The Fiddler’s
Companion
© 1996-2008 Andrew Kuntz
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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] |
DASH TO PORTOBELLO. AKA and see “The Galway Rambler,” “Glens of Aherlow,” “Port Gael-Linn,” “Seán Ryan’s Favourite,” “Seán Ryan’s (Reel) [2],” “Sligo Rambler [1].” Irish, Reel. E Dorian. Standard tuning. Composed by
X:1
T:Dash to Portobello, The
T:Port Gael‑Linn
C:Sean Ryan
S:Sean Ryan
D:Milestone at the Garden
M:C|
L:1/8
Z:transcribed by Juergan Gier
K:D Dor
dc|ADDD DCA,G,|C2ED CG,G,G,|A,DDC
DEFG|(3ABc dA cAGB|\
ADDD DCA,G,|C2ED CG,G,G,|A,DDC
DEFG|(3ABc GE FD D2::\
f2df afdf|eccc Gceg|f2df afdf|efge
fdde|~f3 g afdf|\
e2ce gece|fefg {a}gfge|1fedc (3ABc
de:|2fedc Acfe:|
DASHING SERGEANT. See "Dashing White Sergeant."
DASHING WHITE SERGEANT, THE.
AKA and see "Highland Reel." English, Scottish, Irish, American; Country
Dance Tune, Reel or Hornpipe. F Major (Ashman, Athole, Hunter): G Major (Roche,
Ford): D Major (Kennedy, Kerr, Martin, Sweet). Standard. AB (Ford): AAB
(Kennedy): AAB (Ashman): AA'B (Athole, Hunter, Kerr, Martin, Sweet): AABB
(Roche). The Dashing White Sergeant is the name of a specific social (ceilidh)
dance in
***
The
tune of “The Dashing White Sergeant” is derived from a song of the same name,
written by an English musical composer, conductor and arranger Sir Henry Rowley
Bishop (1786-1855), and was published in the mid-1820’s. Apparently the song
was to be part of one of Bishop’s operas, although there is no evidence it ever
actually made it into one. Rowley Bishop, who had a long run with various works
in the London theaters and was the first musician to be knighted, is perhaps
nowadays more famous for his composition “Home Sweet Home.” He is also
remembered for his appointment to the Reid Professorship of Music at
***
The
words to the song are sometimes attributed to General John “Gentleman Johnny”
Burgoyne (1722-1792), who surrendered a British army at
***
If I had a beau for a soldier who'd go,
Do you think I'd say no? No, no, not I!
For a soldier who'd go, Do you think I'd say
no?
No, no, no, no, no, no, not I!
When his red coat I saw,
Not a sigh would it draw,
But I'd give him eclat for his bravery!
If an army of Amazons ere came in play,
As a dashing white sergeant I’d march away.
***
Chorus:
A dashing white sergeant I’d march away,
march away, march away, march away.
March away, march away, march away, march away, march away, march away.
***
The lyrics make more sense when you understand that the singer is a woman, whose thought it is to dress as a ‘dashing white sergeant’ to follow her lover in the army, a not-uncommon 18th and 19th century theme. Another set of lyrics (relatively modern, and which scan better with the melody) are by Scottish conductor Sir Hugh S. Roberton, and go:
***
Now the fiddler’s ready, let us all begin,
So step it out and step it in
To the merry music of the violin
We’ll dance the hours away.
***
Katie and Peggy and Patsy and Coll,
Callum and Peter and Flora and Moll;
Dance, dance, dance, dance,
Dance away the hours together.
Dance till dawn be in the sky,
Whatcare you and what care I?
Hearts a-beating, spirits high
We’ll dance, dance, dance!
***
Perhaps because of the title the tune was quick to enter British military repertoire as a march, where it was the regimental march of the former 49th Berkshires (Royal Berkshire Regiment). “The Grenadier Guards,” records David Murray [Music of the Scottish Regiments, Edinburgh, 1994, pg. 210], “play it for the Advance in Review Order, with which manoeuvre ceremonial inspections used to conclude. It was also briefly the march past of the 2nd battalion The Suffolk Regimnet at some period before 1898, when both battalions changed to ‘Speed the Plough’.”
