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]
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N' CARN GORM. AKA and see "Cairngorm
Mountain."
N' COMUNN RIOGHAIL
GAIDHEALACH. AKA and see "The Highland Society of
Scotland [1]."
N' CUALA SIBH MAR
THACHAIR DHUINN. AKA and see "Culloden Day."
N' DEAN THU RUITH AIR
FALBH LEAM. AKA and see "Will You Run Awa' Wi' Me?"
N' OIDHCHE RO'N
PHOSADH. AKA and see "Feet Washing."
N' T-APARAN GOIRID. AKA and see "The Short Apron."
TRUPA GHAIDHEALACH. AKA and see "The Highland Troop."
NA CAOIRIGH AR NA
SLÉIBHTE. AKA and see “The Sheep on the Mountains.”
NA CEANNABHÁIN BHÁNA. AKA and see “The Little
Fair Cannavans.”
NA COIS CEIMEANNA (The Stepping Stones). AKA and see “Jenkin’s Hornpipe,” “Stoney/Stony Steps,” “Washington Hornpipe.” Irish. Ireland,
County Donegal.
From the repertoire of fiddler John
Doherty, County Donegal, Ireland,
who called it “The Stepping Stones” due to its rising and falling step-like
melody, according to Caoimhin Mac Aoidh. The tune is still in the Donegal
fiddle repertory, though its origins are Scottish (as “Jenkin’s Hornpipe”).
NA CONNERYS [1]. Irish, Air (6/8 time). Ireland,
West Kerry. G Major. Standard tuning. One part. Mac Amhlaoibh & Durham (An Pota Stóir: Ceol Seite Corca Duibne/The
Set Dance Music of West Kerry), No. 92, pg. 52.
NA CONNERYS [2]. Irish, Air (4/4 time). D Major. Standard tuning. One part. Cranitch (Irish Fiddle Book), 1996; No. 98, pg.
168.
NA SAIGHNEAN. AKA and see "The Oak Tree."
NAANIE AN' BETTY. Shetland, Shetland Reel. Shetland, Whalsay. C Major. Standard tuning.
AABB. "A traditional reel from Whalsay, learned from the late John Irvine
who said it was a very old reel. Naanie and Betty were apparently two very good
dancers " (Anderson). Anderson,
1983; pg. 88. Topic 12TS379, Aly Bain & Tom
Anderson ‑ "Shetland Folk Fiddling, vol. 2" (1978).
NAC RAIB GRAD AICI ORM. AKA and see "Wasn't
She Fond of Me?"
NACH
BEIR THU AIR A' BHANA-MHEARLACH. AKA and see "Catch and Kiss the Romp."
NACH BOCHD A BHI 'M
FALACH. AKA and see "The Jacobites' Hiding
Places."
NACH TRUAGH MO CHAS. AKA and see "Hard is My Fate."
NAE GOOD LUCK ABOOT
THE HOOSE. AKA and see "There's
Nae Luck Aboot the Hoose," "The
Washing Day [1]," "Up
and Waur Them A', Willie [1]."
NAE LUCK ABOOT THE
HOOSE. See “There’s
Nae Luck Aboot the Hoose.”
NAGLE'S LAST. American, Dance Tune (2/4 time). D Major. Standard. AB. The composition
is attributed to R.B. Nagle in Ryan’s
Mammoth Collection. The tune is listed in Ryan’s as a 'jig', meaning not
the familiar Irish jig in 6/8 time, but a type of syncopated 19th
century old-time banjo tune, often called a ‘straight’ or ‘sand’ jig (the
latter as a type of clog dance was performed to it on a sanded stage to
facilitate foot movements). Cole (1000
Fiddle Tunes), 1940; pg. 84. Ryan’s
Mammoth Collection, 1883; pg. 116.
X:1
T:Nagle’s Last
M: 2/4
L:1/8
R:Straight Jig
S:Ryan’s Mammoth Collection (1883)
Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion
K:D
A,C/E/
D/F/z/F/ | F/F/E/D/ F/A/z/A/ | A,C/E/ D/F/z/F/ | E/D/C/E/ Dz/D/ | A,C/E/ D/F/z/F/
|
F/F/E/D/
F/A/z/A/ | A/G/E/G/ F/D/z/F/ | E?D/C/E/ D || f/ | a/f/g/e/ f/d/e/c/ | d/c/B/A/
B/b/z/b/ |
a/f/g/e/
f/d/e/c/ | d/c/B/A/ D>f | a/f/g/e/ f/d/e/c/ | d/c/B/A/ B/b/z/b/ | d’/a/b/g/
a/f/g/e/ | f/d/e/c/ dz ||
NAGOLEAN CHANT. Canadian, Jig. Canada,
Cape Breton.
D Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Composed by Cape
Breton fiddler and composer Dan R.
MacDonald (1911-1976). Cameron (Trip to Windsor),
1994; pg. 54.
NAIL THAT CATFISH TO A
TREE. Old-Time, Breakdown. G Major.
