The Fiddler’s Companion

© 1996-2009 Andrew Kuntz

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[COMMENT1] [COMMENT2] 

OH

[COMMENT3] 

 

Notation Note: The tunes below are recorded in what is called “abc notation.” They can easily be converted to standard musical notation via highlighting with your cursor starting at “X:1” through to the end of the abc’s, then “cutting-and-pasting” the highlighted notation into one of the many abc conversion programs available, or at concertina.net’s incredibly handy “ABC Convert-A-Matic” at

http://www.concertina.net/tunes_convert.html 

 

**Please note that the abc’s in the Fiddler’s Companion work fine in most abc conversion programs. For example, I use abc2win and abcNavigator 2 with no problems whatsoever with direct cut-and-pasting. However, due to an anomaly of the html, pasting the abc’s into the concertina.net converter results in double-spacing. For concertina.net’s conversion program to work you must remove the spaces between all the lines of abc notation after pasting, so that they are single-spaced, with no intervening blank lines. This being done, the F/C abc’s will convert to standard notation nicely. Or, get a copy of abcNavigator 2 – its well worth it.   [AK]

 

 

[COMMENT4] 

OH... and O... See also the second word of the title.


 

OH AGUS OH! OH! Irish, Slow Air (6/8 time). A Major. Standard. One part. “The blind woman’s lament for the loss of her daughter” [Petrie]. Stanford/Petrie (Complete Collection), 1905; No. 833, pg. 208.

X:1

T:Oh agus oh! oh! The blind woman’s lament for the loss of her daughter

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:Air

S:Standford/Petrie (1905), No. 833

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:A

e3 dcd | e3A3 | cde dcA | A3c3 | e3 dcd | e3A3 | cde dcA | A3c3 | dAc A3 | A3 A3 ||

 

O! AN IRISHMAN'S HEART. AKA and see "Kinnegad Slashers," "Land of Sweet Erin," "Powers of Whiskey," "Paddy Digging for 'Goold'," "O! Merry Am I."

 

O, AN YE WERE DEAD, GUIDMAN. AKA ‑ "O Gin ye were dead Gudeman." AKA and see "The White Cockade [1]," "Watson's Scotch Measure." Scottish, Country Dance (cut time) or Air. F Major (Athole): G Major (Aird). Standard. AABB. The tune is "Watson's Scotch Measure" associated with a song called "O, an ye were dead gudeman" which appears in Gude and Godlie Ballates (1567). Aird (Selections), Vol. II, 1782; No. 132, pg. 49. Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; pg. 151.

X:1

T:O Gin Ye Were Dead Gudeman

M:C|

L:1/8

R:Country Dances

B:Stewart-Robertson – The Athole Collection  (1884)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:F

CD/E/|F2F2c2F2|A2G2 GBAG|F2F2c2F2|A2f2c3f|

fefc ABcA|fdcA G2AG|F2f2 cdBc|A2F2F2:|

|:c/d/e|fefg fgaf|gfga agfd|cdfg fgag|fgfc ABcA|

defc ABcA|fdcA G2AG|F2f2 cdBc|A2F2F2:|

 

O ARANMORE, LOVED ARANMORE (O, Arainn-Mor Ionmuin). AKA and see "Kildroughalt Fair." Irish, Air (4/4 time). D Minor. Standard. AB. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Selections), 1979; No. 278, pg. 48.

X:1

T:O Aranmore, Loved Aranmore

M:4/4

L:1/8

R:Air

N:”Moderate”

S:O’Neill – Music of Ireland (1903), No. 278

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D Minor

A|d>efe dAA>F|G>GGA c3A|d>ef>e dAA>F|G>FDD D3||

c|c/c/A F>G A>BAF|c>AF>A c3A|d>ef>e dAAF|G>FDD D3||

 

O ARE YE SLEEPIN’, MAGGIE. See “Sleepy Maggie.”

 

O AS I WAS KISS'D YESTREEN [1]. Scottish, Jig. A Minor (most versions): A Dorian (Bremner). Standard. AABB. Bayard (1981) identifies this as the signature melody of a group of tunes that belongs to a very large extended family of tunes, which he likens to a language and its dialects (see note for "Lan(n)igan's Ball"). Other signature tunes in this family are "Lan(n)igan's Ball," "Muirland Willie," "Bung Your Eye," "Kitty Alone," and "Lumps of Pudding." "O As  I Was Kiss'd Yestreen" variants are close to the "Bung  Your Eye" group and include "Sae Braley As I Was," "House o' Duncan," "My Love is Lost to Me," and others. See also the Irish family of tunes of the “Old Man Dillon” family. John Glen (1891) finds the earliest appearance of the tune in print in Robert Bremner's 1757 collection. James Aird's (Selection...), 1778, Vol. 1, No. 200. Bremner (Scots Reels), 1757; pg. 75 (appears as “O as I was Kiss’d the Streen”). Carlin (The Gow Collection), 1986; No. 476. Gow (Complete Repository), Part 2, 1802; pg. 22. Johnson (Scots Musical Museum, 1787‑1803, Vol. 4, No. 319). Kerr (Merry Melodies), Vol. 1; pg. 31). Oswald's Caledonian Pocket Companion (1780?, Vol. 1, pg. 137). Scottish Country Dance Book (1930‑57, Book 13, No.  6 {pt. 2 of 1st air}).

X:1

T:O as I was kiss’d yestreen [1]

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:Jig

S:Gow – 2nd Repository  (1802)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:A minor

E|A>BA ABd|(e/^f/g)B A2c|(BAB) GAG|(BAB) GAB|~cBc dcd|

ede a2g|edB ABd|e2A A2:|

|:^g|a2A ABA|a2A A2^f|g2G GAG|BAB GAB|~cBc dcd|

ede a2g|edB ABd|e2A A2:|

 

O AS I WAS KISS'D YESTREEN [2]. AKA and see “Absent Minded Man” family of tunes.

 

OH AUNT DINAH GET YOUR NIGHTCAP ON. Old‑Time. Recorded by the W.Va. Tweedy Brothers (Harry, George, and Charles, who played twin fiddles and piano) for Gennett Records in 1925, but unissued.

 

O BESSY BELL. Scottish, Air. The song is claimed by Emmerson (1971) as Scottish and is parodied in John Gay's Beggar's Opera (1729). Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 65.

 


OH! BLAME NOT MY LYRE. Irish, Air (6/8 time). D Mixolydian. Standard. ABC. O'Neill (1915 ed.), 1987; No. 67, pg. 42.

 

O BLAME NOT THE BARD. AKA and see "Kitty Tyrrell" (1st Setting).

 

OH BROTHER BREAKDOWN. AKA and see "Ralph Page's Breakdown [2]."

 

O BUT YE BE MERRY. Scottish, Reel. A Mixolydian. Standard. AB (Surenne): ABCDE (McGlashan). McGlashan (A Collection of Reels), c. 1786; pg. 9. Surenne (Dance Music of Scotland), 1852; pg. 77.

X:1

T:O but ye be Merry

M:C|

L:1/8

R:Reel

S:McGlashan – Reels  (c. 1786)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:A Mixolydian

B|e/e/e eg f2 df|e2 ed cAAc|e/e/e eg f2 df|B2 cA BGGB|e/e/e eg f2 df|

e2 ed cAAc|d2fd c2ec|B2gd BGG||B|eAed c2 Ac/d/|eAed cAAc|eAed c2Ac|

Bgdg BGGB|eAed c2 Ac/d/|eAed cAAc|dfdf cece|Bgdg BGG||

B|A/A/A a2 c/c/c a2|A/A/A a2 cAAc|A/A/A a2 c/c/c a2|B/B/B g2 BGGB|

A/A/A a2 c/c/c a2|A/A/a a2 cAAc|dfdf cece|Bgdg BGG||f/g/|a>bae c2 Af/g/|

a>bae cAAf/g/|a>bae c2 Ac|g>agd BGGg|a>bae cAfg|a>bae cAAc|

dfdf cece|Bgdg BGG||AaAa BaBa|caca cAAB|AaAa caca|Bgdg BGGB|

AaAa BaBa|caca cAAc|dfdf cece|Bgdg BGGB|A/a/a A/a/a B/a/a B/a/a|

c/a/a A/a/a cAAB|A/a/a A/a/a c/a/a c/a/a|B/g/g d/g/g BGGB|

A/a/A/a/ A/a/A/a/ B/a/B/a/ B/a/B/a/|c/a/c/a/ c/a/c/a/ cAAB|

d/f/d/f/ d/f/d/f/ c/f/c/e/ c/e/c/e/|B/g/B/g/ d/g/d/g/ BGG||

           

O CHARLEY IS MY DARLING. Scottish, Air (4/4 time). D Minor. Standard. AB. Howe (1000 Jigs and Reels), c. 1867; pg. 124.

X:1

T:O Charley is My Darling

M:4/4

L:1/8

R:Air

S:Howe – 1000 Jigs and Reels (c. 1867)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D minor

F | D>E F>G A2 d2 | c2 d>B A2 d>F | D>E F>G A2 d>e | f2 e>d d2 ||

d | ^c>A=B>c d>ef>d | ^c>A =B>c d2 ze | f>e f>d =c>A FG/A/ | BG A>F E2 ||

                                   

O' CHIADAINN AN LO. AKA and see "The Recollection of that Day."

                       

OH COME WITH ME MY IRISH GIRL. AKA and see "The Irish Girl."

                       

O DEAR, I WISH I HAD NOT COME HERE. American, Dance Tune (2/4 time). G Major. Standard. AABB. The melody was published around 1805 in Edinburgh, Scotland, by John Clarkson Jr. in a single-sheet entitled American Tunes No. 1, Arranged for the Piano Forte.

                       

O DEAR MINNIE/MOTHER (WHAT SHALL I DO)? Scottish, Air (3/4 time) or Giga (6/8 time). D Major. Standard. AA. The melody appears in Allan Ramsay's ballad opera "The Gentle Shepherd" (1725), and in James Oswald's Curious Collection of Scots Tunes (c. 1739) {as the first air in a sonata, each movement of which is based on a Scots tradtional tune}, and his Caledonian Pocket Companion, Vols. iii (in an  air‑jig‑reel setting) and viii (1756). There is some difference of opinion on the origins of this tune. Gow (Complete Repository, Vol. 1, pg. 20) believes that this tune was derived from the duple time "Braes of Auchtertyre [1]," while Johnson‑Stenhouse (2 Vols.‑‑The Scots Musical Museum and Stenhouse's Illustrations of the Lyric Poetry and Music of Scotland, 1853 {reprint 1962}, pg. 233) asserts it is the other‑way‑round, and that the 4/4 tune evolved out of the 3/4 one. Bayard (1981) agrees with Stenhouse. Emmerson (Rantin’ Pipe and Tremblin’ String), 1971; No. 78, pg. 157.

                       

O DEAR MOTHER MY TOES ARE SORE [1]. AKA and see "Evening Pleasures Schottische,” "Jinny O Jinny My Toes Are Sore," "Oh Mother It Hurts Me So," "O Mother My Toes Are Sore," "Rustic Reel [1]," "Rustic Dance—Scottische [3]," “Sandy Floor.” American, Jig or March (6/8 time). USA; southwestern Pa., northern Michigan. A Dorian or Mixolydian: D Dorian. Standard. AABB. Bayard (1981) is certain the tune is British Isles in origin even though it has the marks of considerable folk‑processing in American tradition, yet he cannot trace it adequately to old country repertory. Speculating, he suggests the tune is a derivative of the "Welcome Home" or "Boyne Water [1]" families, or perhaps a crossing ot the two. He says all three forms of the title tune in Pennsylvania have in common the following rhyme associated with them:

***

Dear oh, mother, my toes are sore,

Dancin' over your sandy floor. (or "...on this sandstone floor")

Its yesterday or the day before

I've just come home from Baltimore.

I've danced today, and I'll dance no more...

***

Paul Gifford reports a northern Michigan title for the melody is “Sandy Floor,” taken from the 2nd line of the above rhyme. Sources for notated versions: Irvin Yaugher Jr. (Mt. Independence, Pa., 1943; learned from his great‑uncle) [Bayard, 1944]: 9 southwestern Pa. fiddlers and fifers [Bayard, 1981]. Bayard (Hill Country Tunes), 1944; No. 6. Bayard (Dance to the Fiddle), 1981; No. 452A‑I, pgs. 434.

 

O DEAR MOTHER MY TOES ARE SORE [2]. AKA and see "Monongahela March" (Pa.), "Clicksticks" (Pa.), "Jinny O Jinny My Toes Are Sore" (Pa.), "The White Cockade" (Pa. floating title). American, Jig or March. USA, southwestern Pa. D Major. Standard. AB. Bayard (1981) groups several variants because of the common first strain, which he believes is "rather old," while the second strains are often distantly or not at all related. Other tunes sharing this first strain are: "Rustic Reel [1]," "Virginia Reel [3]," "Libby Prison Quickstep," "First Western Change," and "City Guards." Sources for notated versions: 11 southwestern Pa. fiddlers and fifers [Bayard]. Bayard (Dance to the Fiddle), 1981; No. 453A‑K, pgs. 435‑438.

