d OLD HAG AT/IN THE CHURN, THE (An Sean Cailleach sa Mhaistrim)

The Fiddler’s Companion

© 1996-2010 Andrew Kuntz

_______________________________

HOME        ALPHABETICAL FILES        REFERENCES

 

OLD HA – OLD MRS

 

 

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]

 

 

 

OLD HAG AT/IN THE CHURN, THE (An Sean Cailleach sa Mhaistrim). Irish, Double Jig. Ireland, County Donegal. It was commonly believed that butter would not congeal in the churn if a witch was present in the house. Donegal fiddler John Doherty said this tune had the ability to drive the witch away as it contained sounds she could not tolerate, and as so, it was a valuable addition to one’s repertoire (Caoimhin Mac Aoidh).

 

OLD HAG IN THE CORNER [1], THE. AKA and see “Hare in the Corn [6],” “Rathawaun.” Irish, Jig. D Mixolydian. Standard tuning. AABBCCDD. Jerry O’Sullivan & Brian McCandless (2005) are of the opinion that the melody “could have been composed on no other instrument than the uilleann pipes; it is a piping jig through and through.” O’Farrell (National Irish Music for the Union Pipes), 1804; pg. 28. Jerry O’Sullivan – “O’Sullivan Meets O’Farrell” (2005).

X:1

T:Old Hag in the Corner, The

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:Jig

S:O’Farrell – National Irish Music for the Union Pipes (1804)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

=c | BGd =c2A | BGd =c2A | BGd AGF | EFE E2=c | BGd =c2A | BGd =c2A |

BdB AGF | DED D2 :: G | FGA AFd | AFd AFd | BGd AGF | EFE E2G |

FGA AFd | AFd AFd | B/c/dB AFA | DED D2 :: G| F2D E2D | F2D G2E |

FAd AGF | EFE E2G | F2D E2D | F2D G2E | d2B AFA | DED D2 :: g | fdd edd |

fdd ecA | BGd AGF | EFE E2g | fdd edd | fdd ecA | B/c/dB AFA | DED D2 :|

 

OLD HAG IN THE CORNER [2].  Irish, Slip Jig. D Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Kennedy (Fiddler’s Tune-Book: Slip Jigs and Waltzes), 1999; No. 53, pg. 12.

 

OLD HAG IN THE KILN (An Chailleach sa Tornóig). AKA and see "Dinny Delaney('s) [1],” “Hag in the Kiln.” Irish, Slide (12/8 time). D Mixolydian/Major. Standard tuning. AABB. A version of this tune was played by Dinny Delaney (1836-1919), a blind piper from Ballinasloe, Co. Galway. Philippe Varlet states that Delaney competed in the Dublin Feis at the turn of the century and recorded this tune on a cylinder in 1899. Source for notated version: piper Pat Mitchell, 1972 (Dublin, Ireland), who had the setting from Delaney’s cylinder recording [Breathnach]. Breathnach (CRÉ II), 1976; No. 88, pg. 46. Bulmer & Sharpley (Music from Ireland), vol. 4, 81.

See also listings at:

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

Alan Ng’s Irishtune.info

X:1

T:Old Hag in the Kiln, The

T:Dinny Delaney’s

R:slide

N:Parts 3 and 4 are optional.

Z:id:hn-slide-26

Z:transcribed by henrik.norbeck@mailbox.swipnet.se

M:6/8

L:1/8

K:Dmix

A2D ~D3|A2G EFG|A2D ~D3|G2A GED|A2D ~D3|c2d e2d|dcA AGE|G2A GED:|

|:dcA AGE|c3 ABc|dcA AGE|G2A GED|dcA AGE|c2d e2d|dcA AGE|G2A GED:|

|:A2D ~D3|A2B G2B|A2B G2A|E2E GED|A2D ~D3|c2d e2d|dcA AGE|G2A GED:|

|:dcA AGE|c3 ABc|dcA AGE|G2A GED|dcA AGE|c2d e2d|dcA AGE|G2A GED:|

 

OLD HAG, YOU HAVE KILLED ME. AKA and see “A chailleach, do mharaís mé,” "Oh! Hag You Have Killed Me [1],” “Stop, old hag, or you’ll kill me." Irish, Double Jig. D Mixolydian. Standard tuning. AABB. See also the related “Will You Come Home with Me? [1]” Source for notated version: set dance music recorded at Na Píobairí Uilleann in the late 1980’s [Taylor]. Taylor (Music for the Sets: Blue Book), 1995; pg. 2. Green Linnet SIF 3005, The Bothy Band - “Old Hag You Have Killed Me” (1981. A reissue of the 1976 Mulligan LP). 

X:1

T:Old Hag, You Have Killed Me

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:Jig

Z:Lorna LaVerne

K:G Major

AG |FED c2A | ded cAG | ~A3 ABG |A2A A2G |

FED c2A | ded cAF | ~G3 GcA | GcA G2G |

FED c2A | ded cAG | ~A3 ABG |A2A A2G |

FED c2A | ded cAF | ~G3 GcA | GcA G2d |

~f3 gfg | afd cAG | A2A ABG | ABG A2d |

~f3 gfg | afd cAF | ~G3 GcA | GcA G2d |

~f3 gfg | afd cAG | A2A ABG | ABG A2d |

~f3 gfg | afd cAF | ~G3 GcA | GcA G3 |

 

OLD HAILE HORNPIPE.  English, “Old” Hornpipe (triple time). G Major. Standard tuning. ABCDEFGH. From Thomas Marsden’s A Collection of Original Lancashire Hornpipes, Old and New. Containing Divisions upon each (London, 1705). The book was sold out of Henry Playford’s shop at the Temple Change, priced at one shilling. Haile is a village in Cumbria, northwest England, 7 miles southeast of Whitehaven. 
X: 1
T:Old Haile Hornpipe
M:3/2
L:1/8
S:Marsden
Z:Transcribed by Pete Stewart and posted at www.goodbagpipes.co.uk/pipetunes/   
Z:(reposted at Fiddler’s Companion by permission)
K:G
A3Bc2BA B2AG|A2D4G2F2ED|B3cd2cBc2BA|B2G4A2B2AG||
FGAB cdcA GABG|A2D4G2F2D2|GABc dedB ABcA|B2G4A2B2AG||
c2e4dc BcdB|A2D4G2F2ED|G2g2f3e fgaf|g2G4A2B2AG||
cB AG FGAF GABG|A2D4G2F3A|dcBA GABG cA FA|B2G4A2B2AG||
c2e2c2e2BcdB|A2f2A2f2ABcA|G2g2G2fgaf|g2G4A2B2AG||
cBAG FGAF GABG |AGFE DEFG AB cA|dcBA GABG cAFA|B2G4A2B2AG||
c2e2c2e2B2d2|A2f2A2f2AB cA|G2g2G2fgaf|g2G4A2B2AB||
cAFA cAFA dB GB|A2D4G2F3A|dB GB dB GB cAFA|B2G4A2B2AG||
c2e2c2e2B2d2|A2f2A2f2AB cA|G2g2G2g2fgaf|g2G4A2B2AG||

 

OLD HALFTIME. American, March {?} (2/4 time). D Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Source for notated version: Jerry Watrous (Deep River, Conn.) [Sweet]. Sweet (Fifer’s Delight), 1965/1981; pg. 48.

                       

OLD HAT. Voyager 340, Jim Herd - "Old Time Ozark Fiddling."

                       

OLD HEAD OF DENIS, THE (Sean Ceann Doncad). AKA and see "Meeting of the Waters [1],” "Helen," "The Wild Geese [1].” Irish, Air (6/8 time, "with feeling"). G Major. Standard tuning. One part. The melody was used by Thomas Moore for his text "The Meeting of the Waters," but was the vehicle for a number of hymns and ballads, including many cowboy songs such as "The Dreary Black Hills" and the Catskill Mountain (New York) collected "Rock Island Line" (Cazden, et al, 1982). O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903/1979; No. 526, pg. 92.

X:1

T:Old Head of Denis, The

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:Air

N:”With feeling”

S:O’Neill – Music of Ireland (1903), No. 526

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G

d/>c/ | B{c/B/}AG GED | DEG G2 A/>B/ | c>BA ABG | dBG A2 A/>B/ |

c>BA ABG | dBG {B}A2 G/>A/ | B>AG GE>D | DEG c2 c/>B/ |

B>AG GE>D |  DEG G2 ||

                       

OLD HEAD OF KINSALE. Irish, Reel. D Major. Standard tuning. AB. Howe (1000 Jigs and Reels), c. 1867; pg. 21.

X:1

T:Old Head of Kinsale

M:C

L:1/8

R:Reel

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

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

ed | cAAA AGEF | G2 AF GE D2 | EAAA c2d2 | efge dfed | cAAA AGEF |

G2 AF GE D2 | EAAB c2d2 | efge d4 || eaaa agef | g2 af gfed | cAAB c2d2 |

cfge d2 cd | eaaa ggef | g2 af gfed | cAAB c2d2 | efge d2 || 

                       

OLD HEN CACKLE(D) [1], THE. AKA and see “Barnyard Serenade,” "Cacklin' Hen [1]," “Christmas Calico,” "Cluck Old Hen [1]," "Hen Cackle(d)," "Old Hen Cackled and the Rooster's Going to Crow." Old‑Time, Breakdown. USA; Texas, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, Arkansas, Missouri. G Major: A Major. Standard or AEae (John Carson, John Salyer) tuning. AABBCCDD. Popular with both black and white mid-South string bands, writes Charles Wolfe (1991), although it is “conspicuously absent from most standard collections of black folk songs.” As evidence of the tune in black tradition, it was in the repertoire of African-American fiddler Cuje Bertram (of the Cumberland Plateau region, Kentucky), recorded by him on a 1970 home recording he made for his family. It also was recorded by African-American fiddlers Howard Armstrong and the string-band team of Joe Evans and Arthur McClain.

***

The tune was widely known in the South and Mid-West, with several regional and personal variants. It was one of the first country music recordings ever made, in 1923, by north Georgia musician and entertainer Fiddlin’ John Carson (1868-1949), who called it “Old Hen Cackled and the Rooster’s Going to Crow.” Later in the same era Chattanooga fiddler Jess Young added a part in the key of C in his recording. The tune was recorded for the Library of Congress by musicologist/folklorist Vance Randolph from Ozark Mountain fiddlers in the early 1940's. “Old Hen Cackle” is one of ‘100 essential Missouri tunes’ listed by Missouri fiddler Charlie Walden. It was popular in the mountais of southeastern Kentucky, notes Jeff Titon (2001) in a number of related tune and title variants, such as “Cacklin’ Hen,” “Hen Cackle,” “Cluck Old Hen,” etc. Kentucky fiddler Bill Hatton called it “Christmas Calico.” Apart from numerous recordings in the 78 RPM era, evidence for its popularity comes from contemporary newspapers. It is listed in the Northwest Alabamian (Fayette) of August 19, 1929, as one of the tunes likely to be played at an upcoming fiddlers' convention. The Chilton County News (Alabama) of June 1, 1922, predicted it would be one of the tunes that would "vie with the latest jazz nerve wreckers for first place" at a Chilton County fiddlers' convention. That a fiddler’s rendition “Old Hen Cackles” was often a benchmark of his skill is illustrated by John Carson’s recorded exchange (on Okeh 45448) with a fiddler named ‘Bully’ Brewer:

***

Bully:  I’m the best fiddler that ever wobbled a bow.

John:   I don’t give a durn, I’m the best fiddler that ever jerked the hairs of a horse’s tail across the belly of a cat.

Bully:  Well, I’ll play Old Hen Cackle

John:   Turn your dog loose.

(Bully plays)

Bully:  Well, what’re you going to play, John?

John:   I’m going to play the fiddle…that’s a durn sight more than you’ve done.

***

One set of lyrics, collected by African-American collector Thomas Talley, go:

***

De ole hen she cackled,

An’ stayed down in de bo’n.

She git fat an’ sassy,

A-eatin’ up de co’n.

***

De ole hen she cackled,

Git great long yaller laigs,

She swaller down de oats,

But I don’t git no aigs.

***

De ole hen she cackled,

She cackled in de lot,

De nex’ time she cackled,

She cackled in de pot.

***

Not unlike Fiddlin’ John Carson’s:

***

Old hen cackled everybody knows,

The old hen cackled and the rooster's going to crow.

Old hen cackled, cackled mighty loud,

Ain't laid an egg, walked mighty proud.

Old hen cackled, cackled in the lot,

Last time she cackled, cackled in the pot.

***

 

[It was not always easy to decipher Carson’s words. Irene Spain, charged with transcribing the record for sheet music sales, said: Poor John couldn’t make a record unless he was a little more than half drunk and he always had to have a ‘jaw-breaker’—a candy ball about half as bit as a golf ball—in his mouth and he would roll that around while singing. His words were so muddled up at times that we had to almost guess at what he was saying to get them on paper.]

***

Sources for notated versions: Tony Gilmore (Jefferson City, Missouri) [Christeson]; John M. Salyer (Salyersville, Magoffin County, Ky., 1941) [Titon]. R.P. Christeson (Old Time Fiddlers Repertory, vol. 1), 1973; pg. 105. Titon (Old-Time Kentucky Fiddle Tunes), 2001; No. 116, pg. 144. Arhoolie LP1095, Howard Armstrong (1985). County CD2712, Art Stamper (Ky.) - "The Lost Fiddler" (c. 1982). Gennett 3021‑A and SVT 4011 (78 RPM's), Jess Young Band (Chattanooga, Tenn.), 1924 {recorded as "Old Hen Cackled"}. Okeh 45448 (78 RPM), Fiddlin’ John Carson. Oriole 8095 & Perfect 12751 (78 RPM), Joe Evans & Arthur McClain (1931). Rounder Records 1003, Fiddlin' John Carson (north Ga.) ‑ "The Old Hen Cackled and the Rooster's Going to Crow." In the repertoire of Uncle Jimmy Thompson (1848‑1931) {Texas, Tenn.}, Uncle Bunt Stevens (Tenn.), Kentucky African-American fiddler Cuje Bertram, and G.B. Grayson (from eastern Tennessee who recorded it under the title “Barnyard Serenade”).

                       

OLD HEN CACKLED AND THE ROOSTER'S GOING TO CROW. AKA and see "Old Hen Cackle(d) [1]," "Hen Cackle(d)," "Cacklin' Hen [1]," "Cluck Old Hen [1]."

                       

OLD HEWSON THE COBBLER. English, Air (9/8 time). G Minor. Standard tuning. One part. The air appears in the ballad operas The Jovial Crew and The Grub Street Opera (1731). Though the words to the song are lost Chappell (1859) believed it to have referenced Colonel Hewson, one of Charles I's judges and one of those who signed his death warrant. Hewson was in fact once a cobbler, and had only one eye; by fortune and skill he rose to the rank of Colonel on the side of the Parliamentarian army fighting against the forces of the Cavaliers loyal to the King. He was knighted by Cromwell and later made one of his Lords, however, as the tide turned he lost all that he had gained and was lucky to escape from England with his life just before the Restoration. He died in Amsterdam in 1662. Since most of the balladeers and broadsiders seemed to favor the Cavaliers, Hewson's humble beginnings and his one‑eyed affliction became the butt of much doggeral. Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seegar (in Travellers' Songs of England and Scotland) state that this is the common ancestor to a large family of songs, often quite bawdy. Chappell (Popular Music of the Olden Time), vol. 2, 1859; pg. 163.

X:1

T:Old Hewson the Cobbler

M:9/8

L:1/8

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

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G Minor

D|G>AG BAG ^FA2|G>AG AFA c3|G>AG Bc/B/A/G/ ^FA2|=f>ed cAB G2||

                       

OLD HICKORY. AKA and see “Chapel Hill March,” "Coleman's March [1]," “Green Willis [1],” "The Raw Recruit," "The New Rigged Ship [1]." American, Quadrille (6/8 time). D Major. Standard tuning. AABB. As "The New Rig'd Ship," the tune dates back to the 18th century British Isles. Old Hickory was a nickname for President Andrew Jackson. Ford (Traditional Music in America), 1940; pg. 116.

                       

OLD HICKORY HORNIPE. Scottish, Hornpipe. B Flat Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Honeyman (Strathspey, Reel and Hornpipe Tutor), 1898; pg. 54.