***
In
***
Source
for notated version: a c. 1837-1840 MS by
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See also listing at: Jane Keefer’s Folk Music Index: An
Index to Recorded Sources |
X:1
T:Dashing
White Sergeant
M:2/4
L:1/8
R:Country
Dances
B:Stewart-Robertson
– The Athole Collection (1884)
Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion
K:F
A/G/|:FF/G/
F/G/A/B/|c/B/c/d/ ca/g/|~fdcA|dG G/B/A/G/|FF/G/ F/G/A/B/|
c/B/c/d/
ca|gfed|1 cc/d/ c/B/A/G/:|2 c2z||C|cc/d/ c/d/e/f/|g/a/g/e/ c>e|
dd/e/ d/e/f/g/|a/b/a/f/
dd/d/|ec/c/ fc/c/|gc/c/ ag/a/|bagf|ed c/B/A/G/|
F>f f/e/f/g/|fcc>f|dg g/f/g/a/|gdd>~f|c>f f/e/f/g/|az c’>e|fe/d/ c/B/A/G/||
DAUGHERTY’S JIG. AKA and see “The Trip to Sligo [1].”
Irish, Jig. Intrepid Records, Michael Coleman - “The
Heyday of Michael Coleman” (1973).
DAUGHTER OF ISREAL. English, Air (cut time). F Major. Standard tuning.
AB. Source for notated version: a c. 1837-1840 MS by Shropshire musician John
Moore [Ashman]. Ashman (The Ironbridge
Hornpipe), 1991; No. 46, pg. 17.
DAUGHTER OF THE
REGIMENT.
English, March. “When Queen
DAUNSE NY FARISHYN. AKA and see "The Jolly
Banger [1]," "Largo's Fairy
Dance," "The Fairy Reel [1]."
DAVE BORDER'S PIECE. Old‑Time, Breakdown. USA, Missouri. D Major. Standard
tuning. AABB. Composed by Ben Smith. Source for notated tune: Ben Smith
(Jerome, Missouri) [Christeson]. R.P. Christeson (Old Time Fiddlers Repertory, vol. 2), 1984; No. 71, pg. 48.
DAVE COLLINS' [1]. Irish, Jig. D Major. Standard tuning. AABB.
Miles Krassen (1981) remarks that this jig was originally composed by Dave
Collins in the key of 'C' but was transposed to 'B Flat' by Bronx fiddler
Martin Wynne as a more comfortable fiddle key; Mulvihill gives it in D Major.
Mulvihill (1st Collection),
1986; No. 90, pg. 84. Green Linnet SIF1035, Brian
Conway & Tony De Marco - "The Apple in Winter" (1981).
DAVE COLLINS’ [2]. Irish, Jig. A Major. Standard
tuning. AAB.
X: 1
T: Dave Collins'
M: 6/8
Q: 300
L: 1/8
R: jig
N: Dave is a box player from the New York area,
good friend of
N: Brian Conway's and brother of Dan and
Kathleen.
Z: Transcribed by Bill Black
K: A
E | A2 A, CEA | B2 B BAF | A2 F ECA, | CEC B,2 C
|
A,G,A, CA,C | A,CE FEC | EFA BGE | AcB A2 :|
B | cAc
BGB | Acf ece | f2 e cBc | efg f2 g |
agf gfe | fec BGE | FGA BGE | AcB A2 B |
cAc BGB | Acf ece | A2 F ECA, | CDC B,2 C |
A,G,A,
CA,C | A,CE FEC | EFA BGE | AcB A2 ||
DAVE MARSH'S FAVORITE. Canadian, Jig. Canada, Cape Breton. G Major. Standard. AABB (Dunlay
& Reich): AA’BB’ (Dunlay & Greenberg). The title comes from pianist
Doug MacPhee, who named it after a friend, thought the tune was not composed by
him. Source for notated versions: Buddy MacMaster (Cape Breton) [Dunlay &
Greenberg, Dunlay & Reich]. Dunlay & Greenberg (Traditional Celtic Violin Music from Cape Breton), 1996; pg. 118.
Dunlay & Reich (Traditional Celtic
Fiddle Music of Cape Breton), 1986; pg. 75 (listed as "Traditonal
Jig"). DMP6‑27‑1‑4, Doug
MacPhee‑ "Cape Breton Piano III" (1981). RDRD 850, Raymond
Ellis - “Dedicated to Mom and Dad” (1994. Appears as 1st “Traditional Jig” on
‘B’ side, 2nd cut).
