The Fiddler’s Companion

© 1996-2009 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]

 

 

[COMMENT7] [COMMENT8] 

R. P. CUMMINGS WELCOME. Shetland, Pipe March. A Major. Standard tuning. AABB'CCDD'. Anderson (1983) states this four-part pipe march was written for Ronnie Cumming, Surgeon Consultant for Shetland, when he was made President of the Shetland Fiddler Society. “Ronnie comes from a long tradition of piping, and is an excellent piper himself.” Anderson (Ringing Strings), 1983; pg. 83.

 

RU' GLEN LUMS. Scottish, Strathspey. F Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Kerr (Merry Melodies), vol. 3; No. 159, pg. 19.

X:1

T:Ru’ Glen Lums

M:C

L:1/8

R:Strathspey

S:Kerr – Merry Melodies, vol. 3, No. 159  (c. 1880’s)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:F

c>dc>A (G<F) F>G | C>DF>G A<c d<f | c>dc>A (G<F) F>A | D>G F/E/D/E/ F3A:|

|: c>dc<A c<f d<f | c>dc<A A<G G<A | c>dc<A c<f d<f | D>G F/E/D/E/ F3A :|

 

RUADHRAÍ Ó MÓRDHA. AKA and see “Rory O’Mo{o}re.”

 

RUAIDRI UA MÓRDA. AKA and see "Rory O'Mo{o}re."

 

RUAIG AN MÍ-ÁDH (Banish Misfortune). AKA and see “Banish Misfortune [1].”

 

RUATAR UELLINGTON. AKA and see "Wellington's Advance."

 

RUB THE BAG (“Cumuil an Mala” or “Cumail an Mhailin”). Irish, Jig, Long or Set Dance (6/8 time). C Major (Cole, Joyce): D Major (O'Neill). Standard. AAB (Cole, Joyce): AABB (O'Neill/Krassen): AA'BB (O'Neill/1850 & 1001). Joyce notes the tune was well known in Cork and Limerick, and that Petrie gives a Kilkenny version of this tune under the title “Ree Raw.” Joyce notes that in Munster the phrase ‘cumail a’ mhailin’ (like “Ree Raw”) signifies “confusion or uproarious merriment.” Source for notated version: “I learned it when a boy (in the 1840's in Limerick) from fiddlers and pipers, who used to play it as a set dance. I remember seeing a man dance it one time on a table” [Joyce]. Cole (1000 Fiddle Tunes), 1940; pg. 73. Joyce (Ancient Irish Music), 1873/1890; No. 52, pg. 52. O'Neill (Krassen), 1976; pg. 223. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903/1979; No. 1795, pg. 336. O'Neill (Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems), 1907/1986; No. 968, pg. 166. Ryan’s Mammoth Collection, 1883; pg. 104 (appears as a jig).

X:1

T:Rub the Bag

L:1/8

M:6/8

R:Set Dance

S:O’Neill – Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems (1907), No. 968

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

d2d fed|cBA cec|BcB fdB|dcB fdB|d2d fed|cBA cec|

ABA ecA|1 A/B/cA ecA:|2 A/B/cA d2z||

|:ded def|efe efg|fgf f2^g|aba a2g|fgf fga|gfe efe|~d3 fed|cBA cec|

BcB fdB|B/c/dB fdB|dcd fed|cBA cec|ABA ecA|A/B/cA d2||

 

RUBAN BLEU, LE. French, Bourree A Deux Temps (2/4 time). G Major. Standard. AABB'. Traditional tune from central France. Stevens (Massif Central), vol. 1, 1987; No. 90.

 


RUBBER DOLLY (BREAKDOWN) [1]. AKA ‑ "Rubber Dolly Rag." AKA and see "Back Up and Push [1]." Old‑Time, Breakdown. USA; Texas, Arkansas, North Carlolina, Virginia, New York State. C Major (Phillips): A Major (Bronner). Standard or AEAE (for A Major version). AA (Bronner): AA'BB' (Phillips). The title appears in a list of traditional Ozark Mountain fiddle tunes compiled by musicologist/folklorist Vance Randolph, published in 1954. According to Bronner (1987), "Rubber Dolly" was first collected as a Anglo‑American children's game with the following words or variants (which may have come from a music‑hall song of the 1890's):

***

My Mommy told me, she's going to buy a rubber dolly,

If I was good, So don't you till her I kissed a feller/soldier

Or she won't buy me a rubber dolly.

***

Bronner also says the tune has a similarity to an older British Isles melody called "Lord Alexander's Reel/Hornpipe," though he must have consulted other versions of the melody for his sources' version is somewhat obscure. It has been a favorite Texas or western swing piece in the 1930's and 40's, and has also been collected in the northeast. Source for notated version: Charley Hughes (New York State, 1973) [Bronner]. Bronner (Old-Time Music Makers of New York State), 1987; No. 40, pgs. 146‑147 (includes variations). Phillips (Fiddlecase Tunebook), 1989; pg. 37. CMH Country Classics 9027, Johnny Gimble‑ "Texas Fiddle Collection," 1981. Disc D110, Woody Guthrie‑ "Hard Travellin.'" Old‑Timey LP‑101, Uncle Bud Landress "Old Time Southern Dance Music." Old‑Timey LP‑105, Harry Choates‑ "Western Swing."

 

RUBBER DOLLS [2]. American, Two-Step (?). USA, southwestern Pa. G Major. Standard. AA'BB'. The 'B' part is recognizably the main phrase of the standard "Rubber Dolly" tune. Source for notated version: John Filby (elderly fiddler from Greene County, Pa., 1947; learned from fiddler "Tunge" Everly, Greene County) [Bayard]. Bayard (Dance to the Fiddle), 1981; No. 125, pg. 69.

 

RUBBER DOLLY [3]. Canadian, Reel. A Major. Standard. AA'BC. A mish-mash of a tune incorporating "Fireman's Reel" ('A' part), the first phrase of "Rubber Dolly" ('B' part), and a tune similar to the 'B' part of "Woodchoopers Reel" ('C' part). Source for notated version: transplanted French-Canadian fiddler Omer Marcoux (Concord, N.H.), learned from his brother in Montreal [Miskoe & Paul]. Miskoe & Paul (Omer Marcoux), 1994; pg. 8.

                       

RUBBER FACE. Canadian, Reel. Canada, Cape Breton. G Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Composed by the late Inverness, Cape Breton, fiddler and composer Jerry Holland (1955-2009) in honor of musician and comedian Howie MacDonald, nicknamed ‘Rubber Face’. Cranford (Jerry Holland: The Second Collection), 2000; No. 209, pg. 77. Odyssey ORCS 1051, Jerry Holland – “Fiddler’s Choice” (1998).

                       

RUBEN. See "Reuban('s Train)." Old-Time. Marimac 9038, Dan Gellert & Brad Leftwich - "A Moment in Time."

                       

RUBEN’S RIDGE. Old-Time. G Major. From Pete McMahan.

                       

RUBY HORNPIPE. AKA and see "Ruby Lip," "Cliff Hornpipe."

                       

RUBY LIP. AKA and see "Cliff Hornpipe," "Harvest Home [1]," "Fred Wilson's Clog," "Cincinnati Hornpipe [1]," "Kildare Fancy," "Standard Hornpipe," "Zig-Zag Hornpipe/Clog," "Cork Hornpipe [1]," "Higgins' Hornpipe," "Dundee Hornpipe," "Kephart's Clog" (Pa.), "Snyder's Jig" (Pa.).

                       

RUD AR BITH DO SHEÁN JOE?  AKA and see "Anything for John Joe?"

                       

RUDE RING REEL. Irish, Reel. D Minor. Standard tuning. AA’B. Composed by Ciarán O'Grady.

X:1
T:Rude Ring Reel, The
R:reel
C:Ciarán O'Grady
D:Sin É, 1c
Z:Jeff Lindqvist
M:C|
L:1/8
K:Dm
G||AzDE FAdA|BGAF GECE|FDA,D (3FFG AB|Ad{e}d^c deag|
fdec dcBc|(3BBA GB AFDC|A,DFD (3EFG cA|1 GECE D2 (3AA^G:|2 GECE D2 (3EFG||
Ad{e}dA Bfec|dABG AFDC|A,DFD EGcG|Ad{e}d^c defg|
afga fdcA|(3FFG AG FDCA,|B,DFD CEcA|GECE D2 (3EFG|
Ad{e}dA Bfec|dABG AFDC|A,DFD (3EFG cG|Ad{e}d^c deag|
fdec dcBc|(3BBA GB AFDC|A,DFD (3EFG cA|1 GECE D2 (3AAG||
"2nd time:"
AzDE FAdA|BGAF GECE|FDA,D (3FFG AB|Ad{e}d^c deag|
fdec dcBc|(3BBA GB AFDC|A,DFD (3EFG cA|GECE DEFG|
AzDE FAdA|BGAF GECE|FDA,D FGAB|Ad{e}d^c deag|
fdec dcBc|(3BBA GB AFDC|A,DFD (3EFG cA|GECE D2 (3EFG||
Ad{e}dA Bfec|dABG AFDC|A,DFD (3EEG cG|Ad{e}d^c defg|
afga fdcA|(3FFG AG FDCA,|B,DFD CEcA|GECE D2 (3EFG|
Ad{e}dA Bfec|dABG AFDC|A,DFD (3EFG cG|Ad{e}d^c deag|
fdec dcBc|(3BBA GB AFDC|A,DFD (3EFG cA|GECE D2z2||

                       

RUE AND THYME. AKA and see "The Willow Tree [3]."

 

RUFÉE, LA.  French, Country Dance (6/8 time). G Major. Standard tuning. AABB. From the contradance book (tunes with dance instructions) of Robert Daubat (who styled himself Robert d’Aubat de Saint-Flour), born in Saint-Flour, Cantal, France, in 1714, dying in Gent, Belgium, in 1782. According to Belgian fiddler Luc De Cat, at the time of the publication of his collection (1757) Daubat was a dancing master in Gent and taught at several schools and theaters.  He also was the leader of a choir and was a violin player in a theater. Mr. De Cat identifies a list of subscribers of the original publication, numbering 132 individuals, of the higher level of society and the nobility, but also including musicians and dance-masters (including the ballet-master from the Italian opera in London). Many of the tunes are written with parts for various instruments, and include a numbered bass. Daubat (Cent Contredanses en Rond), 1757; No. 48.

X:1

T:Rufée, La

M:6/8

L:1/8

S:Daubat – Cent Contredanses en Rond (1757), No. 48

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G

GDG BGB | {e}d2B3 | {e}dcB AGF | FGA D3 | GDG BGB | d3e3 |

dcB AGF | FEF G2G, :: BdB ceA | BAG FED | BdB ceA | B3A3 | GDG BGB |

{e}d3e3 | {e}dcB AGF | FGA D3 | GDG BGB | d3 g3 | edc BAG | FEF G3 :|

                       


RUFFIAN'S RANT. AKA and see "Ben Nevis," "Coig na Scanlan," “Down on yon Bank,” "I'm Over/Owre Young to Marry Yet [1]," "The Kilt is My Delight,” "Lady Francis Wemys' Reel," "Old Virginia," "Roy's Wife (of Aldivalloch)." Scottish, English; Strathspey or Rant. England, Northumberland. D Major. Standard tuning. AABB (Hall & Stafford): AABBCCD (Gow): AABBCCDD (Aird, Bremner, Huntington, Kennedy): AABBCCDEEFF (McGlashan). Composed by Robert Bremner (c. 1713-89), who published the first collections of specifically Scottish dance music between 1757-1761. John Glen (1891) traced the tune back to 1742, and says it first was printed by Bremner in his 1757 collection. Aird (Selection of Scotch, English Irish and Foreign Airs), vol. II, 1782; No. 114, pg. 42. Bremner (A Collection of Scots Reels), c. 1757; pg. 43. Campbell, 12th Book of New and Favorite Country Dances, pg. 1. Gow (Complete Repository), Part 1, 1799; pg. 33. Hall & Stafford (Charlton Memorial Tune Book), 1974; pg. 10. Huntington (William Litten's), 1977; pg. 9. Johnson (The Scots Musical Museum), 1787-1803, vol. 2, No. 156. Kennedy (Traditional Dance Music of Britain and Ireland: Reels and Rants), 1997; No. 176, pg. 41. McGlashan (Collection of Strathspey Reels), c. 1780/81; pg. 22. Preston, A Collection of Scots Reels and Country Dances, pg. 43.

X:1

T:Ruffian’s Rant, The

M:C

L:1/8

S:McGlashan – Strathspey Reels

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

B | A<F F>E F>E F<B | A>F F>D E>DEB | A<F F>D d>ef>e | d>BA>F E>D E :|

|: B | A<F d>A B>Ad>B | A<F d>A B>AB>d | G<F F>D d>ef>d | B>dA>F E<D E :|

|: b | a<f f>e f>e f<b | a<f f>d e>d e<b | a<f f>e d>gf>e | d>B d/B/A/F/ E>D E :|

|| B | A<Fd<F A<Fd<F | A<Fd<F BABd | A<F E>D d>ef>e | f/e/d/B/ d/B/A/F/ E>DEB |

A/F/E/F/ d/F/E/F/ A/F/E/F/ d/F/E/F/ | A/F/E/F/ d/F/E/F/ B>A A<d | AFE>D Defd |

EBdF E>DEB ||

|: A<F F>E F>E F<d | A<F F>DE>D EB | A<F F>A d>ef>e| F<F F>A E<DE :|

|: B | A<F d>A d>Ad>B | A<F d>A B>ABd | A<F F>D d>efd | B>dA>F E>DE :|

                       

RUFFLE THE OLD HAG IN THE CORNER. Irish, Slip Jig. G Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Roche Collection, 1982, vol. 2; No. 268, pg. 28.

                       

RUFFLED DRAWERS. AKA and see "New Five Cents [1].” Old-Time, Breakdown. D Major. Standard tuning. AABB. See also related tune “Robinson County.” This ditty was sung to the ‘A’ part of the tune (collected by John Hartford from Roy Acuff):

***

City gal she wears ruffled drawers, country gal she wears plain;

My gal she wears no drawers at all, but the gets there just the same.

***

When I saw her ruffled drawers, her ruffled drawers so fine,

When I saw her ruffled drawers, I knew I'd make her mine.

***

The Devil’s Box, vol. 23, No. 1, Spring 1989, pg. 21. Songer (Portland Collection), 1997; pg. 170. County 787, Clarence Ferrill Band ‑ "Five Miles Out of Town: Traditional Music From the Cumberland Plateau."

X:1

T:Ruffled Drawers

T:New Five Cents

L:1/8

M:2/4

N:The last part is the vocal melody

S:Howdy Forrester and Roy Acuff; transcribed by John Hartford

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

F/G/|Af f/g/f/e/|dB/d/ A/G/F/E/|D/F/A/d/ f/a/f/d/|e4|Af f/g/f/e/|

dB B/c/B/c/|AF/D/ E/F/E/F/|D3:||:F/G/|A/G/F/E/ DF/G/|A/F/E DD|

D/F/A/G/ F/D/F/A/|E3 F/G/|A(3A/F/E/ DF/G/|AF/E/ DF/G/|AF/D/ E/F/E/F/|D3:|

“vocal melody”

A/A/A fe|dB B2|A/A/A fd|e3A|AA fe|dB Bd/B/|AF EC|D3||

 

RUFTY TUFTY. English, Country Dance Tune (2/2 time). G Major. Standard tuning. ABC (Sharp): ABCC (Barnes, Karpeles, Raven). The melody was first published by John Playford in his English Dancing Master (1651). The ‘C’ part consists of six bars, repeated, while the ‘A’ and ‘B’ parts contain eight each. Barnes (English Country Dance Tunes), 1986. Karpeles & Schofield (A Selection of 100 English Folk Dance Airs), 1951; pg. 12. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 25 & 44 (the latter page is a reprint of the Playford MS). Sharp (Country Dance Tunes), 1909/1994; pg. 18. Familiar Records FAM 47, Pyewackett ‑ "7 To Midnight" (1985). Maggie’s Music MMCD216, Hesperus - “Early American Roots” (1997).

X:1

T:Rufty Tufty

M:2/2

L:1/8

S:Sharp – Country Dance Tunes

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G

d4 (d2e2 | f4) (e2f2 | g2)g2 (f3e | d8) | d4 (d2e2 | f4) (e2f2 | g2)g2 (f3e | d6) ||

(ef | g2f2e2d2 | d2c2B3c) | (d2d2c2B2 | A4 G2) (ef | g2f2e2d2 | d2c2B3c |

d2d2c2B2 | A4 G4) || (B3c) .d2.d2 | .e2 .c2 d4 | (B3c) .d2.d2 |

.e2.c2.d2 (Bc | d2) .d2.c2B2 | (A4 G4) | (B3c) .d2.d2 |

.e2.c2 d4 | (B3c) .d2.d2 | .e2.c2.d2 (Bc | d2) .d2 c2B2 | A4 G4 ||

                       

RUFUS. Old‑Time. Bluebird 5434‑A (78 RPM), Gid Tanner and His Skillet Lickers (North Ga.) {1934}.

                       

RUFUS RASTUS. Old‑Time, Breakdown. USA, Mississippi. C Major. Standard tuning. AABB. The tune was derived from Sterling and Von Tilzer's Tin-Pan-Alley song "Whatcha Gonna Do When the Rent Comes 'Round.” It is said that the Mississippi Possum Hunters (Avalon, Miss.) were friends with bluesman Mississippi John Hurt. Source for notated version: fiddler John Holloway with the Mississippi Possum Hunters (Miss.) [Phillips]. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes), vol. 2, 1995; pg. 117. County 528, Mississippi Possum Hunters ‑ "Mississippi Breakdown: Traditional Fiddle Music of Mississippi, Vol. 1." Document 8028, The Mississippi Possum Hunters – “Mississippi String Bands, vol. 2” (reissue). Victor 23644 (78 RPM), Mississippi Possum Hunters (1930).

                       

RUGGED ROAD. Old-Time, Breakdown. USA, Missouri. G Major. Standard tuning. AB (Silberber): AA’BB (Beissenger & McCann). The tune was in the repertoire of Missouri fiddler Lyman Enloe (1906-1997), learned (according to liner notes of his album “Now That’s a Good Tune”) from his father’s friend, fiddler Lee Carpenter (Eldon, Missouri), from whom he learned several older tunes. Sources for notated versions: Carthy Sisco [Silberberg]; Lyman Enloe [Beisswenger & McCann]. Beisswenger & McCann (Ozarks Fiddle Music), 2008; pg. 30. Silberberg (Tunes I Learned at Tractor Tavern), 2002; pg. 134.

                       

RUGGED SAYLOR, THE. AKA and see "A Wedding What Ever Comes Out."

                       

RUIDHLE NA MARAGAN DUBH (Reel of the Black Puddings). AKA and see “Kiss the Lass Ye Like/Love the Best [1].” Scottish, Reel. D Major. Standard tuning. AABB. The tune appears in other Scottish collections (such as Bremner, c. 1751-61) as “Kiss the Lass Ye Like Best” (see note for). The black pudding of the title is in both Scottish and Irish Gaelic marag dubh, a name derived from the Norse word mörr, for suet, or blóõ-mörr (blood pudding). It is made from the blood of cattle and generally stuffed into sausage casings, served fried with foods like bacon and eggs. Marag is also used as a term for a shapeless, obese person. Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; pg. 95.

X:1

T:Ruidhle na Maragan Dubh

T:Reel of the Black Puddings

M:C|

L:1/8

R:Reel

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

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

R:Reel

K:D

B | {c/B/}A2 (FA) BEEB | {c/B/}A2 (FA) {c}defd | (ef/g/) (fg/a/) AFEF |

A/A/A “tr”(fe) {c}dDD :: f | (ab)af beef | (ab)(af) {c}defd | (ef/g/) (fg/a/) AFEF |

A/A/A “tr”(f2) {c}dDD :|

 

RUIDHLEADH MOR. See "Babbity Bowster."


 

RUIDHLEADH NAN COILEACH DUBHA (Reel of the Blackcocks). Shetland, Reel. D Dorian. Standard tuning. AABB. Each section of the tune consists of only four measures, repeated. Two different two-couple dances called Ruidhleadh nan Coileach Dubha were collected from the Shetland Islands. One was learned in 1956 in South Uist from one Mrs. Margaret MacAskill, then aged 80, who used to perform the reel at gatherings in the crofts in Smerclett, southern South Uist; the second is from Neil MacNeil and is from Barra. Both are performed to the same tune, which also is the vehicle for a Gaelic dance-song which begins:

***

Ruidhleadh nan coileadch dubha            Reeled the blackcocks

's dannsaidh na tunnagan,                       And danced the ducks,

Ruidhleadh nan coileach dubha              Reeled the blackcocks

Air a' bhruthaich shios ud.                       On the banks up there.

***

Flett and Flett (1964) remark: "A number of the older Gaelic dances contained a certain amount of miming, and we believe that this miming was largely determined by the words of the appropriate dance-song. The dance Ruidhleadh nan Coileach Dubha is a case in point--here the kneeling couple represent the ducks, while the dancing couple are the blackcocks."  Flett & Flett (Traditional Dancing in Scotland), 1964; pg. 169.

                       

RUIDHLEADH NAM POG. See "Babbity Bowster/Bolster."

                       

RUIGHLE THULAICHEAN. AKA and see "Reel o'/of Tulloch."

                       

RUINS OF KILLMALLOCK, THE (Fotarac Cill-Moceallog). Irish, Double Jig. A Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Killmallock was once, in the middle ages, the third largest town in Ireland (after Dublin and Kilkenny), and was later the seat of the powerful Earls of Desmond between the 14th and 17th centuries. There are famous ruins of a Dominican Friary at Killmallock, County Limerick, built in the 13th century but sacked by Cromwell’s forces in 1648.

***

Killmallock Abbey

***

McGuire & Keegan (Irish Tunes by the 100, vol. 1), 1975; No. 31, pg. 8. O'Neill (Krassen), 1976; pg. 57. O'Neill (Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems), 1907/1986; No. 242, pg. 54.

X:1

T:Ruins of Killmallock, The

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:Jig

S:O’Neill – Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems (242)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:A

A/B/|cBc dcd|ecA AGE|cBd cBA|GEF GAB|cBc dcd|ecA Bcd|cBA BGE|EAA A2:|

|:e|aga ece|agf edc|dcd BGB|Acd efg|aga ece|agf edc|Bcd efg|aAA A2:|

                       

RUISG, A BHEAN NA TABHAIRNE. Irish. Composed by blind Irish harper Turlough O'Carolan (1670-1738). Shanachie 79013, Derek Bell - "Carolan's Receipt" (1987).

