Annotation:My Nannie O--New Set
X:1 T:My Nannie O M:2/4 L:1/8 R:Air N:”New Set, by T. Ebdon.” B:James Aird – Selection of Scotch, English, Irish and Foreign Airs, vol. 5 B:(Glasgow, 1797, No. 55, p. 22) Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion K:D A/|d>ef>d|dBB(c/d/)|A>BA(G/F/)|GEE(d/e/)|f>e (d/c/)(BA)| B(c/d/) A(G/F/)| GBge|fdd>A|(B/c/)(d/e/) (d/c/)(B/A/)|BGGB| (e/d/)(e/f/) (e/d/)(c/B/)|cAA(d/e/)|f>e (d/c/)(B/A/)|B(c/d/) A(G/F/)|GBge|fddd| BGGe|cAA(d/e/)|f>e (d/c/)(B/A/)|B(c/d/) A(G/F/)|GBge|fdd||
MY NANNIE O--NEW SET. Scottish, Air (2/4 time). D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. Glasgow publisher James Aird attibutes the tune to Thomas Ebdon of Durham. This was the tune that Edinburgh publisher James Johnson set Robert Burns' song "My Nannie O" to in his Scots Musical Museum, vol. 6 (1803, No. 580), even though Burns had directed it to be sung to the older air. As John Glen (Early Scottish Melodies, 1900) explains, Johnson had already used the older air for other songs, so he substituted Ebdon's melody. Glen remarks, "It is a fine air, in the style of a Scottish quickstep, or hornpipe, but not in accordance with the spirit of the words, it is of a too lively description. The song is now sung to the ancient melody."