DAVE MACISAAC’S JIG. Canadian, Jig. Canada, Cape Breton. A Major. Standard
tuning. AA’BB’. Composed by fiddler Jerry Holland (Inverness, Cape
Breton) for fiddler/guitarist Dave MacIsaacs (Halifax, Nova Scotia). Cranford (Jerry Holland’s), 1995; No. 196, pg. 56.
DAVE MACISAAC’S
STRATHSPEY. Canadian, Strathspey. Canada, Cape
Breton. A Dorian. Standard tuning. AAB. Composed by
fiddler Brenda Stubbert (b. 1959, Point Aconi, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia) for
guitarist/fiddler Dave MacIsaac’s (Halifax, Nova Scotia). Cranford (Brenda Stubbert’s), 1994; No. 17, pg. 7.
Brenda Stubbert - “Tamerack ‘er Down” (1985).
DAVE MACNEIL. Canadian, Reel. Canada, Cape Breton Island. Composed by Cape Breton
fiddler Donny LeBlanc, who lives on the west coast of the island. Flying Fish FF 70572, Frank Ferrel – “Yankee Dreams: Wicked
Good Fiddling from New England” (1991).
DAVE “NORMAWAY” MACDONALD’S
WEDDING REEL. Canadian, Reel. Canada, Cape
Breton. Composed by Inverness, Cape Breton, fiddler Jerry Holland (b. 1955) for
the wedding of inn-keeper MacDonald, who runs a venue for Cape Breton music at
his establishment, the Normaway. Odyssey ORCS 1051,
Jerry Holland – “Fiddler’s Choice” (1999).
DAVE O’DOCHERTY’S. Irish, Reel. Standard tuning. AABB. Composed at
the 1990 Comhaltas Ceoltoírí Eíreann North American Convention held in St.
Louis by Falmouth, Massachusetts, musician and writer Bill Black. Black (Music’s the Very Best Thing), 1996; No.
122, pg. 63.
X:1
T: Dave O Docherty's
C: © B. Black
Q: 350
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: D
FA | BcBA F2 ED | B,D D2 EFAB | dBBd e2 gf | eBdB A2 FA |
BcBA F2 ED | B,D D2 EFAB | defd g2 ed | cAGE D2 :|
FA | BDFA dcde | fede fa a2 | bf f2 af f2 | gfed B2 FA |
BDFA
dcde | fede fa a2 | b2 af edBd | cAGE D2 :|
DAVENPORT. Old-Time. An archaic banjo piece.
DAVE’S DONEGAL RAMBLES. Irish, Reel. Ireland, County
Donegal. D Major. Standard tuning. AB. An untitled
county Donegal reel collected by Dave Abe, who travelled Ireland on a grant to
study traditional music. The title is Bill Black’s. Black (Music’s the Very Best Thing), 1996; No. 113, pg. 59.
X:1
T: Dave's Donegal Rambles
S: Dave Abe
Q: 350
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: D
E | F3 A AFDE | F2 EG FDDE | F3 A AFDE | F2 EF D3 :|
A
| d3 A FGAB | A2 dA (3Bcd ec | d3 A FGAB | AFGE FD D3 :|
DAVID ADAMS. Scottish, Reel. A Major. Standard tuning. AB.
Composed by J. Scott Skinner. Skinner (The Scottish Violinist), pg. 9.
X:1
T:David Adams
M:2/4
L:1/8
R:Reel
C:J. Scott Skinner
Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion
K:A
E/ | A/4A/4A/ (c/A/) .G/.A/.B/.c/ |
d/c/B/A/ G/E/F/G/ | A/4A/4A/ (c/A/) .B/.c/.d/.f/ |
e/c/d/B/ c/A/A/({g}a/) | A/4A/4A/
(c/A/) .G/.A/.B/.c/ | .d/.c/.B/.A/ .G/.F/.E/.G/ |
.A/.c/.E/.c/ .A/.B/.c/.d/ | e/c/e/B/
c/A/A/g/ || a/A/a/g/ f/d/d/f/ | b/B/b/a/ g/e/e/g/ |
a/A/a/g/ f/d/a/f/ | e/c/d/B/
c/A/A/g/ | a/4a/4a/ (c/a/) f/d/d/f/ |b/4b/4b/ (B/b/) g/e/e/g/ |
.a/.g/.a/.e/ .f/.a/.e/.a/ | [e/e/]
[c/a/] [d/g/] [B/b/] [c/{g}a/][A/A/][A/A/] || [E4A4] ||
DAVID AND NANCY’S
VISIT. Canadian, Reel. Canada, Cape Breton.