                       

RULE, BRITANNIA. “Smile America.” English, Air (cut time). G Major. Standard tuning. One part. The music was composed by Dr. Thomas Augustine Arne for his masque of Alfred (some sources say the opera was The Judgement o’ Paris), first performed as the end of an entertainment before Frederick, Prince of Wales, at Clivedon House, near Maidenhead, August, 1740, under the title “When Britain First.” The opera was revived in 1759 and the song was printed in Clio an Euterpe’s Of British Harmony, Vol. 1 (1758) under the “Rule, Britannia” title. Lyrics were the work of Scottish poet James Thomson. Emmerson (1972) states the song was inspired by imperialistic fervor engendered by the so-called War of Jenkins' Ear, in which England vied with Spain in dispute of access to the South American continent. As a nationalistic song it was a favorite of British troops in the American Revolution, who also used the titles “When Britain First by Heav’ns Come” and “Hail Britain, Hail thou Glory’s Pride.” As with several popular British songs, the tune was co-opted by the Americans with new lyrics, and appears in the Henry Beck Manuscript (pg. 9) of 1786 as “Smile America.” Transported to America the tune was renamed, becoming “Smile America.” For more, see Chappell (1859). Peter Mackenzie, "the genial reminiscer of Glasgow" (Emmerson, 1971), mentions the tune as one of the favorite songs of the early 19th century in Lowlands Scots centers. Chappell (Popular Music of the Olden Times), Vol. 2, 1859; pgs. 191‑192.


 

RULL. Norwegian, Halling Dance Tune (2/4 time). D Major. ADae tuning. AA'BCDD'EE'. Hallings belong to the oldest repertory of duple‑time dance tunes in the Hardanger fiddle tradition of western Norway. A related form in the "Muckle" reels of Shetland. Cooke (The Fiddle Tradition of the Shetland Isles), 1986; Ex. 6, pg. 57.

 

RUM AND ONIONS. American, Jig (irregular time: two measures of 2/4 time at end of each part). G Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Cole (1000 Fiddle Tunes), 1940; pg. 71. Tolman (Nelson Music Collection), 1969; pg. 3. Ryan’s Mammoth Collection, 1883; pg. 102.

X:1

T:Rum and Onions

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:Jig

S:Ryan’s Mammoth Collection (1883)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G

({B/c/}d)GG GFG | Bcd dBG | ({A/B/}c)AA FGA | ABc cBA | ({B/c/}d)GG GFG | Bcd dBG |

M:2/8

L:1/8

.A.A/.A/ .A/.d/.c/.A/ | .G.B.Gz :|

M:6/8

L:1/8

({e/f/}g)ee e^de | bee efg | ({d/e/}f)dd d^cd | add def | ({e/f/}g)ee e^de | bee efg |

M:2/4

L:1/8

ff/f/ f/e/e/g/ | egez :|

 

RUMBLING BRIDGE, THE. Scottish, Reel. A Mixolydian. Standard tuning. AAB. The melody appears in John and Andrew Gow’s A Collection of Slow Airs, Strathspeys and Reels (London, c. 1795). Andrew (1760-1803) and younger brother John (1764-1826) established a publishing business in London in 1788 and were the English distributors for the Gow family musical publications. The Rumbling Bridge is in Perth and Kinross, Scotland, and was originally built in 1713 by William Gray, a mason from Saline. A nearby hamlet takes its name from the structure. The bridge spanned a narrow gorge and the rushing water of the River Devon below makes a constant sound. Later, in 1816 (long after the Gow’s publication), there was a second bridge built on top of the first one, so that it is in effect a double bridge. This wider arch gave greater width to the road and removed the steep gradients down to the old bridge. Source for notated version: John & Andrew Gow’s Collection (c. 1792) [S. Johnson]. S. Johnson (A Twenty Year Anniversary Collection), 2003; pg. 24.

X:1

T:Rumbling Bridge, The

M:C|

L:1/8

R:Reel

S:John & Andrew Gow - A Collection of Slow Airs, Strathspeys and Reels (London, c. 1795)

K:Amix

d|eA”tr”cA c/d/e f2|eAcA BdGB|eAcA c/d/e f2|BGdB eAA:||

g|abag abeg|Bdgd BdGg|abag abeg|BGdB eAAg|

abag abeg|Bgdg BdGB|eAcA c/d/e f2|dGdB eAA||

 

RUMBLING QUADRILLE.  Scandinavian, Quadrille. Culburnie Records CUL 121D, Alasdair Fraser & Natalie Haas – “Fire and Grace” (2004).

 

RUMFORD ASSEMBLY. English, Country Dance Tune (2/4 time). G Major. Standard tuning. AABB. The melody and dance instructions first appear in John Hinton’s periodical Universal Magazine of Knowledge and Pleasure (London, 1754). Rumford is the old spelling of the modern Romford, and old market town that is now within the boundaries of Greater London, to the east. The Star Brewery has been in operation there since 1708. Thompson (Compleat Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances, vol. 1), 1757; No. 112.

X:1

T:Rumford Assembly

M:2/4

L:1/8

B:Thompson’s Compleat Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances, vol. 1 (London, 1757)

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

Z:abc’s:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G

G B2 (d|d) g2 b|dcBA|B/G/F/G/ AD|G B2 (d|d) g2 b|(f/g/a) cB|B A3:|

|:A ^c2 (e|e) g2 b|agfe|f/d/^c/d/ eA|A ^c2 (e|e) g2 b|a/g/f “tr”e2|d4|

G B2 (d|d) g2 b|dcBA|B/G/F/G/ AD|G B2 (d|d) g2 b|dcBA|G2 G,2:||

 

RUN ALONG HOME, CINDY. AKA and see "Cindy [1]."

           

RUN ALONG HOME, SANDY. Old-Time, Breakdown. A title in the repertoire of Georgia’s Fiddlin’ John Carson.

                       

RUN, BOY, RUN. AKA and see "Run, N....r, Run." The title appears in a list of traditional Ozark Mountain fiddle tunes compiled by musicologist/folklorist Vance Randolph, published in 1954. Victor 40205 (78 RPM), Eck Robertson (Texas) {1929}.

           

RUN DOWN BOOT. Old-Time, Breakdown. An Illinois tune from Pete Priest.

           

RUN DOWN THE TOWN IN HASTE. Scottish, Reel. B Flat Major. Standard tuning. AAB. Composed by William Marshall (1748-1833), first appearing in print in his 1781 collection (pg. 2). Marshall, Fiddlecase Edition, 1978; 1781 Collection, pg. 2.

X:1

T:Run down the Town in haste

M:C|

L:1/8

R:Reel

S:Marshall1781 Collection

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:Bb

d|B2 (dB) fB dB|GFGB (cBc)d|B/B/B (dB) fBdB|egfe d(BB):|

E|(D/E/F) (B,F) BFdB|GFGB (cBc)d|Bfdf egdf|(cBc)d B/B/B B2|

(D/E/F) (B,F) BFdB|GFGB (cBc)d|f/f/f (gf) bfdB|egfe d(BB)||

 

RUN, JOHNNY, RUN [1]. AKA‑ "Run, N....r, Run," "Run, Smoke, Run," "Run, Boy, Run." Old‑Time, Bluegrass; Breakdown. USA; Georgia, Kentucky, Arkansas. D Major. Standard tuning. AABB; AA'BB (Phillips). The song has been dated by some to pre‑Civil War times when patrols were formed in nearly every Southern county with a sizable slave population to ensure the slaves stayed on the plantation and did not "wander;" this was especially so after the scare of the slave insurrections of the 1820's and 1830's. Bruce Hutton is of the opinion that it goes back to the Whiskey Rebellion of 1794 when frontiersmen revolted against government regulation. The title appears in a list of traditional Ozark Mountain fiddle tunes compiled by musicologist/folklorist Vance Randolph, published in 1954.

***

Johnny came down to the mooshine still in the bottom of the holler at the foot of the hill;

He woke up about the break of day and he thought he heard his grandpa say:

***

Refrain

Run, Johnny, Run, the Federals'll get you,

Run, Johnny, Run, you'd better get away.

***

Johnny stopped at the top of the hill and he saw them Federals around his still;

They busted his coil and his boiler too, started drinking his mountain dew.

***

The Feds caught Johnny makin' a run and they took him up to Washington;

Set him to work for the government makin' moonshine for the President.

***

Johnny got rich at the government stills and he run away to his home in the hills;

Now the Federals are on his tracks, he still owes a dollar on the whiskey tax.  (Kuntz)

***

Sources for notated versions: Kenny Baker [Brody]; Bruce Hutton [Kuntz]; Tommy Jackson [Phillips]. Brody (Fiddler’s Fakebook), 1983; pg. 238. Kuntz (Ragged but Right), 1987; pg. 203‑204. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes, vol. 1), 1994; pg. 204. Silberberg (93 Fiddle Tunes I Didn’t Learn at the Tractor Tavern), 2004; pg. 37. Cassette C-7625, Wilson Douglas - "Back Porch Symphony." Folkways 2402, Bruce Hutton‑ "Old Time Music...It's All Around." County 750, Kenny Baker‑ "Grassy Fiddle Blues." Rounder 0037, J.P. and Annadeene Fraley‑ "Wild Rose of the Mountain." Rounder 1005, Gid Tanner and the Skillet Lickers‑ "Hear These New Fiddle and Guitar Records" (appears as "Run, N….r, Run").

See also listing at:

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

 

RUN, JOHNNY, RUN [2]. American, Jig or Quadrille (6/8 time). USA, Arizona. G Major (‘A’ and ‘B’ part) & D Major (‘C’ and ‘D’ parts). Standard tuning. AABCD. Ruth (Pioneer Western Folk Tunes), 1948; No. 87, pg. 30.

X:1

T:Run Johnny Run [2]

M:6/8

L:1/8

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

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G

DGG GGB|GGG GGB|ADD DFG|ADD DEF|GGG GGB|

GGG GGB|ADD DEF|(G3G2):|

(B/c/)|ddB ddB|GGG G2 (c/d/)|eee eec|AAA A2 (B/c/|

ddB ddB|GGG G2B|ADD DEF|G3G3||

K:D

Add ddf|ddd ddf|eAA ABc|eAA ABc|ddd ddf|ddd ddf|eAA ABc|d3d2||

(f/g/)|aaf aaf|ddd d2 (g/a/)|bbg bbg|eee e2 (f/g/)|aaf aaf|ddd d2f| eAA ABc|d3d3:|

 

RUN MOUNTAIN. Old‑Time, Breakdown and Song. Most versions stem from J.E. Mainer, who did not claim to have composed it but rather said it was an old song he had heard.

***

Run Mountain, take a little hill. (x2)

***

Mainer himself said the last part was “check a little hill,” meaning to investigate a hill, but his brother Wade thought it may have been a mishearing of “there’s sugar in the hill,” referring to the preparation of moonshine, according to Lyle Lofgren.

King 819, J.E. Mainer's Mountaineers. Folkways FA 2399, New Lost City Ramblers ‑ "vol. 4."

