Sailor's Hornpipe

Walden · Post by **Walden** » Thu Aug 01, 2002 3:27 am

I figured The Sailor's Hornpipe would be a simple enough tune to play. It sounds simple, and they used it on Popeye cartoons, and in the opening of Gilligan's Island, but it actually takes some dexterity, doesn't it?

_________________
Walden
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Walden is blue at one time and green at another, even from the same point of view. Lying between the earth and the heavens, it partakes of the color of both. —Thoreau

[ This Message was edited by: walden on 2002-08-01 05:29 ]

Martin Milner · Post by **Martin Milner** » Thu Aug 01, 2002 4:22 am

Some tunes that are a doddle on, say fiddle or mandolin, are b#tches when tried on the whistle.

On a whistle for example using D as a pivot note (what did Bloomfield call it?) can be hard, while on a fiddle it's an open string so it's easy.

I was looking at Drowsy Maggie the other day, and thinking that there's one I probably won't be mastering on the whistle anytime soon, but I might give it a wizz on the mandolin.

_________________
"I suddenly heard in the silence of the night the low whistle...." Miss Helen Stoner, The Adventure of the Speckled Band (circa 1892)

to Gary

[ This Message was edited by: Martin Milner on 2002-08-01 06:22 ]

SteveK · Post by **SteveK** » Thu Aug 01, 2002 6:08 am

In O'Neill's (Krassen version, p169) another tune is called Sailor's Hornpipe. A mandolin tab of this tune is on the web and claims to be the "real" sailor's hornpipe. However, Ricketts Hornpipe also on p 169 of O'Neill's is also said to be another setting of Sailor's Hornpipe. The tune which bears the most resemblance to the Popeye tune is College Hornpipe in Cole's 1000 Fiddle Tunes. Here's the mando tab for the "real" Sailor's hornpipe.

http://www.users.csbsju.edu/~eknuth/man ... lsail.html

Also you can get yourself a nice hornpipe outfit for playing Sailor's (whichever version you play). I'm ordering mine now.

http://www.tartantown.com/dance_hornpipe_outfits.html

Steve

[ This Message was edited by: SteveK on 2002-08-01 08:18 ]

Feadan · Post by **Feadan** » Thu Aug 01, 2002 7:30 am

On 2002-08-01 05:27, Walden wrote:
I figured The Sailor's Hornpipe would be a simple enough tune to play. It sounds simple, and they used it on Popeye cartoons

Actually, Walden, the tune on the Popeye cartoons is "The College Hornpipe". "Sailor's Hornpipe" is a totally different tune. Check your O'Niell's book.

Cheers,
David

(Oops! Didn't see that Steve already went there!

)

[ This Message was edited by: Feadan on 2002-08-01 09:36 ]

jim stone · Post by **jim stone** » Thu Aug 01, 2002 4:26 pm

I've struggled for several years with
the Sailor's Hornpipe. I tried to
tongue it and couldn't--suffered
from Tired Tongue. Now I'm mostly
playing the notes without articulation,
and I believe there may be light
at the end of the pipe.

Walden · Post by **Walden** » Thu Aug 01, 2002 5:24 pm

College Hornpipe, eh? No wonder it's difficult! I must be a whistler magna cum lousy.

Nothing's more common in traditional music than alternate titles for the same tune, and alternate tunes for the same title.

SteveK · Post by **SteveK** » Thu Aug 01, 2002 5:45 pm

On 2002-08-01 18:26, jim stone wrote:
I've struggled for several years with
the Sailor's Hornpipe. I tried to
tongue it and couldn't--suffered
from Tired Tongue.

You should probably try playing Good for the Tongue Hornpipe. P92 in Cole's 1000 Fiddle Tunes. Hope it works for your condition.

Steve

Walden · Post by **Walden** » Thu Aug 01, 2002 8:17 pm

On 2002-08-01 06:22, Martin Milner wrote:
Some tunes that are a doddle on, say fiddle or mandolin, are b#tches when tried on the whistle.

On a whistle for example using D as a pivot note (what did Bloomfield call it?) can be hard, while on a fiddle it's an open string so it's easy.

I was looking at Drowsy Maggie the other day, and thinking that there's one I probably won't be mastering on the whistle anytime soon, but I might give it a wizz on the mandolin.

_________________
"I suddenly heard in the silence of the night the low whistle...." Miss Helen Stoner, The Adventure of the Speckled Band (circa 1892) to Gary

[ This Message was edited by: Martin Milner on 2002-08-01 06:22 ]

I looked up the mandolin tab, and tried playing it on the bouzouki. It's not too easy on there either. On Popeye they played it on concertina. I don't have a concertina, but I do have a little button accordion in C, somewhere.

Cayden · Post by **Cayden** » Fri Aug 02, 2002 3:09 am

If you want to go there at all, it's probably worth lookign up Jack's the Lad in O Neill's

Blackbird · Post by **Blackbird** » Sat Aug 10, 2002 2:16 am

Drowsy Maggie was reccommended to me as an easy tune when I was first struggling to get up to speed for group playing. I couldn't understand why the fiddler thought I should be able to play it. Much later, I learned to play it on guitar (Flatpick style) and realized it's much more suited to strings. Maybe I should try the Sailor's Hornpipe on guitar as well.

rhodeirish · Post by **rhodeirish** » Tue Sep 03, 2002 7:46 am

I know this is an old topic. Sorry for chiming in late.

In O'Niell's, the Popeye tune shows up under the title of "Jack's The Lad."

Meanwhile, the Sailor's Hornpipe is a completely different tune, as mentioned previously.

John Harvey