Composed by Inverness, Cape Breton, fiddler Jerry Holland (b. 1955) after a
visit by David and Nancy MacIsaac. Odyssey ORCS 1051, Jerry Holland – “Fiddler’s Choice”
(1999).
DAVID D. MACKENZIE OF
SALLACHY. Shetland, Slow Air. Composed by I.
Sinclair. Greentrax, Willie Hunter – “Leaving Lerwick
Harbour” (1995).
DAVID EARL OF CASSIL'S
REEL. Scottish, Reel. Glen (1891) finds
the earliest printing of the tune in John
Riddell's 1782 collection (pg. 21).
DAVID FOY. Irish, Air (2/4 time). E Flat Major. Standard tuning.
One part. “As sung by the Dublin street ballad singers, for the last fifty
years at least” [Stanford/Petrie--1855]. See also the variant “Remember the pease straw.”
Stanford/Petrie (Complete Collection),
1905; No. 683, pg. 171.
X:1
T:David Foy
M:2/4
R:Air
N:”As sung by the Dublin street
ballad singers, for the last fifty years, at least.”
L::1/8
S:Stanford/Petire (1905), No. 683
Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion
K:E_
G/B/ | cd/e/ fg | eB {d}cA | GA/F/ EE | E3 B/c/4d/4 | ee/f/ ga/g/ |
f>d B e | d>e {d}cB | B3 A| GF/E/ G/A/B | E>D EF | G/A/B cA/G/ |
{G}F3 G/B/ | c/d/e f>g | eB cA |
GA/F/ EE | E3 ||
DAVID MANSON OF QUARFF. Shetland, Jig. A Major. Standard tuning. AAB.
Composed by the late Shetland composer, teacher, fiddler and collector Tom
Anderson (1980). Anderson (The Ringing
Strings), 1983; pg. 95.
DAVID O’DOHERTY’S
FAVOURITE. Irish, Reel. Outlet 3002, Paddy Cronin‑ "Kerry's Own Paddy
Cronin" (1977).
DAVID POWER. Irish, Planxty. F Major. Standard tuning. AB.
Composed by blind Irish harper Turlough O'Carolan (1670-1738). Complete Collection of Carolan's Irish Tunes,
1984; No. 153, pg. 104‑105.
DAVID RAE. AKA and see “Cuckold
Came Out of the Amrey,” "Struan
Robertson(‘s Rant) [1]." Scottish, Strathspey.
E Minor. Standard tuning. AABBCCCD. John Glen (1891)
finds the earliest printing of the tune in Alexander McGlashan's 1780
collection. While David Rae is a common enough Scottish name and could refer to
anyone, McGlashan’s tune may honor a contemporary, the David Rae who was Lord
Eskgrove, Lord Justice-Clerk (i.e. the head) of the Criminal Court (in
***
When I first knew him he was in the zenith of
his absurdity. People
seemed to have nothing to do but to tell
stories of this one man. To
be able to give and anecdote of Eskgrove, with
a proper imitation
of his voice and manner, was a sort of fortune
in society. (Sir Walter)
Scott in those days was famous for this
particularly. Whenever a
knot of persons were seen listening in the
Outer House to one who
was talking slowly, with a low muttering voice
and a projected chin,
and then the listeners burst asunder in roars
of laughter, nobody
thought of asking what the joke was. They were
sure it was a successful
imitation of Esky; and this was enough. Yet
never once did he do or say
anything which had the slightest claim to be
remembered for any
intrinsic merit. The value of all his words and
actions consisted in
their absurdity.
***
He seemed, in his old age, to be about the
average height; but as
He then stooped a good deal, he might have been
taller in reality.