 

RUN, NIGGER, RUN. AKA‑ "Run, Johnny, Run," "Run, Boy, Run," "Run, Smoke, Run," "Pateroller'll Catch You." Old‑Time, Breakdown. USA; Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky. G Major (most versions): D Major (Mississippi fiddlers W.E. Claunch and Stephen Tucker). Standard tuning. AB (Silberberg): AABB (Christeson, 1973; Ford): AABBCCDD (Christeson, 1984): AB (Brody): AA (Thede). Described by Charles Wolfe (1997) as a “favorite from Georgia” which made its way Southwest into Texas. One of the set tunes a fiddler would play at some old fiddle contests; prizes would be given for the best rendition of the tune (1899; Gallatin, Tenn.) {Charles Wolfe, The Devil's Box, Vol. 14, No. 4, 12/1/80}. Georgia’s Fiddlin’ John Carson played the tune in the April, 1913, Atlanta fiddler’s contest (as recorded by the Atlanta Journal of Wed. April, 2nd). The melody was in the repertoire of the John Lusk Band, an African-American string band from the Cumberland Plateau region of Ky/Tenn. border (as "Pateroller'll Catch You"?). Kentucky fiddler Doc Roberts knew the tune by the title "Run N….r, Run," but his recorded version was released as "Run Smoke, Run," suggesting a more sensitive re-titling either by him or the recording company; the record sold a modest 9,000 copies when released. The tune was recorded for the Library of Congress by musicologist/folklorist Vance Randolph from Ozark Mountain fiddlers in the early 1940's, and for the same institution in 1939 by Herbert Halpert from the playing of Mississippi fiddlers Stephen B. Tucker (Lauderdale County) and W.E. Claunch (Guntown). It was played at a contest in Verbena (central Alabama) in 1921, as described in the Union Banner of October 27, 1921.

***

Jumped over the fence as slick as an eel,

White man grab nigger right by the heel;

Run, Nigger, Run the patteroler catch you,

Run, Nigger, Run you better get away. (Thede)

***

The following lyric appears in African-American collector Thomas Talley’s Negro Folk Rhymes (reprinted in 1991, edited by Charles Wolfe):

***

Run, Nigger, run! De Patter-rollers’ll ketch you

Run, Nigger, run! It’s almos’ day.

***

Dat Nigger run’d, dat Nigger flew,

Dat Nigger tore his shu’t in two.

***

All over dem woods and frou de paster,

Dem Patter-rollers shot; but de Nigger git faster.

***

Oh, dat Nigger whir’d, dat Nigger wheel’d,

Dat Nigger tore up de whole co’n field.

***

Charles Wolfe (1991) finds the tune/song appears in older collections such as White’s Serenader’s Songbook (1851, pg. 66), Joel Chandler Harris’s Uncle Remus and His Friends: Old Plantation Stories, Songs and Ballads (200), and E.C. Perrow’s Songs and Rhymes of the South (1915, pg. 138).

***

Sources for notated versions: Bill Driver (African-American fiddler from Miller County, Missouri) [Christeson {1973}]; Bill Katon (Tebbetts, Missouri) [Christeson {1984}]; Doc Roberts (Kentucky) [Brody]; Mel Durham [Silberberg] Brody (Fiddler’s Fakebook), 1983; pg. 238. R.P. Christeson (Old Time Fiddlers Repertory, vol. 1), 1973; pg. 91. Christeson (Old Time Fiddlers Repertory, vol. 2), 1984; pg. 50. Ford (Traditional Music in America), 1940; pg. 37. Ruth (Pioneer Western Folk Tunes), 1948; No. 54, pg. 20. Silberberg (Tunes I Learned at Tractor Tavern), 2002; pg. 134 (appears as “Run Smoke Run”). Thede (The Fiddle Book), 1967; pg. 63. Brunswick 275 (78 RPM), Dr. Humphrey Bate and His Possum Hunters (1928. Nashville, Tenn.). Brunswick (78 RPM), Uncle Dave Macon, 1925. County 412, Doc Roberts ‑ "Fiddling Doc Roberts" (1983. Appears as "Run, Smoke, Run"). County 526, "The Skillet Lickers, vol. 2" (1973). Davis Unlimited 33015, Doc Roberts‑ "Classic Fiddle Tunes" (appears as "Run, Smoke, Run"). Gennett 6689 (78 RPM), Doc Roberts (1928). Okeh (78 RPM), Fiddlin' John Carson, 1924. Rounder CD1518, Various Performers – “American Fiddle Tunes” (1971. Played by W.H. Stepp). Sonyatone 201, Eck Robertson‑ "Master Fiddler" (appears as "Run, Boy, Run"). Victor Records (78 RPM), Eck Robertson (1929. 2nd fiddler by Dr. J.B. Cranfill). Vocalion 15032 (78 RPM), Uncle Dave Macon (1925).

X:1

T:Run, N….r, Run

L:1/8

M:2/4

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

K:G

d/e/d/B/ GG|D/G/A/G/ Bd|d/e/d/B/ Gc|B/G/A/F/ Gd:|

|:g/a/g/e/ dd|A/d/e/d/ fa|g/a/g/e/ dd|B/G/A/F/ Gd:|

                       

RUN, RABBIT, RUN. Old-Time, Breakdown. G Major. Standard tuning. AABB'. The 'B' part is irregular. Composed by the late West Virginia fiddler Clarence "Curly" Herdman. The tune was renamed "Run, Nygarrd, Run" on a 1994 tape of Clyde Curley and other Pacific Northwest musicians, in honor of ex-Seattle musician Scott Nygarrd. It is thus a play on the title "Run, Nigger, Run." Source for notated version: Pete Sutherland [Phillips]. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes), vol. 1, 1994; pg. 205.

                       

RUN, PREACHER, RUN. Old-Time, Breakdown. D Major. Standard tuning. AB. A variant of “Run, N....r, Run.” Source for notated version: mandolin player Kenny Hall (California) [Silberberg]. Silberberg (Tunes I Learned at Tractor Tavern), 2002; pg. 135.

                       

RUN, SMOKE, RUN. See "Run, N....r, Run" and "Run, Johnny, Run."

 

RUN THEM COONS IN THE GROUND. AKA and see "Richmond Cotillion."

 

RUNAWAY (JIG) [1], THE (Port an Reata). Irish, Single Jig. D Major. Standard tuning. AABB (Carlin): AA'BB' (O'Neill). Not O'Neill's "Runaway Bride." Carlin (Master Collection), 1984; No. 237, pg. 138. O'Neill (Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems), 1907/1986; No. 399, pg. 80.

X:1

T:Runaway Jig, The [1]

L:1/8

M:6/8

R:Single Jig

S:O’Neill – Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems (1907), No. 399

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

A2F F2A|d3 cBA|B2G G2A|B2A Bcd|A2F F2A|d3 cBA|Bcd ecA|1 d3 ecB:|2 d3 d2||

|:A|d2e f2d|g2e f2d|ecA AcA|ecA AcA|d2e f2d|g2e f2d|ecA ABc|1 d3 d2:|2 d3 dcB||

 

RUNAWAY [2], THE. Scottish. John Glen (1891) finds the earliest appearance of the tune in Robert Ross's 1780 collection (pg. 27).

 

RUNAWAY [3], THE. English, Country Dance Tune (6/8 time). E Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Kidson notes this is from a MS collection of about 1825. He also states it is different to a dance with this title which appears in dance books at the commencement of the century. Kidson (Old English Country Dances), 1890; pg. 14.

X:1

T:Runaway, The [3]

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:Jig

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

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:E

B|e2e (eg).e|B2B (Bd).B|e2e (eg).e|(b3 b2)B|e2e (eg).e|

B2B Bcd|e2e f>ef|(e3 ed2)::f|g>fe g>fe|a2(f f2)f|

g>fe g>fe|B2(B B2)f|gfe gfe|agf b2a|gfe B2d|(e3 e2):||

 

RUNAWAY [4], THE. English, Country Dance Tune (2/4 time). D Major. Standard tuning. AA’BB’. Cahusac (Annual Collection of Twenty Four Country Dances for the Year 1809), 1809; No. 9.

X:1

T:Runaway, The [4]

M:2/4

L:1/8

B:WM Cahusac – Twenty Four Country Dances for the Year 1809, No. 9 (London)

N:”With proper Directions to each Dance as they are performed at

N:Court, Bath, and all Public Assemblies.”

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

Z:abc’s:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

FAdA|f2 ed|cea^g|ba=ge|FAdA|f2 ed|1 gedc|d2d2:|2 agec|d2d2||

|:{e}dAfe|dAfe|dAfd|gedc|dAfe|dAfd|1 gedc|d2d2:|2 agec|d2d2||

 

RUNAWAY BRIDE, THE (An Brideog Sgeineac). Irish, Double Jig. G Major. Standard tuning. AABB. O'Neill (Krassen), 1976; pg. 44. O'Neill (Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems), 1907/1986; No. 171, pg. 43.

X:1

T:Runaway Bride, The

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:Jig

S:O’Neill – Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems (1907), No. 171

K:G

d/c/|BcB AGA|GAG GBd|edd gdB|BAG A2 d/c/|B2B AGA|GAG GBd|e>fg faf|gag g2:|

|:d|efg fga|ded dcB|edc BAG|BAG A2 d/c/|BcB AGA|GAG GBd|e>fg faf|gag g2:|

 

RUNAWAY FIDDLE.  Bluegrass, Country Rag. E Flat Major. Standard tuning. Composed by Keith Coleman.

 

RUNAWAY HORSE, THE. Irish?, Jig. C Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Harding’s All Round Collection, 1905; No. 79, pgs. 24‑25.

X:1

T:Runaway Horse, The

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:Jig

S:Harding’s All Round Collection (1905), No. 79

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:C

e2d ege|faf efe|dfd cec|BdB GBd|e2d ege|

faf ege|dfa gdB|cGe c2z::g2f egc|ceg agf|edc agf|

e3 d2g|g2e egc|ceg agf|egf edc|Bag fed:|

 


RUNNING BOORE, THE. English, Bourree. This melody, one of three bourees printed by Playford, appears in his Musick's Hand-Maide (1678) and Musick's Delight on the Cithren (1666).

 

RUNNING FITTIR. English. England, Northumberland. One of the "missing tunes" from William Vickers' 1770 Northumbrian dance tune manuscript.

 

RUNNING FOOTMAN(‘S JIG).  English, Country Dance Tune (6/4 time). D Major. Standard tuning. AB. As “Running Footman” it is one of the "missing tunes" from William Vickers' 1770 Northumbrian dance tune manuscript. The melody also appears in Walsh’s collection of Lancashire tunes (Lancashire Jigs, Hornpipes, Joaks, etc.) published around the year 1730. Knowles (A Northern Lass), 1995; pg. 35.

X:1

T:Running Footman's Jigg

B:Walsh

M:6/4

L:1/8

K:D

A2| d3 c B2 A3 G F2| E3 F G2 F3 E D2| D2 F2 A2 D2 F2 A2| D2 F2 A2 A4 A2| \

d2 A2 d2 d2 A2 d2| d2 A2 d2 c4| d3 c B2 A3 G F2| E2 e2 A2 c2 d6::\

c2 d2 e2 e2 f2 e2 |e2 d2 c2 B4 A2| A2 c2 e2 A2 c2 e2 |E2 A2 ^G2 A6| \

d3 c B2 A3 G F2| E3 e d2 c3 B A2| d2 f2 a2 e2 f2 d2 | e2 A2 c2 d6:|

 

RUNNING FROM THE FEDERALS. AKA and see “Seneca Square Dance,” “Waiting for the Federals.” Old‑Time, Breakdown. G Major. Standard. AABB. Ford (Traditional Music in America), 1940; pg. 109.

 

RUNNING MORRIS. English, Country Dance Tune (6/8 time). A Major. Standard tuning. AB. The melody appears in Walsh’s third collection of Lancashire tunes (Lancashire Jiggs, Hornpipes, Joaks, etc.) published around the year 1730. Knowles (A Northern Lass), 1995; pg. 35.