Standard tuning. AABB’ (Songer). A modern composition by Volo Bogtrotters
member Steve Rosen who wrote the tune on a fishing vacation to Florida.
It seems he received advice from an old black man on how to clean catfish,
notoriously difficult because of their tough skin -- ‘nail its head to a tree
and pull the skin off with pliers’. The tune has become quite popular among
old-time fiddlers, especially in the Mid-West. Interestingly, in the southern
tip of Indiana, pan-fried catfish
are known as ‘fiddlers’. Songer (Caledonian
Companion), 1997; pg. 146. The Volo Bogtrotters -
“The Volo Bogtrotters”
X:1
T:Nail That Catfish
L:1/8
M:C|
K:G
DE|:GG[GB]G [GA]G[GB]G|cB A2 B4|ABAG FGAB|AGFD (3EFE DE|
GG[GB]G [GA]G[GB]G|cB A2 [G4B4]|ABAG FDEF|1 G [B,4G4] DE:|2
G [B,4G4] D2||
|:[C4E4] [D4A4]|[E3c3] E [E2c2] [E2c2]|ABAG FGAB|AGFD (3EFE
D2|
[C4E4]
[D4A4]|1 [E8c8]|ABAG FDEF|G6 D2:|2 [E6c6][Ec]d|d2c2B2A2|[G6B6]||
NAKED AND BARE. Scottish, Jig. Scotland,
Shetland Islands. G Major. Standard tuning. AABB. The
title refers to the state of a ships rigging (and nothing else!). Indeed, the
Boys of the Lough recorded it in a medley with “The Full Rigged Ship”
(presumably the opposite outfitting condition). Barnes (English Country Dance Tunes, vol. 2). 2005; pg. 91. Flying Fish 070, Boys of the Lough – “Wish You Were Here”
(1978). Greentrax 277, Fiddler’s Bid – “Naked and Bare” (2005).
X:1
T:Naked and Bare
M:6/8
L:1/8
R:Jig
O:Shetland Islands
K:G
F|G2A B2e|ede BAG|A2A B2e|B>AG
E2F|G2A B2e|
ede BAG|E3
{g/e/}g2e|dBG (E2::E)|g2g g2b|aba afd|
{g/f/}g2g g2b|agf e2f|{g/f/}g2g
g2b|aba afd|e2d {g/f/}g2e|dBG E2:|
NAME IT AND TAKE IT. Old‑Time. The title appears in a list of traditional Ozark
Mountain fiddle tunes compiled by
musicologist/folklorist Vance Randolph, published in 1954.
NAMELESS LASSIE [1], THE. Scottish, Slow Air (4/4 time). G Major.
Standard tuning. One part. Composed by William Marshall.
Hunter (Fiddle Music of Scotland),
1988; No. 11.
NAMELESS LASSIE [2], THE. Scottish, Air (4/4 time). B Flat Major (Hunter):
G Major (Martin). Standard tuning. One part. The melody was composed by the
violinist Alexander Mackenzie (b. Montrose, 1819), while the words were written
by James Ballentine (b. Edinburgh,
1808). Mackenzie was a child prodigy who became a member of the Theatre Royal
Orchestra in Edinburgh in 1833, and
arranged and published the Dance Music of
Scotland for piano and other Scots tunes for the violin. Ballentine was a
painter who developed considerable skill with paint on glass, as well as having
literary skills.
***
Whene'r she shows her blooming face
The flow'rs may cease to blaw,
And when she opes her hinnied lips
The air is music a',
But when wi' ithers' sorrow touched
The tear starts to her e'e,
Oh! that's the gem in beauty's crown
The priceless pearl to me.
***
Martin (Ceol na Fidhle), vol. 4, 1991; pg. 27. Neil (The Scots Fiddle), 1991; No. 84, pg. 113.
NAMES ESCAPE ME. Canadian, Reel. Canada,
Prince Edward Island. G Major.
Standard tuning. AA’BB’. Composed by Rollo
Bay, North-East
Kings County, Prince Edward Island,
fiddler Kenny Chaisson (b. 1947), member of a fiddling family famous in the
area. Brother Kevin Chaisson came up with the title to tease those who
continually request tune titles. Ken Perlman (1996) states the tune is becoming
a standard in the area. Source for notated version: Peter Chaisson, Jr. (B.
1942, Bear River, North-East Kings County, Prince Edward Island) [Perlman].
Perlman (The Fiddle Music of Prince
Edward Island), 1996; pg. 51.
NAMPWICH FAIR. AKA – “Namptwich Fair.” English, Jig. D Major. Standard tuning. AABB.
“Nampwich Fair” appears first in John Young’s The Dancing Master, volume 3, 2nd edition (London,
1726) as a longways dance, and subsequently in Walsh’s New Country Dancing Master, 3rd Book (London,
1728) and Walsh’s Compleat Country
Dancing Master, volume the Third (London,
c. 1749). John Johnson prints a “Namptwich Fair” in 9/8 time in his Two Hundred Favourite Country Dances, vol. 8
(London, c. 1758), but it is a
different tune. Barnes (English Country
Dance Tunes, vol. 2), 2005; pg. 91.
