Annotation:Dressed Ship (The)
X:36 T:Dress'd Ship. THO4.036, The A:England; London O: M:C| L:1/8 Z:vmp. Peter Dunk 2010/11.from a transcription by Fynn Titford-Mock 2007 B:Thompson's Compleat Coll. of 200 Favourite Country Dances Vol.IV. 1773-80 Q:1/2=80 K:A e|cAEc d2 (d/e/f)|ecac dB-Be|cAEc dfea|fdBe cA-A:| |:f/g/|aecA f/g/a/g/ ec|dfec dB-Bf/g/|aecA f/g/a/f/ ec|fdBe cA-A:|
DRESSED SHIP, THE. English (originally), Reel and Country Dance Tune (cut time); New England, Polka. A Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. The tune first appeared in print in Charles and Samuel Thompson's Twenty Four Country Dances for the Year 1774 and their Compleat Collection of 200 Country Dances, vol. 4 (London, 1780), where it appears as a longways dance 'for as many as will.' A 'dressed ship' is one that has been decorated with signal flags and other pennants, usually for a ceremony or celebration. There are two distinctions: a dressed ship display employs smaller ensigns than does a full-dressed ship.