X:1

T:The Running Morris

B:Walsh

M:6/8

L:1/8

K:E

f/2g/2| aga Bcd|cBc ABc| dcd BcA| GAB E2 f/2g/2| aga Bcd| cde ^def|\

efg Be^d e3 e2:: g/2a/|bab fga| gfg efg |aga Bcd|cBc ABc|dcd Bcd|ede cde|\

fcd Bag|a3 a3:|

 

RUNNING THROUGH THE RAIN TO KEEP YOUR HAIR DRY. AKA and see "Seely Simpkins." American, Reel. USA, southwestern Pa. G Major. Standard tuning. AB. Bayard thinks that "The Reel of Millinavat [1]" is a form of this tune. Source for notated version: Walter Neal (Pa., 1952) [Bayard]. Bayard (Dance to the Fiddle), 1981; No. 230, pg. 190.

 

RUNNING THROUGH THE WHITEOAKS. Old‑Time, Breakdown. In the repertoire of the John Lusk Band from the Cumberland Plateau region of Ky./Tenn. border.

 

RURAL FELICITY [1]. AKA and see "(Come) Haste To the Wedding [1]." English, Irish; Single Jig. Melody and song were introduced in 1767 in the pantomime The Elopement, performed at London's Drury Lane Theatre, and became widely popular, judging from its numerous appearances in musicians’ period manuscript copybooks on both sides of the Atlantic (refer to the EASMES site for an extensive listing of individual manuscripts, mostly American on that site). The title "Rural Felicity" comes from a phrase occurring in the chorus of the song "Haste to the Wedding," by which latter title it has usually been known after around the year 1800. The overture for the production was written by T. Giordani, published in London in 1768, although it is not known if he also wrote the incidental music for the play. Like many popular stage melodies of the period, the tune was quickly adopted for country dancing and it is probably the tune which is listed as "Rual Pillicity," but missing from Northumbrian musician William Vickers' 1770 manuscript of dance tunes. The country dance "Rural Felicity" appears in England with the tune in Charles and Samuel Thompson's 200 Country Dances, volume III (London, 1773) and the melody appears in numerous others dance collections and instrumental tutors of the 18th and early 19th centuries. Different dance figures with the title appear in America in Clement Weeks' Greenland, New Hampshire, dance MS of 1783, and in the Gentleman & Lady's Companion (Norwich, Conn., 1798), pg. 15. Aird (Selection of Scotch, English, Irish and Foreign Airs), vol. 1, 1782; pg. 30. Thompson (Compleat Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances, vol. 3), 1773; No. 197. Wilson (Companion to the Ball Room), 1816; pg. 82.

X:1

T:Rural Felicity

M:6/8

L:1/8

B:Thompson’s Compleat Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances, vol. 3 (London, 1773)

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

Z:abc’s:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

A|AFG Aaf|{f}ede fdB|AFA B/c/dF|EEE E2A|AFG Aaf|ede fdB|AFA faf|ddd d2:|
|:a|afa afa|bgb bgb|afa agf|eee e3|a3 f3|ede fdB|AFA faf|ddd d2:||

 


RURAL FELICITY [2]. AKA and see “Cathleen Hehir’s,” “Kathleen O’Hehir,” "Joe Cooley's Delight," “Kishkeam Lasses.”  Irish, Double Jig. D Mixolydian ('A' part) & D Major ('B' part). Standard tuning. AABB. Roche Collection, 1982, vol. 2; No. 248, pg. 23.

 

RUSH CART LADS. English, Morris Dance Tune (4/4 time). G Major. Standard tuning. AB. Tune used in the North‑West (England) morris dance tradition. Wade (Mally’s North West Morris Book), 1988; pg. 12.

 

RUSHES, THE. Scottish. "First printed by Oswald. It is traditionally connected with Eskdale and is one of the tunes to which 'The Braes of Yarrow' was sung. It seems to have been the version sung to Sir Walter Scott by the venerable Tibbie Shiel from whom he got a great many ballads for his 'Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border' (Williamson)." Flying Fish FF358, Robin Williamson ‑ "Legacy of the Scottish Harpers, vol. 1."

 

RUSHY GLEN, THE. Irish, Air (4/4 time). F Minor. Standard tuning. AAB. Source for notated version: “From Mr. Pigot’s MSS” [Stanford/Petrie]. Stanford/Petrie (Complete Collection), 1905; No. 543, pg. 138.

X:1

T:Rushy Glen, The

M:C
L:1/8

S:Stanford/Petrie (1905), No. 543

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:Fmin

F | F2 GB c2 cd | e>d cB G2 F>E | F2 GB c2 ec | B>G FF F3 :|

|| c/d/ | e>c c=e f2 fg | e>c ce f2 ef | g>f ed e>d cB | c>d e/d/c/B/ (G2 F>)E |

F2 (GB) c2 (e>c) | (B>G) FF F3 ||

 

RUSHY MOUNTAIN, THE (Sliab Luacra). Irish, Air (2/4 time). D Major. Standard tuning. AB. Sliabh Luacra (the Rushy Mountain) is a region in south western Ireland on the Cork-Kerry border. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1979; No. 93, pg. 17.

X:1

T:Rushy Mountain, The

M:2/4
R:Air

L:1/8

N:”Moderate”

S:O’Neill – Music of Ireland (1903), No. 93

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

A | Ad df | (ed/c/d/) ea | fd Be | (d2 c)A | Ad df | (e/d/c/d/) ed |

cA B^G | A2 z || d | .c.A .A.d | .c.A .A.d | (c/d/e/f/) gf | (f2 e)d |

.c.A .A.d. | cA fd | (c/d/e/f/) gc | d2 z ||

 

RUSS ALLAN'S BREAKDOWN. New England, Reel. D Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Composed by Russell D. Allan. Page (Ralph Page Book of Contras), 1969; pg. 17.

 

RUSSE, LA.  See “La Russe.”

 

RUSSELL’S JIG.  American, Jig. G Major. Standard tuning. AABB. From the 1938 manuscript of New Hampshire musician John Taggart (1854-1943), entitled “Recollections of a Busy Life” (New Hampshire Historical Society, Concord, N.H.). Taggart wrote in his ms. that the tunes “were all taught me during my boyhood days in Sharon (N.H.), by the various fiddlers in that vicinity” [Miller]. Miller points out that Sharon is in “the heart of the Monadnock Region of southwestern New Hampshire, where fiddlers and contra dances abound to this day” (pref. iv) [Miller]. Miller (Fiddler’s Throne), 2004; No. 95, pg. 67.

 

RUSSELL’S HORNPIPE. AKA and see “The Jaunting Car,” “Woodcock Hill,” “The Lodge Gate,” “Pound Hill.” Irish, Hornpipe. The tune was recorded by Packie Russell under this title on the 1974 album “The Russell Family of Doolin, Co. Clare" (Topic 12TS251).

 

RUSSELL’S SLIDE. See “Micko Russell’s Slide [1].”

 

RUSSIAN DANCE [1], THE. English, Country Dance Tune (2/4 time). C Major. Standard tuning. AABB. The melody was originally published by Charles and Samuel Thompson in their Compleat Collection, vol. 3 (London, 1773). It appears, along with numerous other tunes from the Thompsons’ 1773 collection, in the 1788 music manuscript copybook of fiddlers John and William Pitt Turner (Norwich, Conn.). Barnes (English Country Dance Tunes), 1986. Thompson (Compleat Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances, vol. 3), 1773; No. 198.

X:198

T:Russian Dance, The [1]

M:2/4

L:1/8

B:Thompson’s Compleat Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances, vol. 3 (London, 1773)

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

Z:abc’s:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:A

e3 f/d/|cccB|AB/G/ AB/G/|ABcd|e3 f/d/|cccB|AB/G/ AB/G/|A2 A,2:|
|:c3 d/B/|AAAB|cagf|e2 d2|c3 d/B/|AAAB|cabg|a2 A2:||

 

RUSSIAN DANCE [2], A. AKA and see "Opera Hat." English, Country Dance Tune (2/4 time). England; Shropshire, Yorkshire. C Major. Standard tuning. AABB. No relation to "Russian Dance" [1]. Sources for notated versions: a c. 1837-1840 MS by Shropshire musician John Moore [Ashman]; an MS collection by fiddler Lawrence Leadley, 1827-1897 (Helperby, Yorkshire) [Merryweather & Seattle]. Ashman (The Ironbridge Hornpipe), 1991; No. 103b1, pg. 42. Merryweather & Seattle (The Fiddler of Helperby), 1994; No. 100, pg. 55. 

 

RUSSIAN GALLOP. American, Dance Tune. USA, Pa. In the repertory of Buffalo Valley, Pa., region dance fiddler Harry Daddario.

                       

RUSSIAN MARCH. AKA and see "Governor Jones' March," "Dow Everly [1]," "Will Rarie Old March [1]." Howe (Diamond School for the Violin), 1861; pg. 24.

                       


RUSSIAN (GRAND) MARCH. AKA and see "Grand March o' Normal [1]," "Captain Bluett's March." Howe (Diamond School for the Violin), 1861; pg. 24.

                       

RUSSIAN RABBIT [1], THE. Old-Time, Breakdown. USA, Kentucky. G Major. Standard tuning. ABB’. Local southeast Kentucky pronunciation is ‘Rooshian’, says Jeff Titon (2001). Source for notated version: John M. Salyer (Salyersville, Magoffin County, Ky., 1941 or 42) [Titon]. Titon (Old Time Kentucky Fiddle Tunes), 2001; No. 139, pg. 165. Berea College Appalachian Center AC003, “John M. Salyer: Home Recordings 1941-42” (1993). Leatherwood (cassette), Bruce Greene – “Vintage Fiddle Tunes” (1987).

 

RUSSIAN RABBIT [2], THE. Old-Time, Breakdown. USA, Kentucky. In the repertoire of fiddler J.P. Fraley (b. 1923) of Rush, Kentucky. Not related to “Russian Rabbit [1].”

                       

RUSSIAN RAG. Novelty Rag. USA. D Aeolian ('A' and 'B' parts), F ('C' part). Standard tuning. Intro., AA BBAA'CCC'C'. Composed by Cobb. Brody (Fiddler’s Fakebook), 1983; pg. 239. Yazoo 1045, Dave Apollon‑ "String Ragtime."

 

RUSSIAN (WALTZ), THE.  English, Waltz. A Major. Standard tuning. AABBCCDD. Kennedy (Fiddler’s Tune-Book: Slip Jigs and Waltzes), 1999; No. 170, pg. 45.

                       

RUSSIANS ARE COMING, THE (Tá na Rúisigh ag Teacht).  AKA and see “Doon Reel [1].” Irish, Reel. G Major. Standard tuning. AABB. An uncommon version of the tune, says editor Jackie Small (CRÉ V), that has several versions. See note for “Doon Reel [1].” Source for notated version: fiddler John M. Buckley (Sliabh Luachra) [Breathnach]. Breathnach (CRÉ V), 1999; No. 151.

 

RUSSIANS RANT. Scottish, "Strathspey Reel." The melody appears in the Gillespie Manuscript of Perth (1768).

                       

RUSSISCHE POLKA. AKA and see "Snyder's Clock" (1st part only), "National Schottische," "Military Schottische," "Doppelpolka," "Pretty Baby." German, Polka. Boehme notes it was "known in 1842, very popular up to 1860. Boehme, No. 257, pgs. 162‑163.

                       

RUSTIC COURTSHIP. AKA and see "I'll Tousle Your Kurtchy." Irish, Air (6/8 time). E Minor. Standard tuning. AABB. O'Neill (O’Neill’s Irish Music), 1915; No. 73, pg. 44.

