Art McBride (2)

ART McBRIDE [2]. AKA - "Arthur McBride." Irish, Air or Jig. Ireland; Counties Limerick, Donegal. G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AB. P.W. Joyce’s air “Arthur McBride,” printed in his Old Irish Folk Music and Songs, is almost identical to Petrie’s. Joyce collected his version in Limerick in the 1840's, while Petrie's air comes from County Donegal. John Loesberg (1980) states that several versions of the song have been found variously in Scotland, Suffolk and Devon, though the tunes in most cases differ slightly. John Moulden notes that the first Scottish sets appear to be in Greig Duncan. Those looking for Paul Brady's famous tune will not find it in older Irish collections, for it was taken from a book of folk songs collected in the state of Maine.

I had a first cousin called Arthur McBride, he and I took a stroll down by the seaside,
A-seeking good fortune and what might betide, 'twas just as the day was a dawning.
Then after resting we both took a tramp, we met Sergeant Harper and corporal Cramp,
Besides the wee drummer who beat up for camp, with his rowdy-dow-dow in the morning.


Printed source: Stanford/Petrie (Complete Collection), 1905; No. 846, p. 211.

X:1
T:Art McBride
M:6/8
L:1/8
N:”A county of Donegal air.” 
R:Air
S:Stanford/Petrie (1905), No. 846
Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion
K:G
D | GAG GDE | GAG GAB | cec BdB | ABG E2D | GDE GDE | GAG Bcd | 
edc B{c/B/}AG | A3 {G/A/}G2 || A/B/ | c2c cde | edd d2B | cdc BdB | 
ABG E D>D | GDD EDD | GAG Bcd | edc B{c/B/}AG | A3 G2 |]