 

O DEAR MOTHER MY TOES ARE SORE [3]. American, Jig. USA, southwestern Pa. G Major. Standard. ABB. The first part appears to be a triple time form of "Buffalo Gals." Source for notated version: Thomas Patterson (fiddler from Elizabeth, Pa., 1930's) [Bayard]. Bayard (Dance to the Fiddle), 1981; No. 454, pgs. 438‑439.

 

O DEAR MOTHER/MINNIE WHAT SHALL I DO?  Scottish, Slow Air (3/4 time). D Major. Standard tuning. AABB. The melody may be found in the collections of Oswald and McGibbon (Scots Tunes, Book 1, 1746, pg. 11). Sir Walter Scott's song "March, March, Ettrick and Teviotdale" was, according to J. Farquhar Graham, taken from this song. Bayard (1981) dates the tune to "at least" the first decade of the 18th century. From this tune derived (c. 1740's) "Blue Bonnets Over the Border [1]," a jig, and later in the century, "The Braes of Auchtertyre [1]." From this later tune the American "Billy/Billie in the Lowground [1]" developed. In his article “A Miscellany of Tune Notes” (Studies in Folklore, pgs. 166-168), Samuel Bayard, discusses the melody and its history of derivatives. He cites Oswald’s Pocket Companion (c. 1740’s?), vol. III, for its printing of “Oh dear mother what shall I do” with variations, the last of which Bayard identifies as ‘essentially’ the jig-time “Blue Bonnets” tune.  He credits Oswald with recomposing the older air and giving it new life as a brisk 6/8 time tune. A variant of Oswald’s recomposed tune was printed by the Gows in 1818 in Beauties of Niel Gow (Part First, pg. 12) with the title “Blue Bonnets Over the Border,” although the tempo specified was again slowed down (it is marked “Slow with exprn.”). R.A. Smith (The Scottish Minstrel, 1820-24, V, 10) printed another close variant of the Oswald tune, again under the “Blue Bonnet” title (as the vehicle for Scott’s song “March, March, Ettrick and Teviotdale”), marked to be played “With spirit” and which Graham called the ‘modern air’.  Bayard concludes that the ‘folk process’ was at work, with Oswald’s quick-time re-composition of an older air becoming itself traditional. The original title was lost, to be replaced by a familiar floating title (which goes to at least two other melodies).

***

Another branch of the old “Oh dear mother” tune, according to Bayard, stems from another Gow printing, this time of a reel entitled “Braes of Auchtertyre” in Complete Repository of Original Scots Slow Strathspey and Dances, vol. 1 (1799). See note for that tune. Barnes (English Country Dance Tunes, vol. 2), 2005; pg. 96.

X:1

T:Oh Dear Mother What Shall I Do?

M:6/8

L:1/8

S:Oswald – Pocket Companion (vol. III, pg. 10)

K:D

D2D FAB | def d2A | dBB B2b  | baf “tr”e2d | D2D DAB | def d2A |

B3 AFA | B/c/dF “tr”E2C :: f/g/aa a2d | baf “tr”e2d | fbb b2d’ |

baf “tr”e2d | f/g/ad afd | baf efd | “tr”B3 AFA | B/c/dF “tr”E2D :|

X:2

T:Oh Dear Mother What Shall I Do?

M:3/4

L:1/8

R:Air

S:Johnson – Scots Musical Museum (No. 236)

K:D

D3ED2 | F2A2B2 | d2f2e2 | d2B2A2 | d2B2d2 | B4b2 |

b2a2g2 | f2e2d2 | F2E2D2 | F2A2B2 | d2f2e2 | d2B2A2 |

B2d2B2 | A2F2A2 | B2d2F2 | E4C2 ||d2a2a2 | a3fa2 |

b2a2f2 | e4d2 | f2b2b2 | b4a2 | a2g2f2 | e4d2 | d2a2a2 |

a2f2a2 | b2a2f2 | e4d2 | B2d2B2 | A2F2A2 | B2d2F2 | E4D2 ||

X:3

T:Untitled

M:6/8

L:1/8

S:Bayard“A Miscellany of Tune Notes,” Studies in Folklore (pg. 169)

N:Collected in Pennsylvania in 1930’s

K:D

A, |: D2F A2c | def d2A | dcB A^GA | baf {g}fed | D2FA2c | def d2A |

dcB A^GA | {c}BAF E2F :: D2a a^ga | baf {g}fef | dfa a2c | def e2f |

dfa a^ga | baf ede | dcB A^GA | BAF E2F :|

 

OH DEAR! WHAT CAN THE MATTER BE (Oc On Cad E Do Tarlad). AKA – “Johnny’s so long at the fair.” English, Irish, Scottish; Air (6/8 time), Jig or Morris Dance Tune (6/8 time). G Major (most versions): E Flat Major (Scott): C Major (Howe). Standard tuning (fiddle). One part (Scott): AB (Bacon, Hardings, Mattson & Walz, O'Neill): AABB (Howe): AA'BB (Kerr): AA’BB’ (Sumner/Gibbons): AABBCCDDEE’ (Cranford/Holland). The first published record of this song is in the British Lyre, or Muses’ Repository for 1792, later appearing in the James Evan’s Ladies Memorandum for the Year 1794. It had been sung as a famous duet between Samuel Harrison and his wife, the soprano Miss Cantelo, at "Harrison's Concerts," periodic events which he began in 1776. The song, still popular as a nursery rhyme, has been endlessly parodied (“Oh, dear, what can the matter be, two old maids were locked in the lavatory…”). The tune was used for a morris dance in the village of Wheatley, Oxfordshire, England. An early manuscript version appears in William O. Adams’ music commonplace book, inscribed “London, September 4th 1795,” although manuscript made its way to America (perhaps having been purchased in London) with American tunes also included (it is now in the Library of Congress). An unidentified music copybook from c. 1811 (probably from Connecticut or Massachusetts) also contains the melody, as does Boston keyboard player Elizabeth Van Rensselaer’s music copybook, which she began in the year 1782. It also appears in the music manuscript copybook of fiddler Joshua Gibbons (1778-1871) of Tealby, Lincolnshire.

***

Oh Dear! What can the matter be?

Oh Dear! What can the matter be?

Oh Dear! What can the matter be?

Johnny's so long at the Fair.

He promised he'd bring me a basket of posies,

A garland of lilies, a garland of roses,

A little straw hat to set off the blue ribbons

That tie up my bonny brown hair.

***

The melody has also been popular with flute and fife players, and shows up in such publications as Sameul Holyoke’s Instrumental Assistant (Exeter, N.H., 1800) and Daniel Steele’s New and Complete Preceptor for the German Flute (Albany, N.Y., 1815).

***

Variation sets on the tune were printed in Köhler’s Violin Repository and have been elaborated on and developed by generations of Cape Breton fiddlers. Bill Lamey (1914-1987) learned the variations he played from Alex Gillis, another Cape Breton fiddler who, like Lamey, had emigrated to Boston. Lamey said that Gillis had composed them himself. Jerry Holland (1955-2009) learned variation sets from Angus Chisholm, Bill Lamey and Alex Gillis.

***

Source for notated version: the 1823-26 music mss of papermaker and musician Joshua Gibbons (1778-1871, of Tealby, near Market Rasen, Lincolnshire Wolds) [Sumner]. Bacon (The Morris Ring), 1974; p. 308. Cranford (Jerry Holland: The Second Collection), 2000; No. 297, p. 106. Hardings All‑Round Collection, 1905; No. 157, p. 50. Howe (Complete Preceptor for the Accordeon), 1843; p. 18. Kerr (Merry Melodies), c. 1880’s, vol. 2; No. 254, p. 28. Mattson & Walz (Old Fort Snelling... Fife), 1974; p. 74. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903; No. 620, pg. 109. Scott (English Song Book), 1926; p. 43. Sumner (Lincolnshire Collections, vol. 1: The Joshua Gibbons Manuscript), 1997; p. 20. Rounder 82161-7032-2, Bill Lamey – “From Cape Breton to Boston and Back: Classic House Sessions of Traditional Cape Breton Music 1956-1977” (2000).

See also listings at:

Alan Snyder’s Cape Breton Fiddle Recording Index

Jane Keefer’s Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources 

X:1

T:Oh, Dear, What Can the Matter Be?

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:Air

S:O’Neill – Music of Ireland No. 620 (1903)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G

d|dBc dBc|dBg dBG|cAB cAB|cAB cBA|dBc dBc|dBg dBG|DGc BcA|G3 z2||

B|d3d3|dBg dBG|c3 ccc|cAB cBA|d3 ddd|dBg dBG|DGc BcA|G3 z2||


 

O DEM GOLDEN SLIPPERS. See "Golden Slippers."

 

O DO(E) NOT, DOE NOT KILL ME YET. AKA and see "When Phoebus Addrest." The air appears under this title in Friesche Lust‑Hof (Boertigheden) (1634).

 

OH ERIN, MY COUNTRY [1]. AKA and see "Erin My Country." Irish, Slow Air (6/8 time). G Dorian. Standard tuning (fiddle). AB. "This air seems to have been sung with the words of the old song:‑‑

***

Oh Erin, my country, although thy harp slumbers,

And dwells in oblivion in Tara's old hall.” (Joyce).

***

Source for notated version: Mr. J. Snowe, Cork [Joyce]. Joyce (Old Irish Folk Music and Song), 1909; No. 664, p. 333.

 

OH ERIN, MY COUNTRY [2]. AKA and see "St. Patrick's Day."

 

OH FAIR JOHN MY LOVE. Irish, Air (2/4 time). E Minor. Standard tuning (fiddle). AB. See “The Enchanted Valley [1]” for a variant. Source for notated version: collected September 10th, 1857, from Mary O’Flaherty, alias Delane (Arran) [Stanford/Petrie]. Stanford/Petrie (Complete Collection), 1905; No. 322, p. 81.

 

O FAITH THEN I WILL, SAYS THE FIDDLER (M’anam go nDéanfad, arsa an Fidléir). Irish, Slip Jig. D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. Source for notated version: fiddler and uilleann piper Stephen Grier (Farnaght, Co. Leitrim), who wrote his manuscripts in the 1880's [Breathnach]. Breathnach (CRE IV), 1996; No. 42, p. 22.

 

OH, FIE, JOHN THOMPSON, RUN. English. England, Northumberland. Title appears in Henry Robson's list of popular Northumbrian song and dance tunes ("The Northern Minstrel's Budget"), which he published c. 1800.

 

O! FOR ONE AND TWENTY (O Ma M-Bideann Aon's Ficio!). AKA ‑ "O for ane‑and‑twenty Tam." Irish, Scottish; Air (6/8 time, "gaily"). D Minor/Dorian. Standard tuning (fiddle). AB. The tune is called "The Moudiewart" (The Mole) to which Robert Burns set his lyric "O for ane‑and‑twenty Tam." The tune, at least as published in the "Scots Musical Museum," was not quite the to Burns's liking and he recommended to Thomson to publish the song in strathspey rhythm (Emmerson, 1971). O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1979; No. 240, p. 41.

X:1

T:O! For One and Twenty

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:Air

N:”Gaily”
S:O’Neill – Music of Ireland (1903), No. 240
Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:Dmin

f|cAF GAc|d2G G2f|cAF GA^c|d2D D2f|cAF GAc|dcB AGF|BAG A=B^c|d2 D D2||

e|f>gf fed|g>ag gfe|f>ed g>fe|a2d d2e|f>gf fed|gag gfe|f>ed A=B^c|d2D D2||

 

O! FRIENDSHIP WILL SMILE. AKA and see "Garryowen."

 

OH, GANG WITH ME TO YON TOWN. AKA and see “I’ll gang nae mair to you toun,” “The Pope’s Toe.” Scottish, Reel. A Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). ABC (end on 'B' part). New York musician, writer and researcher Don Meade identifies this tune as “Lucky in Love,” as recorded by John McKenna in the 78RPM era. Cole (1000 Fiddle Tunes), 1940; p. 12. Ryan’s Mammoth Collection, 1883; p. 34.