X:1
T:Nampwich Fair
M:6/8
L:1/8
R:Jig
S:John Young – The Dancing Master, vol. 3, 2nd edition (1726)
K:D
d|d2A A2d|d2A A2e|fgf efd|(e3
e2)A|B2B BAG|
A2A AGF|GAG FED|(E3 E2)::A|A2E
EFG|F2D D2d|
d2A AB=c|(B3 B2)f|g2f efd|cde
A2A|Bcd ecA|(d3 d2):|
NANCY [1]? New England,
Reel. D Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Fretless 199,
Rodney and Randy Miller‑‑"Castles in the Air."
NANCY [2]. AKA and see "Sir Edward Noel's Delight,"
"All You That Love
Good Fellows," "The London
'Prentice." English, Country Dance Tune (4/4 time). C Major. Standard
tuning. AABC. Chappell (1859) thought this air to have been the precursor to
the famous march "British
Genediers." The air appears in the Fitzwilliam
Virginal Book, Dorothy Welde's Lute
Book (as "Sir Edward Noel's Delight"), Bellerophon (Amsterdam,
1622), and, in altered form, Friesche
Lust‑Hof (1634), Pills to Purge
Melancholy. “The London Prentice," by which the tune is known in Pills to Purge Melancholy, is
"evidently a production of the reign of Elizabeth (I)," states
Chappell. Several songs were written to the air, though none has been found
called "Nancy," but two odd and rather macabre ballads were noted by
the musicologist: "Pride's Fall, or a warning for all English women by the
example of a strange monster born late in Germany, by a merchant's proud wife
of Geneva," and a "True relation of Susan Higges, dwelling in
Risborow, a towne in Buckinghamshire, and how she lived twenty years by robbing
on the high wayes, yet unsuspected of all that knew her; till at last coming to
Musseldon, and there robbing and murdering a woman, which woman knew her, and
standing by her while she gave three groanes, she spat three drops of blood in
her face, which never could be washt out, by which she was knowne, and executed
for the aforesaid murder, at the assises in Lent at Brickhill." Chappell (Popular Music of the Olden Times), vol.
1, 1859; pg. 262.
X:1
T:Nancy
[2]
M:C
L:1/8
S:Chappell – Popular Music of the Olden Times, vol. 1, pg. 262 (1859)
K:C
c2G2c2d2|e4d4|c2G2 GFED|C8:|d2A2d2A2
defe d2A2|d3cB2A2 G6f2|
ec2e2d2|c2G2G2A2|G3F
E2D2|C8||A2G2A2G2|A4 G3E|FG A2 A3G|
^F6 A2|d2A2d2A2|d2D2D2f2|e2 e2
d4|c8||
NANCY [3]. AKA – “Nancy Clough’s.” English,
March. England,
Northumberland. D Major. Standard tuning. AABBCCDD. Composed by Borders
(Northumberland) musician Tom Clough (1881-1964) in the 1930's, who played the
Northumbrian Small Pipes. Several stories are associated with the tune: the
first has it that the music is supposed to depict Tom’s first wife Nancy
tripping up and down the stairs. A second is that a squeaky wheelbarrow was the
inspiration for the melody, and finally it has been said to have been written
for a favourite sheep. The tune is a variation of “My Love is/She’s But a
Lassie Yet [1].” Clough was a member of a Northumbrian family with a
musical tradition that stretched back some 250 years. His playing has been
described as crisp, staccato and highly rhythmic. He was active in the
Northumbrian Pipers Society, and was one of the first Northumbrian pipers to be
recorded.
***
Paul Mitchell finds an almost
identical tune in the late West Virginia
fiddler Wilson Douglas’s repertoire, called “Fair Mountain Hornpipe.” A more direct
adaptation of Clough’s “Nancy” is the American clawhammer banjo version of the same tune popularlized by Howie Bursen
and Ken Perlman, who were familiar with the several British recordings of the
tune (in particular the High Level Ranters’ version). It has by now taken on a
life of its own in modern “revival” banjo tradition, and its Northumbrian
source is frequently unrecognized. Northumbrian Piper's Tune Book. Perlman (Melodic Clawhammer Banjo), 1979; pg. 58.
MWM Records C103, Joe Hutton, Willy Taylor & Will
Atkinson – “Harthope Burn” (1983). Rounder CD 7024, Joe MacLean – “Old Time
Scottish Fiddle Music” (1978). Rounder Heritage Series 1166-11592-2, Joe
MacLean (et al) – “The Art of Traditional Fiddle” (2001). Topic Records –
“Bonnie North Tyne.” Trailer 2007, "Northumbria
Forever: The High Lever Ranters." Wildgoose Records, Rattle on the
Stovepipe – “8 More Miles” (2005).
