Annotation:Game Chicken (The)

Back to 

 GAME CHICKEN, THE. English, Country Dance Tune (6/8 time). England, Yorkshire. G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. The term 'game chicken' is a variant of 'game cock'; a superlative term, it was sometimes applied to champion boxers in the 19th century. In particular, it was the name of Henry ("Hen") Pearce (1777-1809), an English bare knuckle prizefighter who was the recognised English Champion from 1804 until his retirement, due to ill health, in 1807. Wikipedia says: "Pearce was known as "The Game Chicken", a nickname probably derived from his habit of signing his name "Hen" instead of Henry. He was reckoned a fast, skillful boxer who hit hard with both fists."  Source for notated version: a MS collection by fiddler Lawrence Leadley, 1827-1897 (Helperby, Yorkshire) [Merryweather & Seattle].  Printed sources: Merryweather & Seattle (The Fiddler of Helperby), 1994; No. 53, p. 42.  Recorded sources:

Back to