X:1

T:Oh, Gang with Me to Yon Town

M:2/4

L:1/8

R:Reel

S:Ryan’s Mammoth Collection (1883)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:A

(3e/f/g/ | (a/g/).a/.e/ cAAB | (3c/B/A/.e/.c/ dBBg | (a/g/).a/.e/ cAAc | d/f/e/d/ c/e/f/g/ |

(a/g/).a/.e/ c/A/A/B/ | (3c/B/A/.e/.c/ d/B/B/g/ | (a/g/).b/.g/ a/f/e/c/ | d/f/e/d/ c/A/A/d/ ||

(3c/B/A/.e/.A/ f/A/e/A/ | (3c/B/A/.e/.c/ d/B/B/d/ | (3c/B/A/.e/A/ f/A/e/a/ | d/f/e/d/ c/A/A/d/ |

(3c/B/A/.e/.A/ f/A/e/A/ | (3c/A/B/c/.e/.c/ d/B/B/d/ | c/A/B/c/ d/e/f/g/ | (a/g/).b/.g/ a ||

(3e/f/g/ | (a/g/).a/.e/ c/A/A/B/ | (3c/B/A/.e/.c/ d/B/B/g/ | (a/g/).a/.e/ c/A/A/c/ | d/f/e/d/ c/e/f/g/ |

(a/g/).a/.e/ c/A/A/B/ | (3c/B/A/.e/.c/ d/B/B/g/ | (a/g/).b/.g/ a/f/e/c/ | d/f/e/d/ c/A/A/d/ ||

 


OH' GEE'. French-Canadian (Irish?), Reel. G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AA'BB'A"A"'B"B"'. This reel was recorded on a 78 RPM by Brooklyn, New York, accordion player John J. "Dutch" Kimmel, noted for his playing of Irish tunes. Source for notated version: French-Canadian button accordion player Philippe Bruneau (Québec) [Begin]. Begin (Philippe Bruneau), 1993; No. 42, p. 64.

 

O GIN I HAD SUCH A LADDY AS THIS. AKA and see "The Lass of the Brass."

 

O GIN I WERE A BARON'S HEIR. Scottish, Guaracha Waltz. D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AB. Kerr (Merry Melodies), vol. 1; No. 6, p. 25.

 

O GIN YE WERE DEAD GUDEMAN. See "O, an ye were dead, Guidman."

 

OH GIRL OF THE GOLDEN TRESSES. Irish, Air (4/4 time). G Dorian. Standard tuning. AB. Source for notated version: “Set from P. Mullin, Arran-More, 10th Sept., 1857" [Stanford/Petrie]. Stanford/Petrie (Complete Collection), 1905; No. 371, pg. 94.

X:1

T:Oh, girl of the golden tresses

M:C

L:1/8

R:Air

N:”Andante”

S:Stanford/Petrie (1905)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G Dorian

D | DGA^F G2 AF | GAcd f2 ge | fedc Ac GA | F4 D2 (D2C2) | DGA^F G2 AF |

GA cd/e/ f3g | fedc Ac A>G | (G4 G3) || d | d^cde f2 fg | fdcA c3 d/e/ | fe dc Ac AG |

F4 D3C | DGA^F G2 AF | GAcd f3g | fedc A<c A>G | (G4 G3) ||

 

OH GIVE ME YOUR HAND (Tabhair dham do lámh). AKA ‑ "Da Mihi Manum." Irish, Air (3/4 time). G Mixolydian. Standard tuning. One part. Composed by Irish harper Rory dall O'Cahan in 1603. Rory dall spent most of his life in King James' Scotland, and this air was composed to signal the harper's reconciliation with Lady Eglinton; so popular did it become, states Flood (1905), that the King sent for the composer to play it for the Scottish court. Rory dall was a close relative of Donal O'Cahan, chief of his clan, whose stronghold was in Coleraine. In was printed by Wright (1727) and Bunting (1816?). Source for notated version: "From the singing of Norry Dwane of Glenoshen: 1857" (Joyce). Joyce (Old Irish Folk Music and Song), 1909; No. 38, pg. 22.

X:1

T:O, Give Me Your Hand

T:Tabhair dham do lámh

M:3/4

L:1/8

R:Air

S:Joyce – Old Irish Folk Music and Songs  (1909)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G Mixolydian

fe|d2 cAAG|{G}f2 e2 dc|A2G2G2|G4 ef|g2 agfe|d2 cAcd|e2 fedc|d4 ef|g2 agfe|

d2 cAcd|e2c2d2|{d}g4 ag|fe d2 cA|{G}f2 e2 dc|A2 G2G2|G4||

 

O, GOOD ALE, THOU ART MY DARLING. English, Air (4/4 time). E Minor. Standard tuning. AB. Chappel records the song appears on broadside ballads and in The Banquet of Thalia, York, 1790.

***

The landlord, he looks very big

With his high cock’d hat and his powder’d wig;

Methinks he looks both fair and fat,

But he may thank you and me for that.

For ‘tis O, good ale, thou art my darling;

Andt my joy, both night and morning.

***

Chappell (Popular Music of the Olden Time), vol. 2, 1859; pg. 179.

X:1

T:O, Good Ale, Thou Art My Darling

L:1/8

M:C

S:Chappell – Popular Music of the Olden Time  (1859)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:E Minor

B,2|E2 EF G2 FE|A2A2A2 GF|E2 EF G2FE|B2B2B2||B2|B2 Bc d2d2|

B2 Bc d2^d2|e2B2c2 BA|B2 AG A2GF|E3F G3A|BcBA G2E2|

e3B c2 BA|G2F2G2E2||

 

OH GRAIN AIR NA BRIOGAISEAN. AKA and see "Deil tak' the Breeks."

 

O HAD I A ROCK AND A WEE PICKLE TOW. AKA and see "A Rock and the/a Wee Pickle Tow." Northumbrian. Title appears in Henry Robson's list of popular Northumbrian song and dance tunes ("The Northern Minstrel's Budget"), which he published c. 1800.

 

OH! HAG YOU HAVE KILLED ME [1] (A Caillig Do Marbuigis Mé). AKA and see “Old Hag, You Have Killed Me.” Irish, Double Jig. D Major. Standard tuning. AABB. See also the related “Sheep on the Mountains.” O'Neill (Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems), 1986; No. 321, pg. 68. Green Linnet SIF 3005, The Bothy Band - “Old Hag You Have Killed Me” (1981. A reissue of the 1976 Mulligan LP). Island ILPS9432, The Chieftains - "Bonaparte's Retreat" (1976. Appears as "Old Hag You Have Killed Me").

X:1

T:Oh! Hag You Have Killed Me [1]

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:Jig

S:O’Neill – Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems (1907), No. 321

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

D2d cAG | F3 GEA | DGE EFD | D2d cAc | dcA GEA | DED DED | DED DED :|

|: ABA GAG | FDF GEA | DGE EFD | A/B/cA dAG | FDF GEA | DED DED | DED DED :|

 

OH! HAG YOU HAVE KILLED ME [2] (Chailleach, do Mhairís Mé). AKA and see “The Stolen Purse [1],” “Tiocfaidh tú abhaile liom [1].” Irish, Double Jig. D Mixolydian. Standard tuning. AA’BB’. See also a related tune in Breathnach’s Ceol Rince na hÉireann IV (1996), No. 56, an untitled slide from the manuscript of David Collins, Abbeyfeale, County Limerick. Source for notated version: piper Willie Clancy (1918-1973, Miltown Malbay, west Clare) [Mitchell]. Breathnach (CRÉ II), No. 8. Mitchell (Dance Music of Willie Clancy), 1993; No. 49, pg. 58. O’Neill (Dance Music of Ireland), 1907; No. 344. Vallely (Learn to Play the Tin Whistle with the Armagh Pipers Club), vol. 3, No. 8. Claddagh 4CC 39, “The Pipering of Willie Clancy vol. 2” (1983. Appears as “’Chailligh, Do Mhairis Mé”).


 

OH HAPPY MAY I SEE THEE. AKA and see "Mo Slan A Chi Mi Mo Chailin Dileas Donn" or "Well May I See Thee My Dark Haired Girl."

 

OH HASTE TO THE WEDDING. AKA and see "Haste to the Wedding [1]."

 

OH HEY, JOHNNY LAD. AKA and see “Hoch Hey Johnny Lad.”

 

OH, HOW THEY FRISK IT. AKA and see "Leather Apron," "Under the Greenwood Tree." English, Air (6/8 time). G Major. Standard tuning. One part. The melody appears in Playford's Dancing Master of 1686 and later editions in two versions, one in duple and one in triple time, and also appears in Pills to Purge Melancholy as well as many ballad operas, according to Chappell (1859). That writer also speculates that the "air in its original form may belong to the reign of Elizabeth I," on the strength of lyrics printed by Ashmole around 1634. The tune is sometimes called "Caper and firk it" and "Caper and jerk it" and is so cited in the Bagford Colletion, and appears as the tune to a Christmas carol in A Cabinet of Choice Jewels; or, The Christian's Joy and Gladness: set forth in sundry pleasant new Christmas Carols (1688). Chappell (Popular Music of the Olden Times), vol. 2, 1859; pgs. 53‑54.

 

OH! HUSH THE SOFT SIGH. AKA and see "Coolun/Coolin," "In This Calm Sheltered Villa," "Oh! The Hours I Have Passed," "Though the Last Glimpse of Erin," "Had You Seen My Sweet Coolin."

 

O I HAE SEEN THE ROSES BLAW. English, Scottish; Song Tune (6/8 time) and Jig. G Mixolydian (Stokoe & Bruce): G Major (Raven). Standard tuning. AB (Stokoe & Bruce): AABB (Raven). Bayard (1981) finds this tune to be the ancestor of his Pennsylvania‑collected "Oho, Oho, I've Found You Out."

***

O! I hae seen the roses blaw,

The heather boomn the broom and a',

The lily spring as white as snaw,

With all their native splendour.

Yet Mary's sweeter on the green,

As fresh and fair as Flora's queen,

Mair stately than the branching bean,

Or like the ivy slender. (Bruce & Stokoe).

***

Bruce & Stokoe (Northumbrian Minstrelsy), 1882; pg.s 84‑85. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 114.

X:1

T:O I Hae Seen the Roses Blaw

L:1/8

M:6/8

S:Bruce & Stokoe – Northumbrian Minstrelsy

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G

D|G2G ABA|c2A F2D|G>AG B2c|d2g d2c|B2c d2e|

=f2d B2G|d>ed cBA|G3 G2||d|g2d B2G|c2A F2D|

g2d B2c|e2g d2c|B2c d2e|=f2d B2G|d>ed cBA|G3G2||

 

O IF I HAD SUCH A LASSIE AS THIS. Scottish. The melody appears in the Gillespie Manuscript of Perth (1768).

 

OH! IF I KNEW BUT HER NAME. Irish, Air (3/4 time). F Major. Standard tuning. One part. O'Neill (1915 ed.), 1987; No. 69, pg. 43.

 

OH! IRISHMEN NEVER FORGET. AKA and see "The Boys From the Lough," “Corovoth Jig,” “Donnybrook Fair [1],” "Joy(s) of My Life," "The Joys of (My) Life," “Our Own Little Isle.”


 

O JENNY, O JENNY, WHERE HAST THOU BEEN. AKA and see "May Fair." English, Air (3/4 time). The air appears in John Gay's Beggar's Opera (1729) as "Oh, Polly, you might have toyed and kissed," but the title above comes from a song by Thomas D'Urfey called "The Willoughby Whim." It was published in D’Urfy’s Pills to Purge Melancholy, Vol. 1, and appears as "May Fair" in Chappell (1859). In more modern times it was known as a children's tune called "Golden slumbers kiss your eyes." Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 52.

 

OH, JOE! THE BOAT IS GOING OVER. English. D Major. According to English fiddler Chris Bartram this tune is almost universally known amongst older traditional fiddle and squeezebox players. The melody was a vehicle for morris/molly dancing in the Clee Hill community of south Shropshire. Melodic material from “Oh, Joe!...” appears in the melody “Clee Hill/Dennis Crowther’s No. 1.”

 

O JOHN, MY COUSIN (A Sheádhain, a Bhráthair Ghaoil). Irish, Air (6/8 time). G Major. Standard tuning. One part. "Also called 'Cuilfhionn Mhuinte Sheimh': The Gentle Refined Fair‑Haired Girl" (Joyce). Source for notated version: "From the whistling of Joe Martin of Kilfinana Co. Limerick, a rambling working man with a great knowledge of Irish airs and songs, and much natural musical taste" (Joyce). Joyce (Old Irish Folk Music and Song), 1909; No. 186, pg. 92.

X:1

T:O John, My Cousin

T:A Sheádhain, a Bhráthair Ghaoil

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:Air

N:”Moderate time: tenderly”

S:Joyce – Old Irish Folk Music and Songs  (1909)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G

G/A/|B2G AGE|(D3 D2) D/E/|G2G ABA|(B3 B2) (3G/A/B/|c2c c2A|

B2B B2G|A2A A2G|(E3 E2) d/c/|B2G AGE|(D3 D2) D/E/|G2G AGA|

(B3 B2) (3G/B/d/|efg f>ed/B/|c2d e2 d/c/|B2G A2G|(G3 G2)||

                       

OH JOHNNY DEAREST JOHNNY, WHAT DYED YOUR HANDS AND CLOATHS? HE ANSWERED HIM AS HE THOUGHT FIT ‘BY A BLEEDING AT THE NOSE’. Irish, Air (4/4 time). D Major. Standard tuning. AB. From the title it appears to be a version of “Edward” (Child., vol. 1, No. 13). A variant is “Dawning of the Day [4]." Stanford/Petrie (Complete Collection), 1905 No. 693, pg. 174.

