Uncle Dave Macon recorded one of the first versions of the song in 1924. Clayton McMichen put together a virtuoso version of this tune to use in competition at various major fiddle contests. Also played by Arthur Smith on his radio broadcasts (Frank Maloy). The tune was Clayton McMichen's favorite contest tune, by his own account (Charles Wolfe). Richardson, in "American Mountain Songs", pg. 88., thought the tune was derived from "Oh Susanna." The title appears in a list of traditional Ozark Mountain fiddle tunes compiled by folklorist/musicologist Vance Randolph, published in 1954. Cauthen (1990) found evidence the tune was commonly known in northeast Alabama from its mention in two sources: reports of the De Kalb County Annual (Fiddlers') Convention 1926-31, and in the book Sourwood Tonic and Sassafras Tea (where it was listed as one of the tunes played by turn of the century Etowah County fiddler George Cole). Richard Nevins believes the tune was not known in the Mt. Airy, N.C., musical community until the advent of the phonograph.
***
African-American collector Thomas Talley was the first to publish the text of the song in his book Negro Folk Rhymes (1922, reprinted in 1991 edited by Charles Wolfe). His lyric (No. 232, "Cooking Dinner") goes:
***
Go: Bile dem cabbage down.
Turn dat hoecake 'round,
Cook it done an' brown.
***
Yes: Gwineter have sweet taters too.
Hain't had none since las' Fall,
Gwineter eat 'em skins an' all.
***
Sources for notated versions: Claude Thompson (Cotton County, Oklahoma) [Thede], John Nicholson (Fayette County, Pa., 1949) [Bayard]. Bayard (Dance to the Fiddle), 1981; No. 219, pg. 173. Reiner (Anthology of Fiddle Styles), 1977; pg. 8. Ruth (Pioneer Western Folk Tunes), 1948; No. 118, pg. 41 (appears as "Bake Those Hoe Cakes Brown"). Sweet (Fifer's Delight), 1964; pg. 76 (includes variations, and appears as "Boil the Cabbage Down"). Thede (The Fiddle Book), 1967; pg. 69. Recorded by numerous North Georgia bands: Riley Puckett and Gid Tanner (1924), The Skillet Lickers (1928), Earl Johnson (1928), and the Georgia Wildcats (1937) {Clayton McMichen's band}. County 723, Fred Cockerham, Tommy Jarrell & Oscar Jenkins - "Back Home in the Blue Ridge". Paramount 3151 (78 RPM), 1928, The Dixie Crackers {North Georgia}. Heritage 048, "Georgia Fiddle Bands" {Brandywine, 1982}, (1983). Vocalation 14849 (78 RPM), Uncle Dave Macon (1924).