X:1

T:Rustic Courtship

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:Air

S:O’Neill’s Irish Music (1915)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:Emin

B | E>GE GEG | B>AB e2f | g>fe dgB | A>GA BGE | E>GE GEG |

B>AB e2f | g>fe dcB | AGF E2 || B | G>EG B2B | GEG B3 |

E>GE A2G | FEF A2G/F/ |  E>GE B2B | GEG e2f | gfe dcB | AGF E2 :|

 

RUSTIC DANCE [1]. AKA and see "Old Molly Hare," "Fairy Dance/Reel," & quot;Largo's Fairy Dance." American, Reel. USA, southwestern Pa. D Major. Standard tuning. AB. Sources for notated versions: Walter Neal (fiddler from Armstrong County, Pa., 1952) and Hiram Horner (fifer from Westmoreland and Fayette Counties, Pa., 1963) [Bayard]. Bayard (Dance to the Fiddle), 1981; No. 52A‑B, pg. 38.

 

RUSTIC DANCE [2]. AKA and see "Rustic Reel [2]," "Old Virginia Reel [2]," "Off She Goes [1]," "Off She Goes for Butter and Cheese," "Up She Got and Off She Went," "Peel the Willow." American, Quadrille (6/8 time). G Major ('A' and 'B' parts) & D Major ('C' part). Standard tuning. AABBCC. Ford (Traditional Music in America), 1940; pg. 52.

X:1

T:Rustic Dance [2]

M:6/8

L:1/8

B:Ford – Traditional Music in America (1940)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G

B2d c2e|def g2z|B2de c2 e|dcB A2z|

B2d c2e|def g2z|A2B cBA|G2z G2z::|

|:d2B cBA|d2B cBA|G2A B2c|d2e dcB|

d2B cBA|d2B cBA|B2c A2B|G2z G2z:|

K:D

A2A A2B|A2d f2z|g2e fed|g2e fed|

A2A A2B|A2d f2z|g2e fec|d2z d2z::|

 

RUSTIC DANCE--SCOTTISCHE [3], THE. AKA and see "Billy Wilson's Clog,” “California Dance,” “California Hornpipe,” "Evening Pleasures Schottische," “Kenion Clog,” “The Mason-Dixon Schottische,” “Nightingale (Clog) [2],” "O Dear Mother My Toes Are Sore [1]," “Parkersburg Landing,” “Peacock Rag,” “Rustic Hornpipe,” “Starlight Clog,” “Wilson’s Clog [2].” American, Canadian; Schottische. USA; Missouri, Nebraska, Michigan, Kentucky, North Carolina, West Virginia, Ohio, New York. D Major (Christeson): C Major (Messer). Standard tuning. AABB (Messer): ABC (Christeson). A common, though widely varied dance tune in the East, Midwest and other parts of the country. It can be heard rendered in various rhythms, including a schottische, although some maintain that it is actually a difficult tune to perform that dance to. Northeastern Kentucky fiddler J.P. Fraley told writer and old-time fiddler Kerry Blech that a lot of the old-timers in his area played it but that he did not recall anyone dancing to it. Musicologist Jim Kimball, however, reports the tune is commonly played for a schottische for community dances in western New York and that fiddler Mark Hamilton plays a two part version in C which he calls "Humpty Dumpty Schottische.” He thinks his dad learned it when visiting the Toronto World's Fair in 1902. Fiddler Lauchlin Shaw, from the North Carolina piedmont region, had the tune in his repertoire, learned from Virgil Craven. Fiddler Les Raber of Hastings, Michigan, played the tune in the key of C Major, as did Lonnie Austin of the Spray/Eden area of North Carolina.  West Virginia traditional musician Burl Hammons played it on the banjo and called it “Wilson’s Clog.” Source for notated version: Bob Walters (Burt County, Nebraska) [Christeson]. R.P. Christeson (Old Time Fiddlers Repertory, vol. 2), 1984; pg. 107. Messer (Anthology of Favorite Fiddle Tunes), 1980; No. 164, pg. 111 (appears as “Clog in C Major”). County Records, Babe Spangler – “Old Virginia Fiddlers” (appears as “Schottische”). County 723, Oscar Jenkins ‑ "Back Home in the Blue Ridge." Edison Records (78 RPM), John Baltzell {Ohio} (1928). MSOTFA 007, Charlie Walden - "Draggin the Bow" (1985). Smithsonian/Folkways, Burl Hammons – “The Hammons Family.” Walter McNew (Ky.) – “Black Jack Grove.”

 

RUSTIC HORNPIPE. See “Rustic Dance.”

                       


RUSTIC REEL [1]. AKA and see "City Guards," "First Western Change," "Jinny O Jinny My Toes Are Sore," "Libby Prison Quickstep," "Monongahela March," "O Dear Mother My Toes Are Sore [1],” "Virginia Reel [3]." English, American; Jig. D Major (most versions): C Major (Howe). Standard tuning. AAB (Hardings, Howe, Raven): AABB (Cole, Sweet). Despite the title of the dance, the music is in jig time. The American painter William Sydney Mount, a native of Stony Brook, Long Island, was a fiddler who often played for and attended dances. In a letter dated January 30th, 1839, to his brother Robert, also a musician as well as a dancing master who had left Long Island to ply his craft in Tarbolton, Tarbolton County, Georgia, William Sydney described an affair he attended in New York city:

***

I was at one of Mr. Parker’s assembly (i.e. dance) at Tammany Hall

Last week about two hours, and danced a few times. I saw no new

figures except a Reel called the Rustic Reel, and as it is a fashionable

dance in N.Y. I will endeavour to describe it (there follows a description

of the figures with music noted on the bottom of the page). 

***

In America the tune was printed as early as 1843 when it appeared in Ellias Howe’s (1820-1895) Complete Preceptor for the Accordion, published by Oliver Ditson. Another version appears in the repertoire list of Maine fiddler Mellie Dunham (the elderly Dunham was Henry Ford's champion fiddler in the late 1920's). Cole gives directions for a dance of the same title. Cole (1000 Fiddle Tunes), 1940; pg. 33. Hardings All Round Collection, 1905; No. 184, pg. 58 (listed as "Virginia Reel"). Howe (Complete Preceptor for the Accordeon), 1843; pg. 9. Kerr (Merry Melodies), c. 1886, vol. 1; No. 16, pg. 29. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 122. Ryan’s Mammoth Collection, 1883; pg. 60. Sweet (Fifer’s Delight), 1965/1981; pg. 30.

X:1

T:Rustic Reel [1]

R:Jig

M:6/8

L:1/8

K:D

A | f2e dcB |A2F D2 E | FGF FED | F3 E2A | f2e dcB | A2F D2E | FGF EDE | D3 z :|

|: A | g2e f2e | c2d ecA | g2e f2d | cec A2 A | g2e f2d | cde fga | ece dcB | ABc d2 :|

 

RUSTIC REEL [2]. AKA and see "Rustic Dance" [2], "Off She Goes [1](for Butter and Cheese)," "Peel the Willow," "Old Virginia Reel [2]," "Up She Got and Off She Went." American. Howe (School For the Violin), 1851; pg. 39.

 

RUSTIC RIG. Canadian. Composed by Maritime fiddler Don Messer (1909-1973). MCA Records MCAD 4037, “The Very Best of Don Messer” (1994).

 

RUSTLERS, THE. Canadian, Jig. D Major ('A' part) & A Major ('B' part). Standard tuning. AABB. Messer (Way Down East), 1948; No. 83. Messer (Anthology of Favorite Fiddle Tunes), 1980; No. 141, pg. 89.

X: 1

R:jig

T:The Rustler's Jig

M:6/8

L:1/8

Z:Transcribed by Bruce Osborne

K:D

f/g/|a2d' f2a|d2f A2d|cBc ABc|gfa g2e/f/|

g2b e2g|c2e A2a|c'ba gfe|d3 d2:|

K:A

A|cd^d efg|a2e c'2a|gab efg|acf e2A|

cd^d efg|a2e c'2a|gab efg|a3 a2:|

 

RUSTY GULLEY [1]. AKA and see “Chalk’s Hornpipe,” “Geld Him Lasses (Geld Him).”  English, Old Hornpipe. D Major. Standard tuning. There are several tunes that go by the name “Rusty Gulley.” This version is one of two that appear in the 1770 music manuscript copybook of Northumbrian musician William Vickers, about whom, unfortunately, little is known. There are several tunes that go by the name “Rusty Gulley.” The title, of which there are many variations, may derive from rostibolio, and Italian dance from the 16th century. However, a ‘gulley’ is Borders and Geordie dialect for a large knife. This version is one of two that appear in the 1770 music manuscript copybook of Northumbrian musician William Vickers, about whom, unfortunately, little is known. See also the similar “Dusty Miller [6].”

X:1

T:Rusty Gulley [1]

M:3/4

L:1/8

R:Jig

S:William Vickers’ music manuscript copybook, pg. 47  (1770)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

d2 A/B/c dA|FA Ac BA|d2 B/c/d eE|GB Bd cB:|

|:dg fd f/g/a/f/|dg fd f/g/a/f|eg fa ga|be ed cA:|

 

RUSTY GULLEY [2].  AKA and see “Jock and Tam,” “Lady Susan Montgomery’s Hornpipe,” “Punchanello(’s Hornpipe),” “Three Case Knives,” “Three Sharp Knives,” “Three Rusty Swords.” English, Old Hornpipe. G Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Vickers clearly wrote “Risty” for the first word of the title for this tune (instead of “Rusty”), and the very next tune below it in the manuscript is “Rusty Gulley.” So, the ‘Risty’ title may be deliberate on his part. Fellside FECD 161, John Spiers & Jon Boden – “Through and Through.”

X:1

T:Risty [sic] Gulley [2]

M:3/4

L:1/8

R:Jig

S:William Vickers’ music manuscript copybook, pg. 47  (1770)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G

G/A/B/c/ dG BG|FA Ac BA|G/A/B/c/ dG BG|DG GB AG:|

|:g2 f2 eg|fd df ed|ce Bd Ac|BG GB AG:|

           

RUSTY GUN, THE. Old-Time. GDad tuning. County CO-CD-2729, Art Stamper – “Goodbye Girls I’m Going to Boston” (2000).

 

RUTHERFORD'S REEL. Old‑Time, Jig (6/8 time, despite the name). A rare old‑time jig.

 

RUTH'S RAG. Old-Time, Country Rag. USA, Missouri. B Flat Major ('A' part) & E Flat Major ('B' part). Standard tuning. AA'B. Source for notated version: Ben Tinnon with the Grinnell Giggers (Mo.) [Phillips]. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes), vol. 2, 1995; pg. 118.

 

RUTLAND JIG, THE. AKA and see “The Humours of Dublin [2]," “Horse in the pound,” "Mary O'Neill [1]."

 

RUTLAND'S REEL. Old‑Time, Breakdown. A Minor. Standard tuning. AABCBDDEEDDB. Part of the tune is from Georgia Slim Rutland who obtained it from his grandfather's fiddle book and used it as a show tune; other parts were added by Howdy Forrester, who named the whole for his mentor. The first strain is similiar to that of minstrel James Buckley’s "Dar's Sugar in De Gourd," which appears in Ryan’s Mammoth Collection and Cole's 1000. Source for notated version: Howard Forrester [Phillips]. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes), vol. 2, 1995; pg. 119.

 

RYAN MEETS CONNOLLY. Irish, Reel. Composed by the late fiddler Sean Ryan, who visited another fiddler, Seamus Connolly, at his home in Limerick in the early 1970's. During the visit Ryan recorded several of his compositions for Connolly, who asked for the title of this reel; Ryan replied "Janie, sure I've no name for it, why don't we call it 'Ryan Meets Connolly.'" Green Linnett GLCD 1087, Seamus Connolly - "Notes From My Mind" (1988).

