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The Burnt Old Man jig

Also known as An Sean Duine, An Sean Duine Doighte, An Sean Duine Dóite, An Sean-duine, An TSeanduine Dóite, The Burnt-out Old Man, Georgie, The Dotard, Hob Or Nob, John Dunn’s March, The Old Man, Sean Duine Deoite, Sean Duine Doite, Seanduine.

There are 17 recordings of this tune.

This tune has been recorded together with Palm Sunday (a few times).

The Burnt Old Man appears in 2 other tune collections.

The Burnt Old Man has been added to 6 tune sets.

The Burnt Old Man has been added to 212 tunebooks.

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Seven settings

1
X: 1
T: The Burnt Old Man
R: jig
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
DFB AFD|~F3 F2E|DFB AFD|~E3 E2F|
DFB AFD|F2A d2e|fed B2d|ABA F2E:|
~d3 def|ABA AFA|~e3 ede|fed B2A|
~d3 def|ABA d2e|fed B2d|ABA F2E:|
2
X: 2
T: The Burnt Old Man
R: jig
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
DFA BAF|DFE F2E|DEF ABA|DFD E2F|
DFA B2A|AFA d2e|fed BdA|1 BAF E2F:|2 BAF E2B||
|:ABc ded|DFA B2A|AB/c/d efg|fed B2A|
AFA Bdd|DFA deg|fed BdA|1 BAF E2B:|2 BAF E2F||
3
X: 3
T: The Burnt Old Man
R: jig
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
d2B AFD|FGF F3|d2B AFD|EFE E3|
d2B AFA|DFA d2e|fed B2d|AFD E3:|
d3 def|ABA AFA|efe d2e|fed B2d|
A2d def|ABA d2e|fed B2d|AFD E3:|
4
X: 4
T: The Burnt Old Man
R: jig
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
GBe dBG|BcB B2A|GBe dBG|ABA A2(G|G3) A3|BBB BAG|GBd g2a|bag (3efg e|dBG B2(A|A5) d|
g3 gab|e3 e2d|g3 gab|eee e2(d|d5) d|def gfe|dBd g2a|bag (3efg e|dBG A2 (G|G6)
5
X: 5
T: The Burnt Old Man
R: jig
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
GBe dBG | BcB B2A | GBe dBG | ABA A2B | GBe dBG | dBd g2a | bag (3efg e | dBG B2A|
g3 gab | eee e2d | g3 gab | bag a2d | g3 gab | dBd g2a | bag (3efg e | dBG A2G
6
X: 6
T: The Burnt Old Man
R: jig
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
DFA BAF|DFE F2E|DEF ABA|D3 E2F|
DFA B2A|AFA d2e|fed BdA|1 BAF E2F:|2 BAF E2B||
|:ABc ded|DFA B2A|AB/c/d efg|fed B2A|
AFA Bdd|DFA deg|fed BdA|1 BAF E2B:|2 BAF E2F||
# Added by JACKB .
7
X: 7
T: The Burnt Old Man
R: jig
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
GBe dBG | BcB B2A | GBe dBG | ABA AGE |
GBe dBA | GBd g2a | bag (3efge | dBA AGE:||
g3 gab | ded dBd | a3 aga | bge edB |
g3 gab |dBd g2a | bag (3efg e | dBA AGE:||

Twenty comments

This is the very first tune I learnt to play on the whistle some years ago.
And it’s one the first I’m playing on the flute at the moment.
I was just so surprised not to find it here, since it’s a very well known tune and common in sessions.
This is Henrick Norbeck’s version, I was just to lazy today to transcribe my own version, but they are very similar

Somewhat gruesome name?

I hope it’s sunburn we’re talking about.

This was originally an old Scottish pipe march, I think.

By the way, i was listening to this on Celtic Mouth Music on my way to work today. The words (in Irish) are about a woman complaining about marrying an old man. She says he’s nothing but a burnt old man, and that she’s going to stick him in a corner with just enough sour milk and old bread, and if he sticks his head out, she’lll cut his nose off. 🙂 Lovely little melody, though.

There’s an unusual version of this on the Mulcahy Family’s "Notes From The Heart":

X: 1
T: An Seanduine Doite
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
R: jig
S: Mulcahy Family
K: Dmaj
DFA BAF|DFE F2E|DEF ABA|DFD E2F|
DFA B2A|AFA d2e|fed BdA|1 BAF E2F:|2 BAF E2B||
|:ABc ded|DFA B2A|AB/c/d efg|fed B2A|
AFA Bdd|DFA deg|fed BdA|1 BAF E2B:|2 BAF E2F||

Anyone know where this version originates?

Just heard this on Eavesdropper by Burke/Daly…

…and it is essestially the same tune we play on fifes and drums as "The Campbells are Coming" keyed in G. Was listening along thinking it sounded awfully familiar. Just one of many great tunes from the Irish and Scottish traditions that crossed over inthe the martial music of the 18th and 19th centuries. One of my favorites. I’ll have to learn it on fiddle in D!

Aaaarrrgh! this tune!

hey dow,
that version is note for note how noel hill plays the tune, and at least according to noel the mulcahys view him as a major influence. in turn, noel’s version comes from the traditional song. muireann nic amhlaoibh sings the song with danú: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSjyv0wvna0#t=20

Posted by .

Just got your comment after 2 years. Thanks Daiv.

Added the way I learned it out in Ballyvourney. Learned it from a box player at a session, didn’t know the name of it but seems to be a variation of this tune.

Anyone else heard a version like this?

The Burnt Old Man, X:4 Tigh Tara Song Version

Song Version in G

The Burnt Old Man, X:5

Tigh Tara Jig version 🙂

Re: The Burnt Old Man

I love the version played by Kevin Burke and Jackie Daly on Eavesdropper, it’s the best one I’ve heard and of course who better to play it!