X:1

T:Old Hickory Hornpipe

M:C|

L:1/8

R:Hornpipe

S:Honeyman – Strathspey, Reel and Hornpipe Tutor (1898)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:B_

dc|BABc BFdc|BABc BFdc|Bcde fBgf|edcB AFGA|BABc BFdc|BABc BFdc|

BfdB AFGA|B2 d2 B2:|

|:AB|cAFA cAdB|ecAc edgf|edc=B cGc_B|Af=eg fd_ec|BABc BFdc|

BABc BFdc|BfdB AFGA|B2 d2 B2:|

                       

OLD HIGH REEL, THE. AKA and see “The Beehive,” “A Bangor Reel,” “The Galway High Reel,” “The Other High Reel.” Irish, Reel. Standard tuning. D Major. Ossian OSS 85, Oisín – “Celtic Dream” (reissue of  “The Jeannie C” & “Winds of Change”). Noel O'Donoghue & Michael Quealy – “Moher.” “Turas.”

X:1

T:The Old High Reel

T:The Galway High Reel

M:4/4

L:1/8

K:D

f3 d ecAG|FD (3EFG Ad=cA|G2 FG Adde|fded cdeg|

fafd ecAG|FD (3EFG Ad=cA|G2 FG Addc|A2 GE FD D2:|

|:a2 fa dafg|a2 fa dafa|b2 gb ebgb|efgb efgb|

a2 fa dafg|a2 fa dafa|bgaf gefd|ABAG FD D2:|

"Variation, second part"

a2 fa dafa | a2 fa dafa | b2 gb ebgb | b2 gb ebgb |

a2 fa dafa | a2 fa dafa | bgaf gfed | ABAG FD D2 :||

                       

OLD HIGHLAND FLING, THE. Scottish, Highland Fling. F Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Harding’s All Round Collection, 1905; No. 181, pg. 57.

X:1

T:Old Highland Fling, The

M:C

L:1/8

R:Fling

B:Harding’s All-Round Collection, No. 181  (1905)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:F

FzFz (A<c) cz|B>GA>F G>ED>C|FzFz (A<c) cz|d>fe>g f z z2:|

|:f>ga>f g>fd>c|d>ef>d c>AG>F|f>ga>f g>fd>c|

dzezfz f>g|azgzfzez|d>ef>d c>BA>G|FzFz (A<c) cz|d>fe>g f:|

                       

OLD HOB. AKA and see "The Mousetrap [1]," "Marriage, or the Mouse Trap," "Of all the simple things we do," "A maid is like the golden ore." English, Jig. D Major. Standard tuning. AABB. The tune appears under this title in John Young’s second volume of the Dancing Master (third edition), printed in London in 1718, and, in a fourth edition, in 1728, and in John Walsh’s Second Book of the Compleat Country Dancing-Master (London, 1719, and later editions of 1735 and 1749). Thomas D’Urfey included it as a song in his Wit and Mirth, or Pills to Purge Melancholy (vol. 1, 1719, as “The Mousetrap, or Old Hob”), as did Watts in his Musical Miscellany (1731, as “The Marriage”). In fact, the lyric is by D’Urfey, “made to a comical tune in The Country Wake,” a play written by Doggett, and printed in 1696 (Chappell, vol. 2, pg. 111). “Doggert was an actor, who bequeathed the annual coat and badge to the Thames watermen,” notes Chappell. It was the vehicle for a song in Gay’s Beggar’s Opera (1729) and was frequently employed in later ballad operas such as The Generous Freemason, The Patron and An Old Man Taught Wisdom.

***

Of all the simple things we do,

To rub over a whimsical life,

There’s no one folly is so true,

As that very bad bargain, a wife.

We’re just like a mouse in a trap,

Or rat that is caught in a gin;

We start and fret, and try to escape,

And rue the sad hour we came in.

***

Barnes (English Country Dance Tunes, vol. 2), 2005; pg. 97. Chappell (Old English Popular Music, vol. 2), 1858; pg. 111. Wildgoose Records WGS 310CD, Belshazzar’s Feast – “Mr. Kynaston’s Famous Dance, vol. 2” (2002).

X:1

T:Old Hob, or The Mouse Trap

M:6/4

L:1/8

S:John Young – Dancing Master, second volume, third edition (1718)

K:D

D|D4E2 F4G2|A4B2 c3BA2|B2c2d2 e2c2A2|A2 (d4 d4)D2|

D4E2 F4G2|A4B2 c3BA2|B2c2d2 e2c2A2|A2 (d4 d4):|

|:(cd)|e2c2A2 d3ef2|B6 g6|f2e2d2 e3de2|(A6 A4)f2|

g4f2 e4d2|c3de2 A4A2|B3cd2 e2c2A2|A2 (d4 d4):|

                       

OLD HOG OR NONE. English, "Morris Air." This melody was taken down by Cecil Sharp from Charles Bunyan of Oxford, England, and though not ascribed to any particular morris tradition it may have been played for dancers at Brill (Suff, 1994). EMI/Harvest 7243 8 29861 2 6, Ashley Hutchings et al - "Son of Morris On" (1976/1994).

                       

OLD HOLLOW POPLAR. Old-Time, Breakdown. G Major. Standard. AA’BB. Devil’s Box.

X:1

T:Old Hollow Poplar

M:C|

L:1/8

S:Howdy Forrester, transcribed by John Hartford

K:G

G|:g/g/a g/g/a|g/e/d/c/ B/G/B/d/|aa aa/b/|a/g/e/d/ B/G/D/D/|B/gB/ gg/a/|

g/e/d/c/ B/G/B/d/|aa a/b/a/f/|1 g/f/e/d/ B/G/G:|2 g/f/e/d/ B/G/G/G,/||

|:dB/d/ c/B/A/d/|B/c/d/^c/ B/G/G|G,>A c/B/A/G/|F/G/A/d/ B/G/G|

G,>A c/B/A/G/|A/B/d/^c/ B/G/G/B/|dB/d/ c/B/A/F/|D/F/A/d/ B/G/G:|

                       


OLD HOME WALTZ. Cajun, Waltz. USA, southwestern Louisiana. D Major. Standard. One part. See also Aldus Roger's related tune, "Lafayette Playboys' Waltz." The original was by Shirley Bergeron, though it has been covered by other Cajun musicians. Source for notated version: Shirley Bergeron (La.) [Francois]. Francois (Yé Yaille, Chère!), 1990; pgs. 434-435. Lanor Records LP510 (also on LP1000), Shirley & Alphee Bergeron.

                       

OLD HOMESTEAD, THE. Canadian, Reel. D Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Composed by John Burt. Similarities with “Rachel [1].” Jarman (The Cornhuskers Book of Square Dance Tunes), 1944; pg. 19.

                       

OLD HORNED SHEEP, THE (An Sean Caor-Adrcac). AKA and see “Bangor Regatta,” "Humors of Donnybrook." Irish, Double Jig. G Major (O’Neill): B Flat Major (Cranford). Standard tuning. AABB. The melody appears to be an amalgam of two old Irish tunes, “The Humours of Donnybrook” and “Sweet Biddy Daly” (the ‘A’ and ‘B’ parts, respectively). It was first printed in Ryan’s Mammoth Collection (1883) under the title “The Boss.” Donegal fiddler John Doherty played a version he called “The Pet in the Kitchen,” a reference to his fiddle. See also “Original One-Horned Sheep.” Source for notated version: Winston Fitzgerald (1914-1987, Cape Breton), had had the tune from his friend Don Brown who had learned it from O’Neill’s [Cranford]. Cranford (Winston Fitzgerald), 1997; No. 184, pg. 73. O'Neill (O’Neill’s Irish Music), 1915/1987; No. 169, pg. 93. O'Neill (Krassen), 1976; pg. 55. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903/1979; No. 1026, pg. 192. O'Neill (Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems), 1907/1986; No. 238, pg. 53. Ryan’s Mammoth Collection, 1883; pg. 108. 

X:1

T:Old Horned Sheep, The

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:Jig

S:O’Neill – Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems (1909),  No. 238

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G

(3d/e/f/|:g2G GFG|EGG DGG|g2G GFG|EAG FED|

g2G GFG|EGG DGG|EGG FGA|BGG G2:|

|:z|Bdd dBG|Bdd d2G|Bdd dBG|cAA A2c|

Bdd dBG|Bdd def|gfe dcB|ABG FED:|

                       

OLD HORNLESS COW, THE (Sean Bho Mhaol). AKA and see "The Brown Ewe" (meaning a potheen still). Irish, Air (6/8 time, "lively"). C Major. Standard tuning. AB. Source for notated version: Hugh O'Beirne, professional fiddler from Ballinamore, Co. Leitrim, c. 1846. "O'Beirne obtained it from Glenfarne in the County Leitrim" (Joyce). Joyce (Old Irish Folk Music and Songs), 1909; No. 569, pgs. 300‑301.

X:1

T:Old Hornless Cow, The

T:Brown Ewe, The

M:6/8

L:1/8

N:”Lively”

R:Air

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

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:C

e/f/ | g2e c2A | G2E G2A | c2d ed2f | g2a g2e | d2e c2A | (G3 G2) e/f/ |

g2e c2A | G2E G2A | c2d e2g | a2e g2e | d2e c2c | (c3 c2) || G |

c2e g2f | e2g a2b | c’3 b2c’ | a2e g2e | d2e c2A | (G3 G2) e/f/ |

g2e c2A | G2E G2A | c2d e2g | a2e g2e | d2e c2c | (c3 c2) ||

                       

OLD HORNPIPE. Scottish, Hornpipe. D Major. Standard tuning. AAB. The melody (labelled "very old") appears in Niel Gow's First Collection, 2nd edition, 1801, in duple metre. Emmerson (1971) asserts it is really in 3/2 time, the old hornpipe rhythm which disappeared when the country dances it was used for fell out of fashion. Emmerson (Rantin’ Pipe and Tremblin’ String), 1971; No. 93, pg. 167.

                       

OLD HORSE AND BUGGY. AKA and see “Horse and Buggy-O.” Old-Time, Breakdown. A Major. AEae tuning. AA’B. See also Missouri fiddler Fred Stoneking’s version under the title “Horse and Buggy-O.” County CO-CD-2729, Art Stamper – “Goodbye Girls, I’m Going to Boston” (2000).

X:1

T:Old Horse and Buggy

M:C|

L:1/8

R:Reel

S:Art Stamper

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

EF|A2 A2 cBAA|c2e4 EF|A2A2 cBAA|F2E4 EF|A2 Ac BABA|

cdef e2 ef|ecBA F(GA)c|B/c/B AB A2 EF|A2 Ac (3BcB AA|

c2e4 EF|A2 Ac (3BcB AA|F2(E2 E2)EF|A2A2 cBAd|cdef e2 ef|

ecBA FGAc|B/c/B AB A2A2||ef2=g fede|fa2b a3 (a|a2_af ecBA|

ce2(e e2)ce|ef2=g fede|faab a2 af|e2c2 BAAc|B/c/B AB A2e2|

ef2=g fede|fa2b a3f|e2 ef ecBA|ce2(e e2)ce|ef2=g fede|faab a2 af|

e2c2 BAAc|B/c/B AB A4||

“Alternate A part”

[A,2E2A2] Ac BABA|c2(e2e2)e2|E2 Ac BABA|c2A2E2A2|

[A,2E2A2] Ac BABA|cdef e2 ef|ecBA FGAc|B/c/B AB A4||

                       

OLD INDIANA. American, Two-Step or Polka. USA, Missouri. G Major. Standard tuning. ABB’C. Composed by Lee Stoneking in the late 1960’s, according to son Fred. Source for notated version: Lee Stoneking (1907-1989, Henry County, Missouri) [Beisswenger & McCann]. Beisswenger & McCann (Ozark Fiddle Music), 2008; pg. 143. Graphic Recording, Lee Stoneking – “Missouri Old Time Fiddlin’” (c. 1970’s).  Rounder Records 0368, Fred Stoneking – “Saddle Old Paint” (1996).

                       

OLD INVERNESS COUNTY REEL, AN. Canadian, Reel. Canada, Cape Breton. G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AA’BB’. Source for notated version: fiddler/guitarist Dave MacIsaac (Halifax, Nova Scotia) via fiddler Jerry Holland (Inverness, Cape Breton) [Cranford]. Cranford (Jerry Holland’s), 1995; No. 175, p. 49.

                       

OLD IRELAND, A LONG FAREWELL. Irish, Slow Air (4/4 time). G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AB. An English‑sounding melody. The tune was originally published by the Dublin Feis Ceóil Association in 1914, although it was collected at the turn of the 20th century. It is a “corrupt version” of “[[Burns Farewell]],” dating to 1797. Source for notated version: a MS. of Schoolmaster James Whiteside (Bray, Co. Wicklow, Ireland) [Darley & McCall]. Connelly & Martin (Forget Me Not), 2002; pgs. Darley & McCall (The Feis Ceóil Collection of Irish Airs), 1914; No. 49, p. 21.

                       


OLD IRELAND, REJOICE. Irish, Scottish; Slow Air (3/4 time). D Dorian. Standard. AB. A tune by this name appears in two 18th century Scottish volumes; the 1772 McLean Collection, published by James Johnson in Edinburgh, and the 1740 McFarlane Collection, vol. 2, No. 52. The musicologist Alfred Moffat maintained the “Old Ireland” tune was a version of “The Wild Geese [1]” ("Gye Fiane" in Englished Gaelic or, in Irish, “Na Geadna Fiadaine”), though as with other Moffat pronouncements this is doubted by some. Source for notated version: Patrick MacDowell, "the distunguished sculptor, born in Belfast 1799: died in 1870" (Joyce). Joyce (Old Irish Folk Music and Songs), 1909; No. 787, p. 384.

                       

OLD IRONSIDES (Lancashire) CLOG. American, Hornpipe. G Major. Standard. AABB (Cole): AA'BB' (Kerr). The title undoubtedly refers to the early 19th century American square-rigged naval ship the Constitution, now a floating museum in Boston harbour. Perhaps the earliest recording is from 1913 by violinist Charles D’Alamaine, born in 1871 in England, who died in 1943. D’Alamaine immigrated to the United States in 1888, and by 1890 had established himself as “instructor on violin” in Evanston, Illinois; by 1910 he had removed to Yonkers, and in 1920 was a chiropractor in New York City (info. from Paul Gifford). Cole (1000 Fiddle Tunes), 1940; p. 119. Kerr (Merry Melodies), vol. 2; No. 365, p. 40. Ryan’s Mammoth Collection, 1883; pg. 157.

X:1

T:Old Ironsides

M:C

L:1/8

R:(Lancashire) Clog

S:Ryan’s Mammoth Collection (1883)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G

G2 (B>.c) (d>.B) g2 | e>de>f g>dB>G | D2 F>A c>A f>e | d>^cd>e d>=cB>A |

G2 B>c d>B g2 | e>de>f g>dB>G | D2 F>A c>B f>e |1 (3ded (3cBA G2 z2 :|2

(3ded (3cBA G2 |: d2 | (3d^cd e>d c>AF>A | G>FG>A G>Bc>^c |

(3d^cd g>f (3ede c>B | A>DF>A d2d2 | (3d^cd e>d c>AF>A | G>FG>A G>AB>d |

(3d^cd g>e c>AF>A |1 G2 (3BAB G2 :|2 G2 (3BAB G2z2 ||

                       


OLD JAKE GILLIE. AKA and see “Jake Gillie.” Old-Time, Breakdown. USA; Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky. D Major. Standard. AABB’AACC. A West-Virginia/Kentucky regional tune (Charles Wolfe, 1997). The tune was recorded on a 78 RPM for Brunswick by Kanawha County, West Virginia, fiddler Clark Kessinger (1896-1975), who probably learned while growing up in the Kanawha Valley (Wolfe, Mountains of Music, 1999). See also the tune under the title "Jake Gilly." Other old-time musicians in whose repertoire “Jake Gilly” was include Matokie Slaughter, of Pulaski, Va., best‑known as a fine banjo player, but she also played tunes on the fiddle, including the “Gilly” tune. It was in the repertoire as well of fiddler Norman Edmonds (Hillsville, Va.) who played it on his c. 1950's radio shows, some of which were recorded. Some have noticed a general resemblance between this tune and “The Eighth of January.” Source for notated version: Clark Kessinger [Phillips]. Krassen (Clawhammer Banjo), 1974; pg. 18. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes), vol. 1, 1994; pg. 171. Brunswick Records (78 RPM), Clark Kessinger (1930). County 717, Oscar Wright (Princeton, West Virginia) - "More Clawhammer Banjo Tunes." Rounder 0057, Sam McNeil (Montgomery Co., Virginia) - "Old Originals, volume 1," (1976. Appears as “Jake Gillie”).