His face varied, according to circumstances,
from a scurfy red
to a scurfy blue; his nose was prodigious; the
under lip enormous,
and supported on a huge clumsy chin, which moved like the jaw
of an exaggerated Dutch toy. He walked with a
slow steady step—
something between a walk and a hirple, and
helped himself on by
short movements of his elbows, backwards and
forwards, like fins.
inaudible for some time after the movement of
the lips showed
that he had begun speaking; after which the
first word that was let
fairly out was generally the loudest of the
whole discourse. It is
unfortunate that, without an idea of his voice
and manner, mere
narrative cannot describe his sayings and
doings graphically. (pgs. 109-110)
***
Cockburn
goes on to give several pages of anecdotes about the jurist’s career, none of
them complimentary (for an example, see note for “Sir James Colquhoun”). McGlashan (Collection of Strathspey Reels), c.
1780/81; pg. 14.
X:1
T:Davie Ray
M:C|
L:1/8
R:Strathspey
S:McGlashan
– Strathspey Reels (c. 1780/81)
Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion
K:E Minor
F|E/E/E GA
B>ABd|D/D/D dF D/E/F/G/ AF|E/E/E GA B>ABd|eBdF E/E/E E:|
f|e>fge
b>fge|f>edg a/g/f/e/ df|efge bfge|dBAF E/E/E Ef|e>fge bfge|
f>edg
a/g/f/e/ df|efge bfge|dBAF E/E/E E2||
|:G>BE>B
G>BE>B|F>AD>A F>AD>A|G>BE>B G>BE>g|f>e^df
e/e/e e2:|
g>be>b g>be>b|f>ad>a f>ad>a|g>be>b g>be>g|f>e^df e/e/e e2|g>be>b g>be>b|
f>ad>a
f>ad>a|b>fg>e f>de>^c|d/^c/B/A/ dF E/E/E E2||
DAVID RANKIN’S
STRATHSPEY. Canadain, Strathspey. Canada, Cape
Breton. B Minor. Standard tuning. AAB. Composed by
fiddler Jerry Holland (Inverness, Cape Breton). Cranford (Jerry Holland’s), 1995; No. 60, pg. 18.
DAVID STEWART. Scottish, Strathspey. A Major. Standard tuning.
AABCCD. Carlin (The Gow Collection),
1986; No. 34.
DAVID WHITE’S REEL. Canadian, Reel. Canada, Cape Breton. D Major. Standard
tuning. AABB’. Composed by fiddler Jerry Holland (Inverness, Cape
Breton). David White is a step-dancer from Detroit. Cranford (Jerry Holland’s), 1995; No. 112, pg. 32.
Odyssey ORCS 1051, Jerry Holland – “Fiddler’s Choice”
(1999).
DAVID’S FINEST HOUR. Canadian, Reel. Canada, Cape Breton. D Major. Standard
tuning. AABB. Composed by fiddler Jerry Holland (Inverness, Cape
Breton). Cranford (Jerry Holland),
1995; No. 91, pg. 27.
DAVID’S HORNPIPE. AKA – “Davie’s Hornpipe.” English, Hornpipe. England, Northumberland. G
Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Composed by Robert Whinham
(1814-1893), a musician, teacher, composer, dancing master and fiddler,
originally from Morpeth. A verse appears below the tune in the original
manuscript:
***
David with his harp play’d psalms
To win the Lord into good terms
But had he play’d this merry strain
He’d pleas’d the Lord as well again.
***
As “Davie’s Hornpipe” the tune
appears in J. “Kielder Jock” Davidson’s Northumbrian manuscript from the early
20th century, a copy of which is in the Beamish Museum. Source for
notated version: an unattributed 19th century manuscript in the
Beamish Museum [Dixon]. Dixon (Remember
Me), 1995; pg. 29. Black Crow CRO220, Kathryn
Tickell – “Common Ground.”
DAVID'S JIG. Canadian, Jig. D Major. Standard. AABB. Composed by Matilda Murdoch.
Messer (Anthology of Favorite Fiddle
Tunes), 1980; No. 143, pg. 91.
DAVIE, DAVIE, NICK NACK. See “Davy, Davy, Knick Knack.
DAVIE DUGGER. See “Davy Dugger.”
DAVIE KINLOCH. Scottish, Jig. D Major. Standard. AABB. Hardings All-Round Collection, 1905; No. 133, pg. 42.
