G(H)ILLIE CALLUM (The Lad Malcolm). AKA and see "Keellum Kallum (taa fein)," "Sword Dance," "Tail Toddle." Scottish, Strathspey. A Mixolydian. Standard. AAB. The earliest record of the tune is in David Young's 1734 Drummond Castle Manuscript (in the possession of the Earl of Ancaster at Drummond Castle; sometimes called the Duke of Perth MS because of the inscription); Glen (1891) finds it also in Bremner's 2nd collection (pg. 108) under the title "Keelum Kallum taa fein." "Gillie Callum" retained its popularity into the next century, and J.S. Skinner, who was a dancing master as well as a celebrated violinist, taught the dance at such places as Elgin and Balmoral (where among other dances he had four children dance Gillie Callum "in a masterly style, such as has not been witnessed in this locality before") {Aberdeen Free Press}. In fact, Skinner included the tune later in his collection The Scottish Violinist, under the title "Sword Dance." Several sources note that this is the tune generally played as a Strathspey and Reel for the Highland Sword Dance, and the melody is today familiar in association with a Highland sword dance in which great care is taken not to displace the crossed swords during the exercise. There are puirt-a-beul words to the tune which begin:
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Gille Callum da pheighinn, (Gille Callum two pennies,
Gille Callum da pheighinn, Gille Callum two pennies,
Da pheighinn, da pheighinn, Two pennies, two pennies,
Gille Callum bonn-a-sia! Gille Callum 'coin of six'.)
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The Gille Calum was performed not only by men, but (at least on some occassions) by women. Elizabeth Grant of Rothiemurchus wrote of the festivities at Kinrara, the home of the Duchess of Gordon, Jane Maxwell:
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We are often over at Kinrara, the Duchess having perpetual dances, either in
the drawing room or the servants hall and my father returning these entertainments
in the same style. A few candles lighted up bare walls, at short warnings fiddles
and whisky punch were always at hand and then gentles and simples reeled
away in company till the ladies thought the scene becoming more boisterous
that they liked remaining in; nothing more however, a highlander never forgets his
place, never loses his native inborn politeness, never presumes upon on favour.
***
She follows this passage with a description of the beautiful dancing of Lady Jane Montague, who not only danced the Gille Calum but Sean Triudhas as well.
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Carlin (The Gow Collection), 1986; No. 66 (with variations) {appears as "Gillie Callam Da Pheithein"}. Gow (Complete Repository), Part 4, 1817; pg. 35. Honeyman (Strathspey, Reel and Hornpipe Tutor), 1898; pg. 20 (appears as "Ghillie Callum"). Hunter (Fiddle Music of Scotland), 1988; No. 124. Kerr (Merry Melodies), Vol. 1; Set 5, No. 3, pg. 5. MacDonald (The Skye Collection), 1887; pg. 14. McGlashan (A Collection of Reels), c. 1786; pg. 26. Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; pg. 9 (appears as "Gille Calium"). Celtic CX45, Wilfred Gillis - "Arisaig Airs."