X:1

T:Old Jake Gillie

L:1/8

M:C|

K:D

f2 fa f2d2|fdec d3e|fafe dfed|BA F2 D3 (3A/B/c/|defd e2 de|fd e2 d3e|fafe dfed|BA F2 D3||

|:E|FABF A2 BA|FBAF EFDE|FBAF ABFB|AFEF D3:|

|:z|a2 ab a2f2|abaf edfg|a2ab a2g2|fd e(d d2)z2:|

                       

OLD JAKEY BUZZARD. American, Reel. USA, southwestern Pa. D Major. Standard tuning. AB. The 'A' part is similar to the 'B' part of "Old Man and the Old Woman [1]" and "Growling Old Man and (Grumbling Old) Woman". Sources for notated versions: George Clever (elderly fiddler from Jefferson County, Pa., 1948), Hogg (Pa., 1948) [Bayard]. Bayard (Dance to the Fiddle), 1981; No. 142A‑B, pg. 78.

                       

OLD JAW BONE. AKA and see "Jawbone,” “Walk Jawbone [2]." Old‑Time, Breakdown.  A Major/Mixolydian. Standard tuning. AABB. See note for “Walk Jawbone.” The title appears in a list of traditional Ozark Mountain fiddle tunes compiled by musicologist/folklorist Vance Randolph, published in 1954. The label on the Carter Brothers’ recording gives the title as “Old Joe Bone.” Source for notated version: Carter Brothers and Son (Mississippi), 78 RPM recording c. 1929 [Phillips]. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes, vol. 1), 1994; pg. 171.

                       

OLD JERRY DOYLE. Irish, Double Jig. G Major/Mixolydian. Standard tuning. AABBCC. "From John Dolan of Glenosheen: 1845" (Joyce). Joyce (Old Irish Folk Music and Songs), 1909; No. 65, pg. 35.

X:1

T:Old Jerry Doyle

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:Jig

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

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G

ge|dBG G>AG|dcB Age|dBG G>AG|cAF ABc|BAG G>AG|dBG Bdg| edc dcB|cAF G2:|

|:B/A/|G2 g gfg|dcB ABG|=F2f fef| cA=F FGA|Ggg gfg| efg de=f| edc dcB|cAF G2:|

|:B/A/|Ggg e2g|dcB AcA|=Fff fef|cA=F FGA|Ggg B2g|efg de=f| edc dcB|cAF G2:|

                       

OLD JEW, THE. AKA and see "The Auld Jew," "Black Headed Dearie" (Ceann Dubh Dilis).

                       

OLD JIM LANE. Old‑Time. The title appears in a list of traditional Ozark Mountain fiddle tunes compiled by musicologist/folklorist Vance Randolph, published in 1954.

           

OLD JIMMY JOHNSON. AKA and see “Jimmy Johnson.”

           


OLD JIMMY SUTTON. Old‑Time, Breakdown. USA, Virginia. D Major. Standard tuning. AB. Source for notated version: Highwoods String Band (New York) [Brody]. Brody (Fiddler’s Fakebook), 1983; pg. 206. Biograph 6003, "The Original Bogtrotters." Rounder 0045, Highwoods String Band‑ "Dance All Night." Tennvale 003, Pete Parish‑ "Clawhammer Banjo."

                       

OLD JOE [1]. Old-Time, Breakdown. USA, Tennessee. C Major. Standard tuning. AA'BB. Source for notated version: Oscar Stone with Dr. Humphrey Bate and His Possum Hunters (Tenn.) [Phillips]. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes), vol. 1, 1994; pg. 172.

 

OLD JOE [2]. Old‑Time, Breakdown. USA; Tennessee, Missouri. C Major. Standard tuning. AB (Silberberg): AABB (Christeson, Phillips, Songer). This tune was recorded on another occasion by Tennessee fiddler Sid Harkreader in 1927, slightly modified from a version he had from Dr. Humphrey Bate. Charles Wolfe believes Bate may have obtained the tune from black musicians. “Old Joe” is one of ‘100 essential Missouri tunes’ listed by Missouri fiddler Charlie Walden. Sources for notated versions: Bob Walters, 1951, who probably had the tune from an old 78 RPM (Burt County, Nebraska) [Christeson]; Sid Harkreader and Paul Elliott (Tenn.) [Phillips];  Stephanie Prausnitz [Silberberg]. R.P. Christeson (Old Time Fiddler’s Repertory), vol. 1, 1973; pg. 40. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes), vol. 1, 1994; pg. 172. Silberberg (Tunes I Learned at Tractor Tavern), 2002; pg. 111. Songer (Portland Collection), 1997; pg. 150. County 541, Sid Harkreader. Rounder 0193, Rodney Miller - “Airplang.” Rounder 0437, Jimm Beeler Kate  – “Traditional Fiddle Music of the Ozarks, vol. 3: Down in the Border Counties” (2000. Appears as “Old Joe in Dischord”).

                       

OLD JOE BONE. AKA and see “Jawbone,” “Old Jaw Bone,” “Walk Jawbone [2].”

                       

OLD JOE CLARK. Old‑Time, Breakdown. USA, Widely known. A Major/Mixolydian (most versions): C Major (Ford): D Mixolydian (Bayard). AEae (Art Stamper), GDgd, or standard tunings. AB (Bayard): AABB. Bayard (1981) thinks it was originally a song tune that later (or parallelly) became a fiddle standard and playparty tune. Alan Jabbour states he has not found any 19th century examples of the tune in printed, nor is it mentioned by name in any 19th century texts, and he believes it is no older than the late 19th century or the early 20th century. The earliest reference appears to be in the Journal of American Folklore, XXV, 152,  where it is noted that “Old Joe Clark” was "sung by East Tennessee whites, 1905." Mike Seeger (1983) relates the local story of the origins of the tune where he lives in Rockbridge County, Va.:

***

Joe Clark's father settled around Irish Creek, near South River,

in the early 1800's. Joe Clark had a daughter, and a jilted beau

is said to have written the song, out of jealousy, in the late 1800's.

The Clarks have been family‑style string musicians right down

through the years.

***

Another investigation determined the source of the tune to be the murder in Maryland of a traveling salesman named Herbert Brown by Joe Clark and Brown’s wife Betsy sometime after the Civil War. Joe and Betsy attempted to cover up the crime by asserting that Brown was on a trip up North. This perhaps explains the verse:

***

Old Joe Clark killed a man

Layed him in the sand.

***

…and the chorus, many versions of which include “goodbye Betsy Brown.”

***

Yet another claim is that the song is named for Joe Clark of Clay County, Kentucky, born in 1839. During the Civil War Clark enlisted in the Union Army and served for about six months before receiving a disability discharge in 1862, after which he farmed. Later he ran a general store and had a state-licensed moonshine still. Clark, however, was a womanizer, and this probably led to his murder in 1886, when he was shot and killed near the back porch of his store. There is suppossedly a Kentucky State historical marker in front of the U.S. Post Office at Sexton’s Creek that reads:

***

Mountain ballad, about 90 stanzas sung during World War I and later wars by soldiers from eastern Kentucky. Early version as sung in Virginia, printed in 1918. Joe Clark born 1839, lived here; a shiftless and rough mountaineer of that day. His enemies were legion; he was murdered in 1885. In the moonshining days of the 1870s he ran a government supervised still.

***

The tune was recorded for the Library of Congress by musicologist/folklorist Vance Randolph from Ozark Mountain fiddlers in the early 1940's. Virginia family band "Fiddlin'" Cowan Powers and Family's recording of the piece was the third best-selling country music record of 1924, while the Skillet Lickers (north Georgia) 1926 recording was the fourth best-selling for that year. “Old Joe Clark” was recorded in 1934 by Louisiana fiddler Wayne Perry, a “lovely and unusual setting” says Kerry Blech. Blech notes that another Louisiana fiddler, Horace Foreman, recorded the tune around the same time. He states: “From his photo Perry looks to be in his late 20’s or early 30’s, while Foreman had been born in 1849, yet their versions are extraordinarily similar,” pointing out the strength of regionalism in isolated areas with regard to traditional music. These and similar ditties were collected with the tune:

***

I has to ride the leadin' mule,

A switch in my right hand;

Gwine to ride with Old Joe Clark,

To a foreign land.

Chorus:
Going around with Old Joe Clark,

Going around I'm gone;

Going around with Old Joe Clark,

Good‑bye Lucy Long.    (Thede)

***

I don't like Old Joe Clark,

I'll tell you the reason why;

He caught his foot in a panel of my fence

And tore out all my rye. (Bayard)

***

Many old-time fiddlers (such as West Virginia’s Edden Hammons) play the piece in cross-tuning, AEae, although some, like African-American fiddler Joe Thompson, play it in GDgd.

***

Sources for notated versions: Emmet Newman (Delaware County, Oklahoma) [Thede], Wiley Jobes (Greene County, Pa., and northern W.Va., 1930's) and Walter Ireland (Greene County, Pa., 1944) [Bayard]; Judy Hyman (Ithica, N.Y.) [Phillips]. Bayard (Dance to the Fiddle), 1981; No. 161A‑B, pgs. 98‑99. Brody (Fiddler’s Fakebook), 1983; pg. 207. Cazden (Dances from Woodland), 1945; pg. 20. Ford (Traditional Music in America), 1940; pg. 121. Frets Magazine, "Mike Seeger: Traditional Music," July 1983; pg. 55. Krassen (Appalachian Fiddle), 1973; pg. 16. Lowinger (Bluegrass Fiddle), 1974; pg. 12. Phillips (Fiddlecase Tunebook), 1989; pg. 30‑31. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes, vol. 1), 1994; pg. 172 (two versions). Reiner (Anthology of Fiddle Styles), 1979; pg. 38. Ruth (Pioneer Western Folk Tunes), 1948; No. 99, pg. 35. Thede (The Fiddle Book), 1967; pg. 28‑29. AFS 20-21, Wayne Crowley (Louisiana, 1934. A field recording by Alan Lomax). AFS 23, Horace Forman (Louisiana, 1934. A field recording by Alan Lomax. Mr. Forman was elderly, having been born in the mid-19th century). Briar 4202, The Kentucky Colonels‑ "Living in the Past." Brunswick 313 (78 RPM), Lonnie Austin (1929). County 524, "Da Costa Woltz's Southern Broadcasters, 1927 Recordings." County 723, Cockerham, Jarrell and Jenkins‑ "Back Home in the Blue Ridge." County CO-CD-2729, Art Stamper – “Goodbye Girls I’m Going to Boston” (2000). Document 8039, “The Hill Billies/Al Hopkins and His Buckle Busters: Compoete Recorded Works in Chronological Order, vol. 1” (reissue). Folkways FA 2337, Clark Kessinger‑ "Live at Union Grove." Folkways FA 2395, New Lost City Ramblers‑ "vol. 5." Front Hall 01, Fennigs All Stars‑ "The Hammered Dulcimer." Heritage 080, Enoch Rutherford ‑ "Old Cap'n Rabbit." Marimac 9038, Dan Gellert & Brad Leftwich - "A Moment in Time." MCA 88, Bill Monroe‑ "Bluegrass Ramble." Poppy PP‑LA210‑G 0698, Doc Watson‑ "Two Days in November." Rounder 18964-1518-2, Various Artists (Wayne Perry) – “American Fiddle Tunes” (a reissue of the 1971 Library of Congress LP of field recordings). Rounder CD1518, Various Performers – “American Fiddle Tunes” (1971). Victor 19434 (78 RPM), Fiddlin' Cowan Powers (Russell County, S.W. Va.), also recorded by him for Edison in 1925. Edden Hammons Collection II, Disc 1.

X:1

T:Old Joe Clark

M:2/4

L:1/8

S:Viola “Mom” Ruth – Pioneer Western Folk Tunes (1948)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:A

E|[E2A2] [E2A2]|ed [E2c2]|Ac B^G|(E2 E)E|[E2A2] [E2A2]|

ed [E2c2]|Ac BE|[E2A2][EA]||A|[c2e2] [c>e>]f|=gfe>d|ef=gf|

(e2 e)A|e2 e>f|gfe>c|Ac BE|A3||

                       

OLD JOE REDBIRD.  AKA – “Redbird [3].” Old-Time, Breakdown. USA, Arkansas. G Major. Standard tuning. AA’BB’. Source Wallace knew the tune as “Redbird,” but since he also knew other melodies by that name, so to distinguish it he decided to add the name of the Arkansas town of the man whom he learned it from, Henry Woods, of Old Joe, Arkansas. Source for notated version: Jesse Wallace (1907-2006, born Stone County, Arkansas) [Beisswenger & McCann]. Beisswenger & McCann (Ozark Fiddle Music), 2008; pg. 156. Rounder CD 0435, Jesse Wallace – “Traditional Fiddle Music of the Ozarks, vol. 1” (1999. Various artists).

 

OLD JOE SHELBY. Old‑Time. The title appears in a list of traditional Ozark Mountain fiddle tunes compiled by musicologist/folklorist Vance Randolph, published in 1954.

                       

OLD JOE SIFE'S REEL. AKA and see "Farrell O'Gara's Favorite Reel,” "Last Night in Leadville," "Last Night's Fun [1],” "The Macroom Lasses," “Stick it in the Ashes.” American, Reel. A Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Cole (1000 Fiddle Tunes), 1940; pg. 30. Ryan’s Mammoth Collection, 1883; pg. 56.

X:1

T:Old Joe Sife’s

M:2/4

L:1/8

R:Reel

S:Ryan’s Mammoth Collection (1883)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:A

F | .E(A/c/) B/A/a/f/ | e/c/B/d/ c/A/F/A/ | .E(A/c/) B/A/a/f/ | e/c/B/c/ .A.F |

.E(A/c/) B/A/a/f/ | e/c/B/d/ c/A/F/A/ | .E(A/c/) B/A/a/f/ | e/c/B/c/ A :: e |

a/g/a/f/ e/a/c/e/ | d/B/c/A/ B/A/F/A/ | a/g/a/f/ e/a/c’/a/ | {c’}b/a/b/c’/ .a(a/b/) |

c’/a/f/a/ e/a/c/e/ | d/B/c/A/ B/A/F/A/ | E(A/c/) B/A/a/f/ | e/c/B/c/ A :|

                       

OLD JOE THE BOAT IS GOING OVER. English. England, East Anglia. Old Hat Records OH-1, Old Hat Band - "The Old Hat Concert Party."

                       

OLD JOE'S JIG. AKA and see “The Gullane Jig,” “The Old Bush (Jig),” “Port Sheáin tSeosaimh.” Irish, Jig. D Major. Standard tuning. AABB (Mallinson, Tubridy): AABB'. It is perhaps a piping tune. Private collection (circulated among contra-dance musicians). Source for notated version: Charlie Lavin (b. 1940, Cloohshanville, near Frenchpark, County Roscommon) [Flaherty]. Flaherty (Trip to Sligo), 1990; pg. 153 (appears as “Unknown”). Mallinson (Enduring), 1995; No. 35, pg. 15. Tubridy (Irish Traditional Music, vol. 1), 1999; pg. 29. Shanachie 79002, "The Boys of the Lough" (1973. Learned from Matt Molloy and Liam og O'Flynn).

X:1

T:Old Joe's Jig

R:jig

M:6/8

L:1/8

K:D

|:f2A AFA|BAF A2A|BdB AFA|Bcd efg|

fAA AFA|{d}BAF A2A|B/2c/2dB AFA|Bdc d2e:||

|fgf efe|dBA d2e|faa afe|faa b2a|

~f3 efe|dBA d2e|fAA {d}AFA|Bdc d2e|

faf efe|dBA d2e|faa bfe|fga b2a|

fAA eAA|dBA d2e|fAA AFA|Bdc d2e||

                       

OLD JOHNNIE WALKER. AKA and see "Buffalo Gals [1]." English, Reel. G Major. Standard tuning. AB. Kennedy (Fiddler’s Tune Book), vol. 1, 1951; No. 56, pg. 28 (appears as "Buffalo Girls"). Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 145.