X:1

T:Oh, Johnny dearest Johnny, what dyed your hands and cloaths?

T:He answered him as he thought fit “by a bleeding at the nose.”
M:C
L:1/8

R:Air

S:Stanford/Petrie (1905), No. 693

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

DE | F2F2F2 ED | A2F2A2B2 | A2A2A2 FD | E6 DE | F2F2F2 EF |

A3F A2B2 | AFEF D2D2 | D6 || AB | d2e2d2A2 | B3A B2d2 |

B3A A2FD | E6 DE | F2F2F2 EF | A2F2A2B2 | AFEF D2D2 | D6 ||

                       

OH KILLARNEY, LOVELY LAKE. Irish, Air (6/8 time). G Major. Standard tuning. AAB. "Sung by a boatman at Killarney. 'With Mr. Henry Morgan's compliments to Mr. Forde: 17 Feb., 1845'" (Joyce). Joyce (Old Irish Folk Music and Song), 1909; No. 668, pg. 334‑335.

                       

O LA MY DEAR. West Indian, Air (2/4 time). D Major. Standard tuning. AABA. Aird (Selections of Scotch, English, Irish and Foreign Airs), vol. II, 1785; No. 161, pg. 59.

X:1

T:O La My Dear

M:2/4

L:1/8

S:Aird, vol. II (1785)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

f | e3c | A2f2 | g2 ec | d3f | e3c | A2f2 | g2 ec | d3 :|

|| z | a2 af | g2 ge | f2 fd | e4 | a2af | g3b | agfe | d4 |

a/a/af | ggge | fffd | e2 fg | aaaf | g3b | agfe | d2 cd ||

                                   

O LANDLADY DEAR, COME CHEER YOUR HEART. Irish, Air (6/8 time). Ireland, County Cavan. G Major. Standard tuning. One part. Stanford/Petrie (Complete Collection), 1905; No. 824, pg. 206.

X:1

T:O landlady dear, come cheer your heart

M:6/8

L:1/8

N:”A Cavan air.”

N:”Allegretto”

S:Standford/Petrie (1905), No. 824

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G

d | cAG F2D | F2F F2D | (DG)G G2A | (B2c) A2d | (cA)G FED |

F2F F2D | {D}G2G G2A | (B2c) A2 F/G/ | A>BA (f>e)f | gag fed |

cAG F2G | A2A A2 (F/G/) | ABA fef | gag fed | (cA)G F2D | G2G G2 ||

                       


OH! LASSIE, ART THOU SLEEPING YET. AKA and see "Lassie Art Thou Sleeping Yet," "The Stone Barn" (Pa.), "The Scotch Lassie," "The Muckin' o' Geordie's Byre." Scottish, Air and Jig. C Major (Hardings, Howe): D Major (Bayard, Kerr, Sweet). Standard tuning. AABB. Bayard (1981) states the tune dates from the 18th century (around 1760 or earlier), and has been a favorite of fiddler and especially fifers (becoming a "standard tune of martial bands" in the Eastern United States). The title is Robert Burns', whose lyric was given final form in 1795, though Burns took the tune from a traditional air which was variously called "The Lea Rig" or "My Ain Kind Deary O." There are both quick 6/8 versions and slower 4/4 songs fashioned from the basic tune. "The Lea Rig" appears in 18th century collections by Oswald and Aird, while "My Ain Kind Deary O" appears in Bremner, Johnson, and Walsh. An American variant of the tune can be found in Bayard (1944), No. 63, listed as "Quadrille." The tune may belong to a larger tune family, asserts Bayard, including the Irish "Christmas Eve [1]," "Our President," "Here's a Health to Our Leader," and "The Fearless Boys;" and all may have developed from "some still more remote original single air" (pg. 61). Sources for notated versions: six southwestern Pa. fiddlers and fifers [Bayard, 1981]. American Veteran Fifer, 1927; No. 60. Bayard (Dance to the Fiddle), 1981; No. 602A‑F, pgs. 530‑532. Hardings All‑Round, 1905; No. 130, pg. 41. Howe (Complete Preceptor for the Accordeon), 1843; pg. 11. Kerr (Merry Melodies), vol. 2; No. 313, pg. 34. Sweet (Fifer’s Delight), 1965/1981; pg. 27.

X:1

T:Oh Lassie Art Thou Sleeping Yet

R:Air and Jig

M:6/8

L:1/8

S:Howe – Complete Preceptor for the Accordeon (1843) pg. 11

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:C

c | G2G GEG | c2c cde | f2d e2c | dec A2c | G2G GAB | c2c cde |

gec d2e | c3 c2 :: e | f2f fga | e2e efg | d2d dcd | e2c A2c |

G2G GEG | c2d e2f | gec d2e | c3 c2 :|

                       

O LAY ME IN KILLARNEY. Irish, Slow Air (4/4 time). G Major. Standard. AABB. Source for notated version: Mrs. J.H. O'Brien, Cork, via Forde (Joyce). Joyce (Old Irish Folk Music and Song), 1909; No. 651, pg. 329.

                       

O LET ME IN THIS AE (ONE) NIGHT. Scottish, Slow Air. G Minor. Standard. AAB. “Old,” says Gow (1806). Carlin (Gow Collection), 1986; No. 552. Gow (Complete Repository), Part 3, 1806; pg. 14.

X:1

T:O Let me in this ae Night

M:C

L:1/8

S:Gow – 3rd Repository

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G Minor

d|~B>A(Gd)|g2 gd|f2 fB ~cd/e/ dc|B>A Gd g>a b>g|(f<d) c>B (c2d):|

c|B>A GA B>c dB|~c>d ec f>e(dc)|B>A GA B>cdB|b>g fd c2 d>c|

B>A GA B>c dB|c>d ec (f>e)(dc)|B>A Gd g>a a>g|(f<d) c>B (c2d)||

                       

O LITTLE GIRL WHAT MAKES YOU LOOK SO CLEVER. AKA and see "The Girl That Looks So Clever O," "Susan Lick the Ladle," "Darkey Under the Woodpile." American, Schottische? (4/4 time). USA, southwestern Pa. G Major. Standard. AB. Source for notated version: George Strosnider (elderly fiddler from Greene County, Pa., 1928) [Bayard]. Bayard (Dance to the Fiddle), 1981; No. 261C, pg. 222.

 

(OH) LONDON IS A FINE TOWN. AKA and see "Watton Town's End," "Bonny Peggy Ramsey," "Our Polly is a sad slut." English, Air and Country Dance Tune (4/4 or 2/2 time). E Major (Chappell): F Major (Sharp). Standard. One part. This air appears in Henry Playford's Dancing Master (1665 and later editions), D’Urfey’s Pills to Purge Melacholy (1707), and Gay's Beggar's Opera (1728), though it is somewhat older as it is referenced as the tune for another song written on the occasion of James I.'s visit to Cambridge in 1614. Kidson (1922) confirms it was "an early and very popular air, set to a merry song." Other titles of songs to the air are "The Gowlin," a "Scotch" song from D'Urfey's play Trick for Treat, in Pills to Purge Melacholy (vol. V, 1719), "Bonny Peggy Ramsey" in The Dancing Master (1707 & 1719), "The Cuckowes Comendation" (Pepys Collection), and "Our Polly is a sad slut" in Gay's Beggar's Opera (1728). Chappell (Popular Music of the Olden Time), vol. 2, 1859; pgs. 6‑7. Sharp (Country Dance Tunes), 1994; pg. 26.

***

Southwark Fair. William Hogarth (1697-1764)

                       

O LORD GALS ONE FRIDAY. Old‑Time. USA, Alabama. This tune was invariably played during the Civil War by Perote Guards (an Alabama infantry unit) fiddler Jack Gibson as a closing tune to his set (Cauthen, 1990, pg. 16).

                       

O! LOVE IS THE SOUL OF A NEAT IRISH MAN. AKA and see "A Sprig of Shillelagh [1]."

                       


OH LOVE IT IS A KILLING THING. Irish, Air (4/4 time). E Minor (Joyce): A Minor (Stanford/Petrie). Standard tuning. AB. "I give the words of this song from memory as I learned them in boyhood. Words and air are now published for the first time (except that the air is printed in Stanford‑Petrie with my name: for I gave it to Dr. Petrie half a century ago). The air was universal in Munster in my early life. Versions of it may be found elsewhere: compare with 'My Love Nell,' and with 'We are poor frozen out gardeners' in Chappell's Popular Music of the Olden Time. To this same air‑‑after a common Munster custom‑‑the Limerick people often sang Burn's 'Oh, My Luve's Like a Red Red Rose'" (Joyce). Source for notated version: “Mr. Joyce” [Stanford/Petrie]. Joyce (Old Irish Folk Music and Song), 1909; No. 405, pgs. 215‑216. Stanford/Petrie (Complete Collection), 1905; No. 469, pg. 118.

X:1

T:Oh love it is a killing thing

M:C

L:1/8

R:Air

N:”Andante”

S:Stanford/Petrie (1905), No. 469

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:Amin

E2 | A2 AB cA GA | c2d2e2e2 | d2 cA GE DE | G4 z2 E2 | A2 AB cA GA |

c2d2e2ce | d2c2A2A2 | A4 z2 || ef | g2 ed c2d2 | e2 ag b2 ag | e2 dc A2 GE |

G6 E2 | A2 AB cAGA | c2d2 e2 ce | d3c A2A2 | A6 ||

                       

O LOVE LIE BESIDE ME. Irish, Air. Bulmer & Sharpley (Music from Ireland), 1974, vol. 2, No. 86.

                       

OH LOVE, ‘TIS A COLD FROSTY NIGHT, AND I AM COVERED WITH SNOW. Irish, Air (4/4 time). F Major. Standard tuning. One part. Source for notated version: “From R. Fitzgerald” [Stanford/Petrie]. Stanford/Petrie (Complete Collection), 1905; No. 628, pg. 158.

X:1

T:Oh, Love, ‘tis a cold frosty night, and I am covered with snow

M:C

L:1/8

S:Stanford/Petrie (1905), No. 628

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:F

F>G | A2 AB AGFE | D6 D2 | Ddde f2 ed | d6 A2 | Adde f2 ed | dd AG F2 FG |

A=Bcd AGFE | D>EGA A2 FG | A=Bcd AGFE | F6 ||

                       

O’ LUAIDH. Scottish, Air (3/4 time). F Major. Standard tuning. One Part. Martin (Ceol na Fidhle, vol. 3), 1988; pg. 19.

                       

O MAIRE DHILIS. AKA and see "O Molly My Dear."

                       

O MAEB GLEIGEAL. AKA and see "O White Maive."

 

O MARY ASTHORE. Irish, Air (4/4 time). E Flat Mixolydian. Standard tuning. AB. Stanford/Petrie (Complete Collection), 1905; No. 636, pg. 159.

X:1

T:O Mary Asthore
M:C
L:1/8

N:”Allegretto”

S:Stanford/Petrie (1905), No. 636

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:E_

c2 | B2 AG A2 GA | B2 AG _d2 c/B/c/=d/ | e2E2G2 F/E/F/G/ | F2 E>F E2 :|

B2 | e2B2e2 ef/g/ | a2g2f2 fg/a/ | g2f2e2 de | fe dc B2 _dc | B2AG A2 GA |

B2 AG _d2 c/B/c/=d/ | e2E2G2 F/E/F/G/ | F2 E>F E2 ||

 

O MARY, MY DARLING [1] (A Mháire, ‘s A Mhúirnín). AKA – “Mary My Sweetheart.” Irish, Air (3/4 time, "plaintive"). D Minor (Joyce): D Major (Shields). Standard tuning. AB. "There are two settings of this in Stanford‑Petrie, different from each other, and both different from mine. both are in the major scale; but the tune should be in the minor: so I took it down from James Buckley, and so I heard all others play and sing it. Moreover, the ornamented setting given below, copied from Mr. Pigot, is also in the minor. There is a bad (major)_ setting in O'Daly's Poets and Poetry of Munster, 2nd ser., p. 224, where will also be found the pleasing Irish peasant song of which this is the air. I give the tune here, partly to restore it to its proper minor form, and partly because it gives me an opportunity to record a good specimen of the variations and ornamentations which Munster fidders and pipers were fond of introducing into this and many other slow airs; such as 'Rois geal dubh,' 'An rabhais ag an g‑carraig,' 'Seadhan O'Duibhidhir an Ghleanna,' etc. The musicians always played the simple unadorned melody first; after which came the ornamented form, or 'Variations'" (Joyce). Despite Joyce’s protestations that the tune should be rendered in a minor key, Goodman (like O’Daly) gives it in major. Source for notated version: a manuscript collection dated 1861 of Rev. James Goodman, an Anglican cleric who collected primarily in County Cork [Shields]. Joyce (Old Irish Folk Music and Song), 1909; No. 147, pgs. 74‑75. Shields (Tunes of the Munster Pipers), 1998; No. 12, pg. 9.