BILLY/BILLIE IN THE LOW GROUND. AKA and see "Beaus of Albany," "Billy in the Low Land," "Braes of Auchtertyre," "Fiddler's Drunk and the Fun's All Over," "Jinny in the Lowland," "Kerry Fulton's Schottishe," "The Kerryman's Daughter." Old-Time, Bluegrass; Breakdown. USA, known under this title throughout the American South, Midwest, and Southwest. C Major (most versions): D Major (Bayard-Marr). Standard. AABB. See also related tune "Apple Blossum" and the related part 'A' of "Shelvin Rock." Miles Krassen (1973) identifies an Irish version called "The Kerryman's Daughter" which may be cognate or ancestral, while R.P. Christeson suggests it can be traced to the Scottish "Braes of Auchentyre" in (Cole's 1001) {as John Hartford has supported} and "Beaus of Albany" in Howe. Samuel Bayard (1981) agrees with Stenhouse-Johnson in concluding that the tune originated in Britain as a slow 3/4 time song tune from c. 1710 or earlier, called "O Dear Mother (Minnie) What Shall I Do?" He sees the development of the tune as having then split into two branches, and that during the 1740's a 6/8 "giga" or jig form was composed called variously "All the Blue Bonnets Are Over the Border," "Blue Bonnets Over the Border," "Over the Border," or "Blue Bonnets." Later in the century the second branch was fashioned from the original 3/4 tune into a fast duple time (4/4) dancing air which went by several titles including "The Braes of Auchtertyre/ Auchentyre" (the oldest and most common title), "The Belles of Tipperary," and "The Beaus of Albany." These latter tunes are the immediate ancestor of the "Billy in the Lowground" group of tunes in America.
**
The melody is widely disseminated through the United States. Bayard (1944) writes that when he collected the melody it was "current as a marching tune in Greene County, Pennsylvania, and is known to its 'Billy' form of the title farther south (as the tune resembles another Pa. tune called 'Jinny in the Lowlands'). The resemblances between this tune and 'Jinny in the Lowlands' may be fortuitous; but they have at any rate attracted enough notice from the players to cause confusion of the titles..." Tom Carter and Blanton Owen (1976) maintain the tune and title are characteristic of the Franklin, Floyd and Patrick County area of southwestern Virginia, and represent an older fiddle repertoire which predates the later development of stringband or fiddle/clawhammer banjo tunes. "Billy in the Lowground" was played by Arizona fiddler Kenner C. Kartchner for dances in the Southwest at the beginning of the twentieth century (the piece was identified by him as having come to that region from the American South, and assessed it as "a good one"). It was recorded from the playing of an Ozark fiddler for the Library of Congress by musicologist/folklorist Vance Randolph who collected in the early 1940's, and, likewise, by Herbert Halpert (also for the Library of Congress) in 1939 from Tishomingo County, Mississippi, fiddler John Hatcher. Cauthen (1990) collected evidence from period newspapers and other accounts in Alabama and records that it was one of the tunes commonly played throughout every region of that state in the first part of the 20th century. The Marion Standard of April 30th, 1909, reported it was one of the tunes (along with "Miss McLeod") played at a housewarming in Perry County, Ala., in 1827. Elsewhere in the deep South, a Georgia fiddler named Ben Smith, serving with the 12th Alabama Infantry in the Civil War, played the tune in that conflict according to a memoir of the unit. It is also known to have been associated with Kentucky fiddlers (Wolfe, 1982). The famous Kentucky fiddler Dick Burnett related this improbable story about the origin of the tune and title:
**
You know how come them to make that? There was a man a goin'
through an old field one time and he had his fiddle with him and
he walked out on the bank of a sink hole and it broke off and he
fell down in that hole and couldn't get out. He just sat down there
and took his fiddle and played that tune. His name was Billy
something but I forgot his full name. (Charles Wolfe)
**
Early American printings of the piece can be found from the early 19th century onwards. The melody appears under the "Billy/Low Grounds" title in George P. Knauff 's Virginia Reels," volume III (Baltimore, 1839). Folklorist and fiddler Alan Jabbour finds that, in some sources, the title changed around 1800 to "Johnny in the Nether Mains."
**
The tune was in the repertories of Uncle Jimmy Thompson 1848-1931 (Texas, Tenn.), Fiddlin' Cowan Powers 1877-1952? (Russell County, southwest Virginia) [and recorded by him for Victor, though the side was unissued], Bob Wills (Texas), black Kentucky fiddler Cuje Bertram. and Alabama fiddlers Monkey Brown (1897-1972) and D. Dix Hollis. Sources for notated versions: black fiddler Bill Driver (Miller County, Missouri) [Christeson]; Charlie Higgins (Galax, Va.) [Krassen]; David P. Gilpin, 9/22/1943 (played at Connellsville, Fayette County, Pa. but learned at Dunbar, Pa., though Gilpin did not have the title) [Bayard, 1944]; Irvin Yaugher, John Meighen, Frank Lowry, John Filby & Wiley Jobes (from Greene or Fayette Counties, southwestern Pa.) [Bayard, 1981]; James Marr (Mo., age 93 in 1949) [Bayard]; Howdy Forrester via John Hartford [The Devil's Box]; Lowe Stokes (Ga.) [Kaufman]; Billy Baker & Forest Daugherty (Texas) [Phillips]; John Johnson [Phillips]; Clyde Davenport (Indiana) [Phillips]. Adam, 1938; No. 42. Bayard (Hill Country Tunes), 1944; No. 5 (appears as "Reel"). Bayard (Dance to the Fiddle), 1981; No. 234A-E, pgs. 192-194. Bayard (Dance to the Fiddle), 1981; Appendix No. 23, pg. 581. Brody (Fiddler's Fakebook), 1983; pg. 42-43. R.P. Christeson (Old Time Fiddlers Repertory, Vol. 1), 1973; No. 54, pg. 41. The Devil's Box, pg.s 51-53. Fiddler Magazine, Vol. 3, No. 2, Summer 1996; pg. 30. Ford (Traditional Music in America), 1940; pg. 65 (as "Billy in the Low Land"). Kaufman (Beginning Old Time Fiddle), 1977; pgs. 68-69. Krassen (Appalachian Fiddle), 1973; pg. 74 (an irregular version with nine measure parts instead of eight). Lowinger (Bluegrass Fiddle), 1974; No. 21. Messer (Anthology of Favorite Fiddle Tunes), 1980; No. 65, pg. 39. Phillips (Fiddlecase Tunebook), 1989; pg. 6. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes), Vol. 1, 1994; pg. 25 (three versions). Ruth (Pioneer Western Folk Tunes), 1948; No. 74, pg. 27. Thede (The Fiddle Book), 1967; pg. 78. Welling (Welling's Hartford Tunebook), 1976; pg. 1. Brunswick 239 (78 RPM), Dr. Humphrey Bate and His Possum Hunters {1928) (Nashville, Tenn. Columbia 15209-D (78 RPM), Burnett and Rutherford (1927). Columbia 15620 (78 RPM), Lowe Stokes (1930). County 202, "Eck Robertson: Famous Cowboy Fiddler." County 507, Lowe Stokes (North Ga.) {1930} - "Old Time Fiddle Classics." County 512, The Fiddlin' Bootleggers - "A Day in the Mountains" (orig. rec. in 1928). County 703, Benny Thomasson - "Texas Hoedown." County 733, Clark Kessinger - "The Legend of Clark Kessinger." Davis Unlimited 33015, Doc Roberts (Ky.) - "Classic Fiddle Tunes" (One of the first tunes recorded by this fiddler). Folkways 2337, Clark Kessinger (Va.) - "Live at Union Grove." Gennet 3235 (78 RPM), Doc Roberts (1925). Gennet 6390 (78 RPM), Doc Roberts (1927). Library of Congress 1010A2, Jilson Setters, recorded for Alan Lomax and the Library of Congress in June, 1937. Marimac 9110, Dr. Humphrey Bate and his Possum Hunters - "It'll Never Happen Again: Old Time String Bands Vol. 1." Missouri State Old Time Fiddlers' Association, Casey Jones (1910-1967) - "Rocky Road to Jordon." Missouri State Old Time Fiddlers' Association, Cyrill Stinnett - "Plain Old Time Fiddling." Okeh 40020 (78 RPM), John Carson. Okeh 45397 (78 RPPM), Oscar and Doc Harper. Omac 1, Thomasson, Shorty, Morris, and O'Connor - "A Texas Jam Session." Rounder 0046, Mark O'Connor - "National Junior Fiddle Champion." Rounder 1004, "Ramblin' Reckless Hobo: The Songs of Dick Burnett and Leonard Rutherford." Rounder CD0262, Mike Seeger - "Fresh Oldtime String Band Music" (1988. Appears as part of "Billy in Waynesboro"). Sonyatone 201, Eck Robertson (Texas) - "Master Fiddler." Vanguard VSD 9/10, Doc Watson - "On Stage." Vetco 102, Jilson Setters (under the name Blind Bill Day) {b. 1860, Rowan County, Ky.}, originally recorded on Victor 21407 (78 RPM) in 1928 (as "Billy in the Low Land"). Victor 19372 (78 RPM), Eck Robertson (Texas) {1922}. Recorded by Burnett and Rutherford (Ky.), 78 RPM, and Uncle Am Stuart (b. 1856, Morristown, Tenn.) in 1924 for Vocalation. Voyager 309, Benny and Jerry Thomasson - "The Weiser Reunion: A Texas Jam Session" (1993).
T:Billy in the Lowground
L:1/8
M:C|
S:Jay Ungar
K:C
CA,|:G,A,CD EGAB|cBcd cAGB|ABAG EGAB|1 cAGE DCA,C:|2 cAGE D C3||
|:e g2 e g3 (g|g)age d c3|e a2 e a3 (a|a)bag edcd|e g2 e g3 (g|g)age d c3|ABAG EGAB|
cBGE D C3:|