 

RYAN'S FAVORITE. AKA and see “Ballinasloe Jig,” “John Conroy’s,” “A Lilt from Home,” “Lilting Banshee,” “Miller of Glanmire.” Irish, Jig. A Dorian. Standard tuning. AABB. Source for notated version: a recording of Roscommon fiddler Paddy Ryan & Kerry accordionist Donal de Barra [Miller & Perron]. Miller & Perron (Irish Traditional Fiddle Music), 1977; vol. 2, No. 59. Miller & Perron (Irish Traditional Fiddle Music), 2nd Edition, 2006; pg. 34. Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann No. C18, Ryan & De Barra - "From the Homes of Ireland" (1973. Various artists).

See also listing at:

Alan Ng’s Irishtune.info

X:1

T:Ryan’s Favorite

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:Jig

K:A Dorian

EAA EAA | BAB G2A | Bee edB | dBA GED | EAA EAA |

BAB G2A | Bee edB | dBA A2 :: d | eaa age | dBA G2A | Bee edB |

def gfg | eaa age | dBA G2A | Bee edB | dBA A2 :|

 

RYAN'S HORNPIPE [1]. Irish, Hornpipe. D Major. Standard. AABB. O'Neill (O’Neill’s Irish Music), 1915; No. 375, pg. 180.

X:1

T:Ryan’s Hornpipe [1]

M:2/4

L:1/8

R:Hornpipe

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

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

(3A/B/c | dd/d/ e/d/c/B/ | A/G/F/E/ D c/d/ | ee/f/ ea | f/d/c/B/ B/A/G/F/ | dd/d/ e/d/c/B/ | A/G/F/E/ F/A/d/f/ |

a/f/b/g/ f/d/e/c/ | ddd :: d/e/ | ff/g/ ff/g/ | f/e/d/c/ B/c/d/B/ | ee/f/ ea | e/d/c/B/ AG/F/ | B>c B/A/B/F/ |

G/A/B/c/ d/e/f/g/ | a/f/b/g/ f/d/e/c/ | ddd :|

 


RYAN’S (HORNPIPE) [2]. AKA and see “Hogan’s Pass.” Irish, Hornpipe. D Major. Standard. AABB. No relation to “Ryan’s Hornpipe [1]." Paul de Grae finds the tune to be a Sean Ryan composition called “Hogan’s Pass.” Mulvihill (1st Collection), 1986; No. 39, pg. 100.

 

RYAN'S POLKA. AKA and see “Keadue Polka,” “John Ryan’s Polka,” "Sean Ryan's Polka." Irish, Polka. D Major. Standard. AABB. Carlin (Master Collection), 1984; No. 278, pg. 156.

 

RYAN’S NO. 5. Irish, Reel. Composed by County Tipperary fiddler Sean Ryan (d. 1985). Ryan (The Hidden Ireland), 40.

 

RYAN’S RANT (Siamsaíocht an Rianaigh). Scottish, Reel. A Minor. Standard. AABB (Breathnach): AABBCCDD (Kerr). Source Grier had the title as “Ray’s Rant,” although Breathnach found the same tune as “Ryan’s Rant” from Hime. Source for notated version: from fiddler and uilleann piper Stephen Grier (Farnaght, County Letirim), whose collection dates from the 1880's [Breathnach]. Breathnach (CRÉ IV) 1996; No. 136, pg. 67.  Kerr (Merry Melodies), vol. 4; No. 140, pg. 17. Shanachie 34014, James Kelly, Paddy O’Brien & Daithi Sproule – “Traditional Music of Ireland” (1995).

X:1

T:Ryan's Rant

S:James Kelly, Paddy O'Brien, Dáithí Sproule (Shanachie 34014), 15b

Z:Jerome Colburn 01/16/1999

M:C|

K:ADor

de | cAAB cAed | ceAe BGGB | cAAB cdef |1 gedc BGGB :|2 gedc BGGE ||\

A3 B cAed | ceGc dBGA | cAEA cdef | gedc BGGB |\

cAAB cAed | ceGc dBGA | cAEA cdef | gedc BGGB |:\

c2 gc acgc | c2 gc dBGB | c2 gc acgc | d=fed cAAB |\

c2 gc acgc | ABcA DGBG | Acea bcba | gedc BGGB :|

"Variation: B part"

A3 B cAed | ceGc dBGA | cAEA cdef | gedc BGGB |\

cAAB cAdA | eAdA BGGB | cAEA cdef | gedc BGGB ||\

"Variation: C part"

c2 bc acgc | c2 bA gedB | c2 bc acgc | d=fed cAAB |\

c2 bc acgc | ABcA DGBG | Acea bcba | gedc BGGB :|

"Final variation on C part"

c2 gc acgc | c2 gc dBGB | c2 gc acgc | d=fed cAAB :|\

c3 B cdef | gece dBGB | c3 B cdeg | fdcB cAAB |\

c3 B cdef | gece dBGB | Acea bcba | gedc BDGB || A8 |

 

RYAN'S REEL. AKA and see "Killannan's Fancy," "The Moving Bog(s) [1]," "The Turnpike Gate [3].” Irish, Reel. The tune is called by this title after Clare fiddler Joe Ryan who recorded it with Micheál Ó hAlmhain on a 1970 Comhaltas LP. Shanachie 34009, Frankie Galvin & Alec Finn – “Masters of Irish Music” (appears as first tune of “Ryan’s Reel” set).

 

RYAN'S TRAVELS. AKA and see "The Two and Sixpenny Girl," "The Aherlow Jig," "Connie O'Connell's (Jig) [1]," "The Spirits of Whisky [2]," "The Money I Want," "Quinn's Jig," "The Three Little Drummers [4]." Irish, Jig. According to Breathnach (1985), this was a County Limerick title.

 

RYA'S HOUSE. AKA and see "Ryro's House."

                       

RYCHEL, LA.  French, Country Dance (6/8 time). G Major. Standard tuning. AABB. From the contradance book (tunes with dance instructions) of Robert Daubat (who styled himself Robert d’Aubat de Saint-Flour), born in Saint-Flour, Cantal, France, in 1714, dying in Gent, Belgium, in 1782. According to Belgian fiddler Luc De Cat, at the time of the publication of his collection (1757) Daubat was a dancing master in Gent and taught at several schools and theaters.  He also was the leader of a choir and was a violin player in a theater. Mr. De Cat identifies a list of subscribers of the original publication, numbering 132 individuals, of the higher level of society and the nobility, but also including musicians and dance-masters (including the ballet-master from the Italian opera in London). Many of the tunes are written with parts for various instruments, and include a numbered bass. Daubat (Cent Contredanses en Rond), 1757; No. 65.

X:1

T:Rychel, La

M:6/8

L:1/8

N:”Moderato”

S:Daubat – Cent Contredanses en Rond (1757), No. 65

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G

D | G2A BAG | F2G AFD | G2A BAG | cBA B2D | G2A BAG | dBG AFD |

EFG AGF | GDB, G,2 :: D | G2d BAG | F2d AFD | G2d BAG | ^c3 d2D | G2d BAG |

F2d AFD | G2d AFD | ^c3 d2D | G2A BAG | dBG AFD | EFG AGF | GDB, G,2 :|

                       

RYE STRAW [1]. AKA and see "Alabama Waltz" (Mississippi title), “Big Fish,” “Black My Boots and Go See the Widow,” "Dog Shit a Rye Straw," "Dog in the Rye Straw," "The Dog in Difficulty," "The Joke on the Puppy," "Lady's Fancy," "The Unfortunate Pup," "The Unfortunate Dog," "A Whoop from Arkansas," Old‑Time, Breakdown. USA; North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia, Indiana, Arkansas. D Major (most versions): A Major (Frank Kittrell, Silberberg): G Major (Doc Roberts). Standard or ADae (Frank Kittrell) tunings. AA’B (Titon): AABB (Brody, Kittrell, Spandaro): ABC (Silberberg): AA'BBCC (Phillips): AABBCC (Ford): ABCCB' (Krassen): AABCCCCDD (Reiner & Anick). The melody was known throughout the South and Midwest under a variety of (mostly related) titles, but appears to have first been published in the 1880's by George Coe of Boston, Mass., as "A Whoop from Arkansas." Charles Wolfe (1983) states the Doc Roberts (Ky) used to sing "a scatological ditty involving a dog, a grubbing hoe, and a straw" to the tune, from which most of the titles appear to stem from. Joel Shimberg learned the following words to “Rye Straw” from Missouri fiddle tune collector Bob Christeson:

***

Dog shit a rye straw, dog shit a needle,

Dog shit a little boy playing on a fiddle.

***

Dog shit a rye straw, dog shit a minnow,

Dog shit a catfish big enough for dinner.

***

Dog shit a rye straw, dog shit a fiddle bow,

Dog shit a little boy working with a grubbing hoe.

***

These lyrics were sung to the “Pigtown Fling” melody by a Michigan fiddler (via Paul Gifford), but are clearly a variation of the above. 

***

Dog shit a rye straw, dog shit a riddle‑o,

Dog shirt a rye straw longer than a fiddle bow.

***

Dog shit a catfish longer than a minner‑o,

Dog shit a catfish big enough for dinner‑o.

***

West Virginia fiddler Ernie Carpenter remarked that the version fiddled by the regionally influential musician Lewis Johnson “Uncle” Jack McElwain (1856-1938) of White Oak (a tributary of Laurel Creek, near the village of Erbacon, Webster County, West Virginia) was so good that: “When Jack ‘Wain played it, you had to open the door and let the stink out” (Milnes, Play of a Fiddle, 1999). Early Grand Ole’ Opry star Uncle Dave Macon, a singer and banjo player, recorded the tune in 1938 (accompanied by a fiddler, identified by the late musicologist Charles Wolfe as Tennessee fiddler Charlie Arrington, who had also been a member of Paul Warmack & His Gully Jumpers) at the end of the song “Johnny Grey” (a version of the ballad “Peter Gray”).

***

Ernie Carpenter. Photo by  Michael Keller. Courtesy Goldenseal Magazine www.wvculture.org/goldenseal

***

It has been variously mentioned as having been played by Rock Ridge, Alabama, fiddlers around 1920 (Bailey), and was mentioned in the autobiography and newspaper accounts of Tom Freeman of Cullman County, Alabama, and also in reports (1926‑31) of the De Kalb County Annual (Fiddlers') Convention (Cauthen, 1990). It was one of the tune recorded by the Atlanta Constitution in an article on the April, 1913, Atlanta fiddler’s convention, as played by C.C. Moon of Logansville, Ga. (Wayne W. Daniel, 1990) . The tune was recorded for the Library of Congress by folklorist/musicologist Vance Randolph from Ozark Mountain fiddlers in the early 1940's. Influential Mt Airy, North Carolina, fiddler Tommy Jarrell knew the tune as "The Joke on the Puppy," though its most common name seems to have been "Rye Straw." A version of this tune is called "Lost Indian," a floating title.

