Cock O’ The North jig

From the NE England Fiddler’s Repertoire. Was, and perhaps still is, used in set dancing in Co. Kerry.
Here is another version (in A) from the Nottingham Music Database:

K:A
e/2d/2|cdc cBA|Ace f2e|cdc cBA|BcB Bed|
cdc cBA|Ace f2e|c2c BcB|A3 A2:|
|(3e/2f/2g/2|a2e f2e|a2e f2e|cdc cBA|Bcd efg|
a2e f2e|a2e f2e|c2c BcB|A3 A2:||

trevor

When I played this tune to my wife, she told me she has always used it when teaching her Girl Guides to dance the Gay Gordons, and she thought that was what it was called. The real Gay Gordons tune is, I believe, a reel. I might post it one day.

trevor

Cock o’ the North is one of those tunes I’ve “always” known (from childhood in the English Midlands) - it may have been used for country dancing in primary school, when I was about 9. We also danced something called the Gay Gordons, but can’t remember what tune was used, I just know it was fun. The next time I recall the tune is when I started playing with some Celtic players from Ottawa, in Toronto as a university student. Great tune!

Known sometmes in Kerry as “Chase Me, Charlie”.
A much-detested Scottish Conservative Member Of Parliament, who was also a serial adulterer - (no names, although I don’t believe you can libel the dead) had this played at his funeral, so the old bastard did have a sense of humour after all.

"Auntie Mary had a canary
Up the leg of her draws….."

A friend of mine, also a friend of the brilliant fiddler Kevin O’Reilly, once went to a session in Brighton, where an uninhibited, inebriated Geordie woman got up and made an exhibition of herself singing the aformentioned song, painfully out of tune. My friend (whose name is Mary, incidentally), recounted the amusing incident to Kevin O`Reilly, singing to him what she could remeber of the song. Kevin, who plays in an old Kerry style, replied, “That’s the tune that I won the All Ireland with!”

This tune is very common in Newfoundland, where it is known as “Auntie Mary”. It shows up in a number of old collections and recordings of Newfoundland traditional music, and therefore assumed by many here to be indigenous to Newfoundland. However, like many of our tunes, it is a variant on a tune brought over from the “old countries”

In less serious sessions and kitchen parties, the refrain,

"Auntie Mary had a canary
up the leg of her drawers,
She was sleeping, it was creeping,
up the leg of her drawers"

is often sung unaccompanied in the middle of the tune.

Figgy Duff, a now defunct Newfoundland trad-rock band, did a great version of this tune (on their self-titled debut album, I think). They coupled it with another tune called “Brother’s Jig” (which again I have always assumed to a Newfoundland tune, but has a distinct “Irish” sound, so I could be wrong).

In Glasgow we used to sing
"Auntie Mary had a canary
up the leg of her drawers
it wouldn’t come down for half a crown
and neither would Santa Claus" David Meredith

Our words to this tune were:
Auntie Mary had a canary
Up the leg of her drawers
When she farted, it departed
To a round of applause.
We had an old auntie Mary in our family who was *very* prim and proper and whenever these lines were sung, us kids would shriek with laughter.

The original and direct transcript here is copied from this book:

“The New England Fiddler’s Repertoire”
Randy Miller & Jack Perron:

https://www.fiddlecasebooks.com/
https://www.fiddlecasebooks.com/store/c2/Books.html

Dow has given us a transcript, others have talked about it. Yes, I’ve several, but why not somebody else. This is a well travelled tune, and I’ve even come across it in places some of you wouldn’t believe, so why so little on offer here. Come on folks, add your take on this popular little number. It also exists with several second endings and has been dressed up as a slide. Please, give it air in its several masks and forms.
😉

Auntie Mary had a canary
Up the leg of her drawers
She pulled a string to hear it sing
And down came Santa Claus

Uncle Jock, he had a sock
Up the pleat of his kilt
When he was a-sleepin, we were a-peepin
To see how well he was built

Sometimes used as a chorus:

"Chase me Charlie, find my barley
Up the leg of me drawers
Don’t believe me, come and feel me
Up the leg of me drawers"

Cousin Minnie wore a bikini
Underneath her shirt
A handsome guy he tried to spy
And she kicked him where it hurt.