BILLY IN THE LOWLANDS [2]. English, Reel. E Minor. Standard. AAB. Kennedy (Fiddlers Tune Book), Vol. 2, 1954; pg. 12. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 164.

BIRKS OF ABERGELDIE. AKA and see "Bonny Lassie, Will You Go," "Cast a Bell," "The De'els Dead." Scottish, Strathspey. D Major (Kerr, Neil): F Major (Athole, Gow). Standard. AAB (Athole, Gow): AABB (Kerr, Neil). The tune appears in a notebook of six pages of country dances called the Holmain Manuscript (1710-50) and in Walsh's Third Book of the Compleat Country Dancing-Master (1735). Somewhat later it appears in Bremner's 1757 collection (pg. 35), the Caledonian Pocket Companion of 1760, and the Gillespie Manuscript (1768). Neil (1991), however, remarks that the melody first appears in Playford's Dancing Master of 1657 under the title "A Scotch Ayre" (it also appears in later editions). It was later republished by Playford in his 1700 collection of Scottish dance tunes under the title "Berks of Abergeldie." As with many fashionable tunes it attracted other titles: Thompson included it in his Compleat Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances, Vol. 2 (1765) under the title "The De'els Dead;" it was printed by Wright in his Compleat Collection of Celebrated Country Dances (1740) as "Cast a Bell"; and as "Bonny Lassie, Will You Go" in the Scots Musical Museum, Vol. 2 (1788).
**
Poet Robert Burns set lyrics to the melody inspired while standing under the Falls of Moness on a 1787 Highlands excursion with his friend William Nicol. The classical composer Franz Joseph Haydn fashioned an arrangement of the tune, although Purser (1992) is of the opinion that his effort fails, as do those of other non-Scottish classical composers of the time who try to set Scottish music: "...it seems that they gild lillies with great skill, intrusive harmonies, and foolishly fussy harpsichord accompaniment." Aird (A Selection of Scotch, English, Irish and Foreign Airs), Vol. III, 1788; pg. 166. Gow (Complete Repository), Part 1, 1799; pg. 26. Kerr (Merry Melodies), Vol. 3; No. 7, pg. 4. Neil (The Scots Fiddle), 1991; No. 104, pg. 140. Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; pg. 209.
T:Birks of Abergeldy
L:1/8
M:C|
R:Reel
B:The Athole Collection
K:F
FGAc ~f2 f>c|~f2 fa gfga|FGAc ~fgag|~fdcA G2d2:|
FGAd dFAF|cFAc d/c/B/A/ GA|FGAc ~fgag|~fdcA G2d2|
FGAf cfAf|cfAc d/c/B/A/ GA|FGAc ~fgag|~fdcA G2d2||

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.

BISHOP OF CHESTER'S JIG. AKA - "The Fit's Upon Me Now." English, Slip Jig. D Major. Standard. AABB. Published before 1730. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 14.

BLOWZABELLA. AKA - "Blouzabella," "Blousy Bella." English, Jig and Air. England, Northumberland. G Major. Standard. AA'BB'CC'DD (Merryweather): AABBCCDDEE (Vickers). The title was taken as a name by a Northumbrian "revival" band of the late 20th century. Merryweather (1989) prints the words to the song which about a bagpiper and his wife, who is affectionately known as "Blowzabella, my bouncing doxie;" they banter about their respective livlihoods but come to agreement in the end, confirming their marital bliss. The song was apparently an 18th century elaboration of a 16th century Italian popular theme, according to Merryweather, and appears in Thomas D'Urfy's 1719 Wit & Mirth or Pills To Purge Melancholy under the title "The Italian Song Call'd Pastorella; made into an English Dialogue." As "Blousy Bella" it appears in a c. 1708 manuscript in the British Museum by G. B. Buononcini, for unaccompanied flute. John Walsh, who published the melody in his Caledonian Country Dance volumes of the mid-18th century, identifies the melody as "Scotch." Merryweather, 1989; pg. 49. Seattle (William Vickers), 1987, Part 2; No. 392. Offord (John of the Greeny Cheshire Way), 1985; pg, 99.