X:1
T:Nancy
[3]
M:C
L:1/8
R:March
C:Tom Clough
K:D
(3ABc|d2D2F2A2|d2 (fe) d2A2|d2 (ef)
gfed|c2e2A2(Bc)|d2D2F2A2|
d2(fe)d2A2|B2g2 fedc|d2d2d2::(fg)|a3
(ba2) gf|g3 (a g2)fe|f2 (df) gfed|
c2e2A2 (Bc)|d2D2F2A2|d2
(fe)d2A2|B2g2 fedc|d2d2d2:|
|:A2|(dc)BA (GF)ED|F2A2d2A2|(dc)de
(gf)ed|cdec A2 (Bc)|(dc)BA (GF)ED|
F2A2d2A2|B2g2 fedc|d2d2d2::aAAa
AAaA|gccg ccgc|dcde gfed|
cdec A2 Bc|dcBA GFED|FDFA d2A2|B2g2
fedc|d6 A2:|
NANCY [4].
AKA – “Nancy Taylor’s Reel.” English, Reel. England,
Northumberland. G Major. Standard tuning. AABBCCDD. Another four-part English
tune named Nancy, this time a reel
composed by Northumberland fiddler Willy Taylor in honor of his wife. Taylor
was an elderly man when “revival” concertina player Alistair Anderson
introduced Taylor, Northumbrian piper Joe Hutton and harmonica player Will
Atkinson to the folk circuit in the 1980’s under the moniker “The Shepherds.”
In fact, Taylor did rear livestock
in the Northumbrian hills. Callaghan (Hardcore
English), 2007; pg. 9. Mawson & Wareham Music
MWM 1031, Willy Taylor, Joe Hutton & Willy Armstrong – “Harthope Burn” ().
Smithsonian Folkways Records SFW40473, Willy Taylor (et al) – “Northumbrian
Rant: Traditional Music from the Edge of England” (various artists).
X:1
T:Nancy
[4]
M:4/4
L:1/8
R:Reel
C:Willy Taylor
K:G
|:dc|B2 AB GDDG|B2 GB eddB|c2 Bc AF
D2|DFAc ed^cd|B2 AB GDDG|
B2 GB eddB|c2 Bc Agfe|dcBA G2::d2|g2
fg dBBd|g2 fg eAAB|
c2 Bc AF D2|DFAc ed^cd|g2 fg dBBd|g2
fg eAAB|c2 Bc Agfe|
dcBA G3::Bc|dedc BABc|dedB cAAB|cdcA
FDFA|e2 de dcBc|
dedc BABc|dedB cAAB|cdcB Agfe|dcBA
G2::d2|gfga gdBc|dedB cAAB|
cdcA FDFA|e2 de dcBd|gfga gdBc|dedB
cAAB|cdcB Agfe|dcBA G2:|
NANCY [5].
Irish, Waltz. Composed by Boston
button accordion player Joe Derrane.
NANCY ANDERSON. American, Reel. The melody appears in George P. Knauff's Virginia Reels, volume IV (Baltimore,
1839).
NANCY ANNE. AKA – “Nancy Ann.” Old‑Time, Breakdown. USA;
West Virginia, Virginia,
eastern Kentucky. A Mixolydian.
Standard or AEae tunings. AB (Silberberg): AABB (Phillips): AA'BB' (Krassen).
Sources for notated versions: W. Franklin George (Bluefield,
W.Va) [Krassen]; Ted Erhard with Footloose [Phillips]. Krassen (Masters of Appalachian Fiddling), 1983;
pg. 104‑105. Phillips (Traditional
American Fiddle Tunes), 1994; pg. 161. Silberberg (Tunes I Learned at
Tractor Tavern), 2002; pg. 104. Greenhays GR 710,
John McCutcheon ‑ "Fine Times at Our House" (1982. Learned from
Uncle Charlie Osborne, Russell Co., Va.).
Kanawha 307, Franklin George (W.Va.)
‑ "Traditional Music for Banjo, Fiddle and Bagpipes." Rounder
0032, Buddy Thomas‑ "Possum Up a 'Simmon Tree."
NANCY BLEVINS. Old‑Time, Breakdown & Song. USA,
southwestern Va., western North
Carolina. ADad tuning (Albert Hash). The melody is
known as a Surry County, North Carolina, regional tune. Kerry Blech queried
Kilby Spencer, Albert Hash’s nephew, about the tune. Kilby and Albert discussed
it in a c. 1970’s taped interview, wherein Albert Hash said he learned the tune
from Jim Reedy, who learned the song from his father, Bob Reedy. Albert
recalled:
***
"That was one that my grandfather--he
had a cousin named Nancy Blevins..and
it was back just after the Civil War
for he said he could remember dancing to that
tune with a dress on, and boys would
a dress for a couple years like little girls did
back then. But this tune--this girl
had made up this tune of Nancy Blevins. She was
a great fiddler. I tried to find out
something about her through some people that lived
down there, but the man was not old
enough to know anything about it. My grandfather
could remember one verse that went into the tune. "I've played
this fiddle till it cramps
my hand, nary another tune till I
get another dram."