DAVIE TAYLOR. Scottish, Strathspey. G Major. Standard. AAB. Composed
by the great Scots fiddler and composer J. Scott
Skinner (1843-1927). Source for notated version: Johnny Morrissey
(1913-1994, Newtown Cross, Queen’s County, Prince Edward Island; late of Vernon
River) [Perlman]. Perlman (The Fiddle
Music of Prince Edward Island), 1996; pg. 189. Skinner (The Scottish Violinist), pg. 14.
X:1
T:Davie Taylor
M:C
L:1/8
R:Strathspey
S:Skinner – The Scottish
Violinist
Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion
K:G
D | (GF/E/ DE/F/ {F}G2) (D>C) |
B,<D {F}G>B A<A, A,>F | (GF/E/ DE/F/) G.g.e.c |
B<d {B}c>A B<G G :| c |
(B/c/d) G>g e>gc>e | (^c/d/e) A>a f<d d>=c |
(B/c/d) G>g e>gc>e |
d>gA>d B>F [B,G>]c | (B/c/d) g>f e>g c>e |
(^c/d/e) A<a f<d d>f |
(3gfe (3def (3gdc (3BAG | (3FED (3CB,A, B,<G, G, ||
DAVIE WORK. Scottish, Reel. A Major. Standard tuning. AAB. Composed
by J. Scott Skinner. The tune is similar to
Donegal fiddler John Doherty’s “Nine Pint
Coggie [3].” Skinner (The Scottish
Violinist), pg. 9.
X:1
T:Davie Work
M:2/4
L:1/16
C:J Scott Skinner
R:Reel
Z:Transcribed by Ted Hastings
N:from The Scottish Violinist
K:A
E|{G}[A2A2]cA (GA).B.c|dEBA
GBeg|{g}a2(ga) .f.e.d.c|dBed [Ec]A[EA]:|!
g|aAag fedc|bBba gefg|aAag fedc|dfeg
aA[FA]g|!
aAag fedc|bBba gfed|cAdB ecfd|eagb
{g}aAHA||
DAVIE’S HORNPIPE.
See “David’s Hornpipe.”
DAVISTOWN. AKA and see "The Stick Beat,"
"Old Stick Beat March,"
"Old Seven Spot," "Old Number Seven," "Taylor's March [1]," "Frank Keeney [2]." American, March
(2/4 time). USA, southwestern Pa. D Major. Standard. AB. Davistown is a village
in southeastern Greene County, Pa. Bayard (1981) notes this march tune was
"universally" known to local fifers, but infrequently played by
fiddlers. The "stick beat" in the alternate titles refers to the
accompaniment by the drum corps, which beat time on the edge of the drum and
with stick‑against‑stick to the music. Bayard was not able to trace
the tune or component strains outside of the region. Source for notated
version: Marion Yoders (Greene County, Pa., 1960) [Bayard]. Bayard (Dance to the Fiddle), 1981; No. 228H,
pgs. 188‑189.
DAVY, DAVY. AKA and see "Goin' Down the River," "Sailing Down the River,"
"Paddy
Won't You Drink Some (Good Old) Cider." Old‑Time, Song and
Breakdown. A version of "Goin' Down the River," by Tennessee’s Weems
String Band, one of whose members played the cello. It was one of only two
sides they commercially recorded.
Unfortunately, the lyrics are a product of the blatantly racist culture
prevalent in areas of the United States at the time, and inappropriate for
performance today:
***
A nought is a nought and a one is a
finger,
Why can't a white man dance like a
____?
He can't do the quickstep, he tends
for to ____,
That's why he can't dance like a
____.
***
Columbia 15300 (78 RPM),
Weems String Band (backed with “Greenback Dollar”). County Records ‑
"Echoes of the Ozarks, Vol. 3." County Records, "Weems String
Band." County Records 3511, Weems String Band et al. – “Rural String Bands
of Tennessee 1927-1930.” Rounder Records 0132, Bob Carlin ‑ "Fiddle
Tunes for Clawhammer Banjo" (1980. Learned from Ithica, N.Y., revival
musicians Judy Hyman and Jeff Claus).
DAVY DUGGER. AKA and see “Coon Dog,” “Old
Coon Dog [1].” Old-Time, Breakdown. USA; West Virginia, Kentucky. G Major.