***

Sources for notated versions: Henry Reed (Monroe County, W. Va.) [Krassen]; Earl Collins [Reiner & Anick]; Ebenezer [Brody, Spandaro]; Howard 'Howdy' Forrester [Phillips]; Clayton McMichen (Ga.) [Phillips]; Ruthie Dornfeld (Seattle) [Phillips]; Doc Roberts (1897-1978, Madison County, Ky., 1930), learned from African-American fiddler Owen Walker [Titon]; Alan Jabbour, after Henry Reed [Silberberg]. Brody (Fiddler’s Fakebook), 1983; pg. 241. Ford (Traditional Music in America), 1940; pg. 47. Krassen, 1983; pgs. 94‑95. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes), vol. 1, 1994; pgs. 205-206 (three versions). Reiner & Anick (Old Time Fiddling Across America), 1989; pg. 123. Silberberg (Tunes I Learned at Tractor Tavern), 2002; pg. 135. Spandaro (10 Cents a Dance), 1980; pg. 2. Titon (Old Time Kentucky Fiddle Tunes), 2001; No. 140, pg. 166.  Biograph 6007, Ebenezer‑ "Tell it to Me." Briar 0798 (or BR 4204), Earl Collins‑ "That's Earl." Carryon Records 002, "Ace Weems and the Fat Meat Boys." Cassette C-7625, Wilson Douglas - "Back Porch Symphony." Columbia 15521 (78 RPM), Clayton McMichen & Riley Puckett (1930). Copper Creek CCCD 0193, Bill and Libby Hicks – “South of Nowhere” (Appears as “Dog Passed a Ryestraw”). County 412, Doc Roberts ‑ "Fiddling Doc Roberts" (1983). County 527, Doc Roberts ‑ "Old Time Fiddle Classics, vol. 2" (originally recorded 1930). County 788, Clyde Davenport (Monticello, Ky.) ‑ "Clydeoscope: Rare & Beautiful Tunes from the Cumberland Plateau" (1986). Folkways FS 3809, John Summers‑ "Fine Times at our House". Gennett 7221 (78 RPM), Doc Roberts (1930). Marimac AHS 2, Melvin Wine. Mississippi Department of Archives and History AH‑002, Frank Kittrell (Lauderdale County, Miss.) ‑ "Great Big Yam Potatoes: Anglo‑American Fiddle Music from Mississippi" (1985. Originally recorded in 1939). Rounder 0040, "Pickin' Around the Cookstove." Rounder 0128, The Backwoods Band‑ "Jes' Fine" (1980). Rounder 0132, Bob Carlin‑ "Fiddle Tunes for the Clawhammer Banjo" (1980). Rounder 1005, Gid Tanner and the Skillet Lickers‑ "Hear These New Fiddle and Guitar Records." Tennvale 001S, Bob Douglas‑ "Old Time Dance Tunes from Sequatchie Valley." Recorded by Uncle Am Stuart (b. 1856), Morristown, Tenn., in 1924 for Vocalion, and by Clayton McMichen in 1929. 5 String Productions 5SP05002, The Hoover Uprights – “Known for their Reputation” (2006).

See also listing at:

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

X:1

T:Rye Straw

M:C|

L:1/8

K:D

e2 ef edBd | efgf edBd | e2ef edBd | dBAF ED D2 | e2 ef edBd |

efgf edef | gfgf dgeB | dBAF ED D2 :|

|: E2EE F2FF | EDEG FEDD | E2EE F2FF | efed cBAD |

E2EE F2FF | EDEG FEDD | E2EF FGFA | dBAF ED D2 :|

X:1

T:Rye Straw

M:C|

L:1/8

R:Reel

S:Brad Leftwich

N:ADae tuning

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

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

[A,2E2] [A,E][A,D] F2 FD|EDED F(D D2)|E2EE F2F2|(ef)ed c(A A2)|

[A,2E2] [A,E][A,D] F2 (DE|E)DEG F(D D2|E2EE F2F2|(ef)ed c(A A2):|

|: [e3e3] (f ed)cc|[D2d2]f2 edcd|[e3e3] (f e2)(e2|e)(DED) F(D D2)|

e3 (f ed)cc|d2f2 edcd|d2 (fga2) a2|(~gf)ed c(A A2):: e2(fga2)a2|

e2f2 (ge)Bc|[D2d2] (fga2) a2|(gf)ed c(A A2)||


 

RYE WALTZ. American, Schottische‑Waltz. USA; Washington, Arizona, Michigan, New York, New England, Ohio, West Virginia. D Major (Ford, Ruth): G Major (Johnson). Standard. AB. A version of the tune "Coming Through the Rye," the dance for which (the "Rye Waltz") combines a waltz step with a schottische step (Linscott, 1939); this is the version Arizona fiddler Kenner C. Kartchner knew when he described the first part in 2/4 time, the second sixteen bars in waltz time. Although the dances hey-day was in the early 20th century, the tune was, until recently, played by at least one old-time fiddler for a dance in Champion, western New York state, according to fiddler Chad Miller, although he only knew of one other fiddler who played the tune in that region. Paul Gifford remarks that it is still well-known by old-time square dancers in Michigan, Peter Yarensky reports it is still performed occasionally in New Hampshire, and Kerry Blech says it was known among older informants in Ohio and West Virginia. Ford (Traditional Music in America), 1940; pg. 137. Johnson (The Kitchen Musician's No. 7: Michigan Tunes), vol. 7, 1986‑87; pg. 8. Ruth (Pioneer Western Folk Tunes), 1948; No. 31, pg. 12. Shaw (Cowboy Dances), 1943; pg. 394. Folkways FW8827, Arbuckle, Mikkelson & Clifton - "Old Time Couple Dances" (1961). Victor Vi 23619 (78 RPM), White Mountain Orchestra (New Mexico?) –“Maxwell's Old Rye Waltz.”

X:1

T:Rye Waltz

M:2/4

L:1/8

S:Shaw – Cowboy Dances   (1943)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G

D>D D<B|A>G A<B|D>D E>D|G2z2|D>D d>B|A>G A<B|D>D E>D|G2 z2||

L:1/8

M:3/4

D4B2|G4B2|A4G2|A4B2|d4B2|G4d2|(e6|e4) e2|d4B2|c4A2|B4G2|A2B4||

L:1/8

M:2/4

D>D E>D|G2 g2||

 

RYE WHISKEY [1]. AKA and see "Drunken Hiccups [1]." Old‑Time, Waltz or Song tune. USA; Arkansas, Arizona. A Major. AEac#. The tune is from an old and distinguished family originating in the British Isles, but well‑known in America (see notes for "Drunken Hiccups"). The tune features pizzicato, or plucked, notes. Arizona fiddler Kenner C. Kartchner, who knew the tune, "converted the usual EAea tuning to standard" (Shumway). The usual tuning however, is AEac#. The tune was recorded for the Library of Congress from musicologist/folklorist Vance Randolph from Ozark Mountain fiddlers in the early 1940's. The title is from a song set to the tune:

***

Rye whiskey, rye whiskey, rye whiskey I cried,

If I don't have rye whiskey I surely will die.

Other lyrics go:

***

I'll eat when I'm hungry, I’’ drink when I’m dry;

If the hard times don’t kill me I’ll live till I die.

***

Beefsteak when I'm hungry, red liquor when I'm dry,

Greenbacks when I'm hard up and religion when I die.

***

Jack o' diamonds, jack o' diamonds, I know you of of old,

You've robbed my poor pockets of silver and gold.

***

Oh Whiskey, you villain, you've been by downfall;

You've kicked me, you’ve cuffed me, but I love you for all.

***

If the ocean was whiskey and I was a duck,

I'd dive to the bottom and get one sweet suck.

***

But the ocean ain't whiskey and I ain't a duck,

So we'll round up the cattle and then we'll get drunk.

***

An interesting black variant was printed by the African-American collector Thomas Talley in his 1922 book Negro Folk Rhymes, although the song mostly appears in white collections.  Talley’s version, called “I’ll Eat When I’m Hungry,” goes:

***

I’ll eat when I’se hongry,

An’ I’ll drink when I’se dry;

An’ if de whitefolks don’t kill me,

I’ll live till I die.

***

In my liddle log cabin,

Ever since I’se been born;

Dere hain’t been no nothin’

‘Cept dat hard salt parch corn.

***

But I knows whar’s a henhouse,

An’ de tucky he charce;

An’ if ole Mosser don’t kill me,

I cain’t never starve.

***

County 202, "Eck Robertson: Famous Cowboy Fiddler." Marimac 9054, The Ill-Mo Boys - "Fine as Frog Hair" (1995).

 


RYE WHISKEY [2]. AKA and see "Whiskey." American, Reel or Breakdown. USA, southwestern Pa. G Major. Standard tuning. ABB'. Bayard (1981) considers this a version or derivation of "Sally Goodin’/Goodwin." Source for notated version: Levi Hall (Fayette County, Pa., 1944) [Bayard]. Bayard (Dance to the Fiddle), 1981; No. 113, pg. 64.

 

RYHOPE COLLIERY HORNPIPE.  AKA – “Gold Dust Hornpipe.” English, Hornpipe. G Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Ryhope Colliery was a coal mine in the old County Durham, near the coastal village of Ryhope in Sunderland. It’s first shaft was sunk in 1855, and coal continued to be extracted until 1966, when the mine closed. A whole village was built along the valley to house the pitmen. There were no disasters at the colliery in its entire existence. Northumbrian Piper’s Pocket Green Book, 1993.

X:1

T:Ryhope Colliery Hornpipe

M:C

L:1/8

R:Hornpipe

K:G

(3def|gd^cd BGFG|DGBG fdgd|ecBc Aceg|fdfa (3c’af (3dfa|gd^cd BGFG|

EGDG CGB,G|EecA FDEF|A2G2G2::FG|Abcd cAFD|GBdg bgdB|

Acea c’bag|(3abg (3fge d2 ef|gd^cd BGFG|EGDG CGB,G|EecA FDEF|A2G2G2:|

 

RYLAN(D) SPENCER. AKA and see "Riley and Spencer," "Raleigh and Spencer." Old-Time, Song.  Tommy Jarrell corrected the spelling of the title of this tune, which appears as "Raleigh and Spencer" (two towns in Virginia/North Carolina, named by the way, for two of the powerful families from Wessex, England, who settled the area), and speculated that the name Rylan Spenser may refer to a bootlegger. Cecilia Conway, in African Banjo Echoes in Appalachia (1995) reports that the song may have a banjo tradition, as a related variant, "Reno Factory," was learned by African-American Marvin Fodrell (Stuart, Patrick County, Virginia) learned the tune from his banjo-playing father, Posey. Chubby Dragon CD1008, Brad Leftwich, Bruce Molsky et al – “Mountairy.usa” (2001). Marimac 9038, Dan Gellert & Brad Leftwich - "A Moment in Time."


 

RYLAND’S HUMOUR.  English, Reel. G Major. Standard tuning. AABB. The melody appears unique to Charles and Samuel Thompson’s collection (London, 1765). Thompson (Compleat Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances, vol. 2), 1765; No. 49.

X:1

T:Rylands Humour

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

GABc d2g2|fafd ecBA|GABc d2g2|faf^c d2D2:|
|:dedB cdcA|BdBG AFED|G>DEF G2c2|BdAF G2 [G,2G2]:||

 

RYMER'S FAVORITE. Old‑Time, Breakdown. USA, Tenn. C Major. Standard tuning. AA'BB'. Related to the better known "Billy in the Lowground" (Mark Wilson). Source for notated version: Allen Sisson (Tenn.) [Phillips]. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes), vol. 1, 1994; pg. 206. Recorded Anthology of American Music, Alan Sisson (Tenn., near Ga. border) ‑ "Traditional Southern Instrumental Styles" (1978).

 


RYRO'S HOUSE. AKA ‑ "Rya's House," "Riro's House." Old‑Time, Breakdown. USA, Piedmont region of North Carolina. In the repertoire of Joe Thompson, African-American fiddler from Orange County, N.C., who played the piece in FCgd tuning. Global Village C217, Joe and Odel Thompson ‑ "Old Time Music From the North Carolina Piedmont."

 

RYTH WYTH. AKA and see "The Peacemaker('s Hornpipe)."

 

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