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

The Fiddler’s Companion

© 1996-2008 Andrew Kuntz

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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. 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. 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. 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). 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. 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. 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. 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. 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, Strathspey. F Major. Standard. AABB. Harding’s All Round Collection, 1905; No. 181, pg. 57.

                       

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, Air. The tune appears under this title in Playford's Dancing Master of 1719.

                       

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