BLUE BONNETS [2]??? AKA and see "Leslie's March," "Duplin House," "The March from Oscar and Malvina." Blue Bonnets is also the name of a Scottish country dance.

BLUE BONNETS OVER THE BORDER [1]. AKA and see "All the Blue Bonnets are Over the Border," "Over the Border," "Blue Bonnets Jig," "Blue Bonnets," "Scotch Come Over the Border" (Pa.). Scottish, Slow Air (6/8 time), Jig, Country Dance Tune or March. B Flat Major (Athole, Skye): D Major (Neil). Standard. AAB. Samuel Bayard thinks this tune was fashioned in the 1740's into a quick dance piece in 6/8 from a slow 3/4 time song tune from about 1710 or earlier called "O Dear Mother (Minnie) What Shall I Do?" This "Blue Bonnets Over the Border" was in turn the basis for a 4/4 version called "Braes of Auchtertyre/Auchentyre," "Belles of Tipperary" and "Beaus of Albany;" out of this group of tunes came "Billy in the Lowground/Low Land." Michael Diack's, on the other hand, has written in his Scottish Country Dances that "Blue Bonnets" is derived from a 17th-century
Scottish tune called "Lesley's March to Scotland." If this is the "Leslie's March" printed by Oswald (1755) and Watts' Musical Miscellany (1731), then the resemblance seems obscure and based on a few motifs. The tune, correctly classified a jig, often appears under the label 'country dance tune' because of its long association with the dance. Neil's (1991) version is an adaptation of one appearing in Uilleam Ross's Collection of Pipe Music (1869), and the piece is said to be a quickstep march of the Black Watch. 'Blue bonnets' is a euphemism for the Scots, stemming from the custom of Jacobite troops to identify themselves with a white cockade worn on a blue bonnet. The white cockade emblem is said to have originated when Bonnie Prince Charlie plucked a wild rose and pinned it to his hat. Lyrics to the tune were written by Sir Walter Scott, who based them on an old Cavalier song (Scott also mentions the song in his novel The Monastery).
***
March! march! Ettrick and Leviotdale,
Why, my lads dinna ye march forward in order?
March! march! Eskdale and Liddesdale,
All the blue bonnets are over the Border.
Come from the hills where your hirsels (i.e. sheep) are grazing,
Come from the glen of the buck and the roe,
Come with the buckler, the lance and the bow
Trumpets are sounding, war-steeds are bounding
Stand to your arms and march in good order
England shall many a day tell of the bloody frey
When the blue bonnets come over the Border.
***
MacDonald (The Skye Collection), 1887; pg. 162. Neil (The Scots Fiddle), 1991; No. 25, pg. 34. Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; pg. 145. A & M Records 79602 2000-2, Ashley MacIsaac - "Close to the Floor" (1992). Culbernie Records CUL 102, Alasdair Fraser & Jody Stecher - "The Driven Bow" (1988). Rounder RO 7023, Natalie MacMaster - "No Boundaries" (1996. A jig setting learned from her uncle, fiddler Buddy MacMaster).
T:Blue Bonnets Ow'r the Border
L:1/8
M:6/8
R:Country Dance
B:The Athole Collection
K:B_
B,3 B,>CD|B>cd B2F|BGG G2g|g>fd c2B|B,3 B,>CD|B>(3c/d/c/) BGF|
G3 FDF|FBD C2B:|
|:Bdf fdB|gfd c2B|Bdf g>ab|B>(3c/d/e/) c2B|Bdf fdB|gfd cBc|G3 FDF|
FBD C2B:|

BLUE CAP. English, Country Dance Tune. The melody was published by Playford in The English Dancing Master (1651); it is quite old and was considered part of the traditional repertoire in John Playford's day (Pulver, 1923). Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 37. Harmonia Mundi 907101, The King's Delight - "17c. Ballads for Voice and Violin Band" (1993. Appears as the melody for the song "Blew-Cap For Me").

BLUE DANUBE. Austrian, Waltz. A Strauss waltz in the repertory of Union County, Pa., dance fiddler Harry Daddario, showing the German influence in that part of the country.

BLUE EYED STRANGER, THE [1]. AKA and see "Country Gardens." English, Morris Dance Tune (4/4 time). G Mixolydian (Raven): D Mixolydian (Bacon). Standard. AABA (Bacon): AABB (Raven). The Cecil Sharpe version of this tune is derived from a tune called "The Mill Mill O', popular in the 18th and early 19th centuries (it was first published by Thompson in Orpheus Caledonius (1725), states Bayard (1981). Burns wrote a song to the tune called "The Soldier's Return," in 1793, and a 6/8 version appears as "The Cuba March." This version is from the area of Sherborne, Gloucestershire, England. Bacon (The Morris Ring), 1974; pg. 281. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 78.