~ and there are loads more, not quite as bad as limericks…

NOTE: This tune is, amongst other ways, played in A Major in New England and so notated in several collections that feature it, but, it is also played and notated in a few other “Major” keys, including G & D & C. I’ve never seen it in A Mixolydian except above, but it doesn’t sit there very comfortably…

Whether or not I like it, I did find a couple of A mixolydian versions, with the =G in them. Maybe it might grow on me in time. I can’t remember anything other than G Major being played for New England dances, but we all know how memory can be an illusion of choice… I will be putting some ‘versions’ in the Comments here, and hope others have some interesting ways with this old sock ~ to share…

R: single jig ~or~ slide
M: 6/8 ~or~ 12/8

K: G Major
|: d e2 d |
B2 B BAG | B2 d e2 d | B2 B BAG | A2 A AGA |
B2 B BAG | B2 d e2 d | B2 B ABA | G2 :|
|: d e2 f |
g2 d e2 d | g2 d e2 d | B2 B BAG | A2 A ABd |
g2 d e2 d | g2 d e2 d | B2 B ABA | G2 :|

K: G Major
|: d/c/ |
B>cB BAG | Bcd e>dc | BcB BAG | ABA A2 d/c/ |
B>cB BAG | BB/c/d edc | BGB AFA | G3- G2 :|
|: d |
gGd eGd | gGd eGd | BcB BAG | A3 def |
gdd edd | gdd edd | BGB AFA | G3- G2 :|

K: D Major
|: E |
F2 F FED | F2 A B2 A | F2 F FED | E3 EDE |
F3 FED | F2 A B2 A | FGF EFE | D3 D2 :|
|: A |
d2 A B2 A | d2 A B2 A| FGF FED | E3 EFA |
d2 A B2 A | d2 A B2 A | FGF EFE | D3 D2 :|

K: A Major ~ second ending…
A |
c>dc cBA | Ace f2 e | c>dc cBA | B3- B2A |
c>dc cBA | Ace f2 e | c3 BAB | A3- A2 :|
e |
a2 e f2 e | a2 e f2 e | c>dc cBA |1 BB/c/d ee/f/g |
1 afe afe | afe fga | c>dc BAB | A3- A2 :|
2 BB/c/d e2 d |
c>dc cBA | cde f2 e | c>dc BAB | A3- A2 ||

Key signature: D Major
Submitted on February 18th 2007 by Dan the Man.
https://thesession.org/tunes/6831

M: 12/8
L: 1/8
R: slide
K: D Major
|: d2 A B2 A d2 A B2 A | F2 F FED E2 E EFA |
d2 A B2 A d2 A B2 A | F2 F EFE DFE D3 :|
|: F2 F FED F2 A B2 A | F2 F FED E2 E EDE |
F2 F FED F2 A B2 A | F2 F EFE DFE D3 :|

"Easy peasy!

It’s a lot easier than it might appear; there are a lot of repeated, held, space-filling notes that lend themselves to simple learning and nice ornamentation or variation. It’s also just two strings, so you can kick it up onto the A and E and either play the bass or crosstune AEAE and play the bass! Joy of joys!

The best recordings I’ve heard of it were Caoimhin o’Raghallaigh on Turas go Tir na Nog (which, if you have not already heard, you probably never will, ever >_>) and by Denis Murphy on the Music from Sliabh Luachra album. Listen up!

Weird that it’s up as a jig though, and not a slide…"

--DtM

# Posted on February 18th 2007 by Dan the Man

"I should qualify that - I meant *in it’s original form*. Irish players have latched on to it and play it as a slide. It usually gets called ‘Chase Me Charlie’ or ‘Auntie Mary Had A Canary’ because of the song lyrics that go with it.

I learnt it when I was at school. We never played it as a slide, and we played it in A."

# Posted on February 19th 2007 by Dow

😀 heh, heh, heh…

Somehow, I feel satisfactorily validated because this tune links to Turas go Tir na Nog, but the Turas page links to mine : P

--DtM

Cock o’ the North is also used for the Cotswold Morris dance “Eynsham Square Eight”.