                       

OLD JOHN’S JIG (Port Shean tSeáin). AKA and see “Bank of Ireland [2],” “Port Shean tSeáin.” Irish, Double Jig. A Dorian (Breathnach, Cranitch): E Dorian (Miller). Standard tuning. AABB. The tune was named by Brendan Breathnach. O'Sullivan (1983) remarks that this tune is a jig variant of O'Carolan's "Princess Royal [1]."  Breathnach (1963) notes that O’Neill’s “The Short Grass” has several bars reminiscent of this jig, as does a jig printed by Levey (No. 87). See also the related “Rambler from Clare” and the reels “Bank of Ireland” and “The Kerryman’s Daughter [1].” Source for notated version: piper Seán Potts (Ireland) [Breathnach]. Breathnach (CRÉ I), 1963; No. 22, pg. 10. Cranitch (Irish Fiddle Book), 1996; pg. 51. Miller (Fiddler’s Throne), 2004; No. 86, pg. 62. Popcorn Behavior – “Journeywork” (1997). Shanachie 29003, Tommy Peoples – “The High Part of the Road” (1976).

See also listings at:

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

Alan Ng’s Irishtune.info

X:1

T:Sonny Brogan’s #2

T:Bryan O’Lynn

T:Old John’s Jig

R:jig

H:See also #126, #134

D:Oisin: Over the Moor to Maggie

Z:id:hn-jig-45

M:6/8

L:1/8

K:Ador

cBA cBA|GEG GAB|cAG A2G|Ad^c ded|cBA cBA|

~G3 GAB|cde ged|1 cAG A2B:|2 cAG A2d||:egg eaa|

ged cAA|egg ea|bag a2g|egg eaa|ged cAA|cde ged|1

cAG A2d:|2 cAG A2B||

“Version of 1st part”

cAA cAG|EDE GAB|cAG A2G|Add ded|cAA cAG|

EDE GAB|cde ged|1 cAA A2B:|2 cAA A2d||

                       

OLD JOWLER. AKA – “Old Towler.” English, Scottish; March or Jig. D Major. Standard tuning. AB. A song, “Old Jowler,” also called “Old Towler” was originally said to have been composed by William Shield (1748-1829) who was Master of the King's Music in 1817. It was adopted as a military march by the 53rd Foot (Light Infantry) in 1881. The name Old Jowler has long been associated with canines, especially those breeds with jowls, like beagles. For example, Lydia Maria Child’s (1802-1880) familiar elementary school song entitled “The New England Boy’s Song about Thanksgiving Day” (better known to us as “Over the River and Through the Woods”), has the lines:

***

Over the river, and through the wood—

Old Jowler hears our bells;

He shakes his pow,

With a loud bow wow,

And thus the news he tells.

***

William Makepeace Thackery’s burlesque The Tremendous Adventures of Major Gahagan, gives the name Jowler to the regimental Colonel of Major Goliah O’Grady Gahagan, presumably for the comic association. “Old Towler” was the regimental march of the King’s Shropshire Light Infantry. The melody was in the repertoire of Gloucestershire fiddler Stephen Baldwin (1873-1955). 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]. Colclough (Tutor for the Irish Union Pipes), c. 1830; pg. 17. Kerr (Merry Melodies), vol. 3; No. 400, pg. 44. O’Farrell (Pocket Companion, vol. III), c. 1808; pg. 54. Sumner (Lincolnshire Collections, vol. 1: The Joshua Gibbons Manuscript), 1997; pgs. 44-45 (appears as “Old Towler,” set in the key of F major for two instruments).

X:1

T:Old Towler

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:March

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

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

A/B/4c/4 | d2d B2G | F2G A2=c | B2d ^ceg | f3 e2A | d2d f2d | B2B e2d | c2c BAB |

A3 A2A || e2c A2A | f2d A2A | cde g2f | (f3 e2)A | A^GA Bcd | efg afd | B2e {d}cBc |

(d3 d2) D/4E/4F/4G/4 | A3A3 | A d2 z2A | AFA AFA | Ad2 z2 A/4B/4c/4d/4 |

e3e3 | e a2 z2e | ece ece | eg2 z2g | fd2 z2{d}d | {f}eA2 {A}c2 {A}g | fdd d2f |

eAA A2A | dff dff | d3 z2 A/4B/4c/4 | dff dff | f a2 z2 A/4G/4F/4E/4 | D2G F2B |

A2g f2d | e2e cBc | d3g3 | f2f ede | a3g3 | f2f ede | d3 d2 ||

                                   

OLD JUBITER. AKA and see "The Republican Set," "Doc Boyd's Jig." American, Dance Tune and Play‑Party Song (3/8 time). C Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Old Jubiter is a dog’s name. Ford (Traditional Music in America), 1940; pg. 99.

X:1

T:Old Jubiter

M:3/8

L:1/8

S:Ford – Traditional Music in America (1940)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:C

G|cBc|GEG|cea|g2e|fef|dcB|dcc|c2:|

|:e|faa|agf|egg|gfe|fef|dcB|dcc|c2:|

                       

OLD JUDGE PARKER. See “Judge Parker.”

                       

OLD K.C., THE. Old‑Time. Recorded in 1929 for Columbia by one‑time Tenn. state fiddle champion Jess Young (Chattanooga, Tenn.), who learned an instrumental version of the tune from black guitarist Howard Barnes.

                       

OLD KENTUCKY. Old‑Time, Breakdown. D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). ABB. A version of “The White Cockade.” Ruth (Pioneer Western Folk Tunes), 1948; No. 69, p. 25.

X:1

T:Old Kentucky

M:2/4

L:1/8

S: Viola “Mom” Ruth – Pioneer Western Folk Tunes (1948)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

(d/B/)|AF F/E/D/F/|AF F(d/B/)|AF F/E/D/F/|G[EA] [EA](d/B/)|

AF F/E/D/F/|Ad f/g/f/e/|d<[FA] A/B/A/G/|F>D D||

|:A/df/ e/e/f/f/|df [F2A2]|A/df/ f/e/f/g/|a>e e2|f>a a/b/a/f/|

def>e|dA A/B/A/G/|F[A,D] [A,2D2]:|

                       

OLD KENTUCKY ROAN. Old‑Time, Breakdown. D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AA'BB. Ford (Traditional Music in America), 1940; p. 93.

X:1

T:Old Kentucky Roan

M:2/4

L:1/8

S:Ford – Traditional Music in America

K:D

F/AA/ AA|B/c/d/B/ dB|F/AA/ Ag/g/|1 f/d/e/c/ B2:|2 f/d/e/c/ d||

|:e|fa e/g/f/e/|d/f/e/c/ A>A|fa e/g/f/e/|d/e/f/g/ a>e|

fa e/g/f/e/|d/f/e/c/ A>A|d/e/f/g/ aA/A/|Ag/g/ f/d/e/c/|(d2 d):|

                       

OLD KERRY COW, THE. AKA and see "I wish I had a Kerry Cow," "The Scartaglen Reel," "The Brown Girl's Reel."

                       

OLD KILDIMO REEL. Irish, Reel. Composed by County Down flute player Leon Agnew.

                       

OLD KILFENORA (JIG). AKA and see “The Clare Jig [2]," “Tom Ward’s (Jig).” Irish, Jig. G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. Treoir, vol. 38, No. 2, 2006, p. 30. Brick Mixing Music, Garry Shannon – “Punctured” (2006).  

X:1

T:Old Kilfenora Jig

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:Jig

S:Treoir, vol. 38, No. 2, 2006

K:G

A|B3 BAG|F2d d^cd|B2g gfg|eag fed|B3 BAG|

F2d d^cd|ede fef|a3 g2::d|gfg b2d|gfg b2g|fag fed|

(4fgag fed|gfg b2d|gfg b2g|fag fdf|a3 g2:|

                       

OLD KING COLE. English, Air (4/4 time). C Minor (Chappell): D Minor (Scott). Standard tuning. AB (Chappell): AAB (Scott). The air appears in John Gay's burlesque Achilles (1733), which poked fun at the neo-classical tragedies of the time. The opera, which went over the audiences heads and subsequently failed, was performed posthumously, for Gay died soon after it was written after losing his fortune in a financial scandle called the South Sea Bubble. Chappell (1859) explores the origin of the name 'Old King Cole', and finds it generally lost to antiquity, though other researchers have found evidence that Cole was a Romano-British warlord who set up a kingdom in Northumberland, in northernmost England, just after the Romans deserted Britain. Chappell mentions an obscure legend of one Cole, a cloth maker, but could not establish a link to the ballad/nursery fame. Elizabethan dramatists sometimes alluded to an "Old Cole" in their plays indicating there was a conventional meaning or joke extent at the time, but there is a possibility that the term could reference Ben Jonson.

***

No more be Coy, give a loose to Joy

And let Love for thy pardon sue.

A glance could all my rage destroy

And light up my Flame anew.

***

The song “Old King Coul” appears in David Herd’s Scottish Songs and Heroic Ballads (1776). Chappell (Popular Music of the Olden Time), vol. 2, 1859; pgs. 171‑172. Scott (English Song Book), 1926; pg. 10.

X:1

T:Old King Cole

M:C

L:1/8

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

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:C Minor

c2=B2 c2 GB|c2=B2c2 _BA|G2 FE F2G2|C6 G2|c2=B2c2 GB|c2=B2c2 _BA|
G2 FE F2G2|C6||D2|EFGF EFGF|EFGA B2G2|FGAG FGAG|

FGAB c2 d2|e2 de f2e2|dedc B2 AA|G2 FE F2G2|C6||

                       


OLD KING'S REEL, THE. Canadian, Reel. Canada; Cape Breton, Prince Edward Island. Tonality shifts between A Dorian and A Mixolydian. Standard tuning. AB (Dunlay): AA’B (Perlman). Usually played with "The King's Reel." A bagpipe setting appears in Barry Shears’ The Cape Breton Collection of Bagpipe Music. Sources for notated versions: Buddy MacMaster (Cape Breton) [Dunlay & Greenberg, Dunlay & Reich]; Buddy Longaphie (b. 1950, Souris, North-East Kings County, Prince Edward Island; now resides in Charlottetown) [Perlman]. Dunlay & Greenberg (Traditional Celtic Violin  Music of Cape Breton), 1996; pg. 40. Dunlay & Reich (Traditional Celtic Fiddle Music of Cape Breton), 1986; pg. 46. Perlman (The Fiddle Music of Prince Edward Island), 1996; pg. 89. ACC-49398, Brenda Stubbert - “House Sessions” (1992. Appears as “King’s Reel”). DMP6‑27, Doug MacPhee‑ "Cape Breton Piano II" (1979). RF9001, John Morris Rankin/The Rankin Family - “Fare Thee Well Love.” RMD-CAS1, Rodney MacDonald - “Dancer’s Delight” (1995). Sea-Cape Music ACR4-12940, Buddy MacMaster - “Judique on the Floor” (1989). SM9107, Sandy MacIntyre - “Island Treasure-vol. 1.”

                       

OLD KINGDOM. AKA and see "Sweet Sixteen." Old‑Time. USA, Central Pa. In the repertory of Buffalo Valley, Pa., region dance fiddler Archie Miller.

                       

OLD LADIES PICKIN' CHICKENS. Old‑Time, Breakdown. USA; Missouri, Iowa. D Major ('A' part) & A Major ('B' part). Missouri State Old Time Fiddlers' Association, Pete McMahan - "Kansas City Rag." Missouri State Old Time Fiddlers' Association, Dwight Lamb (b. 1934) - "Old Ladies Pickin' Chickens." Train on the Island Records TI‑12, Bob Bovee and Gail Heil ‑ "For Old Time's Sake" (Learned from Iowa fiddler Dwight "Red" Lamb).

                       

OLD LADY OF ROTHESAY. AKA and see “The Grey Old Lady of Raasay.”

                       

OLD LADY TUCKER. See "Love Somebody [2]."

                       

OLD LAKE ERIE. AKA and see "The Erie Extension." American, Jig. USA, southwestern Pa. G Major. Standard tuning. AAB. Bayard was not able to trace this tune, but thought it sounded Irish or Scottish. Sources for notated versions: Edward King (Greene County, Pa., 1930's) and Hogg (Pa., 1948) [Bayard]. Bayard (Dance to the Fiddle), 1981; No. 533A‑B, pg. 475.

           

OLD LANCASHIRE HORNPIPE.  AKA – “Lancashire Hornpipe.” AKA and see “Reed House (Rant).” English, “Old” Hornpipe (3/2 time). D Major. Standard tuning. AABBCC. The melody was printed by Playford and J. Johnson’s edition of Wright’s Compleat Collection of Celebrated Country Dances, vol. 2 (London, 1742, pg. 12). The tune was often printed with variations, as was the practice with such pieces, which were essentially a ground for improvisations. Barry Callaghan (2007) opined “Surely one of the great tunes of the tradition.” “Reed House Rant” is a related tune. Callaghan (Hardcore English), 2005; pg. 77. Offord (John of the Green Cheshire Way), 1985. Raven (One Thousand English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 11 (appears as “Lancashire Hornpipe” set in ¾ time). BGOCD 354, Albion Country Band – “Battle of the Field (1997 reissue of 1976 Island recording). Island Records HELP25, Albion Country Band – “Battle of the Field” (1976). Fellside FECD192, Spiers & Boden – “Tunes” (2005). Ominum Records, John Kirkpatrick – “Force of Habit” (1996)

X:1

T:Old Lancashire Hornpipe

M:3/2

L:1/8

R:”Old” or Triple Hornpipe

K:D

B2A2G2|F3E D2f2e2d2|e2E4B2 A2G2|F3E D2f2 e2dc|d2D4:|

|:B2A2G2|F2A2G2B2A2d2|e2E4B2 A2G2|F2A2G2B2A2c2|d2D4:|

|:f2g2a2|f3e d2f2e2d2|c2e4 f2g2a2|f3e d2f2e2 dc|d2D4||

           

OLD LANG SYNE. Scottish, Air. The melody appears in one of the earliest Scottish fiddler's MS repertory books, c. 1705, in a private collection of Francis Collinson (1966).

                       

OLD LANGOLEE/LANGALEE, THE (An Sean Langoli). AKA and see "The Humors of Ballamaguiry," "Smile On For Thy Young Days." Irish, Air (6/8 time, "playful") or Jig. G Major/Mixolydian (Kerr/vol. 2, O’Farrell, O'Neill): A Major/Mixolydian (Kerr vol. 3). Standard tuning. AB (O'Neill): AABB (Kerr). ‘Lango Lee’ supposedly derives from an Irish phrase for an engorged penis. O’Farrell indicates ‘f’ natural notes in the first and third measures of the ‘B’ part. Kerr (Merry Melodies), vol. 2; No. 258, pg. 28. Kerr (Merry Melodies), vol. 3; No. 226, pg. 26. O’Farrell (Pocket Companion, vol. III), c. 1808; pg. 15. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903/1979; No. 247, pg. 43. BEJOCD-28, The Mellstock Band – “The Dance at the Phoenix: Village Band Music from Hardy’s Wessex and Beyond.”

X:1

T:Old Langolee

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:Air

N:”Playful”

S:O’Neill – Music of Ireland (1903), No. 247

Z:AK/Fidddler’s Companion

K:G

G3 B3 | A>GA BGE | D>EG G2e | d>cB A2 {B/A/}G | G3 B2 B | A>GA BGE |

D>EG G2e | d>cB {B}A2G || Bcd d>ef | edc BAG | Bcd def | efd g2G |

G>Bd gfe | dcB BAG | G>DG G>DG | G>cB A2 {B/A/}G ||

                       

OLD LAUDERBACH. American. USA, Central Pa. "How Much is that Doggie in the Window?" In the repertory of Buffalo Valley, Pa., region dance fiddler Archie Moore.

                       


OLD LEA RIG. See "The Lea Rig," "The Jay Bird." AKA and see “Bhíosa lá I bport láirge,” "The Dainty Besom Maker," “Forgive the muse that slumbered,” "The Gimlet," “I’d  mourn the hopes that leave me,” “Johnny’s Grey Breeks [2],” "Little Mary Cullinan," "Little Sheila Connellan,” “Maureen from Giberland,” “Phelim O’Neill [2],” “Port Láirge,” “The Rose Tree [1]," “The Rose Tree in Full Bearing." “Rose Tree [1].” Scottish, Country Dance Tune. C Major. Standard tuning. AAB. Gow (Second Collection of Niel Gow’s Reels), 1788; pg. 29 (3rd ed.). Oswald (Caledonian Pocket Companion), book 10, c. 1760.