BLUE-EYED STRANGER, THE [2]. English, Morris Dance Tune (2/4 or 4/4 time). C Major [Karpeles]: G Major [Bacon {Bucknell}, Mallinson]: E Minor [Bacon]. Standard. AAB (x4) [Bacon {Bucknell, Field Town}, Karpeles]: ABB, x4 [Mallinson]: AABB [Bacon]. From the Bucknell, Headington and Field Town, Oxfordshire, area of England's Cotswolds. The Bucknell dance to the tune, a sidestep and a half-hey chorus, was also danced to the tune "Willow Tree;" Kirkpatrick and Wayne (1976) point out that each tune "completely transforms the feeling of a movement" during the dance so that they actually become quite different dances from each other. Bacon (The Morris Ring), 1974; pgs. 185 & 159. Karpeles & Schofield (A Selection of 100 English Folk Dance Airs), 1951; pg. 34. Mallinson (Mally's Cotswold Morris Book), 1988, Vol. 2; No. 62, pg. 30. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 76. Topic TSCD458, John Kirkpatrick - "Plain Capers" (1976).
T:Blue-Eyed Stranger, The [2]
L:1/8
M:2/4
K:C
cG Gc/B/|A/G/A/B/ cc/d/|eg f/e/d/c/|A>B c2:|
||c/d/e/f/ gc|a/g/f/e/ dG|c/d/e/f/ gg|e>f g2|c/d/e/f/ gc|
a/g/f/e/ dc/d/|eg f/e/d/c/|A>B c2||

BLUEBELL POLKA. AKA - "Little Pet Polka" (Ireland), "The Curlew Hills" (Ireland). English, Scottish; Polka. G Major ('A' part), D Major ('B' part) & C Major ('C' part). Standard. AABBCC. Composed by Frank Stanley. According to Philippe Varlet, the melody was known to Irish musicians in the 78 RPM era. It was recorded by the renowned County Sligo/New York fiddler James Morrison for Columbia in 1935, and later, in the 1950's, by Mickey Carton, for the Copley label. The Gallowglass Céilí Band waxed "Blue Bell Polka" for Irish Columbia. The Scottish musician and band leader Jimmy Shand recorded an influential version, one of the best-selling singles of his era, however, a much earlier Scottish version was recorded on a 78 RPM disc by an Edinburgh melodeon player named James Brown in 1911. Brown's name for it was "Little Pet (Caledonian Polka)." The melody sounds quite similar to the American "Flop Eared Mule." The tune is sometimes used for an accompaniment to the Irish dance Siamsa Beirte (which roughly translates as 'play for two'), a kind of two-hand hornpipe sixteen bars in length. The dance apparently is of no particular antiquity. Kennedy (Fiddler's Tune Book), Vol. 2, 1954; pg. 27. Kerr (Merry Melodies), c. 1880's, Vol. 1; No. 14, pg. 51. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 144.
T:Bluebell Polka
R:polka
C:trad.
S:played A - B - A - C
M:4/4
L:1/8
Q:80
K:G
(3Bdg| "G"b2 b2 gfge |"D"d2 d2 "G"B3 G |"D"FGAB "C"c2 d2 | "D"ed^cd "G"B2 (3Bdg |
b2 b2 gfge| "D"d2 d2 "G"B3 G |"D"FGAB cdef | "G"g2 b2g2 :|
K:D
B2 | "D"A2 A2 FAdf |"A"a2 a2 "F#m"f4 |"A"a2 ^g2 "G"=g2 e2 | "D"b2 a^g "A"a2 f2 |
"D"A2 A2 FAdf | "A"a2 a2 "F#m"f4 |"A"a2 ^g2 "G"=g2 e2 | "D"d2 f2 d2 :|
K:C
f2|"C"e2 e2 ef g2 | e2 e2 ef g2 | "Dm"fefg fe d2 | fefg fe d2 |"C"e2 e2 ef g2 | e2 e2 ef g2 |
"Dm"fefg "G"fe d2| "C"c2 e2 c2 :|

BLACK BOY, THE. English, Country Dance Tune (2/4 and 6/8 times). A Major ('A' and 'B' parts) & D Major ('C' and 'D' parts). Standard. AABBCCDD'. Barnes (English Country Dance Tunes), 1986.

BLACK BOY ALLEY. English, Country Dance Tune (6/8 time). E Minor. Standard. AABA. The tune was published in 1744. Barnes (English Country Dance Tunes), 1986.

BLACK CAT [1]. Old-Time, Breakdown. USA, central New York State, New England. D Major ('A' part) & G Major ('B' part). Standard. ABAB. The Hornellsville Hillbillies, an old-timey band from central New York in the 1930's and 40's, used this song as their signature tune, opening and closing dances and shows with it. Tolman and Page (The Country Dance Book) state the tune was a standard at New England dances during the 1930's, and used as a vehicle for various quadrilles which they describe. Bronner (1987) identifies that this tune bears some resemblances to "The Cat Came Back" in Christeson (1973, No. 10), but has more similarity to "Black Cat Quadrille-Part II" as recorded by the Henry Ford Orchestra in the 1930's on his private label Early American Dances (112-B {78 RPM}). Source for notated version: Hornellsville Hillbillies, 1943 (New York State) [Bronner]. Bronner (Old-Time Music Makers of New York State), 1987; No. 22, pg. 92.

BLACK FRIAR'S REEL. English, Reel. G Major. Standard. AABB. A modern composition by editor Michael Raven. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 194.

BLACK JACK [3]. English, Country Dance Tune (6/8 time). F Major. Standard. AB (Sharp): AABB (Karpeles, Raven). Published before 1730. Karpeles & Schofield (100 English Country Dance Airs), 1951: pg. 14. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 21. Sharp (Country Dance Tunes), 1994; pg. 25.