***
Kerry says, “From the interview, it
looks like his grandfather died when he was 84, sometime in the early (19)40s.”
There was an actual Nancy Blevins. Carl Barron searched and found a family
history in which it was recalled that “Nancy
used to play the fiddle and would play at the Healing Springs Hotel.” The
history recorded: “1. son of William (Bolen Bill) Baker married Nancy Blevins (11/5/1852
- 1/30/1939) daughter of Alvis and Martha Blevins on 4/27/1871
in Ashe County
by R.K. Pearce, Justice of the Peace.”
***
Some find similarities between this
tune and the ‘A’ part of Norman Edmonds’ “Hawks and Eagles.” Rounder 0058, Albert Hash & Thornton Spencer ‑
"Old Originals, vol. 2" (1978).
NANCY CLOUGH. See “Nancy [3].
NANCY COOPER [1]. AKA and see "Nancy Cooper." Irish, Planxty (3/4 time). A
Minor. Standard tuning. AB. Composed by Turlough O'Carolan. Complete Collection of Carolan's Irish Tunes,
1984; No. 16, pg, 16.
NANCY COOPER [2]. AKA and see "Nancy Cooper." Irish, Planxty or Slow Air (3/4
time). G Mixolydian. Standard tuning. One part. Composed by Turlough O'Carolan.
Joyce's source O'Beirne remarked "'one of the oldest.'" The tune was recorded by the Belfast Northern Star of July 15, 1792,
played in competition by one of ten Irish harp masters at the last great
convocation of ancient Irish harpers, the Belfast Harp Festival, held that
week. Donal O’Sullivan included the melody in his definitive work on O’Carolan,
but noted that there was not incontroverable evidence that it was composed by
him. Source for notated version: Hugh O'Beirne, professional fiddler from
Ballinamore, Co. Leitrim, c. 1846, via Forde (Joyce). Complete Collection of Carolan's Irish Tunes, 1984; No. 17, pg. 34.
Joyce (Old Irish Folk Music and Song),
1909; No. 621, pg. 318.
NANCY DALTON. AKA – “Nancy Dawson.” Old-Time, Breakdown. USA,
Kentucky. D Major. Standard or
ADae (Monday/Titon) tunings. AABB. The tune was in the repertoire of
south-central Kentucky fiddler
Jim Bowles (b. 1903), who learned it from local musicians. Isham Monday
(1879-1964), also from Kentucky,
played the tune and called it “Nancy Dawson;” his 1959 recording is in the Western
Kentucky University
archive. As a variant, it was apparently not widely known outside Bowles’ local
area, however, Jeff Titon (2001) identifies it as a member of the “Old Dubuque”
family of tunes which is more widespread. The family includes “Dubuque,” “Hell Up Coal Holler [2],” “Old Dubuque” and “Duck River” (see notes for those tunes).
Sources for notated versions: Pat Kingery (Ky) [Phillips]; Isham Monday
(Tompkinsville, Monroe County, Ky., 1959) [Titon]; Greg Canote [Silberberg].
Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle
Tunes, vol. 1), 1994; pg. 161. Silberberg (93 Tunes I Didn’t Learn at the Tractor Tavern), 2004; pg. 32. Titon
(Old-Time Kentucky Fiddler
Tunes), 2001; No. 107, pg. 136. Marimac 9060, Jim
Bowles – “Railroading Through the Rocky Mountains”
(1994). Merriweather Records 1001-2, Pat Kingery – “I Kind of Believe it’s a Gift” (c. 1986).
NANCY DAWSON [1]. AKA ‑ "Nancy Dawson's Hornpipe." AKA and see “Here we
go gathering nuts in May,” "Here we go round the Mulberry Bush,"
"I Saw Three Ships Come Sailing In," "Piss on the Grass," "Scottish
Perrigordien," "Sixieme Anglaise de la Reine." Scottish,
Irish, English; Air, Country Dance Tune (6/8 time), Single Jig or Morris Jig. England;
North‑West and Northumberland. B Flat Major (Gow): G Major (most
versions). Standard tuning. AB (Chappell, Emmerson): AAB (Gow): AABB (most
versions). "Very old" (Gow). This well-known dance tune appeared in
performances of John Gay's ballad opera The
Beggar's Opera (1729) where it was labelled a hornpipe, although it must be
noted that any step‑dance at the time could be called a
"hornpipe." It also appears in Love
in a Village (1762, as a housemaid’s song), and actually may be found in
many country dance collections (such as the Gillespie
Manuscript of Perth, 1767). In J. Walsh's Caledonian Country Dances (book iii, pg. 36, 1744) and MWA 200 Country Dances (c. 1740) it appears
under the earthy title "Piss on the Grass." It was also printed in Peter
Thompson's Compleat Tutor for the Flute,
c. 1750-54.