X:1

T:Old Lee Rigg, or Rose Tree

M:C

L:1/8

B:Gow – 2nd Collection of Niel Gow’s Reels, 3rd ed., pg. 29  (orig. 1788)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:C

e/>d/|{B/d/}c>A GE G2 GA|”tr”c>d {e}dc/d/ ed”tr”d>e/d/|{B/d/}c>A GE ~G2 GA|“tr”c2 {e}dc/d/ ecc:|

|:”tr”c/>d/|edef {e/f/}g2 “tr”fe|(d<a) a>g add (g/4f/4e/4d/4)|“tr”c>A GE “tr”G2 GA|”tr”c>d ({e}d)c/d/ ec”tr”c:|

                       

OLD LEATHER BONNET WITH A HOLE IN THE CROWN.  Old-Time, Breakdown. USA, Arkansas. G Major/Mixolydian. Standard tuning. AA’BB’CC’. Drew Beisswenger (2008) finds Clayton McMichen and Riley Puckett’s version of “The Arkansas Sheik” (1931) to be nearly identical to the tune from the repertoire of Arkansas fiddler Jesse Wallace. However, Wallace learned his melody at the age of 16 (predating McMichen’s recording by eight years) from the singing of his grandmother, while bedridden from a leg injury. Both titles (“Arkansas Shiek” and “Old Leather Bonnet with a Hole in the Crown” are lines from songs with different melodies. The hole in the crown of the bonnet was useful to farm women, who would pull their long hair through it to keep the wind from blowing it off. Source for notated version: Jesse Wallace (1907-2006, born Stone County, Arkansas) [Beisswenger & McCann]. Beisswenger & McCann (Ozark Fiddle Music), 2008; pg. 156. Rounder CD 0435, Jesse Wallace – “Traditional Fiddle Music of the Ozarks, vol. 1” (1999. Various artists).

 

OLD LEATHER BREECHES [1] (An Sean Briste Leatair). Irish, Air (6/8 time, "spirited"). C Major. Standard tuning. AB. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903/1979; No. 167, pg. 29.

X:1

T:Old Leather Breeches [1]

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:Air

N:”Spirited”
S:O’Neill – Music of Ireland (1903), No. 167

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:C

B/c/ | d>BG d>BG | GFE F2 F/G/ | A>BA ABc | B>AG c2 B/c/ |

d>BG d>BG | GFE F2 F/G/ | A>BA Adc | BAG c2 || B/A/ |

G>AG EDC | F>GA FED | EFG ABc | BAG c2 B/A/ |

G>AG EDC | F>GA FED | EFG Adc | BAG c2 ||

 

OLD LEATHER BRITCHES [2]. AKA and see "Leather Breeches/Britches." Old‑Time, Breakdown. USA, southwestern Va. A tune and tune title peculiar to the Franklin/Floyd County area of southwestern Va. (Tom Carter & Blanton Owen, 1976).

                       

OLD LEE RIG (--or THE ROSE TREE). AKA and see “Old Lea Rig.”

                       

OLD LEITRIM JIG , THE. AKA and see “Broderick’s Jig.” Irish, Jig. G Major. Standard tuning. AABB'. "The 'Old Leitrim Jig' came from John Joe Maguire, a very fine flute player from Co. Fermanagh." Boys of the Lough, 1977; pg. 6. Bulmer & Sharpley (Music from Ireland), 1974, vol. 2, No. 37.

 

OLD LIVING ROOM WALTZ. AKA and see "My Own House Waltz."

 

OLD LIZA JANE. Old‑Time, Breakdown. USA, Kentucky. A Major. AEae tuning. AABB. A variant of the “Liza Jane” family of tunes. A tune by this name was recorded by Uncle Am Stuart (b. 1856, Morristown, Tenn.) for Vocalion in 1924. Source Isham Monday (1879-1964) quoted the following words, which he learned from a lady who used to sing them while dancing to the tune:

***

If I were in heaven, boys, a-riding on the train,

I’d swing out on the corner and swing old Liza Jane.

***

Source for notated version: Isham Monday (Tompkinsville, Monroe County, Ky., 1959) [Titon]. Titon (Old-Time Kentucky Fiddle Tunes), 2001; No. 117, pg. 145.

                       

OLD LOCKS AND QUAYS OF GALWAY, THE. AKA and see "The Connacht Reel [1]," "The College Grove(s)," "The New Demense [1]," "The New Domain," "The Milestone [1]," "The Millstone," "Whiskey in the Jar/Jug," "An Cailin Fionn," "The Green Jacket."

                       

OLD MADEIRA/MADERIA WALTZ. AKA and see "Goodbye My Little Devis" Old-Time, Waltz. A Major/Mixolydian. AEae or Standard tunings. AA'B. Source for notated version: Hugh Farr [Phillips]. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes), vol. 2, 1995; pg. 288.

                       

OLD MAID [1], THE. Irish, Reel. D Major. Standard tuning. AB. O’Neill (Waifs and Strays of Gaelic Melody), 1922; No. 298.

X:1

T:Old Maid (#298), The

M:4/4

L:1/8

S:Capt. F. O'Neill

Z:Paul Kinder

R:Reel

K:D

dBAB defe|dBAB e2 e2|dBAB defe|dcBc A2 A2|

dBAB defe|dB (3BBB e2 e2|defg afef|dcBc A2 A2||

"tr"f2 fe "tr"f2 fe|dB (3BBB e2 e2|"tr"f2 fe defe|dcBc A2 A2|

"tr"f2 fe "tr"f2 fe|dB (3BBB e2 e2|defg afef|dcBc A2 A2||

 

OLD MAID [2], THE.  English, Country Dance Tune. G Major. Standard tuning. AABBCC. The melody is unique to London publisher Charles and Samuel Thompson’s 1765 country dance collection. Thompson (Compleat Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances, vol. 2), 1765; No. 102.

X:1

T:Old Maid, The

M:C

L:1/8

B:Thompson’s Compleat Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances, vol. 2 (London, 1765)

Z:Transcribed and edited by Flynn Titford-Mock, 2007

Z:abc’s:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G

G2 (BG) (Bd)(BG)|”tr”F2 (AF) (Ac)(AF)|”tr”G2 (BG) (dB)(gB)|cAFd BG [G,2G2]:|

|:”tr”g2 {fg}(bg) (af)(gd)|e>f “tr”f>e/2f/4 g/f/g/a/ gd|”tr”g2 {fg}(bg) (af)(gd)|e>f “tr”f>e/2f/4 g3:|

|:B|(ce)(Ac) (Bd)(GB)|Aa “tr”f>e/2f/4 (gb)(Bd)|(ce)Ac (Bd)(GB)|A/B/c DF G2 z2:||

                       

OLD MAID OF THE MILL DUST. The Baltimore Consort – “Tunes from the Attic.” Seamus Egan – “When Juniper Sleeps” (appears as part of the “Winding Hills” set).

                       

OLD MAIDS, THE. AKA adn see "Les Vieilles Filles."

                       

OLD MAID(S) OF GALWAY, THE ("Na Banabraside Ua Gaillib" or "Seascanaig Gaillim"). AKA and see "Gearrchailiu Chontae Mhuigheo," “The Hag’s (Reel),” “The Mayo Lasses.”  Irish, Reel. G Major. Standard tuning. AAB (Kennedy, O'Neill/1850 & 1001): AABB (Cole): AABB' (O'Neill). The tune under this name appears to be the earliest printing of this tune family, in the 1883 Ryan’s Mammoth Collection. See also the similar tunes “The Mayo Lasses,” “Turf House Reel,” and the Cape Breton “West Mabou Reel.” Some see resemblances to “George White’s Fancy/Favorite” family of tunes. Cognate tunes are “Johnny When You Die [1]” (as recorded on the album “Kerry Fiddles”), “Girls of County Mayo,” and “Come into the Room, I Want You” (recorded by Dan Sullivan’s Shamrock Band). Cole (1000 Fiddle Tunes), 1940; pg. 12. Kennedy (Traditional Dance Music of Britain and Ireland: Reels and Rants), 1997; No. 151, pg. 36. O'Neill (Krassen), 1976; pg. 134. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903/1979; No. 1417, pg. 263. O'Neill (Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems), 1907/1986; No. 654, pg. 117. Ryan’s Mammoth Collection, 1883; pg. 35.

X:1

T:Old Maids of Galway, The

M:C|

L:1/8
R:Reel

S:O’Neill – Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems (1903), No. 654

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G

e>B {B}(3BAB e2 dB|A2 GA dBgf|(3efg df e2 dB|A2 GA BG G2:|

||g2 fg efde|g2 bg eaaf|g2 fg efdB|A2 GA BG G2|

g2 fg efde|g2 bg eaag|bgaf gedB|A2 GA BG G2||

                       

OLD MAIDS OF GALWAY [2], THE. AKA and see ”Come Up in the Room, I Want You.”

 

OLD MALINDA. See “Old Melinda.”

                       


OLD MAMMY KNICKERBOCKER. AKA and see "Miss McLeod's Reel [1]," "Virginia Reel [5]," "N....r in the Woodpile [2]," "John Brown [2]," "Uncle Joe," "Enterprise and Boxer." American, Reel. USA, southwestern Pa. G Major. Standard tuning. AB. Source for notated version: (allegedly from) William B. Gressley via McCullough (Pa., 1959) [Bayard]. Bayard (Dance to the Fiddle), 1981; No. 249D, pgs. 211‑212.

 

OLD MAN [1], THE (An Seanduine). "The Campbells Are Coming [1]," "Hob or/a Nob." Irish, March (6/8 time). D Major. Standard tuning. ABCDEF. See also the closely related airs "Robi Down (Donn)," "The Field of Hay," and "The Baldooser." O’Neill says this tune is a good example of the many variants an old and popular melody may acquire. The fist setting in his Music of Ireland is from the Irish language singing of his mother in Bantry, west Cork. The second and third settings are from O’Daly (1849). In Scotland the tune is famously known as "The Campbells are Coming", and has been at least since the beginning of the 18th century. O'Daly (The Poets and Poetry of Munster) 1st ed. (1849) and 2nd ed. (1850), pg. 96. O'Daly (5th ed. c. 1885; Meehan, editor), pg. 118. O'Neill (O’Neill’s Irish Music), 1915/1987; No. 120, pg. 67.

X:1

T:The Old Man [1]

T:An Seanduine

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:March

S:O’Neill – O’Neill’s Irish Music (1915)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

D | (DEF) (AFE) | (DEF) “tr”(F2E) | (DEF) (BAF) | AFE “tr”(E2F) | DEF AFE | ~(FEF) ~(dcd) |

(edB) “tr”(BAF) | (AFE) E2 || F | .A.F.F .d.F.F | .A.F.F ~(F2G) | AFF dcd | eEE E2F | (DEF) (AFE) |

~(FEF) ~(dcd) | edB ~(BAF) | AFE E3 || (DF).G (AF).F | .D(FG) “tr”(F2E) | (DF).G (AF).D | FEE “tr”(E2F) |

(DF).d AFD | DFA d2e | fdB Bcd | (AFD) “tr”E2D || .D.d.d .dA.F | .B.A.A A2A | .B.e.e .e.f.g | fdB “tr”(B2A) |

(ABc) (def) | DFA d2e | fdB Bcd | AFD “tr”E2D || (DFd) (B/A/G/F/E/D/) | (DF).F “tr”(F2E) | (DFd) (B/A/G/F/E/D/) |

(FE).E EG(F/E/) | (DB,C) (DEF) | (ABc) d2e | (fdB) (Bcd) | (B/A/G/F/E/D/) “tr”E2D || .D.d.d (dAF) |

BAA A2A | (Be).e (efg) | fdB B2 (3A/B/c/ | .d(f/e/d/c/) dfa | DFA d2e | (f/e/d/c/B/A/) (Bcd) | (B/A/G/F/E/D/) “tr”E2D ||

 

OLD MAN [2], THE. AKA and see "Johnny McGill," "Come Under My Plaidie," "An Rogaire Dubh" (The Black Rogue), "Before I Was Married [2]," "Billy O'Rourke's Jig [1]." Scottish, Jig. Keller (Giles Gibbs Jr. and His Book For the Fife...1777), 1974; pg. 18.

 

OLD MAN [3], THE. Scottish. From the Straloch Manuscript (1627). An elaboration of the tune appears in the Skene Manuscript (c. 1640), in lute tablature, under the title “Long Er Onie Old Man.” Nigel Gatherer sees similarities between this tune and the American old-time tune “Barlow Knife [1].”

X:1

T:The Old Man  [3]

S:Straloch MS, 1627

Z:Nigel Gatherer

O:Scottish

K:G

L:1/8

M:2/4

g2 g2|fg a2|g2 gd|B2 d2::e2 dB|A2 A2|BG dB|G2D2:|

 

OLD MAN [4], THE.  Scottish, Reel. G Major. Standard tuning. AB. Surenne (Dance Music of Scotland), 1852; pg. 72.

X:1

T:Old Man, The [4]

M:C

L:1/8

R:Reel

S:Surenne – Dance Music of Scotland, pg. 72   (1852)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G

G>BdB e3g | (d/c/B/A/) G>B A<AA<G | GBdB e3f | gagd B<B B2 | G>BdB e3g |

(d/c/B/A/) GB A<AA>B | GBdB e3f | gagd B<B B2 || gage dedB | gage agab |

gage degb | afgd B<BB2 | gage dedB | gage agab | gbeg d>egb | a>fg>d B<B B2 ||

                       

OLD MAN ADAM'S TUNE. Old‑Time, Breakdown. USA; Mo., Okla. (originally an Ozark Mtn. tune). D Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Source for notated version:  "Old Man Adams" via John Kennedy (Pawnee, OK.). Old Time Herald, vol. 1, No. 3, Spring 1988. Copper Creek CCCD-0196, Tom, Brad & Alice – “We’ll Die in the Pig Pen Fighting.”

 

OLD MAN AND HIS DOG, THE. Irish, Jig. G Major. Standard tuning. AABB’. Composed by Falmouth, Massachusetts, musician and writer Bill Black to commemorate two local Falmouth characters. Black (Music’s the Very Best Thing), 1996; No. 20, pg. 10.

X:1

T: Old Man and His Dog

C: © B.Black

Q: 350

R: jig

M: 6/8

L: 1/8

K: G

B/2c/2 | d2 B GDG | A2 F D2 A | ded cBc | d2 d dBc |

d2 B GDG | A2 F D2 A | ded cBA | GEF G2 :|

d | gdg gdg | a2 f d2 c | Bcd ecB | A3-ABc |

dGG DGG | AFF DFF | ded cBA |1 GBA G :|2 BGF G3 ||

 

OLD MAN AND OLD WOMAN A-QUARRELIN'. AKA and see "Bonaparte's Retreat." American, Reel. USA, southwestern Pa. D Major. Standard tuning. AABBCC. Bayard (1981) says the pattern of one strain of a tune being played slow, another quick, to suggest two suggest a quarrel or argument has been adapted to a number of tunes. He believes this particular tune a direct descendent of the Irish tune "Fead an Iolair" (The Eagle's Whistle [1]), even though the latter is in triple time, not duple as in the Pennsylvania set. In America the tune is usually known as "Bonaparte's Retreat." The title "Old Man and Old Woman Quarreling" properly belongs to serveral variants of a Canadian melody. Sources for notated versions: fiddlers Walter Ireland (Greene County, Pa., 1944), James Taylor (Greene County Pa. and Wetzel County, W.Va., 1930's), John or Hiram White (Greene County Pa., 1930's), David Rogers (elderly fiddler from Greene County, Pa., 1930's; identified as one of older fiddler John Tustin's tunes) [Bayard]. Bayard (Dance to the Fiddle), 1981; No. 239A‑D, pgs. 199‑200.

 


OLD MAN AND OLD WOMAN SCOLDIN', THE. AKA and see "Governor King's March." American, Air (2/4 time). D Major. Standard tuning. A (slow tempo), BB (fast tempo). Bayard (1944) states that tunes with titles similar to this, and with the same quasi‑programmatic idea (i.e. a slow part for the old man, a quick one for the old woman) have long been known in both British and American folk music repertoires. This tune is an old western Pennsylvania fifer's march revised to fit the 'Old Man and Woman' pattern: it is a shortened form of "Governor King's March." Some Irish specimens of the form appear (though not this tune) in Petrie, Nos. 529, 1225, where the situation indicated by the titles is that of a young woman married to an old man. Source for notated version: Mrs. Sarah Armstrong (fiddler from Derry, Pa., 1943) [Bayard]. Bayard (Hill Country Tunes), 1944; No. 80.