BLACK JOKE [1]. AKA and see "Black Joker," "Black Jack," "Black Jock," "The Black Joak," "But the House and Ben the House" (Shetland), "Sprig of Shillelah" [1]. English, Scottish, Shetlands; Country Dance, Jig and Morris Dance Tune (6/8 time). England; Northumberland, Yorkshire. G Major (Bacon, Carlin, Cooke, Mallinson, Raven, Vickers): A Major (Bacon, Gow, Merryweather & Seattle). Standard or AEAE (McLean). AB (Bacon {Stanton Harcourt}, Gow): AAB {x6} (Bacon {Ilmington}, Carlin, Cooke (two versions), Mallinson {Adderbury version}): AABB {x4} (Hall & Stafford, Mallinson {Bledington version}, Merryweather & Seattle, Raven, Vickers). "The Black Joke" was a widely popular, vulgar and bawdy street song in England in the early 1700's, though its popularity continued into the 19th century in that country and its colonies (including America). Irregular in form in many versions, its opening phrase has six measures, while the second has ten. It was heard in London as early as 1734 in Henry Carey's burlesque stage piece Chrononhotonthologos where it was called "that lowbrow little tune that has been used as an interval tune for years," referring to the music for dances performed in the entr'acte interval at the playhouses. Early English collections which contain the tune are Johnson's Wrights Collection (London, c. 1742) and Thompson 200 Country Dances Volume II. John Kirkpatrick (1976) dates the tune to 1715 without citing his source.
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It is played today as the tune for the Lichfield Morris Dance The Barefooted Quaker, and for dances from other morris traditions. Mallinson's morris dance tune versions, for example, are from the Adderbury and Bledington areas of England's Cotswolds, while Bacon's are from the Adderbury, Ascot-under-Wychwood, Bledington, Ilmington, and Stanton Harcourt. A version of the tune from Badby, Northhamptonshire, is known as "Old Black Joe" [1], and lacks the distinctive two measure ending to both parts typical of most "Black Joke" versions. John Kirkpatrick (1976) is of the opinion that the Badby dance "flows more perfectly than any in the Cotswold Morris. No jumps, no jerky backwards movements, no need to fiddle the feet to get them right. An absolute joy." The tune collected with the dance in Bucknell (under the title "Old Black Joe") is perhaps nearest the original.
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The tune is known as "But the House and Ben the House" in Shetland, and Cooke says some informants gave the first lines as:
But your house and ben your house
This house is like a bridal house.
The tune played by his source from the islands was the one commonly known throughout Britain and Ireland during the 18th century as "The Black Joke" (or Jock). A variety of songs were set to it, all of them bawdy and all concerned with sexual intercourse. "Some of the texts are the creations of music-hall hacks, such as the earliest published verses, entitled 'The Original black Joke, Sent from Dublin', which begin: 'No mortal sure can blame ye man/Who prompted by nature will act as he can'...(song sheet, c. 1720 Mitchell Library, Glasgow). Simple and more direct 'folk' versions were known in Scotland. Burns wrote a parody beginning 'My girl she's airy...'" (Cooke, 1986). The lyrics which appear below are taken from Andrew Crawford's 1826-28 Collection of Ballads and Songs:
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A wee black thing sat on a cushion
Was hairy without and toothless within
Wi' her black Jock and her belley so white
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A piper and twa little drummers came there
To play wi the wee thing well covered o'er wi hair
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The piper went in and he jigged about
The twa little drummers stood ruffling without
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But when he came out he hang doon his head
He look'd like a snail that was trodden to dead
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Say's he thay wa'd need to hae something to spare
That meddle wi you or your wee pickle hair. (Cooke)
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Cooke's informant, John Irvine, played it as a middle tune between two reels for the ceremony of the "bedding of the bride" around the turn of the century. This ceremony, in which the women of the community escorted the bride to her bed, was performed to fiddle music. "The use of the 'Black Joke' in this context is intriguing, Robert Irvine's knowledge of part of the chorus suggests that in earlier days the whole song might have been known and, unless the fiddler was having his own private joke by playing this piece, possibly even sung by the bride's attendants. Genuine bawdry is often found in such situations elsewhere in the world. According to Legman (1964), 'the purpose of such songs...was and is evidently apotropaic, being intended to ward off the evil eye...dangerously present at all moments of happiness, or of success and victory' (The Horn Book, 1964, p. 388). It is likely, too, that such humour served to release anxiety on the part of the young initiate. Finally, if the text were anything like the Crawfurd text, the explicit detail could have served also as a piece of last-minute sex education--an example of how music is sometimes used in a situation that allows one to sing what might be too embarrassing to say" (Cooke, 1986).
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The Scotch versions are based on an English tune which was known as "Black Jock" in Scotland from about 1735 (Johnson). Johnson thinks the name was changed either on purpose, to 'Scottisize' it (it was known as "Black Jack" in Northumberland), or to distance it from the extremely obscene lyrics. If the latter, the distancing was largely hypocriphal, for the lyrics were well-known throughout the country. The Scots poet Robert Burns (who was no stranger to ribaldry) penned to the melody, in September, 1784, the words "My girl she's airy, she's buxom and gay," one of his earliest bawdy songs:
Her slender neck, her handsome waist,
Her hair well buckl'd, her stays well lad'd,
Her taper white leg with an et, and a, c,
For her a,b,e,d, and her c,u,n,t,
And Oh, for the joys of a long winter night!!!
The tune appears in the McFarlane Manuscript (1740) in a long variation set (18 strains) by Charles McLean, in Bremner's Scots Tunes (1759) in 30 strains, the Gillespie Manuscript (1768), the Sharpe Manuscript (c. 1790) with 18 strains, and a flute MS. of c. 1770; all have basically the same variations, though in different order.
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In Ireland, Flood (1906) reports that Madame Violante set off a furor in Dublin's Smock-Alley Theatre in December, 1729, when Cummins danced the "White Joke," a set off to the then-popular "Black Joke."
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American audiences heard the melody as the tune for air 13 in Andrew Barten's ballad opera The Disappointment (New York, 1767).
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Sources for notated versions: Bremner (Scots Tunes, 1759) [Johnson]; John Mason via Cecil Sharpe (Stow on the Wold, England) [Bacon]; a MS by fiddler Lawrence Leadley, 1827-1897 (Helperby, Yorkshire) [Merryweather & Seattle]. Bacon (The Morris Ring), 1974, pgs. 15, 95, 210, 295. Carlin (The Master Collection of Dance Music for Violin), 1984; No. 47, pg. 37. Cooke (The Fiddle Tradition of the Shetland Isles), 1986; pgs. 86-87. Gow (Complete Collection), Part 4, 1817; pg. 10 (appears as "Black Jock"). Hall & Stafford (Charlton Memorial Tune Book), 1974; pg. 20 (appears as "Black Jack"). Johnson (Scottish Fiddle Music in the 18th Century), 1984; No. 32, pgs. 86-89. Mallinson (Mally's Cotswold Morris Book), 1988; No. 1, pg. 8 and No. 35, pg. 24. Merryweather & Seattle (The Fiddler of Helperby), 1994; No. 81, pgs. 48-49 (includes six sets of variations). Offord (John of Greeny Cheshire Way), 1985; pg. 107. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 116 (Black Jack), 81 & 95. Seattle (William Vickers), 1987, Part 2; No. 206. Gourd Music 110, Barry Phillips - "The World Turned Upside Down" (1992). Topic TSCD458, John Kirkpatrick - "Plain Capers" (1976).
T:Black Jock
L:1/8
M:6/8
S:Gow - 4th Repository
K:A
E|E2A AGA|BcB BAB|c>dc cBA|BcB BAF|A3 F2E|EFA A2 E/D/|
(CE)A AGA|(Bd)c BAG|(Ac)e edc|Bdc {c}BAG|~A>Bc ~F>GA|
EFG A2||d|(c2d e2)e|fdf {f}e2d|c2d e>fe|f>ga edc|d2b c2a|BcB {c}BAB|
~c>dc cBA|B>cB BAF|A3 ~F2E|EFA A2d|(cA)c (ec)e|(fd)f e2d|
(cA)c (ec)e|(fd)f {f}e2c|ddd ccc|Bdc B2A|(Ac)e (ed)c|(Bd)c {c}BAG|
~A>Bc ~F>GA|EFG A2||