***
The later
"Nancy Dawson" designation for the melody derives from the name of a
stage dancer of great popularity, Nancy Dawson (1728-1767), who performed to
the tune in England
during the 1760's. Miss Dawson came to public attention through her dancing at
Sadler's Wells, but gained renown in 1759 by dancing a solo rendition of the
tune between the acts in a Covent Garden, London,
revival of Gay's The Beggar's Opera
in 1759. She immediately became a genuine celebrity and was celebrated in
popular song and country dance. Little is known about her: Kidson says she is
said to have been the wife of a publican at Kelso; elsewhere it is given that
her father was a poster in Clare Market.
A period publication called the Dramatic
History of Master Edward, Miss Ann and Others, states she was “extremely
agreeable in her figure, and grew to be a great favorite of the town…she became
vastly celebrated, admired, imitated and followed by everybody.” It is also
said she was a charitable person, admired for her good qualities as much as for
her performances. Nancy died May
27, 1767, and was buried in the churchyard of St
George's-in-the-Fields (also given as the Chapel of St. George the Martyr, Queen
Square, Bloomsbury).
***
A song in
eulogy of her was written and published in half-sheet music and in Thompson's Collection of Hornpipes,
issued about this date, and the air is called “Miss Dawson's Hornpipe.” At a
later period Thompson published other airs used by Miss Dawson, under the
titles “Miss Dawson's New Hornpipe” and “Miss Dawson's Fancy,” but none
attained the popularity of the original hornpipe bearing her name. There is one
report that a verse from the eulogy song is said to have been cut on her
tombstone, but was obliterated by order of the vicar. This may be so, as it is
said that her tombstone how reads only “Here lies Nancy Dawson,” a stark phrase
that begs a following couplet. A single-sheet folio printed in London
in 1760 sets the tune to a song in praise of the performer.
***
Of all the girls in our town,
The red, the black, the fair, the brown,
That dance and prance it up and down,
There's none like Nancy Dawson. etc.
***
Her easy mien, her shape so neat,
She foots, she trips, she looks so sweet;
Her every motion’s so complete,
I die for Nancy Dawson.
***
Several of
her portraits exist. A period likeness of Nancy Dawson portrayed in a dance
pose is in the Dance Collection of the New York Public Library. Another, is in
Dr. Burney’s Collection of Theatrical Portraits in the British
Museum. Her likeness (as well as an
excellent article) also appears at the South Riding
Folk Network website.
***
In the
years following Nancy’s celebrity
the melody appeared in many collections as a country dance, including a French
publication of c. 1785 in which it appears under the title "Sixieme
Anglaise de la Reine." In the North‑West England morris tradition
the melody is used for a single step dance. The tune is contained in the 19th
century Joseph Kershaw Manuscript. Kershaw was a fiddle player who lived in the
remote area of Slackcote, Saddleworth, North
West England,
who compiled his manuscript from 1820 onwards, according to Jamie Knowles.
American appearances of the tune may be found in a number of manuscripts,
including Giles Gibbs' fife MS. made in New Windsor, Ellington Parish, Connecticut,
in 1777. Greenland, New Hampshire,
native Clement Weeks copied directions for a dance to the tune in his 1783 MS
collection of dances. It also appears in the music copybook of Henry
Livingston, Jr., who purchased the estate of Locust Grove, Poughkeepsie,
New York, in 1771 at the age of 23. In 1775 Livingston
was a Major in the 3rd New York Regiment, which participated in Montgomery’s
invasion of Canada
in a failed attempt to wrest Montreal
from British control. An important land-owner in the Hudson
Valley, and a member of the powerful
Livingston family, Henry was also a surveyor and real
estate speculator, an illustrator and map-maker, and a Justice of the Peace for
Dutchess County.
He was also a poet and musician, and presumably a dancer, as he was elected a
Manager for the New York Assembly’s dancing season of 1774-1775, along with his
3rd cousin, John Jay, later U.S. Chief Justice of Governor of New
York.
***
Nancy Dawson survives in a
mother-goose rhyme and a 'ring game', “Here we go round the Mulberry Bush”:
***
Nancy Dawson was so fine
She wouldn't get up to serve the swine;
She lies in bed till eight or nine,
So it's Oh, poor Nancy Dawson.
And do ye ken Nancy Dawson, honey?
The wife who sells the barley, honey?
She won't get up to feed her swine,
And do ye ken Nancy Dawson, honey?
***
Carlin (Gow Collection), 1986; No. 363. Chappell (Popular Music of the Olden Times), Emmerson (Rantin’ Pipe and Tremblin’ String), 1971; Kennedy (Traditional
Dance Music of Britain and Ireland: J igs & Quicksteps, Trips & Humours),
1997; No. No. 131, pg. 32. Gow (Complete Repository), Part 3, 1806; pg.
5. O’Neill (O’Neill’s Irish Music),
1915; No. 213, pg. 114. Seattle (William
Vickers), Part 2, 1987; No. 274. Wade (Mally’s
North West Morris Book), 1988; pg. 17.
