Odd tune names revisited

Cayden · Post by **Cayden** » Sat Jan 04, 2003 3:08 am

On 2003-01-04 03:03, msheldon wrote:
...Of course, some of the best ones are the mis-heard ones......

A famous misunderstanding is Larry Redican's composition 'the Culfadda'named after a townland in the area he was born in. Henrik Norbeck lists it as 'The Cruel Father'in his collection.

jmccain · Post by **jmccain** » Sat Jan 04, 2003 7:35 am

In the "truth in advertising" department, in the George Skene MS (1717) a strathspey is called:

"Y'ere the Lass That has the Geir and I am the Lad that Loes You"

which turns out to seem to be the genesis of "The Back of the Change House." I understand this MS is a goldmine of interesting titles.

Best, John

jeff_lindqvist · Post by **jeff_lindqvist** » Sat Jan 18, 2003 12:17 pm

On 2002-12-20 09:44, Brian Lee wrote:

(...)The Freudian Slip Jig(...)

In fact I wrote a tune tune with that name SEVERAL years ago (Sept 9, -96).

Post by **Nanohedron** » Sat Jan 18, 2003 12:41 pm

Whenever a certain fine fluter shows up at sessions, the lovely tune "Jenny's Wedding" (which I have yet to pick up) is now and henceforth known between us as "The Chinese Wedding" only because I asked the name of it and couldn't quite hear the answer.

She cracked up and couldn't stop laughing for much of the evening. Great craic. We all agreed the tune would of course have to be in the pentatonic.

N, deaf musician

SteveK · Post by **SteveK** » Sat Jan 18, 2003 12:44 pm

On 2003-01-18 13:41, Nanohedron wrote:
Whenever a certain fine fluter shows up at sessions, the lovely tune "Jenny's Wedding" (which I have yet to pick up) is now and henceforth known between us as "The Chinese Wedding" only because I asked the name of it and couldn't quite hear the answer.

A well known American fiddler learned the tune Jenny's Chickens from either someone from Ireland or Scotland and he thought he heard Chinese Chickens.

Steve

raindog1970 · Post by **raindog1970** » Sat Jan 18, 2003 1:02 pm

I might as well mention "Cock Up Your Beaver" since nobody else is going to.

Post by **Nanohedron** » Sat Jan 18, 2003 1:08 pm

AAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Raindog, that's a rude one!

Where can I find that tune? Gotta have it.

N, a bit naughty

Bagfed · Post by **Bagfed** » Sat Jan 18, 2003 1:25 pm

How about "The Farmer's Wipe"?

SteveK · Post by **SteveK** » Sat Jan 18, 2003 1:32 pm

On 2003-01-18 14:08, Nanohedron wrote:
Raindog, that's a rude one!

Where can I find that tune? Gotta have it.

It's in Complete Collection of the Much Admired Old Irish Tunes: The Original and Genuine Compositions of Carolan The Celebrated Harper and Composer. Well, at least Carolan's variations on the Scottish Air 'Cock up your Beaver' are in there. There is the original air from the Scots Musical Museum along with several variations. The book is published by Ossian (1984).

Steve

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: SteveK on 2003-01-18 14:33 ]</font>

Post by **Nanohedron** » Sat Jan 18, 2003 7:59 pm

Thanks a bunch, SteveK. I'll be looking for it!

--N, on a mission

Pat Cannady · Post by **Pat Cannady** » Sat Jan 18, 2003 8:30 pm

At a considerable risk of sounding pedantic, "cock up your beaver" does NOT mean what you think it means in this context. The song and the tune associated with it come from the later half of the 17th century.

A "beaver" was a piece of armor plating that could be attached to a helmet to protect the wearer's face. It was segmented and could be worn in a "down" position, allowing the wearer to talk, take a drink of water, see where he was going, etc. In battle it could be pushed up, leaving only a narrow opening so the wearer could see ahead of him.

Evidently, the late Derek Bell loved double entendres like this because he did a solo album named after this tune.

Still, it's damned funny all the same.

mvhplank · Post by **mvhplank** » Sat Jan 18, 2003 8:45 pm

Thanks for that explanation! Not knowing that, I would have guessed it was about the angle at which you'd wear your top hat, made of beaver in bygone days.

M

SteveK · Post by **SteveK** » Sun Jan 19, 2003 12:39 am

On 2003-01-18 21:45, mvhplank wrote:
Thanks for that explanation! Not knowing that, I would have guessed it was about the angle at which you'd wear your top hat, made of beaver in bygone days.

Me too. In fact there's a tune in O'Neill's called Jerry's Beaver Hat.

Steve

Post by **Nanohedron** » Sun Jan 19, 2003 12:25 pm

Thanx for the armorial clarification, Pat. I, too, assumed it was all about setting one's hat at a jaunty angle...but like the late D. Bell, I can't resist a doobl' ontondr' either.

N, still naughty

SteveK · Post by **SteveK** » Sun Jan 19, 2003 12:52 pm

Hey buddy, cock up yer beaver. Let's have a look. If you would like to buy this lovely little outfit, go here

http://store.yahoo.com/tins/batreadsxvar.html

Steve