BLACK MOUNTAIN, THE. English, Jig. D Major. Standard. AABB. A modern composition by editor Michael Raven. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 209.

BLACK NAG, THE. English, Jig and Country Dance Tune (6/8 time). D Minor (Barnes, Karpeles, Raven, Sharp, Spandaro): A Minor (Brody, Carlin). Standard. ABB (Sharp): AABB (most versions). The tune was first published in 1670. It gained some currency in modern times in American country dance cirles where as a jig it is the vehicle for a set dance for three couples, as well retaining popularity with English country dance enthusiasts. Source for notated version: Fennigs All Star String Band (N.Y.) [Brody]. Barnes (English Country Dance Tunes), 1986. Brody (Fiddler's Fakebook), 1983; pg. 48. Carlin (English Concertina), 1977; pg. 19. Karpeles & Schofield (. A Selection of 100 English Folk Dance Airs), 1951; pg. 13 & 46. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 24. Sharp (Country Dance Tunes), 1909/1994; pg. 22. Spandaro (10 Cents a Dance), 1980; pg. 22. CDS 6 (Country Dance & Song Society), Merril & Barron--"By Popular Demand." Front Hall 015, Jack Walton and Roger Nicholson - "Bygone Days." Front Hall 010, Fennigs All Star String Band - "The Hammered Dulcimer Strikes Again." Front Hall 017, Michael and McCreesh - "Dance, Like a Wave of the Sea" (1978). North Star NS0031, "Dance Across the Sea: Dances and AIrs from the Celtic Highlands" (1990).

