Annotation:Tit Bitt
X:68 T:Tit bitt, The M:2/4 L:1/8 B:Thompson’s Compleat Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances, vol. 2 (London, 1765) Z:Transcribed and edited by Fynn Titford-Mock, 2007 Z:abc’s:AK/Fiddler’s Companion K:G G2 BG|BGEB|G2 BG|AFDA|G2 BG|BGEB|cecA|FDFA:| |:G2 gf|gGGB|Gggf|aAAB|G2 gf|gbge|cecA|FDFA:||
TIT BITT, THE. English, Country Dance Tune (2/4 time). G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). Originally "Tyd bit" in 17th century, the term referred to “a small piece of tasty food; a delicacy, a morsel.” Over time "Tyd-" became 'Tit' in England (probably to rhyme with 'bit'), although in America the pronunciation 'Tid' was retained. The melody appears unique to London publisher Charles and Samuel Thompson’s 1765 country dance collection. “Titt Bitt”, presumably this same tune, is named in the index to the large 1770 music manuscript collection of Northumbrian musician William Vickers, but was in a section of the manuscript that is now lost.