The Highlandman Who Kissed His Granny reel

Also known as Dawe’s Favourite, The Fairy Hurlers, The Highland Man Kissed His Grannie, The Highland Man Kissed His Granny, The Highland Man Who Kissed His Granny, The Highlander Who Kissed His Granny, The Highlander Who Kissed His Mother, The Highlandman Kissed His Mother, The Highlandman That Kissed His Granny, The Jolly Seven, The Pensioner Who Kissed His Granny.

There are 24 recordings of a tune by this name.

The Highlandman Who Kissed His Granny has been added to 34 tunebooks.

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Three settings

X: 1
T: The Highlandman Who Kissed His Granny
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Ador
cgge g2 ge | cgge dBGB | cgge g2 eg |1 afge dBGB |2 afge dB B2 :|
ce A2 ABcA | ceAe dBGB | ce A2 ABcd | egge dBGB |
ceAe ceAe | ceAe dBGB | ce A2 ABcd | egge dBGB |
# Added by Kenny .
X: 2
T: The Highlandman Who Kissed His Granny
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Ador
cggf g2AB|cgge dBGB|cggf g2fg|afge dBGB|
cggf g2AB|cgge dBGB|cggf g2fg|afge dBGB|
cdec A3B|cA~A2 dB~B2|cdec ABce|a2ge dBGB|
cdec ABce|ABce dBGB|cdec ABce|a2ge dBGB|]
X: 3
T: The Highlandman Who Kissed His Granny
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Ador
|:cggf gage | cegf eBBB | cggf gafa | aage dgeB:|
|:cABc AAAB | cAAA dddB | ccBc ABcd | efge dgeB:|

Eleven comments

The Highlandman Who Kissed His Granny

Originally Scottish, and I believe was brought to Ireland through Donegal. Recorded on an early "Boys Of The Lough" LP, and also played by "Altan". Not sure if they ever recorded it though. Glasgow band "Pipedown" recorded a great version, using Highland pipes.

# Posted by Kenny .

Granny or Mother?

I think I heard this tune as "The Highlandman Kissed His Mother."

The Highlandman Who Kissed His Granny

John Bowe calls this ‘the Pensioner who kissed his Granny’ on his LP.

Ceide recorded it

In the album "Like A Wild Thing", this reel is called "Mother’s Reel"

Emer Mayock’s Version

X: 1
T: The Fairy Hurlers
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Ador
N: Version from Emer Mayock’s "Merry Bits of Timber"
cggf g2AB|cgge dBGB|cggf g2fg|afge dBGB|
cggf g2AB|cgge dBGB|cggf g2fg|afge dBGB|
cdec A3B|cA~A2 dB~B2|cdec ABce|a2ge dBGB|
cdec ABce|ABce dBGB|cdec ABce|a2ge dBGB|]

Dawe’s Favourite

Dear All,
Recorded as "Dawe’s Favourite" on "A Flick Of The Wrist" by Brendan Larrissey:
http://thesession.org/recordings/2199
Closer to a more melancholic version, I used to record in a session quite a long time ago.
Should I edit the tune to add that title?
And if yes, how make the right link to this url on the recording?
Cheers,
Francois.

Yes, edit the details. It will be recognized by the according entry of the recording automatically then.

Don’t edit…………….

I’d say , no, don’t add that title, because I’d bet good money that the reason Brendan Larrissey called it "Dawe’s" is that he learned the tune from Austin Dawe, another fine fiddler, I believe from the same neck of the woods in Ireland as Brendan himself. This is probably the only single instance of the tune being given that title. It’s been known as "The Highlandman Kissed His Granny" [ or variations thereof ] for well over 150 years, and appears in books of Scottish music from around the mid 1800s. It doesn’t need another name.

# Posted by Kenny .

"It doesn’t need another name"

And yet it’s been given one. Simply adding "Dawe’s Favourite" to the list of alternate titles will link the entry in the recording section to this tune. I can’t see what the problem is. In fact, I’ve just done it.

More like 250 years, it’s in Robert Bremner’s Reels, c. 1760.
There are also many more titles, e.g. O’Neill has it as ‘The Jolly Seven’.