BLACKBIRD, THE [1] (An Londubh). AKA and see "Once On a Morning of Sweet Recreation," "Bonny Lass of Aberdeen." See "Napoleon Crossing the Rhine" [2] for an American version of the same tune. Irish, English; Slow Air, Set, Long or Country Dance (4/4 time), Reel, Hornpipe. D Major (Allan, O'Neill/1850): D Major/Mixolydian (Cranitch, Moylan, Mulvihill, O'Neill/1001): D Mixolydian (Breathnach, Kennedy, Kerr, O'Neill/1915 & Krassen, Raven, & Roche). Standard. AB (Moylan): AAB (Kennedy, Raven, Roche): AABB (Allan, Breathnach, Cranitch, Mulvihill, O'Neill {4 editions}): AABCBC (Roche). The original song from which the instrumental versions take the title was written c. 1707 in praise of the Old Pretender, according to Flood (1906), who found reference to it as early as 1709 and who noted its printing by Alan Ramsay in 1724 in his Tea Table Miscellany. Other sources date the words from the war of 1688-90. So well understood was the nickname The Blackbird as applied to James I, Flood says, that the Jacobite Earl of Thomond, in 1704, had a horse of that name. Caoimhin Mac Aodha points out that the image of the blackbird, An Lon Dubh, is that of a melodious harbinger of joy in Irish folklore, unlike the raven, crow, rook or jackdaw, which are all associated with death and misfortune. In this spirit of hope the 'Blackbird' name was applied after the Old Pretender to James II and, in the 19th century, to Charles Stewart Parnell.
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The melody itself became known as a harp air of the latter Jacobite period. Cooke included it in his Selection of Favourite Original Irish Airs arranged for Pianoforte, Violin or Flute (Dublin, 1793). O'Neill (1913) finds a simple setting of the melody in A Pocket Volume of Airs, Songs, Marches, etc., Vol. 1, published by Paul Alday at Dublin about 1800-1803. Breathnach (1963) printed a verse of the song that was in his source's (George Rowley) family:
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The Maytime is come and the gay flowers are springing,
The wild birds are singing their loving notes o'er;
But all the day long through my lone heart is ringing,
The voice of my blackbird, I'll never so more.
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Later the melody gained currency as a set-dance tune, and the Scottish editor Kerr noted that the tune was the "Chef D'oeuvre of all the Irish fiddlers" in the latter 1800's, although he never heard any two of them play the tune exactly alike. He claims his version to be a composite of the styles and embellishments he heard. About the year 1930 an itinerant schoolteacher told a young John Kelly: "There are a lot of people playing 'The Blackbird' who can't play it right, but I'm warning you, my boy, never play 'The Blackbird' unless you have all the parts right and the proper tempo. It's the one tune you will always be picked up for if you play it wrong" (quoted in Dal gCais, 1979, pg. 35). James Cowdery (1990) states that it is one of the few tunes found in all parts of Ireland with the same title and the same melodic structure, though variations abound. Donegal fiddler Neillidh Boyle, for example, played an intricate version of "An Londubh" which included a birdsong imitation generated by playing the melody on the bottom strings with the bow and fingering and plucking chords on the top two strings with the left hand at the same time (Mac Aoidh, 1994). An interesting tracing of the aural tradition was outlined by Mac Aoidh who remarks that southwest Donegal fiddler Frank Cassidy learned the tune from the lilting of John Lyons or Teelin. The famous musician and collector Séamus Ennis learned this version, which in turn was passed onto fiddler Tommie Potts, who made a historic recording of the tune. Elsewhere Mac Aoidh states that in south Donegal the air/hornpipe is associated with John and Mickey Doherty and James Byrne as well as Cassidy.
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In modern titles the song is seldom sung, though the tune is frequently played as a slow air as well as a set-dance and other settings. Breandan Breathnach (1971) states that the original set dance was "said to have been composed by Keily, a Limerick dancing master, over 150 years ago." Cowdry (1990) points out the set-dance's structure--fifteen bars for the 'A' part and thirty for the 'B'--is unique in Irish traditional music. Reel and hornpipe versions are not nearly so widespread in this century, "until some recent recordings (such as "The Bothy Band" in 1977) brought them to more prominence" (Cowdery). Cowdery provides extensive musical analysis of a number of different versions of this tune and tune family in his work The Melodic Tradition of Ireland.
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Sources for notated versions: Chicago police sergeant and fiddler James O'Neill, Francis O'Neill's collaborator, who learned the tune from his father in County Down [O'Neill]; fiddler George Rowley/Seoirse Ó Roghallaigh (Ireland) [Breathnach]. James Cowdery, in his book The Melodic Tradition of Ireland, has transcribed fifteen versions of the tune from Irish musicians (some contributed more than one version): whistle player Cathal McConnell (a slow-air setting credited to a Fermanagh musician Pat McKenna), fiddler John Kelly (a slow-air setting learned from Donegal fiddler John Doherty), fiddler Denis Murphy, piper Paddy Keenan, piper Seamus Ennis, fiddler Tommy Potts, flutist Peter Broderick, fiddler Michael Coleman, piper R.L. O'Mealy, and piper Johnny Doran. The piece is a popular slow air in County Donegal. Allan's Irish Fiddler, No. 111, pg. 28. Breathnach (CRE I), 1963; No. 207, pg. 84. Cowdery (The Melodic Tradition of Ireland), 1990; pgs. 134-168. Cranitch (Irish Fiddle Book), 1996; No. 95, pg. 164. Kennedy (Fiddlers Tune Book), Vol. 2, 1954; pg. 6. Kerr (Merry Melodies), Vol. 1; pg. 41. Mallinson (Enduring), 1995; No. 100, pg. 42. Moylan (Johnny O'Leary), 1994; No. 230, pgs. 132-133. Mulvihill (1st Collection), 1986; No. 2, pg. 109. O'Farrell, 1804-10, Vol. 1, Book 2; pg. or No. 132. O'Neill (1915 ed.), 1987; No. 386, pg. 184. O'Neill (Krassen), 1976; pg. 222. O'Neill, 1910; No. or pg. 343. O'Neill (1850), 1903/1979; No. 1793, pg. 336. O'Neill (1001 Gems), 1907/1986; No. 985, pg. 169 (set dance). O'Neill (1913), pg. 131. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 172. Roche Collection, 1982; Vol. 1, No. 56, pg. 28. Roche Collection, 1982; Vol. 2, No. 270, pg. 29. Gael-Linn CEF 045, "Paddy Keenan" (1975). Intrepid Records, Michael Coleman - "The H

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The Fiddler's Companion