X:1

T:O Mary, my darling [1]

L:1/8

M:3/4

N:”Plaintive”

S:Joyce – Old Irish Folk Music

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D Minor

Ac|d>e fe dc|A2A2 d>e|f2 gf e/d/c/e/|d2d2 fe|d>cAG F/G/A/=B/|

cAd>cAG|F2 GEF>D|D2D2||d>B|c2 dcAG|A2A2 d>e|f2 gfe>c|

d2d2 fe|d>cAGA=B|cAd>cAG|F2 GEF>D|D2D2||

 

O MARY, MY DARLING [2] (A Mháire, 'S A Mhúirnín). Irish, Air (3/4 time). D Minor. Standard tuning. AABB. Highly ornamented version. "With the variations and ornamentations of the Munster pipers and fiddlers (from the Pigot MSS.). Here it will be observed that each part is lengthened to ten bars (instead of eight as in the simple melody): this, no doubt, to give more scope for the ornamentations. I heard O'Hannigan, a great Munster piper‑‑blind‑‑play these variations, (in Mitchelstown, Co. Cork: 1844)‑‑the runs all staccato‑‑with amazing brilliancy and perfection of execution" (Joyce). Joyce (Old Irish Folk Music and Song), 1909; No. 148, pgs. 75‑76.

X:1

T:A Mháire, ‘s a Mhúirnín

T:O Mary, My Darling

M:3/4

L:1/8

S:Joyce – Old Irish Folk Music and Song (148)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:Dmin

A=B/c/ | d2 de f/4d/4e/4d/4c/4A/4G/4c/4 | A4 D/4E/4F/4G/4A/4=B/4c/4d/4e/4f/4g/4 |

f3 e f/4a/4g/4f/4e/4g/4f/4e/4d/4f/4e/4d/4c/4e/4 | {c/} d4 fe |

d>cB>A {G} F/4E/4D/4E/4F/4G/4A/4=B/4 | {B/}c4 Ac |

d3e f/4g/4e/4f/4d/4f/4e/4d/4c/4A/4G/4F/4 | {E/}F4 D>F |

G3A (3B/4A/4G/4(3A/4G/4F/4 (3G/4F/4E/4 F/4D/4C/4D/4 | {E/} D4 :|

|: D/4E/4F/4G/4A/4 | B3A B/4d/4c/4B/4A/4c/4B/4A/4G/4B/4A/4G/4F/4D/4C/4F/4 |

{E/}D4 D/4E/4F/4G/4A/4=B/4c/4d/4e/4f/4g/4 | f3g f/4e/4d/4c/4A/4G/4F/4G/4A/4c/4 |

{e}d4 f>e | dcBA G/4F/4E/4D/4E/4F/4G/4A/4=B/4 | {B}c4 Ac |

d3e f/4g/4e/4f/4d/4f/4e/4d/4c/4A/4G/4E/4 | {E}F4 DF |

G3A (3B/4A/4G/4(3A/4G/4F/4(3G/4F/4D/4 F/4D/4C/4F/4 | {E/}D4 :|

 

OH! MARY TAKE MY ADVICE. AKA and see "Drops of Brandy [1]."

 


O MAUREEN, MY DARLING. Irish, Air (3/4 time). C Major. Standard tuning. One part. Source for notated version: Patrick MacDowell, "the distinguished sculptor: born in Belfast 1799: died 1870" (Joyce). Joyce (Old Irish Folk Music and Song), 1909; No. 549, pg. 292.

 

O! MERRY AM I. AKA and see "Kinnegad Slashers," "Land of Sweet Erin," "Powers of Whiskey," "Paddy Digging for 'Goold'."

 

O MISTRESS MINE. English, Air (3/4 time). D Major. Standard tuning. One part. The tune was arranged by the English composer William Byrd for Queen Elizabeth's Virginal Book (1611). Shakespeare has the clown sing this song in Twelfth Night (act II, scene 3). Kines (Songs From Shakespeare's Plays and Popular Songs of Shakespeare's Time), 1964; pg. 9.


 

O MOLLY MY DEAR (O Maire Dhlis). Irish, Air (9/8 time). E Flat Major. Standard tuning. One part. Thomas Moore used this melody for his song "At the mid-hour of night."

***

O Molly my dear, I hear you're getting a man.

It would make my heart ache to see your wedding go on.

For fear of a fall, recall your senses in time,

For in spite of them all, sweet charming Molly, you're mine!  (O'Sullivan/Bunting)

***

Source for notated version: the index to the Irish collector Edward Bunting's 1840 collection states the tune was noted from "Patrick Quin, harper, 1800," though his MS copy (titled "If you were shaved you would make a handsome young man") gives the date "28th October 1807." O'Sullivan/Bunting, 1983; No. 118, pgs. 167-168.

 

OH! MOTHER A HOOP. English, Air (6/8 time) and Country Dance Tune. A Minor. Standard tuning. One part. The melody appears under the same name in Wright's Country Dances. It was used in Cibber's Love in a Riddle (1729) and in several other ballad operas.

***

What a fine thing I have seen to-day,

Oh! Mother a hoop!

I must have one, you cannot say nay,

Oh! Mother a hoop!

For husbands are gotten this way, to be sure,

Men's eyes and men's hearts they so neatly allure,

Oh! Mother a hoop!

***

Scott (English Song Book), 1926; pg. 46.

 

OH MOTHER IT HURTS ME SO. AKA and see "O Dear Mother My Toes Are Sore [1]." Old‑Time. USA, Central Pa. Under this title, in the repertories of Buffalo Valley, Pa., region dance fiddlers Ralph Sauers and Harry Daddario.

 

O MOTHER MY TOES ARE SORE. AKA and see "O Dear Mother My Toes Are Sore [1]," "Jinny O Jinny My Toes Are Sore."

 

O MY DEAR FATHER, PITY YOUR DAUGHTER. AKA and see "O My Dear Judy."

 

O MY DEAR JUDY. AKA and see "O My Dear Father, Pity Your Daughter," "The Bottle of Brandy," "Bully for You," "The Western Jig," "The Bonny Highlander," "The Buck(e)y Highlander," "Petticoat Loose [1]," "The Leg of (a) Duck," "She is/She’s the Girl that can do it," "Nelly's Jig," "Teddy you Gander," "Thady you Gander," "Sonny Dan," "Daniel of the Sun [1]," "From the Court to the Cottage," "Girls of the West," "I gave to my Nelly," "'Tis sweet to think," "Donall/Domhnall na Greine," "The Grumbling Rustic." Irish, Air (6/8 time, "with spirit"). F Major (Joyce): G Major (O’Farrell). Standard tuning. AB (Joyce): AAB (O’Farrell). "Gille na Drobhair" may be related to this air, a member of a large tune family. Joyce had the tune from the Pigot Collection. Joyce (Old Irish Folk Music and Song), 1909; No. 696, pg. 349. O’Farrell (Pocket Companion, vol. III), c. 1808; pg. 20.

X:1

T:Oh, My Dear Judy

M:6/8
L:1/8

S:Joyce – Old Irish Folk Music and Songs (1909), No. 696

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:F

F>GA f2d | e/4f/4g>e fed | cAA A2G | cAA A2G | F>GA f2d | e/4f/4g>e fed |

cAG G2G | cAG G2A || F>GA/B/ cAA | d/4e/4f>d cAG | FAA A2G | cAA A2G |

F>GA/B/ cAA | d/4e/4f>d cAF | DGG G2A | cAG G2A ||

X:2

T:O My Dear Judy

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:Air or Jig

S:O’Farrell – Pocket Companion, vol. III (c. 1808)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G

D | GAB g2e | (f/g/)af g(fe) | dBB B2A | dBB B2A | (GAB) g2e | (f/g/)af (gf)e |

dBA A2B | dBA A2B :| GA(B/c/) dBB | (e/f/)ge dBA | GBB B2A | dBB B2A |

GAB/c/ dBB | (e/f/)ge dBG | EAA A2B | dBA A2B | GAG dBB | (e/f/)ge dBA |

GBB B2A | dBB B2 f/g/ | (aba) (gfe) | fdB g2e | dBA A2B | dBA A2 ||

 


OH MY FOOT. AKA and see "The Peeler's Jacket [3]," “Rocky Road to Denver,” "Where's My Other Foot," "The Temperance Reel," "The Teetotaler('s Reel)." American, Reel. USA, southwestern Pa. G Major. Standard tuning. AB. Source for notated version: Irvin Yaugher (Fayette County, Pa., 1944), William Shape (Greene County, Pa., 1944), Issac Morris (Greene County, Pa., 1930's) [Bayard]. Bayard (Dance to the Fiddle), 1981; No. 286A‑C, pgs. 239‑240.

 

OH MY LAWD. Old‑Time. Recorded by Chatanooga, Tenn., fiddler Jesse Young for Columbia in the late 1920's.

 

OH MY LITTLE DARLING. AKA and see "My Little Dony." A Major. Standard tuning. AA’BB’.

X:1

T:Oh My Little Darling

M:C

L:1/8

R:Reel

S:Brad Leftwich

N:From a transcription by John Lamancusa, by permission. See http://www.mne.psu.edu/lamancusa/tunes.htm

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:A

E2[A,2A2] [B(e][c2e2)]c|d2[e2(e2]e2) (e2|e)cef (=ge)c2|[d3f3] [d(=g][d3f3)] [A(e]|

[A2f2)] (Af) [A3f3] =g|f2[(A2e2][A2)e2] (e2|e)fec B2G2|1 A3(B A2)(E2:|2 A3 (BA2)(a2||

|:a)ba(f e2) ef|(=ge)fg e2(a2|a)baf e2c2|[d3f3] [d(=g][d2f2)](a2|a)(ba)f e2 ef|

(=ge)fg e2 (ce|e)fec B(G B2)|1 A3 [(A,A]A2)(a2:|2 A3 [(A,A]A2 A2)|| 

 

OH MY LOVE SHE WAS BORN IN THE NORTH COUNTRY WIDE. Irish, Air (4/4 time). F Dorian. Standard tuning. One part. Stanford/Petrie (Complete Collection), 1905; No. 516, pg. 131.

X:1

T:Oh my love she was born in the North country wide

M:C

L:1/8

S:Stanford/Petrie (1905), No. 516

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:F Minor

c/>B/ | A2 AA GF =EF | G>A FF F3F | FGAB c2 BA | Bcde c3F |

FGAB c2 c=e | f_e =dB e2 fc | A2 AA GF=EF | G>A FF F3 ||

 

OH MY NANNY. AKA and see "Hey My Nanny."

 

O NANCY DON'T YOU REMEMBER?  (A Anna Ann Ne Nac Meabraig Tu?)  Irish, Slow Air (3/4 time). A Major. Standard tuning. AB. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903/1979; No. 601, pg. 106.

X:1

T:O Nancy Don’t You Remember?

M:3/4

L:1/8

R:Air

N:”Slow”
S:O’Neill – Music of Ireland (1903), No. 601

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:A

E AG|F2 EF AG|F2 E>D CE|Fd cB AG|A3E AG|F2 EF AG|

F2 E>D CE|Fd cB AG|A3||A/B/ cd|e>f ed cA|F2 Ec/d/ ec|A2 GA F>F|

E3 c/d/ ec|dB c/d/ e/>d/ cA|F2 E>D CE|Fd c>B AG|A3||

                       

OH NANNY.  AKA – “Oh Nanny wilt though gang with me.” English, Air (4/4 time). G Major. Standard tuning. One part. “Oh Nanny wilt thou fly with me” is the name of an18th century song with music by Thomas Carter (1735-1804), who published it in his first collection of Vauxhall songs in 1773, in which year it was sung there by Mr. Vernon. Carter was born in Dublin but settled in London around the year 1772, where he found employ as a composer of songs for public gardens, later graduating to composing for the stage. Although moderately successful with operas such as The Rival Candidates and the pantomime Blue Beard, Carter was not similarly successful in his business and financial dealings, and was often at arrears. Words to the ballad were by Shropshire-born cleric Thomas Percy (1729-1811), author of Reliques of English Poetry (1765) and an Anglican Bishop in charge of the see of Dromore, Ireland. His wife, whose Christian name was Nanny (Nancy) was appointed nurse to the infant Prince Edward in London in 1771. Her duties fulfilled, she returned home to her disconsolate husband, who greeted her with his verses. The Scottish version is called “O Nanny Wilt Thou Gang wi’ Me?” although poet Robert Burns objected the foisting of Scottish dialect into Percy’s version (called “O Nanny, Wilt Thou go with Me?”)