X:1
T:Nancy Dawson [1]
M:6/8
L:1/8
S:Gow – 3rd Repository (1806)
Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion
K:B Flat Major
B2B ~B2d|{d}f2d B2d|c2c ~c2d|{d}c2B
AGF|B2B ~B2d|f2d B2d|(dcB) (ABG)|F3F3:|
c2c ~c2c|{d}c2B AGF|f2f (f2g)|{g}f2e
dcB|e2d e2f|g2a b2 a/g/|(gf)e (de)c|B3 B2d|
c2c
~c2d|{d}c2B AGF|f2f ~f2g|(gf)e dcB|e2d e2f|g2a b2 a/g/|(fg)e (de)c|(B3 B3)||
X:2
T:Nancy
Dawson [1]
M:6/8
L:1/8
S:Walsh and
Thompson
K:G
G2G
G>AB/c/|d2B G2B|A2B A2B|A2B AFD| G2G G>AB/c/|
d2B G2B|A2G
F2E|(D3 D2)z||A2B A2B|A2B AFD|B2c d2e|
d2e dBG|d2B
c2d|e2f gfe|dcB AGF|(G3 G2)z||
NANCY DAWSON [2]. AKA and see “Nancy Dalton.”
NANCY DAWSON'S FANCY. English, Country Dance Tune. The melody and dance, unrelated to
"Nancy Dawson," appears in Thompson's 200 Country Dances, volume II, pg. 52.
NANCY
DELIGHT. English. England,
Northumbria.
One of the "missing tunes" from William Vickers' 1770 Northumbrian
dance tune manuscript.
NANCY DILL. AKA and see "The Cane Break
[2]." English, Reel. G Major. Standard tuning. AB. Kennedy (Fiddler’s Tune Book), Vol. 1, 1951; No.
43, pg. 22. Raven (English Country Dance
Tunes), 1984; pg. 170.
X:1
T:Nancy Dill
M:C
L:1/8
K:G
D | G2 BA G2B2 | cBce d2g2 | G2 BA
GBdB | AGAB GFED | G2 BA G2B2 |
cBce d2g2 | G2 BA GBdB | AGAB (G2G)
|| B | d2 dB g2 ge | dedB A2 AB |
cBcd e2d2 | GABc e2 dB | d2 dB g2 ge
| dedB A2 AB | cBcd edef | aggf (g2g) ||
NANCY FAT. American, Jig. USA,
southwestern Pa. G Major. Standard tuning. AB. Bayard (1981) calls this seemingly
a composite tune, and while he was not able to trace the second strain, the
first strain is derived from "Because he Was a Bonny
Lad." A very similar tune, part of "The Lancers," was
recorded by Bayard (1981, Appendix No. 41, pg. 590) from a fiddler from Prince
Edward Island, Canada.
Sources for notated versions: Guy Mundell (Greene County, Pa., 1944) and Levi
Hall (Fayette County, Pa., 1944) [Bayard]. Bayard (Dance to the Fiddle), 1981; No. 566, pg. 503.
NANCY
HANKS. American, Polka. D Major. Standard.
AABB. Sweet (Fifer’s Delight),
1965/1981; pg. 50.
X:1
T:Nancy Hanks
M:2/4
L:1/8
R:Polka
Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion
K:D
A | AF/A/ dA/d/ | fd/f/ a>f | gg/f/
eA | ff/e/ dA | AF/A/ dA/d/ | fd/f/ af |
gg/f/ ec | dfd :: A | gg/f/ eA |
ff/e/ dA | c/d/e/f/ gf | e/d/c/B/ A2 | dd/e/ fd |
c/d/e/f/ ge | af gf/e/ | dfd :|
NANCY HINES. AKA and See "Nancy Hynes."
NANCY HYNES (Anna Ni h-Eidin). AKA and see "Ruaig an Mí‑ádh," “The Bag of Meal,” “Banish Misfortune [1],” "The Little Bag of Meal," "Humors of Mullina(a)fauna
[1]," "Judy Hynes,” "Máire Ní Eidhinn,” "Nancy
Hines," “Parish Girl [2],”
"Round the Carthouse."
Irish, Double Jig. D Mixolydian. Standard tuning. AABCC (O'Neill/1915): AABB'CC
(O'Neill/1850 & 1001). O’Neill’s source, Chicago
piper and flutist John Ennis, was the father of Tom Ennis, who was a famous
piper in his own right. The younger Ennis recorded this tune on 78 RPM paired
with “Sullivan’s Jig.” Another
Irish-American piper, Jimmie McLaughlin (about whom nothing is known) also
recorded the jig set on 78 RPM for the Gennet label (No. 5356), although he
called the first melody “Judy Hynes”). Source for notated version: John Ennis,
originally from County Kildare
[O’Neill]. O'Neill (O’Neill’s Irish Music),
1915/1987; No. 145, pg. 83. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies),
1979; No. 903, pg. 168. O'Neill (Dance Music of Ireland:
1001 Gems), 1986; No. 150, pg.
40.