 

OLD MAN AND THE OLD WOMAN [1], THE (Le Bone Homme et La Bonne Femme). AKA and see  The Bottom of the Punch Bowl [3],” “The Christmas Rum,” “Let's Go Rustico!” “Quebec Reel.” French-Canadian, Reel. Canada; Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island.  D Major (most versions): G Major (Phillips). Standard tuning. AB (Silberberg): AABB (Christeson) : AABB' (Messer): AA’BB’ (Phillips). Sometimes confused with "The Growling Old Man and Woman" which is very similar in parts, although the two may have derived from a common ancestor. Perlman (1996) finds alternate names on Prince Edward Island in addition to the “Old Man...” title; “The Christmas Rum” in Queens County and “The Bottom of the Punch Bowl” in south Kings County. Sources for notated versions: Joe Politte (a resident of Old Mines, Missouri, which was an early French settlement south of St. Louis; several of his tunes were French) [Christeson]; Stephen Toole (1927-1995, Green Road, Queens County, Prince Edward Island) [Perlman]; Stuart Williams/Glenn Barry (Seattle) [Silberberg]. R.P. Christeson (Old Time Fiddlers Repertory), Vol. 2, 1984; pg. 62. Messer (Way Down East), 1948; No. 31. Messer (Anthology of Favorite Fiddle Styles), 1980; No. 48, pg. 32. Perlman (The Fiddle Music of Prince Edward Island), 1996; pg. 52. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes), vol. 1, 1994; pg. 173. Silberberg (Tunes I Learned at Tractor Tavern), 2002; pg. 111. Bee Balm 302, “The Corndrinkers.” RCA Victor LCP 1001, Ned Landry and His New Brunswick Lumberjacks ‑ "Bowing the Strings with Ned Landry.”

X: 1

T:The Old Man and The Old Woman

R:reel

M:2/4

L:1/16

Z:Transcribed by Bruce Osborne

K:G

Bc|dedB GBdB|cdcB A2g2|fgfe dfaf|gage d2Bc|

dedB GBdB|cdcB A2g2|fgfe dfaf|gfga g2:|

|:Bc|dg2g g2Bc|df2f f2AB|ce2e e2dB|GABc d2Bc|

dg2g g2Bc|df2f f2AB|ce2e e2dc|BGAF G2:|

 

OLD MAN AND THE OLD WOMAN [2]. AKA and see "The Growling Old Man and (Grumbling Old) Woman." Canadian, Reel. Canada, Prince Edward Island. A Dorian. Standard tuning. AAB. Source for notated version: Lorin Simmons (Prince Edward Island, 1930's) [Bayard]. Bayard (Dance to the Fiddle), 1981; Appendix No. 9, pg. 576.

 

OLD MAN AT THE DYKE. Scottish, Reel. E Dorian. Standard tuning. AABB. Gatherer (Gatherer’s Musical Museum), 1987; pg. 8. Tocher No. 21 (a periodical issued by the School of Scottish Studies, Edinburgh University).

 

OLD MAN DEPRESSION GET ON YOUR WAY. AKA and see "Cacklin' Hen [1]." Renamed by the Skillet Lickers in praise of Roosevelt's New Deal, when they recorded it in 1934.

 


OLD MAN DILLON (Seanduine Dillon/Diollun). AKA and see “John Naughton’s (Jig),” “Jug of Brown Ale,” "Mug of Brown Ale [2],” "One Bottle More [2]." Irish, Double Jig. A Dorian (O'Neill/1915 & Krassen, Tubridy): A Mixolydian (Mulvihill): A Mixolydian/Dorian (Moylan): A Major/Mixolydian (O'Neill/1850). Standard tuning. AAB (O'Neill/1915, Tubridy): AA’B (Moylan): AABB' (Mulvihill, O'Neill/1850 & 1001): AA'BB' (O'Neill/Krassen). In Irish Folk Music (1910) Francis O’Neill relates that while he was walking his patrolman’s beat on a summer evening in 1875 he chanced to hear “the strains of a fiddle coming through the shutters of an old dilapidated building on Cologne street…The musician was an old man named Dillon, who lived alone, and whom I had seen daily wielding a long-handled shovel on the streets. His only solace in his solitary life besides his ‘dhudeen’ was ‘Jenny’, as he affectionately called his fiddle. A most captivating jig memorised from his playing I named ‘Old Man Dillon’ in his honor.” O’Neill says “inferior versions” were subsequently found under the name “A Mug of Brown Ale,” which he thinks was the original title. The earliest publication of the tune appears to be in Levey’s collection (Vol. 1), as “Mug of Brown Ale,” however, the old Scotch tune “As I Was Kissed Yestreen” should also be compared. Sources for notated versions: Francis O’Neill had the tune from fiddler and patrolman Timothy Dillon, originally from County Kerry; accordion player Johnny O’Leary (Sliabh Luachra region of the Cork-Kerry border) [Moylan]. Moylan (Johnny O’Leary), 1994; No. 232, pg. 134. Mulvihill (1st Collection), 1986; No. 67, pg. 79. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903/1979; No. 804, pg. 149. O'Neill (O’Neill’s Irish Music), 1915; No. 176, pg. 97. O'Neill (Krassen), 1976; pg. 25. O'Neill (Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems), 1907/1986; No. 75, pg. 28. Ryan’s Mammoth Collection, 1883; pg. 96. Tubridy (Irish Traditional Music, Book Two), 1999; pg. 37. Front Hall FHR‑010, Bill Spence and Fennig's All Stars ‑ "The Hammered Dulcimer Strikes Again" (1977). Shanachie 79008, Clannad - “Dulaman” (appears as “The Jug of Brown Ale”).

X:1

T:Old Man Dillon

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:Jig

K:Ador

G|EAA ABd|edB c2A|BGG EGG|BdB BAG|EAA ABd|ede a2g|edc Bcd|ecA A2:|

|:g|gef g2a|gef g2d|BGG DGG|BdB BAG|gef g2a|gef g2d|edc Bcd|ecA A2g|

gef g2a|gef g2d|BGG DGG|BdB BAG|EAA ABd|ede a2g|edc Bcd|ecA A2||

 

OLD MAN IS A BED FULL OF BONES, AN. English, Country Dance Tune (6/4 time). A Minor. Standard tuning. One part. The title has become a proverb. The title, however, refers to the name of the dance, while the tune was originally called “Cock Robin,” or “Cock Laurel” In the Pattricke Manuscript, for example, the country dance “The old man with a bed full of bones” (no. 13) is given with the instruction to be played to the tune of “Cooke Laurrel.” The “Cock Loerel” or “Cook Laweel” tune is in Choice Collection of 180 Loyal Songs, etc. (3rd ed., 1685) and in D’Urfey’s Wit and Mirth, or Pills to Purge Melancholy (1719), and is itself a song and appears in Ben Jonson’s masque The Gypsies Metamorphosed. The Cock Laurel character was a notorious rougue or knave in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The “Old Man is a Bed Full of Bones” title comes from a song, four lines of which Chappell (1858) found quoted in Rowley’s A Match at Midnight (act i, sc.1).

***

The tune (as “An old man is a bed full of bones”) appears in the first edition of John Playford’s English Dancing Master (London, 1651), reprinted in subsequent editions through the sixteenth (1716). It was also published by John Walsh in The Compleat Country Dancing Master (London, 1718). An Irish derivation of the melody goes by the title “The Priest in His Boots.” Barlow (Complete Country Dance Tunes from Playford’s Dancing Master), 1985; No. 72, pg. 31. Barnes (English Country Dance Tunes, vol. 2), 2005; pg. 97.

X:1

T:Old Man is a Bed Full of Bones, An

M:6/4

L:1/8

R:Jig

S:John Playford – English Country Dancing Master (1651)

K:Amin

e2e2e2 e4 e2|e2c2A2 c4 c2|d4 c2 d4 c2|d4e2 f4 d2|

e2e2e2 e4e2|e2c2A2 c4e2|f4 f2 e3d c2|d4 e2 f3e d2:|

 

OLD MAN JONES'S PUMP. American. USA, southwestern Pa. A novelty piece played by a man named Hogg for the collector Samuel Bayard. The second part was a series of dischords on the A and E strings of ascending pitch, supposedly sounding very much like and old hand pump.

 

OLD MAN MULLER. Old‑Time. The title appears in a list of traditional Ozark Mountain fiddle tunes compiled by musicologist/folklorist Vance Randolph, published in 1954. Randolph believes the tune to be a variation on "Turkey in the Straw."

 

OLD MAN, OLD WOMAN, AND CHILDREN. American, Reel. USA, southwestern Pa. G Major. Standard tuning. ABC. Bayard (1981) thinks this quasi‑programmatic piece, in the mold of the more famous "Growling Old Man and Woman," a derivative of the Irish "Eagle's Whistle" (and the American "Bonaparte's Retreat"). Source for notated version: Steffy (Pa., 1949) [Bayard]. Bayard (Dance to the Fiddle), 1981; No. 240, pg. 201 (appears as "The Old Man and Old Woman A‑Quarrelin'" [2]).

 

OLD MAN QUINN ("An Swanduine Ua Cuinn" or "Ua Cuinn an Seanduine"). Irish, Hornpipe. D Major. Standard tuning. AABBCC. The elderly James Quinn (1805-1890), originally from Cloone, County Leitrim, was source James Early’s relative and his tutor on the uilleann pipes. Francis O’Neill (1924) describes him as “an old time Chicago piper,” familiarly known as Old Man Quinn, without whom “no (Irish music) gathering would be complete” while he lived. Quinn a skilled performer in the Connaught style of closed staccato piping, having originally been tutored in Leitrim by Gusty Nicols, his landlord and a gentleman piper of repute (see note for “Gusty’s Frolics”). The young Quinn became skilled enough to acquire a position as a resident piper to a Cavan landowner in the 1820’s with whom he stayed for 10 years (remunerated at the rate of 50 £ per annum, plus the use of a horse, a handsome sum for the time). By 1840 Quinn had joined the Irish Diaspora and emigrated to New York before making his way to Chicago, where he set up a successful livery business. He was the first piper resident in Chicago, writes O’Neill, who regretted not noting more tunes from the old man’s repertoire before he died. The tune appears in Stephen Greir’s (1824-1894 of Abbeylare, Granard, County Longford, who lived in Bohey, Gortletteragh, County Leitrim) manuscript collection compiled in 1883. Source for notated version: Chicago Police Sergeant James Early, originally from Aughavas, County Leitrim [O’Neill]. See also note for “Cloone Hornpipe.” O'Neill (Krassen), 1976; pg. 185. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903/1979; No. 1649, pg. 306. O'Neill (Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems), 1907/1986; No. 871, pg. 150. Treoir, vol. 33, No. 2, 2001; pg. 27. Drumlin Records, The McNamara Family – “Leitrim’s Hidden Treasure” (1998).

X:1

T:Old Man Quinn

M:C|

L:1/8

R:Hornpipe

S:O’Neill – Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems (1907), No. 871

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

A>G|F>DF>A d>fe>d|c>de>c A>BA>G|D>FD>A d>fe>d|c2A2A2 A>G|

F>DF>A d>fe>d|c>de>c A>BA>G|(3Bcd A>B G>F (3EFG|F2D2D2:|

|:g2|f>de>f g>fd>f|e>de>f g>ec>e|d>cB>A d>fe>d|c2A2A2 d>c|

(3BcB (3ABA G>AG>A|(3Bcd (3ABA F>GF>A|

(3Bcd A>B G>E (3EFG|F2D2D2:|

|:AG|(3FGF (3EFE D>FA>d|(3cBA B>c A>ce>g|(3fff d>f g>fe>d|

c2A2A2 d>c|(3BcB (3ABA G>AG>A|(3Bcd (3ABA F>GF>A|

(3Bcd A>B G>F (3EFG|F2D2D2:|

X:2

T:Old Man Quinn

M:C

L:1/8

S:Steven Grier MS (1883)

R:Hornpipe

K:D

AG | FDFA dfed | cgec AGFE | FAdf gfed | c2A2 ABAG | FDFA dfed |

cgec AGFE | FdBG FAEA | F2D2D2 :: Ad | fAdf aged | eAce gedc |

dcBA Gfed | c2A2 ABAG | FDFA dfed| cgec AGFE | FdBG FAEA | F2D2D2 :|

 


OLD MAN ROCKING THE CRADLE, THE. Irish, Air (3/4 time). G Major. Standard tuning. AABC. This is a song tune related to the song “An Seanduine.” O’Neill (1922) says it is a descriptive piece wherein an old man gives voice to his woes, punctuated by the wailing of a peevish child and its calls for its Ma-ma. Skillful fiddlers and pipers would imitate those cries.The fiddle was lowered in pitch and the fiddler would lightly touch the bridge with a large door key held in his teeth to simulate the tones of human expression.” Donal Hickey, in his 1999 book on Sliabh Luachra musicians Stone Mad for Music, confirms that the great Kerry fiddler Pádraig O’Keeffe (1887-1963) performed this trick: “…he made the fiddle intone ‘mama, mama’…For this novel tune which is based on a lullaby, he would put a large door key in his mouth and use it to mute the fiddle: the ‘mama’ sound. Like that of a baby crying, would result.” Sources for notated versions: piper Willie Clancy (1918-1973, Miltown Malbay, west Clare) [Mitchell]; the Rice-Walsh Manuscript, a collection of music from the repertoire of Jeremiah Breen, a blind fiddler from North Kerry [O’Neill]. Mitchell (Dance Music of Willie Clancy), 1993; No. 130, pg. 104. O’Neill (Waifs and Strays of Gaelic Melody), 1922.

X:1

T:The Old Man Rocking the Cradle

B:Waifs and Strays of Gaelic Melody, F. O'Neill, no. 4

S:Rice-Walsh Mss.

N:arranged for piano in O'Neill; melody only shown here

N:slow

Z:Transcribed by Paul de Grae

M:6/8

L:1/8

K:D

FAA GAA|FAA GFD|FAA GAA|GFD FED|

FAA GAA|FAA GFE|DD/E/F/D/ EAG|EDD EDD||

dFF AFF|dFF GFD|dFF AFF|GFD FED|

dFF AFF|dFF GFD|DD/E/F/D/ EAG|EDD EDD||

faa gaa|faa gfd|faa gaa|gfd fed|

faa gaa|faa gfd|dd/e/f/d/ eag|edd edd|

 

OLD MAN WILL NEVER DIE, THE. AKA- “The auld man is long a dying,” “The Auld Man ill ne’er die.” AKA and see “Bridge of Nairn.” Scottish, Reel. G Major. Standard tuning. AAB. Scottish. Glen (1891) finds the earliest printing of the tune in Neil Stewart's 1761 collection (pg. 67). Aird (Selection), vol. II, 1782; No. 56, pg. 21. Carlin (The Gow Collection), 1986; No. 455. Gow (Complete Repository), Book 2, 1802; pg. 15. McGlashan (Collection of Strathspey Reels), c. 1780/81; pg. 34 (appears as “The auld man is long a dying”). Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; pg. 301.

X:1

T:Old Man Will Never Die, The

M:C|

L:1/8

R:Reel

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

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G

GBdB e2 eg|d/c/B/A/ GB A/A/A AB|GBdB e2 ef|gagd B/B/B B2:|

~gage dedB|~gage agab|~gage degb|afgd B/B/B B2|~gage dedB|

~gage agab|gbeg degb|afgd B/B/B B2||

                       

OLD MAN  WINTER.  American, Jig. B Minor. Standard tuning. AA’BB’. Composed by Vermont fiddler Pete Sutherland. Sutherland (Bareface), 1984; pg. 8. Sugar Hill SH/PS 1134, Metamore – “Great Road” (1987).

 

OLD MAN WITH DROOPED EARS, THE. AKA and see "An Seanduine Spad-Chluasach."

                       

OLD MAN WOULDN’T GIVE ME STRAW, THE (Gun Do Dhuit/Dhiùlt Am Bodach Fodar Dhomh). AKA and see “Greig’s Pipes.” Scottish, Canadian; Reel. A Major. Standard tuning. AABB. See note for “Greig’s Pipes.” Shears (Gathering of the Clans Collection, vol. 1), 1986; pg. 51 (pipe setting).

                       

OLD MAN'S DANCE. American, "Slow Hornpipe." A Minor. Standard tuning. AA'BB'. Kerr includes the tune in a section of American tunes, mostly minstrel era pieces and dance tunes for the variety stage. Kerr (Merry Melodies), vol. 2; No. 410, pg. 46.