***

O, Nanny, wilt thou gang wi’ me,

Nor sigh to leave the flaunting town?

Can silent glens have charms for thee,

The lowly cot and russet gown?

Nae langer drest in silken sheen,

Nae langer decked wi’ jewels rare,

Say, canst thou quit each courtly scene,

Where thou wert fairest of the fair?

***

The melody appears in a number of British and American publications of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, including the Eben Irving (Middletown, New York) music manuscript of 1796, and the1823-26 music manscript of papermaker and musician Joshua Gibbons (1778-1871, of Tealby, near Market Rasen, Lincolnshire Wolds). John Burk’s manuscript version (1821) is unique in its setting for two violins. Source for notated version: the 1823-26 music mss of papermaker and musician Joshua Gibbons (1778-1871, of Tealby, near Market Rasen, Lincolnshire Wolds) [Sumner]. Sumner (Lincolnshire Collections, vol. 1: The Joshua Gibbons Manuscript), 1997; pg. 19.

 

O NATIVE MUSIC. Irish, Air (3/4 time). A Major. Standard tuning. AB. "Composed by (Samuel) Lover" (Roche). Roche Collection, 1982, vol. 3; No. 58, pg. 16.

                       

OH NO! WE NEVER MENTION HER. English, Air. C Major. Standard tuning. AABB. A sentimental song by Thomas Haynes Bayly (1797-1839), an English poet and playwright who also penned “Long, Long Ago.” From the appearance of the published American cover, it was performed on the minstrel stage. The title is taken from the lines:

***

Oh no! we never mention her,
Her name is never heard;
My lips are now forbid to speak
That once familiar word. Oh no! we never mention her.

***

Howe (Complete Preceptor for the Accordeon), 1843; pg. 24.

X:1

T:Oh No! We Never Mention Her

M:2/4

L:1/8

R:Air

S:Howe – Complete Preceptor for the Accordeon (1843)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:C

G | c>Bcd | e>gge | d>cde | c2G2 | c>bcd | egge | d>cde | c2 zg :|

|: gBBd | dc cz | Gcce | e2 dG | c>Bcd | efge | dagB | c3 :|

                       

OH ONOCHIE O. Scottish, Air. Maggie’s Music MMCD222, Bonnie Rideout – “Scottish Fire” (2000).

                       

O PLEASANT WAS THE MOON. AKA and see "The Black Rogue."

                       

OH PLEASANT WERE THE DAYS. Irish, Air (2/4). C Major/D Dorian. Standard. One part. Roche Collection, 1982, vol. 3; No. 14, pg. 4.

                       

OH POLLY, YOU MIGHT HAVE TOYED AND KISSED. AKA and see "The Willoughby Whim," "May Fair," "Oh Jenny, oh Jenny, where hast thou been?" English, Air. The tune appears under this title in Gay's Beggar's Opera, 1729.

 

OH PONDER WELL, BE NOT SECURE. AKA and see "Now ponder well, ye parents dear," "The Children in the Wood." English, Air. The tune appears under this title in Gay's Beggar's Opera, 1729.

 

O SAD AND SORRY I’M THIS DAY. Irish, Air (4/4 time). County Derry. D Major/Mixolydian. Standard. AAB. Stanford/Petrie (Complete Collection), 1905; No. 841, pg. 210.

X:1

T:O sad and sorry I’m this day

M:C

L:1/8

R:Air

N:”A Derry Song.”

S:Stanford/Petrie (1905), No. 841

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

F/E/ | D3E F2G2 | AGFG A2Bc | d2 AB =cBAG | F2 “tr”E2 D3 :|

A | d3e f2e2 | d3c A2G2 | c3A G2A2 | c3G E2D2 | d3c d2e2 |

f3 d e2c2 | A3G E2c2 | A3G E2D2 | D3E F2G2 | AGFG A2 Bc |

d2 AB =cBAG | F2 “tr”E2 {D/E/} D3 ||


 

O SAW YE BONNIE LESLEY. AKA and see "The Collier's bon(n)ie lassie." Scottish, Air (2/4 time). F Major. Standard. AA. The poet Robert Burns set words to the tune "The Collier's bonie lassie" in honor of Miss Lesley Baillie (later Mrs. Cumming of Logie, Ayrshire), who had visited Burns with her father and sister.  He must have been taken with her, for after entertaining them he accompanied them on horseback some 14 or 15 miles on their journey south. Neil (1991) remarks that the lyrics are a parody on the old ballad "My bonie Lizie Baillie, I'll rowe thee in my plaidie." Neil (The Scots Fiddle), 1991; No. 178, pg. 232.

 

OH SAY BONNY LASS. English, Waltz. England, Northumberland. G Major. Standard. AB. Peacock (Peacock’s Tunes), 1980; No. 17, pg. 6. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 135.

 

OH SAY OLD MAN CAN YOU PLAY THE FIDDLE?  AKA‑ "Ladies Fancy [1],” "Say Old Man Can You Play the Fiddle? [1]" Old‑Time, Breakdown. USA; Virginia, Texas. G ('A' and 'B' parts), E ('C' part){Christeson}: E Aeolian ('A' and 'B' parts), E Mixolydian ('C' part){Brody}. Standard or EDae. ABC (Christeson): ABBCC (Brody). Red Williams (Dallas, Texas; Christeson): Jay Ungar (New York; Brody). R.P. Christeson (Old Time Fiddlers Repertory, vol. 1), 1973; pg. 75. Brody (Fiddler’s Fakebook), 1983; pg. 251. Rounder 0099, Dan Crary‑ "Lady's Fancy" (appears as "Lady's Fancy"). June Appal 007, Thomas Hunter‑ "Deep in Tradition.” Rounder 0046, Mark O'Conner‑ "National Jumior Fiddle Champion.” American Heritage‑ "Poor Richard's Almanac" (appears as "Lady's Fancy"). Flying Fish 065, Buddy Spicher‑ "Me and My Heros.” County 703, Benny Thomasson‑ "Texas Hoedown.” Philo 1023, Jay Ungar and Lyn Hardy‑ "Songs, Ballads and Fiddle Tunes.”

 

O SCOTLAND MY HOME. Scottish, Waltz (3/4 time). C Major. Standard tuning. AB. The tune is by Kenneth Kennedy, whose inspiration, remarks Neil (1991) was "the descendants of Scottish emigrants in various countries, whom the composer met when travelling or when they made visits to Scotland." Neil (The Scots Fiddle), 1991; No. 136, pg. 175.

 

OH 'SE MO RUN AN t-OIGEAR. AKA and see "The Rover [1]."

 

OH SHEELA MY LOVE (A Sigile Mo Grad). AKA – “Sheila Ní Guira,” “Sheela O’Gara.” Irish, Air (6/8 time, "gaily"). E Minor (O’Neill): A Dorian (Kennedy). Standard tuning. AB (O’Neill): AABB (Kennedy). The tonality shifts between E minor and A dorian. Source for notated version: Hartnett [O’Neill]. Kennedy (Traditional Dance Music of Britain and Ireland: Jigs & Quicksteps, Trips & Humours), 1997; No. 168, pg. 40 (appears as “Sheila Ní Guira”). O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1979; No. 571, pg. 100.

X:1

T:Oh Sheela My Love

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:Air

N:”Gaily”

S:O’Neill – Music of Ireland (1903), No.  571

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:Emin

D|DEG A2A|BAG GAB|c>dc B2A|AGE E2G|DEG A2A|BAG GAB|

c>de B2A|AGE E2||c/d/|e>fe d2 c|BGE GAB|Bee d2c|BGB c2d|

e>fe {e}d2c|{c}BGE GAB|c>dc B2A|AGE E2||

X:2

T:Sheela O’Gara [3]

T: Sheila Ní Guira

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:Jig

K:Ador

A|EAA AGA|BGG GAB|cdc BGE|AGE E2:|…

 

O SHE'S COMICAL. Scottish, Reel. A Mixolydian. Standard tuning. AB (Gow, Skye): ABB' (Athole, Kerr). "Very old" (Gow, Skye). Carlin (The Gow Collection), 1986; No. 404. Gow (Complete Repository), Part 3, 1806; pg. 22. Kerr (Merry Melodies), vol. 2; No. 6, pg. 4. MacDonald (The Skye Collection), 1887; pg. 22. Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; pg. 8.

X:1

T:O She’s Comical

M:C|

L:1/8

S:Reel

B:Stewart-Robertson – The Athole Collection  (1884)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:A

A|e/e/e ea f2fa|e/e/e (ed cAAc|e/e/e (ef  =g2gd|B2(BA B=GGB|

e/e/e (ea f2fa|e/e/e (ed cAAc|d2(fd c2(ec|B2(BA B=GG:|

|:B|efed c2 (Ac|efed cAAc|efed c2(Ac|B2(BA B=GGB|efed c2(Ac|

efae cAAc|1 d2(fd c2(ec|B2(BA B=GG:|2 d/d/d (fd c/c/c (ec|B/B/B (cA B=GG|]

 


OH SHRIVE ME, FATHER. Irish, Air (3/4 time). E Flat Major. Standard tuning. AB. An Irish version of the air known in England from the 18th century as the vehicle for the songs “Believe Me, If all Those Endearing Young Charms” and “My Lodging is on the Cold, Cold Ground.” Stanford/Petrie (Complete Collection), 1905; No. 632, pg. 158.

X:1

T:Oh Shrive Me, Father

M:3/4

L:1/8

R:Air

N:”Andantino”

S:Stanford/Petrie (1905), No. 632

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:E_

G FE | E2 GB cd | e2 ec B>G | F2 EG FE | C3G FE | E2 GB cd | e2 ec B>G |

F2 EG F>E | E3 || BB>G | e3 dc>B | c>B G2 B>G | e3 dc=B | c3 Bcd |

e>f ed c=B | cd e c B>G| F2 EG F>E | E3 ||

 

O SOUTHERN BREEZE. AKA an see "A ghaoith on nDeas."

 

OH SUSANNA(H). American (originally); Song Tune. English, Morris Dance Tune (6/8 time). G Major. Standard tuning. AB. The original version was composed by Stephen Foster and became a popular song tune. It was cited as commonly played for Orange County, New York country dances in the 1930's (Lettie Osborn, New York Folklore Quarterly) and was imported overseas where a jig version was used as a tune for a single step dance in the North‑West England morris dance tradition. Richardson (1927, 1955) thinks the tune is the ancestor to "Bile Them Cabbage Down", which Bayard (1981) lukewarmly "supposes" is possible. Raymond Francois (1990) sees resemblance between the popular Cajun tune "J'etais au Bal" and "Oh, Susannah." The late Luther Davis, a fiddler from Galax, Va., had a version of the tune he often played. Sweet (Fifer’s Delight), 1965/1981; pg. 9. Wade (Mally’s North West Morris Book), 1988; pg. 21. Victor 36400A (78 RPM), Woodhull's Old Tyme Masters (N.Y.), 1941.

 

O! SWEET ADARE (O! At‑Dara Aoibinn). Irish, Slow Air (3/4 time). D Dorian. Standard tuning. AB. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1979; No. 190, pg. 33.

X:1

T:O! Sweet Adare

M:3/4

L:1/8

R:Air

S:O’Neill – Music of Ireland (1903), No. 190

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D Minor

A de|f2 ed d>c|A3G ^FG|A>G ^FA G>=F|D3 A de|f2 ed cA|a3g fe|

d>f ed ^ce|d3||a ag|f>g af gf|e>f ge fe|d>f ed d^c|A3 G ^FG|A=B cA d^c|

d>e a>g fe|d>f ed ^ce|d3||

 

O TABHAIR DHAM DO LAMH. AKA and see "O, Give Me Your Hand."

 

O THAT I HAD NE'ER BEEN MARRIED. AKA and see "Crowdie," "Three Times Crowdie in One Day," "The Wayward Wife," "Bide Ye Yet [2].”

 

O THE ALE WIFE WITH HER BARREL MAKES ME STILL UNEASY. English. England, Northumberland. Title appears in Henry Robson's list of popular Northumbrian song and dance tunes ("The Northern Minstrel's Budget"), which he published c. 1800.

 

O THE BONNY FISHER LAD. English, Air (4/4 time). England, Northumberland. B Minor. Standard tuning. AB.

***

O the bonny fisher lad,

That brings the fishes frae the sea,

O the bonny fisher lad,

The fisher lad gat had o' me. (Stokoe)

***

Bruce & Stokoe (Northumbrian Minstrelsy), 1882; pgs. 100‑101.

X:1

T:O the bonny fisher lad

M:C

L:1/8

R:Air
S:Bruce & Stokoe – Northumbrian Minstelsy  (1882)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:B Minor

z|AF dB AF GE|AF dB AF B2|AF dB AF GE|FE DE F^A B||B|

ce df FA GE|ce df F^A BB|ce df FA GE|AF DE F^A B||

 

O THE BREECHES FULL OF STITCHES. See "The Britches Full of Stitches."