Standard tuning. ABB. The tune has been collected in northeastern Kentucky and
West Virginia under the “Davy Dugger” title, although it has a much wider provenance
as “Coon Dog” or “Old Coon Dog.” Jeff Titon (2001) says it is related to the “Seneca Square Dance”/”Engine on a Mogul” family of tunes, and
more distantly related to “Shoot
That Turkey Buzzard.” Source for notated version: Clyde Davenport
(Monticello, Wayne County, Ky., 1990), who learned the tune from his father,
Will Davenport [Titon]. Titon (Old-Time
Kentucky Fiddle Tunes), 2001; No. 32, pg. 68. Augusta
Heritage Records AHR 015, Delbert Hughes – “The Home Recordings.” Davis
Unlimited DU 32028, W.L. Gregory/Clyde Davenport – “Homemade Stuff” (1978).
Rounder 0089, "Oscar & Eugene Wright" (learned from an "old
timer," local Mercer County, W.Va., fiddler George Stump).
DAVY, (DAVY,) KNICK-KNACK/KNICK-KNOCK.
AKA and see "Bonnell's
Quickstep" (Pa.), "Bonnell's March" (Pa.), "The Dancing Mustang" (Pa.), "Hoe Cake," "Major Crichton's Delight,"
"Viginia Quickstep"
(Pa.). English, Scottish, Shetland;
Country Dance, Hornpipe, Reel and Morris Dance Tune (2/4 or 4/4 time).
Shetland, Unst and Mainland districts. G Major. Standard
tuning. AABB. A popular
***
Nievie nievie nick nack,
Which hand will you tak'?
The richt or the wrang?
***
Nigel
Gatherer suggests this rhyme is the origin of the tune’s name (although the
rhyme was recited, not sung to the tune). See also “Major Duff’s Favourite
Quickstep” for a possible precursor, and a tune called “Nobody” in an
English fiddler’s notebook from the early 1800’s is likewise a contender as
ancestral. Another English musician’s manuscript, the George Spencer MS (Leeds,
England, c. 1831) gives “Davy, Davy” as “La Belle.” Adam Rennie’s “Caddam
Woods” has some similarities. In
X:1
T:Davy, Davy Knick Knock
M:2/4
L:1/8
Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion
K:G
D | G/F/G/A/ BB | G/F/G/A/ BB | d/c/B/c/ AA | d/c/B/c/ AA | G/F/G/A/ BB | G/F/G/A/ BB |
dc/B/ A/c/B/A/ | GBG :: d>c BB | gg d2 | d/c/B/c/ AA | d/c/B/c/ AA | d>c BB | gg d2 |
dc/B/ A/c/B/A/ | GBG :|
DAVY’S REEL. AKA and see “Ownie Davis’ Reel.”
Irish, Reel. D Mixolydian. Standard. AABB. Philippe Varlet says the tune was
recorded by John McGreevy in 1974, playing with Seamus Cooley, on which it is
called “Ownie Davy’s,” from his source for the tune, Owen Davy. It also appears
in Larry McCullough’s tin whistle book, says Philippe, and that it has been
lately in the repertoire of northern Irish fiddlers such as Mairead Ni
Mhaonaigh. Source for notated version: Sean Ryan (County Offaly) [Mulvihill].
Mulvihill (1st Collection),
1986; No. 193, pg. 52. Green Linnett GLCD 1087, Seamus
Connolly - "Notes From My Mind" (1988. Appears as
“Ownie Davis’ Reel,” learned from fiddler John McGreevy of
X:1
T:Davy's Reel
B:Martin Mulvihill's Collection, no. 193
R:reel
M:4/4
L:1/8
K:Dmix
D3 d cAAB|cded cAGE|D3 d cAAB|cAGE ED D2|
FGAB cAAd|^cded cA A2|(3fga ed cAAB|cAGE ED D2:|:
ABde fefg|afgf dcA^G|ABde f2 ed|cAGE ED D2|
ABde f3 g|afgf defg|afge (3fga ed|cAGE EDCE:|D4||
DAWN [1], THE. See "Miller's Reel [1]," “Spirit of 1880.” AKA - "Dawning of
the Day." Irish, Reel. G Major (Mulvihill): A Major (O’Malley, Plain
Brown, Taylor). Standard tuning. AABB (most versions): AA’BB’ (O’Malley).
Alistair Anderson (1976) says this Irish tune is based on the American
breakdown "Miller's Reel.” Luke O’Malley says that