X:1

T:Old Man’s Dance

M:C

L:1/8

R:Slow Hornpipe

S:Kerr – Merry Melodies, vol. 2, No. 410  (c. 1880’s)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:Amin

A2E2A2B2|c2 de f4|e>dc>e d>cB>d|c>BA>c B>^G E2|

A2E2A2B2|c2 de f4|e>dc>e d>cB>d|c>AB>^G A4:|

|:E2 e>d c>B A2|E2 e>d c>B A2|(g2 g>)f e>f g2|d>ed>c B>c d2|

E2 e>d c>B A2|E2 e>d c>B A2|A2B2c2d2|1 e2 e/e/e e2d2:|2 e2c2 e4||

                       

OLD MAN'S DELIGHT, THE (Taitneam an Seanduine). Irish, Double Jig. A Major. Standard tuning. AABB. O'Neill (Krassen), 1976; pg. 28. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903/1979; No. 819, pg. 153. O'Neill (Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems), 1907/1986; No. 85, pg. 30.

X:1

T:Old Man’s Delight, The

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:Jig

S:O’Neill – Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems (1907), No. 85

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:A

a/f/|ecA A2c|BGE E2 a/f/|ecA Ace|fba g2 a/f/|ecA ABc|BGE E2E|FGA BGE|A3 A2:|

|:a|e2a f2a|e2a fec|efg aec|eac ecA|cBc dcd|eac B2A|cBA d2B|cAA A2:|

 

OLD MAN'S JIG, THE. AKA and see “Bliven’s Favorite,” "Bobbing for Eels," "The Bottle of Punch," "The Butchers of Bristol [1]", "By your leave, Larry Grogan," "Coppers and Brass [2],” “The County Limerick Buckhunt," "Finerty's Frolic," "Fishing for Eels," “Green Sleeves [3],” "Groom," "Hartigan's Fancy," “The Humours of Ennistymon [1],” "The Humours of Milltown [2],” "Ioc an Reicneail,” "Jackson's Bottle of Brandy," “The Jug of Punch [5],” "Larry Grogan(‘s) [1]", "The Lasses of Melrose," “Lasses of Melross,” "Little Fanny's Fancy," "Lynn's Favourite," "Lynny's Favourite," "Pay the Reckoning," "Pingneacha Rua agus Pras," “Queen of the Rushes,” "The Waves of Tramore," “Willie Clancy’s.”

 

OLD MAN'S MARE DIED, THE. AKA and see "The Auld Man's Meer Deid."

 

OLD MARLBOROUGH. AKA ‑ "Heel and Toe." English, Morris Dance Tune (6/8 time). D Major. Standard tuning. AABB. The tune goes with a heel and toe dance collected in the village of Fieldtown (Leafield), Oxfordshire, England. The first part of the melody is “Yellow Joke [2],” a companion of sorts to “The Black Joke” (although not the “Yellow Joak” published by Walsh in his third Lancashire collection). Bacon (The Morris Ring), 1974; pg. 160.

X:1

T:Old Marlborough

L:1/8

M:6/8

S:Bacon

K:D

d3 fed|dcB AGF|G2A Bcd|A2F DEF|G3 BAG|F3 D3:|

|:G3 A3|Bcd e3|G3 A3|Bcd e2f|d2c d2B|A2G FGA|B2c dcB|A2F DEF|G3 BAG|F3 D3:|

 

OLD MASTER'S RUNAWAY. Old‑Time. A version of "Year of (the) Jubilo," learned (and recorded in 1927) by Sam & Kirk McGee from their father, Uncle John McGee, a "contest‑winning fiddler in his own right" (Charles Wolfe). County 542, Sam & Kirk McGee ‑ "Nashville: the Early String Bands, vol. 2."

 


OLD MELINDA. AKA – “Malindy,” "Melinda," ‘Old Melina.” Old‑Time, Breakdown. USA; Missouri, Nebraska. C Major. Standard tuning. AABBCC (Christeson): AABBCC’ (Beisswenger & McCann): AABB'CC' (Phillips). “Old Melinda” is one of ‘100 essential Missouri tunes’ listed by Missouri fiddler Charlie Walden. Mid-west fiddlers start on different parts of the tune. Mark Wilson is of the opinion the melody contains elements of early ragtime. Bob Walter’s announced the tune as “Old Malindee” on his recording, and is known simply as “Malindy” in Ozark County (Lonnie Robertson introduces it as “Gonna play Malindee” on his CD). It may be that Walters learned the tune from a Missouri fiddler, perhaps Casey Jones, who also played the tune (as did Missouri fiddler Lymon Enloe). Fiddler Jesse Wallace learned the tune from Frank Waters, who called it “Muddy Water.” Sources for notated versions: from the playing of Bob Walters (Burt County, Nebraska), recorded November, 1949 [Christeson]; Lymon Enloe (Mo.) and Bob Walters [Phillips]; Lonnie Robertson (1908-1981, Springfield, Missouri) [Beisswenger & McCann]. Beisswenger & McCann (Ozark Fiddle Music), 2008; pg. 121. R.P. Christeson (Old Time Fiddlers Repertory, vol. 1), 1973; No. 50, pg. 38. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes, vol. 1), 1994; pg. 151. County CD2707, Lymon Enloe – “Fiddle Tunes I Recall.” Marimac Records, Double Decker String Band – “Chasing Rainbows.” Missouri State Old Time Fiddlers' Assocation, Bob Walters – “R.B. Christeson’s Old Time Fiddlers’ Repertory, vol. 1” (1973). Missouri State Old Time Fiddlers' Assocation 102, Casey Jones (1910-1967, northwest Mo.) - "Rocky Road to Jordan." Rhythm Rats – “Pretty Crowing Chicken.” Rounder 0375, Lonnie Robertson – “Lonnie’s Breakdown: Classic Fiddle Music from Missouri” (1996. Appears as “Malindy,” originally recorded 1977). 5 String Productions 5SP05002, The Hoover Uprights – “Known for their Reputation” (2005).

See also listing at:

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

X:1

T:Old Melinda

M:2/4

L:1/8

R:Breakdown

S:Christeson – Old Time Fiddler’s Repertory, vol. 1, No. 50  (1973)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:C

G,/B,/|C/D/E/F/ E/D/C/D/|EG Ac|EE/F/ E/D/C/D/|E/C/D/C/ A,/B,/C/D/|

EE/F/ E/D/C/D/|EG A/B/c/d/|ed/c/ A/B/c/A/|G/E/D/C/ A,<C:|

|:e<g^f/ ga/g/|e/g/a/b/ a/g/e/d/|e<ga/ g/e/a/g/|e[de] [ce][de]|

e<g^f ga/g/|e/g/a/b/ a/g/e/d/|e<ga/ g/e/a/g/|e[de] [ce] z:|

{d}[ee>][ee] [e/e/][d/e/][c/e/][d/e/]|[ee][ee] [de][c/e/][d/e/]|[ee>][ee] [ee]d/c/|AG EG|

[ee>][ee] [e/e/][d/e/][c/e/][d/e/]|[ee][ee] [de][c/e/][d/e/]|ed/c/ A/B/c/A/|G/E/D/C/ A,<C:|

 

OLD MEN AT THE LOOM. AKA and see “Maggie Cameron,” “Willie Roy’s Loomhouse.”

 

OLD MILK CHURN, THE.  AKA and see “A Fig for a Kiss [1],” "Gliogar an Mheadair," "The Gurgling of the Churn," "The Humours of Bottle Hill," "Milk the Churn .” Irish, Slip Jig. G Minor. Standard tuning. AAB. Kennedy (Fiddler’s Tune-Book: Slip Jigs and Waltzes), 1999; No. 54, pg. 12.

 

OLD MILLER, THE. Old‑Time. Vance Randolph believes this tune a variant of "Turkey in the Straw."

 

OLD MISS SALLY. AKA and see "Miss Sally at the Party," "I Asked That Pretty Girl to Be My Wife." Old‑Time, Breakdown. USA, Mississippi. G Major. Standard tuning. AB.

***

Oh Miss Sally, Sally, Oh Miss Sally, Sally,

I asked Miss Sally for to be my wife,

She run at me with a butcher knife,

Oh Miss Sally, Sally, Oh Miss Sally, Sally‑O.

***

Oh Miss Sally, Sally, Oh Miss Sally, Sally,

Asked Miss Sally for to be my wife,

Said she wouldn't to save my life,

Miss Sally, Miss Sally, Oh Miss Sally, Sally‑O.

***

Mississippi Department of Archives and History AH‑002, John Hatcher ‑ "Great Big Yam Potatoes: Anglo‑American Fiddle Music from Mississippi" (1985. Originally recorded for the Library of Congress in 1939).

 

OLD MISSOURI. AKA and see “Bug Ran Away with a Pillow,” “Love Somebody [2],” “I Love a Lassie O!”  American, Two-Step (2/4 time). USA, Arizona. D Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Ruth (Pioneer Western Folk Tunes), 1948; No. 27, pg. 11.

X:1

T:Old Missouri

T:(I) Love Somebody

L:1/8

M:2/4

S:Viola “Mom” Ruth, 1948

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

(A/B/c/)|dAFA|dD D(3A/B/c/|dAFA|dE E(3A/B/c/|dAFA| Bgfe|c/B/c/B/ Af | fd d :|

|:(f/g/)|afge|fd d(f/g/)|afga|b>e e(f/g/)|afge|f/d/e/f/ ec|dB Af|fd d:|

                                      

OLD MISTER RABBIT. Old‑Time, Song Tune and Breakdown. USA; Virginia, Kentucky. Other traditional songs have been set to the melody, including “The Crawdad Song.” Banjo player Dan Tate, of Fancy Gap, Carroll County, Virginia, sang these words for Mike Yates in 1979:

***

Oh, what you gonna do when your meat gives out, baby?

What you gonna do when your meat gives out?

Sit in the corner with your mouth stuck out, babe.

***

What you gonna do when it comes a-snow, baby?

What you gonna do when it comes a-snow?

Catch them rabbits as they go, babe.

***

Catching rabbits ain’t no sin, baby,

Catching rabbits ain’t no sin.

Turn them loose and catch ‘em again, babe.

***

Old Mister Rabbit your hair is mighty thin, baby,

Old Mister Rabbit your hair is mighty thin.

Yes, by Jove I split the wind, babe.

***

Old Mister Rabbit your tail is mighty white, baby.

Old Mister Rabbit our tail is mighty white.

Yes, by George, I’m siccin’ out of sight, babe.

***

Old Mister Rabbit your eyes are mighty red, baby,

Old Mister Rabbit your eyes are mighty red.

Yes, by George, I’m darn nigh dead, babe.

***

County 788, Clyde Davenport (Monticello, Ky.) ‑ "Clydeoscope: Rare and Beautiful Tunes from the Cumberland Plateau" (1986). Musical Traditions MTCD321-2, Dan Tate – “Far in the Mountains, vols. 1 & 2” (2002).

                       

OLD MOLE. English, Country Dance Tune (6/8 time). D Major. Standard tuning. AA. The melody was first published by Playford in his English Dancing Master (1651). Chris Bartram, writing in his article “The Fiddle in England” (Strad, Dec. 1999), finds that East Devon fiddler Harry Denslow (d. 1950’s), knew “Old Mole” from local tradition, and concludes that the tune had survived in the East Devon countryside for around three hundred years, passed on by ear. Moreover, photographs of Denslow reveal that he held his fiddle and bow in a mannoer which would have been familiar to players of the instrument during the Baroque era, and Bartram suspects that techniques of older traditional players of southern England would have changed as little as did Denslow’s “Old Mole” from Playford’s original. Barnes (English Country Dance Tunes), 1986. Karpeles & Schofield (A Selection of 100 English Folk Dance Airs), 1951; pg. 16. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 24 & 38 (the latter is a facsimile copy of the Playford original). Sharp (Country Dance Tunes), 1909/1994; pg. 33.

X:1

T:Old Mole

M:6/8

L:1/8

S:Sharp – Country Dance Tunes  (1909)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

|:d2d B>cd | e2c A2A | d2d B>cd | e3 a3 | f2d B>cd | e2c A2A | B>cd c>Bc | d3 d2z ||

d2d B>cd | e2c A2A | d2d B>cd | e3 a3 | f2d B>cd | e2c A2A | B>cd c>Bc | d3 d2z :|

                       

OLD MOLLY AHERN. AKA and see "Rolling on the Ryegrass," "Maureen Playboy," "Piper's Lass," "Rathkeale Hunt," "Shannon Breeze [1]," "The Ladies Tight Dress," "The Ladies Top Dress," "What the Devil ails you [2]" "Boil the Kettle Early," "The Listowel Lasses," "Kitty got a clinking (coming from the races) [1]," "Punch for the Ladies [2]," "The Lady on the Railroad," "The Railway Station," "The Brown Red Girl," "Love among the Roses," "The Kilfinane Reel," "The Connachtman's Rambles [1]," "McCaffrey's Reel," "The Telegraph," "Strac an mhuc an leine," "Sean‑Mhaire Ni Eachthighearn."

                       


OLD MOLLY HARE. AKA and see “Fisher Laddie,” "Grandma Blair," "Molly Hare," "Largo's Fairy Dance," “Old Granny Blair,” "Rustic Dance [1]," "Fairy Reel [1]" (Ire.). Old‑Time, Breakdown. USA; Widely known. G Major (Brody): D Major (most versions). ADae (Clayton McMichen) or Standard tunings. AB (Silberberg): AABB (Brody, Ford, Krassen, Phillips): ABBA'BCA''B' (Reiner & Anick). “Old Molly Hare” is directly evolved from the Scottish melody “Largo’s Fairy Dance,” composed by Nathaniel Gow (1763-1831) for the Fife Hunt Ball in 1802. It is known as “The Fisher Laddie” in northern England (where it appears in a collection of Northern English sword dance tunes by Cecil Sharp). The “Old Molly Hare” song and title appears to be strictly American in origin—Charles Wolfe (1991) thinks it a minstrel piece that went into oral tradition among both blacks and whites—and various ditties or rhymes have been sung to it:

***

(You) country coon, you come here soon;

The girls won’t be here till tomorrow afternoon (John Powell, quoted by Wilkinson)

***

Old Molly Hare, what you doin' there,

Diggin' out a post hole and scratchin' out yore hair?   (Ford)

***

Old Molly Hare, whatcha doin' thar,

Running through the cotton patch, as far as I can tear.

***

Old Molly Hare, whatcha doin' thar,

Sittin' in the corner, smoking a cigar.

***

Old Molly Hare, watcha doin' there,

Run through the country, run like a hare.   (Riley Puckett/Reiner & Anick)

***

African-American collector Thomas Talley, writing in his book Negro Folk Rhymes (reprinted in 1991, edited by Charles Wolfe), prints the following lyric:

***

Ole Molly har’, whats you doin’ thar?

“I’se settin’ in de fence corner, smokin’ seegyar.”

***

Ole Molly har’, what’s you doin’ thar?

“I’se pickin’ out a br’or, settin’ on a Pricky-p’ar.”

***

Ole Molly har’, what’s you doin’ thar?
“I’se gwine cross de Cotton Patch, hard as I can t’ar.”

***

Molly har’ today, so dey all say,

Got her pipe o’ clay, jis to moke de time ‘way.

***

“de dogs say ‘boo!’ An’ dey barks too,

I hain’t got no time fer to talk to you.

***

Ford (1940) relates an improbable story he had from a man who had been a noted caller of old‑time dances when he was younger, around the 1870's or 1880's. According to him the settlers of the Missouri/Kansas prarie region plagued by rodent holes, especillay rabbits, which were a hazard to cattle or horses. There was a boon to the burrows, however, as they could by used for fence posts, saving the homesteader the arduous labor of digging another hole to set his post. Usually, says Ford, the settlers as a matter of pride took great pains to set their posts in a straight line. There was however, one character in the community, "whose ingenious efforts to avoid over‑exertion were a constant source of amusement to his friends and neighbors.”            

***

When he built his fence he was not particular about a straight line.

He selected rows of rabbit holes, set his posts, strung the wire and

had his fencing done in no time at all. But the result was even more

erratic than he had anticipated. He was surveying the completed work

one day when several neighbors, coming in from the range, rode up.