 

O THE BROOM. AKA and see "Broom of the Cowdenknows," "Broom, the Bonny, Bonny Broom" & variants, "An thou were my ain thing." The air appears in John Gay's The Beggar's Opera (1729) as "Oh what pain it is to part." It also was published in Orpheus Caledonius (1725‑6). Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 55.

 

OH, THE CRUEL WARS. Irish, Air (3/4 time). E Minor. Standard tuning. AB. Source for notated version: from a manuscript book lent to Joyce by Surgeon-Major-General King of Dublin (about 1885), who copied them 40 years previously from an old manuscript book in Cork. Joyce (Old Irish Folk Music and Songs), 1909; No. 366, pg. 168.

X:1

T:Oh, the Cruel Wars

L:1/8

M:3/4

S:Joyce – Old Irish Folk Music and Songs (1909)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:E Minor

ed|c2B2A2|B2E2E2|c2B2A2|B3 BA|G2B2d2|cBABcA|GA G2F2|E4||EF|

G3A BG|E4 FG|ABAGFE|D4 GA|B2G2 G/A/B/d/|e2B2 BA|GA G2F2|E4||

 


OH! THE HOURS I HAVE PASSED. AKA and see "Coolin," "Though the Last Glimpse of Erin," "Oh! Hush the Soft Sigh," "Had You Seen My Sweet Coolin," "In This Calm Sheltered Villa."

 

OH! THE MARRIAGE. AKA and see "Swaggering Jig [1]."

 

OH, THE MONKEY MARRY TO THE BABOON SISTER. American. A plantation fiddle tune from the antebellum South, according to E. Southern (1983, pg. 186).

 

O THE OAK AND THE ASH AND THE BONNY IVY TREE. AKA and see "Goddesses," "Quodling's Delight.” English, Air (4/4 time). England, Northumberland. G Minor. Standard. One part. "There is a black‑letter copy of this ballad in the Roxburgh Collection, vol. ii., p. 367, and the many instances amongst the old writers where the quaint refrain of the ballad are met with, all evidence its great popularity. Sir Walter Scott, in his novel of 'Rob Roy', makes the narrator of the tale (Francis Osbaldiston), in recounting the recollections of his childhood, tell how his Northumbrian nurse (old Mabel) amused him by singing the ditties of her native countrie, and specially names 'O! the Oak and Ash and the bonny Ivy Tree' as a Northumbrian ballad. The tune is older than the ballad, and is in Sir James Hawkins' Transcripts of Music for the Virginals, and also The Dancing Master 1650, under the title of 'Godesses'" (Bruce & Stokoe).

***

A North‑countrie lass up to London did pass,

Although with her nature it did not agree

Which made her repent, and so often lament,

still wishing again in the North for to be.

O! the oak and the ash, and the bonny ivy tree,

Do flourish at home in my ain countrie. (Bruce & Stokoe)

***

Bruce & Stokoe (Northumbrian Minstrelsy), 1882; pgs. 86‑87.

X:1

T:O the Oak and the Ash and the Bonny Ivy Tree

M:C

L:1/8

R:Air

S:Bruce & Stokoe – Northumbrian Minstrelsy (1882)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G Minor

D2|G2G AB2 AG|A2A B c2 BA|G2GA B2AG|^F2 d>^c d2 de|

=f2 dc B2AB|c2AG F2 GA|B2AG ^FG AA|G2 d>^c d2 de|

=f2dc B2AB|cB AG F2 GA|B2 AG ^FG AA|G2 G^F G2||

O! THE SHAMROCK (O! An T-Seamrog). AKA and see "Allie Croker," "Through Erin's Isle." Irish, Air (4/4 time). G Major. Standard. AB. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1979; No. 398, pg. 69.

X:1

T:O! The Shamrock

M:4/4

L:1/8

R:Air

S:O’Neill – Music of Ireland (1903), No. 398

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G

d|B>GGG G>GGG|AGFG A>Bcd|BGGG GGGG|AGFG A>B c||c|

B>ddd dddd|edcB A>Bcc|ccc>c cccc|dcBA G>A Bz|G3G F F2F|

E>EEE D2D2|cccc BBBA|BGcA F2G2||

 

O! THE WEARY WATERS OF TYNE. English, Country Dance Tune (6/8 time). England, Northumberland. G Mixolydian. Standard tuning. AABB. The melody is from a Northumbrian piper’s MS of about 1816. The river Tyne divides England and Scotland in the west. Kidson (Old English Country Dances), 1890; pg. 22.

X:1

T:O! The Weary Waters of Tyne

M:6/8

L:1/8

S:Frank Kidson – Old English Country Dances (1890)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G Mixolydian

G2B c2e|dBG B2A|G2B c2e|dBG A3|G2B c2e|dBG g3|

fed edB|gdB A2::GAB gag|fed g3|GAB gag|
gdB A3|GAB gag|fed g3|fed edB|gdB A3:|

 

O THIS IS NO MY AIN LASSIE. Scottish, Country Dance Tune (2/4 time). D Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Kerr (Merry Melodies), vol. 3; No. 367, pg. 41.

X:1

T:O This is no My Ain Lassie

M:2/4

L:1/8

S:Kerr – Merry Melodies, vol. 3, No. 367  (c. 1880’s)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

(A/G/)|FAAa|gfed|B/c/d/c/ B/A/G/F/|BEE(A/G/)|FAAa|gfed|B/c/d/B/ A/B/A/G/|FDD:|

|:(A/G/)|FAAd|BdA>F|GBAF|BEE(A/G/)|FAAd|BdA>F|G/F/G/B/ A/B/A/G/|FDD:|

 

OH THOSE BRITCHES FULL OF STICHES!  AKA and see “The Breeches On,” “The Irish Lad('s a Jolly Boy),” "Leather Breeches/Britches,” “Lord MacDonald(’s Reel) [4]” and related family of tunes. Irish, Polka or Single Jig. A Major (Sullivan): G Major (Roche, Tubridy). Standard tuning. AABB. Roche Collection, 1982; vol. II, pg. 20 #240. Sullivan (Session Tunes), vol. 2; No. 18, pg. 8. Tubridy (Irish Traditional Music, vol. 1), 1999; pg. 7.


OH! 'TIS LOVE. English?, Jig or Country Dance. F Major. Standard tuning. ABB'C. Hardings All Round Collection, 1905; No. 146, pg. 46.

X:1

T:Oh! ‘Tis Love!

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:Country Dance

S:Harding’s All Round Collection (1905)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion
K:F

C2c C2c | c2c c2c | f2f fef | ^f3 g2z | c2c c2c | c2c c2c | g2g gag | f2z cde |:

f2f fgf | f2e ef^f | g2g gag |1 f2z cde :|2 f2z [A2f2] || g | b3 gab | (a3 a2)f |

e2e ede | f3 c2c | b3 gab | (a3 a2)f | e2e ede | f2z f2z ||

 

O TOMMY COME TICKLE ME. AKA and see "The Campbells Are Coming [1]," "Hob or/a Knob." American, Jig. USA, southwestern Pa. E Flat Major. Standard tuning. ABB. The tune has "a worn‑down and altered second part‑‑perhaps an entirely different strain from the usual second half of this exceedingly well‑known tune" (Bayard, 1981). It takes its name from its associated rhyme:

***

O Tommy come tickle me, I'll tell you where:

Just under my navel there's a big bunch of hair.

***

Source for notated version: Hiram White (Pa., 1930's) [Bayard]. Bayard (Dance to the Fiddle), 1981; No. 539C, pg. 479.

 

O TREASURE OF MY HEART. AKA and see “Astoreen Machree.”

 

O WALY, WALY. Scottish, Air (3/4 time). F Major (Howe): D Major/Mixolydian (Neil). Standard tuning. One part (Howe): AABB (Neil). This very old tune can be found in William McGibbon's collection of 1762 among others, although the first printed version appeared in 1725. Neil (1991) remarks that the origins of the ballad are obscure, but probably relate to some amorous incident in the life of Mary, Queen of Scots, or one of her courtiers. The song references Lady Barbara Erskine, daughter of the 9th Earl of Mar, who married James, second Marquis of Douglas, in 1670 and tells of her ruin after being falsely accused of adultery.

***

O waly, waly, up the bank,

And way, waly, down the brae,

And waly, waly, yon burnside,

Where I and my love want to go!

I lean'd my back into an aik,

I thocht it was a trusty tree,

But first it bow'd and syne it brak

And sae did my true love to me.

***

The melody was transformed in America into the hymn tune “The Water is Wide.”  Howe (1000 Jigs and Reels), c. 1867; pg. 120. Neil (The Scots Fiddle), 1991; No. 11, pg. 13. June Tabor ‑ "Airs and Graces."

X:1

T:O Waly, Waly

M:3/4

L:1/8

R:Air

S:Howe – 1000 Jigs and Reels (c. 1867)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:F

F | A>B c2f2 | g>a g3G | A>B c2g2 | a>g f3F | A>B c2f2 | g>a g3G | A>Bc2g2 | a>g f2z_e |

d>c B3c | dc _e3 (d/c/) | df c2a | g>f f2zf | d>c A3f | cA G3_e | dc f3A | G>F F2 z ||

 

O WELCOME TO MY DEARIE O. Scottish, Reel. G Major. Standard tuning. AB. Composed by James Stewart-Robertson, editor of The Athole Collection. Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; pg. 178.

X:1

T:O Welcome to My Dearie O

L:1/8

M:C|

C:James Stewart-Robertson

R:Reel

B:The Athole Collection

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G

D|G2Bd g2gf|edBg AGEA|G/G/G Bd g2 ga|bage dBBg|G2Bd g2gf|

edeg edBg|bgaf gedB|egdB BAA||B|G/G/G dB gBdg|G/G/G dB eAAB|

G/G/G dB gBdB|egdB BAAB|G/G/G dB gBdg|G/G/G dB eAAf|

gaba gedB|egdB BAAB||

 

OH WERE I KING OF IRELAND. Irish, Air (2/4 time). A Major. Standard tuning. One part.

***

But, be it so, or be it not,

Or be it but a chance,

The very first time I saw my love.

She struck me in a trance.

***

Source for notated version: “From Mrs. Close” [Stanford/Petrie]. Stanford/Petrie (Complete Collection), 1905; No. 535, pg. 135.

X:1

T:Oh were I king of Ireland
M:2/4
L:1/8

S:Stanford/Petrie (1905), No. 535

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:A

E | A>G FE FA EC | EE FG | A3E | A>B cd | e>f ed | cB AB/c/ | B3E |

A>B cd | e>f e>d | cB AB/c/ | B3c | dB e>c | A(B/>c/) EC/>C/ | EE FG | A3 ||

 

OH! WHAT A ROW. Irish?, Reel. C Major. Standard tuning. AB. Hardings All Round Collection, 1905; No. 3, pg. 1.

X:1

T:Oh! What a Row

M:2/4

L:1/8

R:Reel

S:Harding’s All-Round Collection, No. 3 (1905)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:C

cG/E/ cG/E/|c/e/d/c/ c/B/A/G/|A/c/B/A/ A/G/F/E/|FG  cG|cG/E/ cG/E/|c/e/d/c/ c/B/A/G/|

A/c/B/A/ A/G/F/E/|FG cz||e/e/e/c/ e/e/e/c/|e/g/g/e/ d/B/G|d/d/d/B/ d/d/d/B/|

G/A/G/F/ E/D/C|e.g/.g/ .g/.g/.g/z/|g/g/c’/b/ a/g/f/e/|f/g/a/f/ g/e/d/c/|B/a/g/f/ e/d/c/B/||

 

OH WHAT PAIN IT IS TO PART. AKA and see "Gin thou wert mine awn thing," "An thou were my ain thing." English, Air. The tune appears under this title in Gay's Beggar's Opera (1729).


 

OH WHAT SHALL I DO MY LOVE IS GOING TO BE WED. Irish, Air (3/4 time). F Mixolydian. Standard tuning. ABB. Source for notated version: “From Mr. Pigot’s MS” [Petrie]. Stanford/Petrie (Complete Collection), 1905; No. 762, pg. 191.

X:1

T:Oh what shall I do, my love is going to be wed

M:3/4

L:1/8

R:Air

N:”Andante”

S:Stanford/Petrie (1905), No. 762

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:Fmix

BG | F2 B2 AF | G2F2 GB | c2G2F2 | G2e2 dB | c4 BG | F2B2 AB |

G2F2 (3GAB | c2d2 cA | G2F2F2 | F4 |: e2 | dc Bcde | {d}f4 ed |

c2G2F2 | G2e2 dB | c4 BG | F2B2 AB | G2 F>GAB | c2d2 cA | G2F2F2 | F4 :|

 

OH WHAT SHALL I DO WITH THIS SILLY OLD MAN. Irish, Air (6/8 time). D Minor. Standard tuning. AB. Stanford/Petrie (Complete Collection), 1905; No. 530, pg. 134.

