Annotation:Good Morning to Your Night Cap (1)

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 GOOD MORNING TO YOUR NIGHTCAP [1] (Ball Ua Dia Ar Do Biread-Oidce). AKA and see "Over the Waves (2)," "Roll Her in the Rushes (2)," "Shifting Gravel." Irish, Reel. A Dorian. Standard tuning (fiddle). AB (O'Neill/1850 & 1001): ABB' (O'Neill/Krassen): AABB (Miller & Perron). The tune was recorded by County Sligo fiddler Michael Coleman (1891-1945) in New York in 1927 as part of the set "Farrel Gara's (sic) Medley - Reels." Harry Bradshaw, in his notes to the Coleman reissue recording, labels the tune a 'schottische', although it is always heard rendered as a reel. A variant appears as an untitled reel in Church of Ireland cleric James Goodman's mid-19th century music manuscripts. Goodman (1828-1896) was an uilleann piper, and an Irish speaker who collected locally in County Cork and elsewhere in Munster. He also obtained tunes from manuscripts and printed sources. The tune's title comes from a song of the same name by Dublin playwright John O'Keefe (1746-1838), who staged several well-known farces during the latter 18th century. It was written for his popular The Poor Soldier (1783, music by William Shield), and goes: Dear Kathleen, you, no doubt, Find sleep how very sweet 'tis; Dogs bark, and cocks have crowed out, You never dream how late 'tis. This morning gay, I post away, To have with you a bit of play, On two legs rid along, to bid  Good-morrow to your night-cap. Last night, a little bowsy, With whiskey, ale and cider, I asked young Betty Blowsy To let me sit beside her. Her anger rose, as sour as sloes, The little gipsy cocked her nose, So here I've rid along, to bid  Good-morrow to your night-cap.  [from the Universal Songster; or Museum of Mirth, 1834]  Source for notated version: Michael Coleman [Miller & Perron].  Printed sources: Miller & Perron (Irish Traditional Fiddle Music), 2nd Edition, 2006; pg. 73. O'Neill (Krassen), 1976; p. 148. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903; No. 1485, p. 275. O'Neill (Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems), 1907; No. 710, p. 125. Shields/Goodman (Tunes of the Munster Pipers), 1998; No. 386, p. 153 (appears as untitled reel).  Recorded sources: Brunswick Records 68004 {B103-L, 6080, 78 RPM}, Michael Coleman (1927. Appears as part of set "Farrel Gara's Medley"). Green Linnet GLCD 3009, Kevin Burke - "If the Cap Fits" (1978. Appears as "Michael Coleman's"). Intrepid Records, Michael Coleman - "The Heyday of Michael Coleman" (1973). RCA 09026-60916-2, The Chieftains - "An Irish Evening" (1991). Shanachie 79064, Matt Molloy - "Heathery Breeze" (1999).  See also listings at: See also listings at: Alan Snyder's Cape Breton Fiddle Recording Index Jane Keefer's Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources Alan Ng's Irishtune.info

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