T:Gille Callum
L:1/8
M:C|
S:McGlashan - Reels (pg. 26)
N:"The Original Sett" (sic)
K:A Mixolydian
A<A c>e d2 BG|A<A c>e d2 c>A|E<E G>B d2 B>G|A<A c>e dB e2|A<A c>e d2 B>G|
A<A ce d2 c>A|BEBe d2 B>G|A<A c>e B/c/d e2||A<A c>A g2 B>G|A<A c>A a2 ae|
G2 g2 d2 B>G|A<A c>A dB e2|A<A c>A g2 B>G|A<A c>A a2 ae|g2 a/g/f/e/ d2 B>G|
A<A c>A B/c/d e2||A<A c>A AgBG|A<A c>A AacA|aefd egBG|A<A c>e B/c/d e2|
A<A c>A AgBG|A<A c>A AacA|gbeg dgBG|A<A c>E B/c/d e2||
|:A<A c>A G/G/G BG|A<A c>A A/A/A c>A|c>ABA G/G/G B>G|A<A c>A B/c/d e2:|
|:A<A c>e dgBG|A<A c>e AacA|a/g/f/e/ fd gdBG|A<A c>e B/c/d e2:|
|:A2 cA BGBG|A2 cA cAcA|cAcA BGBG|A<A c>A B/c/d e2:|
|:A<A c>e AgBG|A<A c>e AacA|gaeg dgBb|gaeg dg e2:|
T:Gille Callum
L:1/8
M:C|
S:Strathspey
B:The Athole Collection
K:A
e|:AAc>e d2 B>G|AAc>e d2 c>A|B>EB>e d2 B>G|AAc>e d>B e2:|
||AAc>e =g2 B>G|AAc>e a2 c>A|a2 c>A =g2B>G|AAc>e d>B e2|
AAc>e =g2 B>G|AAc>e a>ba>f|=g>ag>e d>=gB>G|AAc>e d>B e2|]
LASSES GAR YOUR TAILS TODDLE. AKA and see "Tail(s) Toddle." Scottish, Reel. D Major. Standard. ABB. The original title was the rude "Lasses gar your Tails Todle, Spread your houghs lat in the Dodle, that will gar your Tails Todle." Johnson (1983) believes the tune may have partly followed 'passamezzo moderno' form (a 16th century Italian musical form popular in England and Scotland later in that century). It appears in the McLean Collection published by James Johnson in Edinburgh in 1772. Source for notated version: George Skene MS., 1717-c. 1740 [Johnson]. Johnson (Scottish Fiddle Music in the 18th Century), 1984; No. 11, pg. 27.
SWORD DANCE. AKA and see "Tail Toddle," "Ghillie Callum." Scottish, Sword Dance. A Mixolydian. Standard. AB. The famous Scottish sword dance is a solo dance performed over crossed swords laid on the ground. The is a colorful legent that the sword dance was created in mediaeval times by Malcolm Canmore, who after killing one of Macbeth's chieftains, crossed his sword over that of the vanquished and danced about them in celebration. Unfortunately, there is no direct evidence that a dance was performed over crossed swords until the 17th century or so. Hardie (Caledonian Companion), 1992; pg. 51. Skinner (The Scottish Violinist), pg. 21.
TAIL TOD(D)LE. AKA and see "Lasses Gar Your Tail Toddle," "Gillie Callum." Scottish, Reel or Strathspey; Welsh, Reel. D Major {Kerr, Martin, Williamson}: A Mixolydian ('A', 'B', 'E' and 'F' parts) & A Minor ('C' and 'D' parts) {Gow}. Standard. AAB (Gow/Repository): AABB. Gow's note is "Supposed Welsh." "This tune was printed by the Scottish fiddler Niel Gow during the 1780's...It became very popoular in Scotland and was played there as a reel or a song. The song was a bawdy one, to be sung by a girl about how Tammy made her tail todle. I've included it in the Welsh section on Gow's recommendation, althogh the setting here is distinctly Scots. Tail Todle could be a garbled version of an original Welsh title" (Williamson, 1976). Despite Williamson's claim, Carlin, in his Gow Collection and presumably copied from the Gows, credits the tune to another Scottish composer, a laird called William of Nisbet. The melody appears with variations in the Drummond Castle Manuscript (in the possessin of the Earl of Ancaster at Drummond Castle), 1734, inscribed "A Collection of the best Highland Reels written by David Young, W.M. & Accomptant." John Glen (1891) also finds an early printing in James Aird's 1782 collection (Vol. 2, No. 97). Sometimes the following ditty is sung to the music:
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O tail toddle, tail toddle,
Tammy gars my tail toddle,
But and ben wi' diddle doddle
Tammy gars my tail toddle.
***
Carlin (The Gow Collection), 1986; No. 224 (strathspey version). Gow (Complete Repository), Part 1, 1799; pg. 37. Kerr (Merry Melodies), Vol. 4; No. 71, pg. 10 (reel). Martin (Ceol na Fidhle), Vol. 1, 1991; pg. 43. Williamson (English, Welsh, Scottish and Irish Fiddle Tunes), 1976; pg. 44 (Reel version). "Fiddlers Three Plus Two." Culburnie COL 113D, Aladair Fraser & Tony McManus - "Return to Kintail" (1999).