X:1

T:Oh what shall I do with this silly old man
M:6/8
L:1/8

S:Stanford/Petrie (1905), No. 530

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:Dmin

A | Add ded | cAA A2A | Aff efg | fdd d2 || f | cAA AGA | FAA AGA |

EAA AGA | FDD D2f | cAA AGA | FAA AGA | EAA A>GA | FDD D2 ||

 

OH WHERE ARE YOU GOING LORD LOVEL, SAID SHE. Irish, Air (6/8 time). F Major. Standard tuning. One part. Stanford/Petrie (Complete Collection), 1905; No. 752, pg. 188. 

X:1

T:Oh where are you going Lord Lovel, said she

M:6/8

L:1/8

S:Stanford/Petrie (1905), No. 752

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:F

F | FGA c2A | GFG F2A | cde f2d | c3 A2c | cde f2d | cdB A2c | dcA G2F | F3 F2 ||

 

O WHERE ARE YOU GOING, MY PRETTY FAIR MAID?  Irish, Air (6/8 time, "lively"). F Major. Standard tuning. One part. "This...(is) from Donegal" (Joyce).

***

"O, where are you going, my pretty fair maid,

 So early? come tell to me now."

"I'll tell you the truth, kind sir," she said,

"I've lost my grey spotted cow." (Joyce)

***

Joyce (Old Irish Folk Music and Song), 1909; No. 152, pg. 77.

X:1

T:O, where are you going, my pretty fair maid?

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:Air

S:Joyce – Old Irish Folk Music and Songs  (1909)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

N:”Lively”

K:F

C|FGA DEF|GEC C2F|FAc cBA|A3 G2A|Bcd c2c|cAF B2G|FDC CDE|(F3 F2)||

 

OH WHERE DID YOU COME FROM. AKA and see "Black-Eyed Daisy." American, Reel. The tune was printed under this title in George P. Knauff's Virginia Reels, volume III (Baltimore, 1839), though it is known in modern times as "Black-Eyed Daisy," played in AEae tuning.

 

OH WHERE, OH WHERE, IS MY DARLING TONIGHT? See "Teabag Blues."

 

OH WHISKEY, HEART OF SOULS [1] (A h-Uiscidhe Chroidhe na n-Anmann). Irish, Air (6/8 time, "with spirit"). "The Irish song with the above opening will be found in Hardiman's Irish Minstrelsy, I. 140; and also in Edward Walsh's Irish Popular Songs, with a metrical translation in the same measure. This song will sing to either of the two following airs:‑‑" (Joyce). Joyce (Old Irish Folk Music and Songs), 1909; No. 273, pg. 129. Shanachie 79013, Derek Bell - "Carolan's Receipt" (1987).

X:1

T:Oh, whiskey, heart of souls

T:A h-Uiscidhe Chroidhe na N-Anmann

L:1/8

M:6/8

N:”With Spirit”
K:Amix

E|A2A B2G|A2B c2e|e2c d2B|A2G E2G|A2A B2G|A2B c2d|e2Bd2B A3A2||

c|e2d e2f|g2g f2f|e2d B2A|A2G E2G|A2A B2G|A2B c2d|e2B d2B|A3 A2||

 

OH WHISKEY, HEART OF SOULS [2]. Irish, Air (4/4 time, "with spirit"). G Mixolydian. Standard tuning. AB. Joyce (Old Irish Folk Music and Song), 1909; No. 274, pg. 130.

X:1

T:Oh, whiskey, heart of souls

M:C

L:1/8

R:Air

S:Joyce – Old Irish Folk Music and Songs (1909)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:Gmix

Bc|d3d dc AG|F2G2 A3c|d3d dc AB|c4 {A}A2 de|fedc dc AG|

F2G2 A3 B/c/|dedB c2A2|G4G2||G2|A2 AB cB Ac|d2d2 f3e|

e3d d2 cA|G2A2F2 fe|d3d dc AG|F2G2 A3 c/d/|e3d c2A2|G4G2||

 

O WHISTLE AND I'LL COME TO YOU/YE MY LOVE/LAD. AKA and see “Days of ‘Lang Syne',” “Tod(d)lin’ Hame.” Scottish, Jig and Air. D Major. Standard tuning. AAB. The title comes from Robert Burns's (1759-1796) lyric to an air by fiddler John Bruce (1720-1785), the 'red‑wed Highlander', originally from Braemar, later settling in Dumfries. Bruce spent some time as a prisoner in Edinburgh Castle for his adherence to the cause of Bonnie Prince Charlie during the rising of 1745. The song was published around the year 1790 in Burns’ Songs, and begins:

***

Aye vow and protest that ye care na for me,
And whiles ye may lightly my beauty a-wee;
But court na anither, tho' jokin ye be,
For fear that she wile your fancy frae me,
For fear that she wile your fancy frae me.
O whistle an' I'll come to ye, my lad,
O whistle an' I'll come to ye, my lad,
Tho' father an' mother an' a' should gae mad,
O whistle an' I'll come to ye, my lad

***

Howe (1000 Jigs and Reels), c. 1867; pg. 125. Kerr (Merry Melodies), vol. 1; No. 30, pg. 33.

X:1

T:O Whistle and I’ll Come to Ye, My Lad

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:Air

S:Howe – 1000 Jigs and Reels (c. 1867)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:Bb

(B/c/) | (d<BG) (FED) | (Ccc) c2 (B/c/) | d<BG FDF | (GBB) B2 B/c/ | dBG (F>ED) |

Ced cf>e | (dBG) (FDF) | GBB B2 || B/c/ | Bdf Bdf | Bdf (f2 d/c/) | Bdf Bdf |

(gc)c c2 d/c/ | Bdf Bdf | BBg (g2 f/e/) | (dBG) (FED) | Ccc cf>e | dBG (FDF) | (GBB) B2 ||

 


O WHITE MAIVE ("O Maeb Gleigeal" or "Maebh Gheal"). Irish, "Very Slow" Air (3/4 time). G Minor (O'Neill): G Dorian (Bunting). Standard tuning. One part. The melody given in O'Neill appears to be taken from Bunting's 1840 collection. O'Sullivan (1983) points out that Bunting altered this version in several ways from the one he collected in his MS from his source (which appears in O'Sullivan's 1983 edition of Bunting): he added passing notes, changed the key signature by adding a flat, and changed the form of the piece to make it more symmetrical. Source for notated version: Bunting noted the tune from "Kitty Doo, at Armagh, 1780." O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1979; No. 281, pg. 49. O'Sullivan/Bunting, 1983; No. 139, pg. 196.

 

O WHY LEFT I MY HAME?  AKA and see "The Exile's Song." Scottish, Air (2/4 time). G Major. Standard tuning. One part. The title comes from the lyric by Robert Gilfillan, but the tune is one of the "Lowlands of Holland [2]" versions published in the Scots Musical Museum. Gilfillan was born in Dunfermline in 1789 and was apprenticed to a cooper for a time. He became a clerk and finally a collector of Poor's Rates in Leith, near Edinburgh, before he died at the age of 52. His songs were popular in their day and his 1831 volume "Original Songs" reached a 3rd edition. Neil (The Scots Fiddle), 1991; No. 18, pg. 24.

 

O WILTU, WILTU DO'T AGAIN!  Scottish, Song Air. The song was one of two attributed to the old Scots fiddler Patie Birnie (d. 1721) by Allan Ramsay in the mid‑18th century. It has apparently been lost to the ages.

 

O WIND FROM THE SOUTH. AKA and see "Ghaoith on nDeas."

 

O WOMAN OF THE HOUSE (A Bhean-a-Tighe). Irish, Air (4/4 time). G Major. Standard tuning. AB. "I found this so incorrectly phrased and barred in the MS. as to be all but unintelligible. I have restored it to what I believe is the correct form" (Joyce). Source for notated version: "Copied from a Munster MS. lent me by the late John O'Daly, the Irish publisher of Anglesea St., Dublin" (Joyce). Joyce (Old Irish Folk Music and Song), 1909; No. 189, pgs. 93‑94.

X:1

T:O Woman of the House

T:A Bhean-a-Tighe

M:C

L:1/8

R:Air

N:”Moderate: time well marked”
S:Joyce – Old Irish Folk Music and Songs (1909)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G

E2|G2 GE GABG|A2G2G2 EG|A2 AB ABcd|edcB AGAB|cBcd efge|edcB cBAG|

BAGE GABG|A2E2E2||(3def|g3a gede|gage d2 eg|a2 ab a2 ga|bage dega|

b2bg a2 ae|gage degf|edBA GABG|A2E2E2||

 

OH WOMAN OF THE HOUSE, ISN’T THAT NEAT? Irish, March (6/8 time). F Major/Mixolydian. Standard tuning. One part. Petrie (1855) gives the title in his index as “O woman of the house is not that pleasant?” and says it is “a white-boy march.”

 

OH YES, MAMMY, LOOK AT SAM. Old‑Time, Breakdown. USA, Mississippi. A Major. The tune was recorded for the Library of Congress in 1939 by Herbert Halpert from the playing of Tishomingo County, Mississippi, fiddler W.E. Claunch.

           

O’HANLON’S BRIDGE.  Irish, Jig. A Dorian. Standard tuning. AABB. Composed by fiddler and piano player Josephine Keegan (b. 1935), of Mullaghbawn, south County Armagh. The title refers to a bridge in the picturesque Ring of Gullion area of south Armagh, located next to O’Hanlan’s Bar, a renowned venue for traditional music. Keegan (The Keegan Tunes), 2002; pg. 62.

           

O’HARA’S CUP. See "Kean O'Hara [1].”

 


O’HIGGIN’S HORNPIPE. Irish, Hornpipe. Rounder 1087, Tommy Reck - “From Galway to Dublin” (c. 1950's. Reissue of 78 RPM).

 

OHIO [1]. Canadian, Hornpipe. Canada, Cape Breton. F Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Composed by Cape Breton fiddler and composer Dan R. MacDonald (1911-1976). Cameron (Trip to Windsor), 1994; pg. 72.

 

OHIO [2]. Scottish, Hornpipe. A Major. Standard tuning. AA’BB. Kerr (Merry Melodies), vol. 4; No. 274, pg. 29.

X:1

T:Ohio [2]

M:C|

L:1/8

R:Hornpipe

S:Kerr – Merry Melodies, vol. 4, No. 274  (c. 1880’s)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:A

A2A2 BdcB|A2A2 BdcB|1 ABcd efga|bagf edcB:|2Acfe ^dBcd|e2g2e2z2||

|:f2ff f2f2|fedc BcdB|e2 ee e2e2|edcB Acde|f2f2 egfe|d2d2 cedc|B^ABc defg|a2a2a2z2||

 

OHIO HORNPIPE [3]. American, Hornpipe. Is this perhaps the “Ohio” hornpipe in Kerr’s?? Edison 51236 (78 RPM), 1923, John Baltzell (appears as 2nd tune of "Durang Hornpipe Medley") {Baltzell was a native of Mt. Veron, Ohio, the same home town as minstrel Dan Emmett [d. 1904]. Emmett returned to Mt. Vernon in 1888, poor, and later taught Baltzell to play the fiddle.}.

 

OHIO RIVER. AKA and see "Boat(s)man [2]." American, Reel. The melody appears under this title in George P. Knauff's Virginia Reels, volume IV (Baltimore, 1839).

 

OHO, OHO, I'VE FOUND YOU OUT. AKA and see "Asey's Piece," "Hunnell's Double Drag," "O I Hae Seen the Roses Blaw," "Ellis'(s) Jig," "Mason's Quickstep." American, March (6/8 time). USA; southwestern Pa., northern W.Va. A Mixolydian. Standard tuning. AB. The first and second alternate titles commemorate once famous southwestern Pa. fifers. Bayard (1981) indicates the tune was one of the favorite pieces of western Pa. and northern W. Va. fifers and martial bands, and may have had great currency at one time in a broad geographic range. He traces it back to the Northumbrian small‑pipes tradition and says it is derivative of the mixolydian "O I Hae Seen the Roses Blaw" (Stokoe & Bruce, pg. 84). Sources for notated versions: Marion Yoders (fifer from Greene County, Pa., 1962), Charles Ganiear (Greene County, Pa., 1960), James Taylor and John Tustin (Greene County, Pa., 1930's), Hiram Horner (fifer from Westmoreland and Fayette Counties, Pa., 1944 & 1960), Hoge MS (No. 9) [Bayard]. Bayard (Dance to the Fiddle), 1981; No. 610A‑F, pgs. 540‑541.

 

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 [COMMENT1]This was Font/Pitch 1,10 - Off.

 [COMMENT2]This was Font/Pitch 1,10 - On.

 [COMMENT3]This was Font/Pitch 1,10 - Off.

 [COMMENT4]Note:  The change to pitch (12) and font (1) must be converted manually.