X:1
T:Nancy Hynes
M:6/8
L:1/8
R:Jig
S:O’Neill – Dance Music of Ireland:
1001 Gems (1907), No. 150
Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion
K:D
G|A3 cAG|A2d cAG|F2D DED|FAF GED|A3
cAG|A2G Ade|fed ecA|ded d2:|
|:d/e/|fgf fed|efe edc|ded dcd|ecA
A2 a/g/|1 fgf fed|efe edc|faf gec|ded d2:|2
f2d edc|ded cAG|A2d cAG|Add
d2||:(3A/B/c/|ded cdc|BAB cAG|
F2D DED|FAF GED|A3 cAG|A2G Ade|f2d
ecA|ded d2:|
NANCY
IN THE HOBBLE.
AKA and see "An Garda Nua,"
"Lady Cork's Reel,” “Monsignor’s Blessing,” "The New Policeman [3]," "Paddy Bolster's Reel," "The Tinker's Stick.” “Twin Brothers [1].” English, Reel. G
Major. Standard tuning. AAB. Kennedy (Traditional
Dance Music of Britain
and Ireland:
Reels and Rants), 1997; No. 146, pg. 35.
NANCY McDERMOTT. AKA and see "Planxty
Nancy McDermott," "Mrs.
Anne MacDermott Roe."
NANCY
MY PRIDE (Anna Mo Muirnin). Irish, Slow Air (3/4 time). G
Major. Standard tuning. AB. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies),
1903/1979; No. 294, pg. 51.
X:1
T:Nancy
My Pride
M:3/4
L:1/8
R:Air
N:”Slow”
S:O’Neill – Music of Ireland
(1903), No. 294
Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion
K:G
d>c|B2 AG ED|c2 cd e2|d3z BA|G2A2
GE|D>E G2B2|A3z dc|B2 AG ED|
cB cd e2|c3z BA|G2A2 GE |D<E
(G2G2)|G3z||Bc|d2 cB AG|e2 ef ge|d3z gf|
e2 dB AB|G2G2 cB|A3 zDE|G2 AG
ED|c2cd e2|d3z BA|G2A2 GE|D>E (G2G2)|G3z||
NANCY
ROLLIN. See "Nancy Rowland."
NANCY
ROWLAND [1]. AKA – “Nancy
Rollin.” AKA and see "Little
Nancy Rowland." Old‑Time, Breakdown. USA;
Georgia, Arkansas, Missouri,
Mississippi, Tennessee,
North Carolina, West Virginia.
G Major. Standard tuning. AB (Silberberg): AABB (Brody, Kaufman, Phillips).
Charles Wolfe (in his notes for "Gid Tanner and the Skillet Lickers ‑
Kickapoo Medecine Show") states that this tune was apparently well‑known
in the Atlanta area during the
1920's but that its popularity has since considerably dwindled. He believes a
more archaic solo fiddle rendition was rendered by John Carson on a mid‑1920's
OKeh recording (#40238). It was also in the repertoire of fiddler Tommy Magness
(1911-1972), born in north Georgia
near the southeastern Tennessee
border. The title appears (as "Nancy Rowland" and "Nancy
Rollins") in a list of traditional Ozark
Mountain fiddle tunes compiled by
musicologist/folklorist Vance Randolph, published in 1954. The following (floating)
ditties are sometimes sung to the tune:
***
Had a little dog, his name was Rover,
When he died, he died all over.
***
I had a wife and she was a quaker,
She wouldn’t work and I wouldn’t make her.
***
I had a wife and she was a weaver,
She wouldn’t work, so I had to leave her.
***
Sources for
notated versions: Highwoods String Band (N.Y.) [Brody]; Carter Brothers
[Phillips]; Bruce Reid [Silberberg]. Brody (Fiddler’s
Fakebook), 1983; pg. 201. Kaufman (Beginning
Old Time Fiddle), 1977; pg. 56. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes, vol. 1), 1994; pg. 162.
Silberberg (Tunes I Learned at Tractor Tavern), 2002; pg. 104. County 520, Carter Brothers and Son‑ "Echoes of
the Ozarks, Vol. 3." County 528, The Carter Brothers‑ "Traditional
Fiddle Music of Mississippi."
June Appal 007, Thomas Hunter‑ "Deep in Tradition" (1976.
Learned from his grandfather, James W. Hunter, Madison County, N.C.). Marimac
9038, Dan Gellert & Brad Leftwich - "A Moment in Time." Rounder
0023, Highwoods String Band‑ "Fire on the Mountain." Rounder
1023, Gid Tanner and the Skillet Lickers‑ "Kickapoo Medicine
Show."
NANCY ROWLAND [2]. Old-Time, Breakdown. G Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Related to version
#1. Source for notated version: Howard 'Howdy' Forrester [Phillips]. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes), vol.
1, 1994; pg. 162. Owen
“Snake” Chapman – “Walnut Gap” (learned from hearing Howdy Forrester play the
tune on the radio).
NANCY TAYLOR’S REEL. See “Nancy [4].”