They took one look at the fence and then had their usual laugh, to

poor old John's embarrassment. 'John', said one, in a voice of

suppressed amusement, 'how much liquor does it take to the mile,

to build a fence like that?' 'Well,' said John, scratching his head,

'I hadn't calculated fer it to be a worm fence. Reckon though, if I

had a still hitched to it and the neighbors pourin' cold water along,        

like they do on all my honest endeavors, you fellers 'ud be down at

t'other end of the fence holdin' yer cups to ketch the whiskey!' As

soon as the laughter had subsided over John's turning the tables, the

neighbor added: 'Anyhow, you certainly did get your fencing done

in a hurry,  John. Did you have any help?' 'Yes and no,' was the reply.

'I sort of took advantage of Mother Nature on part of the work. Old

Molly Hare dug the post holes ‑‑ but me and the mules had to set the

posts and string the wire!' It was shortly after this episode that the

above‑mentioned verse appeared, and began to be used by callers

when the tune 'Old Molly Hare' was played.

***

The tune was recorded for the Library of Congress by musicologist/folklorist Vance Randolph from Ozark Mountain fiddlers in the early 1940's; also recorded for the Library of Congress in 1939 by Herbert Halpert from the playing of Tishomingo County, Mississippi, fiddler W.E. Claunch and Meridian, Mississippi, fiddler W.A. Bledsoe (who was originally from Tennessee). It was a tune in the repertoire of fiddler and Confederate veteran Arnold A. Parrish (Willow Springs, Wake County, N.C.), as recorded by the old Raleigh News and Observer. Parrish was a contestant at fiddler’s conventions held in Raleigh prior to World War I. The tune/song appears in several older collections: Brown (3:211-13), collected mostly from black informants; Richardson (American Mountain Songs) and Randolph (2:359) contain versions from white sources, the latter from the Ozark Mountains. See also Estill Bingham’s (1899-1990) interesting Kentucky variant “Old Granny Blair.” Sources for notated versions: New Lost City Ramblers [Brody]: Clayton McMichen (Atlanta, Ga) [Phillips]. Also in the repertoire of Uncle Eck Dunford (Galax, Va.) {See Library of Congress recording}. Brody (Fiddler’s Fakebook), 1983; pg. 207. S. Johnson (The Kitchen Musician No. 4: Collection of Fine Tunes), 1983 (revised 1991, 2001); pg. 5. Kaufman (Beginning Old Time Fiddle), 1977; pg. 47. Krassen (Appalachian Fiddle), 1973; pg. 31. Phillips (Fiddlecase Tunebook), 1989; pg. 31. Reiner & Anick (Old Time Fiddling Across America), 1989; pgs. 110‑111. Silberberg (Tunes I Learned at Tractor Tavern), 2002; pg. 111. Brunswick 291 (78 RPM), The Crockett Family (1928. A Kentucky group). Columbia 15295 (78 RPM), Riley Puckett & Clayton McMichen (1927). County 507, Clayton McMichen. County 527, Clayton McMichen‑ "Old Time Fiddle Classics, Vol. II." Folkways FA 2395, New Lost City Ramblers‑ "Vol. 5." Okeh 45268 (78 RPM), Fiddlin’ Cowan Powers (1928. Powers, 1877‑1952? was from Russell County, Va., and learned the tune from family tradition). Rounder 0058, Haywood Blevins‑ "Old Originals, vol. II." Recorded for the Library of Congress, 1939, by W.A. Bledsoe (Meridian, Mississippi). Also in repertoire of the Kimble Family from Patrick County, S.W. Va.

See also listings at:

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

Alan Ng’s Irishtune.info

X:1

T:Old Molly Hare

L:1/8

M:2/2

B:Winston Wilkinson, Southern Folklore Quarterly, vol. VI, no. 1, pg. 5.

S:James H. “Uncle Jim” Chisholm (Greenwood, Albermarle County, Va.)

K:D

abaf b2b2|gage a4|fdfa gfed|1 cABc d2fg:|2 cABc d4||

|:fdfa g2eg|fafd B4|fdfa gfed|cABc d4|Ad2d d2a2|

gfed cdec|defa gfed|1 cdef d2d2:|2 cdef d4||

                       

OLD MOLLY OXFORD [1]. AKA and see “Molly Oxford,” "Old Mother Oxford.” English, Morris Dance Tune (2/2 time). D Major (Bacon‑Fieldtown): G Major (Bacon‑Ilmington). Standard tuning. ABB (x4), A (Bacon‑Ilmington): A,AABBAABBAABBAA (Bacon‑Fieldtown). Collected from the villages of Fieldtown (Cecil Sharpe's name for the village of Leafield, Oxfordshire) and Ilmington, (Warwickshire), in England's Cotswolds. Source for notated version: Leafield fiddler Frank Butler [Sharpe]. Bacon (The Morris Ring), 1974; pgs. 151 & 216. Cottey Light Industries CLI-903, Dexter et al - "Over the Water" (1993). Topic TSCD 458, John Kirkpatrick – “Plain Capers: Morris Dance Tunes from the Cotswolds.”

X:1

T:Old Molly Oxford

M:4/4

L:1/8

K:D

D/E/F/G/ AG|FEDA|D/E/F/G/ Ad|cdeA|d/c/d/e/ fd|ecdA|dA  G/B/A/G/|FED2|]

|:FAFA|FAAG/F/|GBGB|GBBA|d/c/d/e/ fd|ecdA|dA G/B/A/G/|FED2:|

||D E/F G/|A2G2|F2E2|D2A2|DE/FG/|A2d2|

M:6/4

c2 d2 eA|

M:4/4

d/c/d/e/ fd|ecdA|dA G/B/A/G/|FED2||

 

OLD MOLLY OXFORD [2]. AKA and see “Step Back.”

           

OLD MORPETH RANT.  English, Reel. G Major. Standard tuning. A version of the well-known Northumberland tune “Morpeth Rant,” different especially in the ‘B’ part. The ‘rant’ of the title refers to a dance step. See note for “Morpeth Rant [1]” and "Morpeth Rant [2]" for more. Park Records PRKCD 42, Kathryn Tickell – “The Northumberland Collection” (learned from a relative, Henry Robson).

           

OLD MORRIS. AKA and see "The Banks of the Dee."

                       

OLD MOSE. AKA and see "Buffalo Nickel [1]," “Cat Ate the Handsaw,” "Chinky Pin," “Crooked Stovepipe [2],” "Darling Child," “Eber Atkins Tune,” "Farmer Had a Dog," "Fourth of July," “Grey-Eyed Cat,” "Hair in the Butter," "I'm My Momma's Darling (Child)," “Lead Out,” “Liesel,” “Love Somebody [2],” "Midnight Serenade [1]," "My Love Is/She's But a Lassie Yet [1],” “Raymondville,” "Richmond Blues," “Soapsuds Over the Fence [3],” "Sweet Sixteen," "Ten Nights in a Bar Room," "Yellow Eyed Cat." Old-Time, Breakdown. C Major. Standard tuning. AB. Sometimes played in the key of ‘G’. From the playing of Garry Harrison. Howard Marshall says the title is from exteme southwest Missouri. Source for notated version: Greg Canote (Seattle) [Silberberg]. Silberberg (Tunes I Learned at Tractor Tavern), 2002; pg. 112.

 

OLD MOTHER FINNEGAN. Old‑Time. Perhaps "Old Mother Flanagan." The title appears in a list of traditional Ozark Mountain fiddle tunes compiled by musicologist/folklorist Vance Randolph, published in 1954.

 


OLD MOTHER FLANAGAN. AKA and see "Mother Flanagan," "Greenfields of America [1]," "(Pretty, Charming) Molly (Judy, Miss) Brallaghan (Brannigan)," "Miss Wedderburn('s Reel) [1]," “Sooka Flanagan.” Old‑Time, Breakdown. USA; southwestern Pa., West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina. A Major (Brody, Phillips, Silberberg): G Major (Bayard, Kaufman, Phillips, Songer). AEae or Standard tunings. AB (Bayard): AB (Silberberg): AABB (Phillips/Gardella, Songer): AA'BB' (Kaufman): AABBCC (Brody). In Phillips/Sears version all the parts are irregular. It seems obviously of Irish derivation; see note for "Greenfields of America." Clay County, West Virginia, fiddler Wilson Douglas remarked that he didn't know where it originated; "its a Clay County tune and French (Carpenter, his mentor) said he never did know. Said the first time he ever heard it played, his dad played it. And he learned it from him and he said he never did know where it came from." Another West Virginia fiddler, Emory Bailey, also played a version. Bayard (1981) collected this rhyme to the first part in Pennsylvania:

***

Old Mother Flanagan, never be a man again,

Hole in her stockin', heel kept a‑rockin'.

***

See also the related tune "Old Flanagan" and the Kentucky variant “Sooka Flanagan,” and the second strain of the Missouri melody “A and E Rag.”  Though the Fuzzy Mountain String band recorded the tune in A Major, their source, Lee Triplett, played it is G Major. Sources for notated versions: Fuzzy Mountain String Band (Chapel Hill, N. C.) who had it from Lee Triplett (Clay County, Va.) who played it in G Major [Brody]; I. Morris (Pa., 1930's) [Bayard]; Danny Gardella [Phillips]; banjo and concertina player Bertram Levy (Port Townsend, Washington) [Songer]. Bayard (Dance to the Fiddle), 1981; No. 312C, pg. 265. Brody (Fiddler’s Fakebook), 1983; pg. 208. Kaufman (Beginning Old Time Fiddle), 1977; pgs. 53 & 90‑91. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes), vol. 1, 1994; pg. 173. Silberberg (Tunes I Learned at Tractor Tavern), 2002; pg. 112. Songer (Portland Collection), 1997; pg. 151. Bay 727, "Kenny Hall and the Sweet Mills String Band." Ghe Records GR1001, Mike Cross ‑ "Child Prodigy" (1979). Marimac AHS #3, Glen Smith – “Say Old Man” (1990. Learned from Wilson Douglas). Rounder 0010, "Fuzzy Mountain String Band" (1972). Rounder 0047, Wilson Douglas‑ "The Right Hand Fork of Rush's Creek" (1975). Rounder 0058, Haywood Blevins (Va.) ‑ "Old Originals, Vol. 2" (1978). Rounder C‑11565, Malcolm Owen & Bill Hicks ‑ "Rounder Fiddle" (1990).

 

OLD MOTHER GOFOUR. AKA and see "Granny, Will Your Dog Bite? [1]" "Pretty Betty Martin," "Hog Eye [1]," "Fire on/in the Mountain [1]," "Tip Top Fine."

 

OLD MOTHER GOODWIN. AKA and see "Pigtown Fling," "Wild Horse." American, Reel. USA, southwestern Pa. G Major. Standard tuning. AA'BB. Sources for notated version: Fred Miller and Glenn Gelnette (Jefferson County, Pa., 1949) [Bayard]. Bayard (Dance to the Fiddle), 1981; No. 166C, pg. 112.

 

OLD MOTHER GOOSE. Irish (?), Slip Jig. G Major. Standard tuning. AB. See also the related “Don’t Leave Me Alone.” Cole (1000 Fiddle Tunes), 1940; pg. 56. Kennedy (Fiddler’s Tune-Book: Slip Jigs and Waltzes), 1999; No. 55, pg. 13. Ryan’s Mammoth Collection, 1883; pg. 86. White’s Unique Collection, 1896; No. 24, pg. 5.

X:1

T:Old Mother Goose

M:9/8

L:1/8

R:Jig

S:White’s Unique Collection (1896), No. 24

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G

(g2d) (d2c) (Bc)d | e2A ABG FED | (g2d) (d2c) (Bc)d | efg (fe).f g3 |

(g2d) (d2c) (Bc)d | e2A ABG FED | (g2d) (d2c) (Bc)d | efg (fe)f g3 ||

B2c dec dcB | B2d efd edc | B2c dec dcB | c2B AGF G3 |

B2c dec dcB | B2d efd edc | B2c dec dcB | c2B AGF G3 ||

 

OLD MOTHER GUM. Old-Time, Breakdown. USA, southwestern Pa. G Major. Standard tuning. AB. Source for notated version: Hogg (Pa., 1948) [Bayard]. Bayard (Dance to the Fiddle), 1981; No. 137, pg. 75.

 

OLD MOTHER KNICKERBOCKER. Old-Time. The following ditty was sometime sung:

***
Old Mother Nickabocker doesn't give a damn,

Just let a n****r f**k her as any other man.

 

OLD MOTHER LOBOS. See "Old Mother Logo."

 


OLD MOTHER LOGO. Old‑Time, Breakdown. D Major ('A' part) & G Major ('B' part). Standard tuning. AABB. Bayard says this tune resembles "in a general way" a western Pennsylvania tune called "Hang On." Ford (Traditional Music in America), 1940; pg. 91. Folkways FTS 31062, "Ship in the Clouds: Old Time Instrumental Music" (1978. Learned from Virginia fiddler Chris Murray). Voyager VRCD-354, Hart & Blech – “Build Me a Boat.”

X:1

T:Old Mother Logo

M:2/4

L:1/8

R:Reel

S:Ford – Traditional Music in America (1940)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

e|faa>a|fd de/f/|gab>a|fe ed/e/|fa a/b/a/g/|fd de/f/|gg e/f/e/e/|BA A:|

K:G

|:D|GG A/G/A/c/|BB E>B|ee e/f/e/e/|BA A>D|GG A/G/A/c/|BB G>B|ee e/f/e/d/|BA G:|

 

OLD MOTHER McCARTHY. Old‑Time, Breakdown. USA, Missouri. C Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Source Cyril Stinnet goes into 2nd position on the violin to play parts of this tune, according to Paul Mitchell. Source for notated version: Cyril Stinnett (Oregon, Missouri) [Christeson, Phillips]. R.P. Christeson (Old Time Fiddlers Repertory, vol. 2), 1984; pg. 42. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes), vol. 1, 1994; pg. 173.

 

OLD MOTHER OXFORD. AKA and see "Old Molly Oxford [1],” “Steeple Claydon." English, Morris Dance Tune (2/4 time, with an irregular measure in the 'C' part in some versions). England, Oxfordshire. G Major (most versions): D Major (Spandaro). Standard tuning. ABC (Raven, et al.): ABCBCBC (Bacon, Mallinson): ABBC (Spandaro). Collected from the village of Headington, Oxfordshire, in England's Cotswold region. Michael Cooney reports the melody has been suggested as a relative of the famous American hoe-down "Turkey in the Straw." Source for notated version: William Kimber (d. 1961) {Oxfordshire}, via Cecil Sharpe [Williamson]. Bacon (The Morris Ring), 1974; pg. 194. Karpeles & Schofield (.  A Selection of 100 English Folk Dance Airs), 1951; pg. 35. Mallinson (Mally’s Cotswold Morris Book), 1988, vol. 2; No. 50, pg. 25. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 75. Spandaro (10 Cents a Dance), 1980; pg. 6 (appears as "Old Molly Oxford"). Williamson (English, Welsh, Scottish and Irish Fiddle Tunes), 1976; pg. 16.

X:1

T:Old Mother Oxford

L:1/8

M:2/4

K:G

G/A/B/c/ dc|BA Gd|G/A/B/c/ dg|fgad|g/f/g/a/ bg|afgd|gd c/e/d/c/|BA G2||

Bd Bd|Bd dc/B/|ce ce|ce ee/f/|g/f/g/a/ bg|afgd|gd c/e/d/c/|BA G2||
G>AB>c|d2c2|B2A2|G2D2|G>AB>c|d2g2|

L:1/8

M:3/4

f2g2ad|

L:1/8

M:2/4

g/f/g/a/ bg|afgd|gd c/e/d/c/|BA G2||

           

OLD MOTHER REILLY. AKA and see “Granny Duncan.” Scottish. This is the title in fife repertory; pipers call the tune “Granny Duncan.”

                       

OLD MRS. HUDDLEDEE. English, Schottische. The tune was played in a medley of schottisches in southern England, along with “Washing Day [1]” and “The Keel Row”; Norfolk area concertina player Scan Tester (1887-1972) and fiddler Walter Bulwer (1882-c. 1972) both independently knew the medley. Bulwer sung this ditty to the tune:

***

Old Mrs. Hudledee

Went to bed to cuddle me;

Cocked her leg right over me

To keep her belly warm.

***

Topic TSCD607, Billy Cooper, Walter & Daisy Bulwer – “English Country Music” (2000. Originally recorded 1962).

__________________________________________

HOME        ALPHABETICAL FILES        REFERENCES

 

© 1996-2010 Andrew Kuntz

Please help maintain the viability of the Fiddler’s Companion on the Web by respecting the copyright.

For further information see Copyright and Permissions Policy or contact the author.