Annotation:Dandling of the Bairns (The)

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 DANDLING O' THE BAIRNS (THE). AKA and see "Talk:Marriage and Money." Scottish, Air (6/8 time). D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). ABCDEF. Robert Riddell of Glenriddell explains in his Collection (1794, p. iii): "This is a Galwegian air of considerable antiquity. The set here given, Peter MacNaughtan learned from John Cowan at Newtoun Stewart, about the beginning of the (18th) century. A Galloway Baron of considerable consequence was so great an admirer of this tune, that when on his death-bed he send for John Cowan, and gave him strict charge, that when he saw him dying, he would begin and play this air, and continue until he was dead--Cowan did so--MacNaughtan told me this anecdote and said he ahd it from John Cowan."  Source for notated version:  Printed sources: Riddell (Collection of Scotch Galwegian Border Tunes), 1794; p. 8.  Recorded sources:

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