Annotation:Old Ironsides

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OLD IRONSIDES (Lancashire) CLOG. American, Hornpipe. G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB (Cole): AA'BB' (Kerr). The title refers to the early 19th century American square-rigged frigate the USS Constitution [1], built in 1797 and converted in modern times to a floating museum in Boston harbor. The warship became famous in the War of 1812 when she defeated several Royal Navy vessels and captured numerous merchant ships. She earned the nickname "Old Ironsides" in her battle with HMS Guerriere.

The earliest sound recording dates to 1913 when it was waxed by violinist Charles D'Alamaine, born in 1871 in England, who died in 1943. D'Alamaine emigrated to the United States in 1888, and by 1890 had established himself as "instructor on violin" in Evanston, Illinois; by 1910 he had removed to Yonkers, and in 1920 was a chiropractor in New York City (info. from Paul Gifford).

Source for notated version:

Printed sources: Cole (1000 Fiddle Tunes), 1940; p. 119. Kerr (Merry Melodies, vol. 2), c. 1880's; No. 365, p. 40. Ryan's Mammoth Collection, 1883; p. 157.

Recorded sources: