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The Cuckoo’s Nest barndance

Also known as Nest Of The Cuckoo.

There are 10 recordings of this tune.

The Cuckoo's Nest has been added to 27 tunebooks.

Download ABC

Four settings

1
X: 1
T: The Cuckoo's Nest
R: barndance
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Emin
|: GA GF | E2e2 | B2B2 | A2B2 |
FA FE | D2EF | G2A2 | E4 :|
|: e2e2 | e2fe | ^d2B2 | B3^c |
d2d2 | d2ed | ^c2A2 | A4 :|
GA GF | E2e2 | B2B2 | A2B2 |
FA FE | D2EF | G2A2 | E4 :|
2
X: 2
T: The Cuckoo's Nest
R: barndance
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
F | GA GF E2 e2 | B2 AG A2 A2 | GF E2 D2 EF | G2 E2 E3F |
GA GF E2 d2 | B2 AG A2 A2 | FG FE D2 EF | G2 E2 E3B :|:
e2 e2 e2 fe | ^d2 B2 B^A Bc | d2 d2 d2 ed | c2 A2 A3F |
GA GF E2 d2 | B2 AG A2 A2 | GF E2 DD EF | G2 E2 E3F :|:
B4 e4 | e4 e4 | f2 e2 ^d4 | B4 B3^A |
B2 c2 d4 | d4 d3e | cd cB A2 A2 | GA GF E2 d2 |
B2 AG A2 A2 | GF E2 DD EF | G2 E2 E4 |
3
X: 3
T: The Cuckoo's Nest
R: barndance
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Emin
|: F2 |GAGF E2 e2 | B2 B2 A2 B2 | FAFE D2 EF | G2 A2 E3 F |
GAGF E2 e2 | B2 B2 A2 B2 | FAFE D2 EF | G2 A2 E2 :|
|: d2 |e2 e2 e2 fe | ^d2 B2 B3 ^c | d2 d2 d2 ed | ^c2 A2 A4 |
GAGF E2 e2 | B2 B2 A2 B2 | FAFE D2 EF | G2 A2 E2 :|
4
X: 4
T: The Cuckoo's Nest
R: barndance
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Emin
|: E>F |G2 G>F E2 e2 | B>cB>G A2 (3cBA | G>FE>^D E2 G>B | A>G (3GFE D2 E>F |
G>AG>F E2 e2 | B2 B2 A2- A>B | F>A (3GFE D2 (3DEF | G2 E2 E2 :|
|: (3B^cd |e2- e>e e2 f>e | ^d2 B>^A B2- B>^c | d2- d>d d>Be>d | ^c2 A2 A2- A>F |
G>AF>G E2- E>e | B2 (3BAG A2- A>B | F2 F>E D>F (AGF | G2 E2 E2 :|

Six comments

Morris version?

Appears to be the Morris version of the tune, variations of which is played as a hornpipe etc. Not sure about those big leaps. Tidied up a bit, by dropping those notes an octave, and a few other tweaks, it comes out as the Morris version I’m familiar with (E dorian may be more fitting, as the few C notes are played sharp):

X:1
T:Cuckoo s Nest, The
M:2/4
L:1/32
K:Edor
F4|G2A2G2F2 E4e4|B4B4 A4B4|F2A2F2E2 D4E2F2|G4A4 E4:|
|:z4|e4e4 e4f2e2|^d4B4 B6c2|d4d4 d4e2d2|c4A4 A8|
G2A2G2F2 E4e4|B4B4 A4B4|F2A2F2E2 D4E2F2|G4A4 E4:|

Could be written as 4/4.

i wish people would bother to actually learn how to write ABC before submitting tunes on here, this submission is a total shambles atm thanks Weejie for clearing it up

Posted .

@ⒹⒺⒺ≖ⒿⒶⓎ≖ⒺⒻⒻ

I wish people would bother to learn to write in intelligible English before submitting comments that are both irritating and not the least bit constructive. I apologize if my degree in music theory/composition did not adequately prepare me "to write ABC."

@Weejie

Your version is indeed closer to my intention than my own! I noticed the flaws in my notation. My decision for the key to be minor as opposed to dorian pertains largely to the diatonic implications of B major in the B section, which would be rare in a modal tune.

What was unintelligible about my comment?

Your original ABC was irritating and not in the least bit constructive.

My advice was (reading between the lines) to LEARN ABC before submitting tunes, isn’t that constructive? It’s not exactly rocket science to learn and the fact that you have a degree in music makes your crude first attempt all the more shocking.

Posted .

Morris tune

Submitted a version based on Martin Carthy’s and the Sherborne morris tune. Have listed a Dmaj as the Cs are sharp, it is Edorian. Though the first couple of bars of the B section has a rather excellent D# and A#, as if it has modulated to Bmaj?

The C section is the B section played at half speed, I think the morris men must do something with their hankies at this point. The C section is also a bit crooked, though I may not have got the timing quite right.

X: 3 "The Cuckoo’s Nest"

~ a transcription based on Weejie’s ABCs…

Also in this family, Cymru/Wales & a very close relative to this one:

"Nyth Y Gwcw" / "Nyth Y Gôg"
# Added by ceolachan - August 16th, 2006
https://thesession.org/tunes/6101