I learned this song when I was a schoolboy in Scotland and we sang it as “Highland Mary had a Canary, up the leg of her drawers.” Highland was pronouced Hielan’ of course ….Bill Lee

and here, since Ceolachan mentions it -but without Caoimhin’s permission- are the ‘dots’
from ‘Turas go Tír na nÓg’ (And don’t expect the ‘ABC diddling machine’ to deliver it whith the same flawless flow!)
X: 1
T: Auntie Mary had a Canary
M: 12/8
L: 1/8
R: slide
K: Amaj
a2e f2e a2e f2e|cec cBA B{c}BB Bce|
a2e f2e a2e f2e|c2B AcB AcB Ace:||
c3 cBA cee fee|cec cBA BcB Bce|
c3 cBA cee f2e|c2B BcB AcB Ace:||

This pentatonic version is ‘trump friendly’ and as such came to my attention.

Why! The Cage bird sings!
http://ibc.lynxeds.com/sound/island-canary-serinus-canaria/song-domestic-bird

Interesting to see comments from a few years ago with ceolachan saying he couldn’t see this tune fitting comfortably in mixolydian mode. Having grown up in Scotland and heard this tune probably hundreds of times from pipers, ceilidh bands etc. and always, always in mix and never in maj, I had an instant sense of bafflement and horror of the thought of anyone playing it otherwise! Is this what they call culture shock?

Heres a 4 part setting with a full selection of ornaments.

X:1
T:The Cock o’ the North
C:Traditional
R:March
M:6/8
Q:1/8=90
K:HP
L:1/32 “1st Part”
|: a4 | c2{d}A6c4 {gBd}B8 {G}A4 | {g}A6c2e4 {gfg}f8 e4 | {g}c2{d}A6c4 {gcd}c6B2{G}A4 | {g}B12 {GdGe}B8 a4 |
%
c2{d}A6c4 {gBd}B8 {G}A4 | {g}A6c2e4 {gfg}f8 e4 | {g}c2{d}A6c4 {gBd}B8 {e}G4 | {g}A12 {gAGAG}A8:| “2nd Part”
|: {gf}g4 | {ag}a8 e4 {gfg}f8 e4 | {ag}a8 e4 {gfg}f8 e4 | {g}c2{d}A6c4 {gcd}c6B2{G}A4 | {g}B12 {GdGe}[1 B8 {gf}g4 [2 B6c2d4 |
%
[1 {ag}a8 e4 {gfg}f8 e4 | {ag}a8 e4 {gfg}f8 e4 | {g}c2{d}A6c4 {gBd}B8 {e}G4 | {g}A12 {gAGAG}A8 :|
[2 {g}c2e6c4 {gBd}B8 {G}A4 | {g}A6c2e4 {gfg}f8 e4 | {g}c2{d}A6c4 {gBd}B8 {e}G4 | {g}A12 {gAGAG}A8 ||
% “3rd Part”
|: {ag}a4 | c8 {GdGe}c4 {gcd}c6B2{G}A4 | {g}c8 {GdG}e4 {gfg}f8 e4 | {g}c8 {GdGe}c4 {gcd}c6B2{G}A4 | {g}B12 {GdGe}B8 a4 |
%
c8 {GdGe}c4 {gcd}c6B2{G}A4 | {g}c8 {GdG}e4 {gfg}f8 e4 | {g}c2{d}A6c4 {gBd}B8 {e}G4 | {g}A12 {gAGAG}A8:| “4th Part”
|: {gf}g4 | {ag}a8 e4 {gfg}f8 e4 | {g}f2a6e4 {gfg}f8 e4 | c2a6c4 {gcd}c6B2{G}A4 | {g}B12 {GdGe}[1 B8 {gf}g4 [2 B6c2d4 |
%
[1 {ag}a8 e4 {gfg}f8 e4 | {g}f2a6e4 {gfg}f8 e4 | c2{d}A6c4 {gBd}B8 {e}G4 | {g}A12 {gAGAG}A8 :|
[2 {g}c2e6c4 {gBd}B8 {G}A4 | {g}A6c2e4 {gfg}f8 e4 | {g}c2{d}A6c4 {gBd}B8 {e}G4 | {g}A12 {gAGAG}A8 ||
%

correction;
in the key field it should read A mix not HP[highland pipes]

The title “Cock o’ the North” has been applied to the chief of Clan Gordon since, it seems, George Gordon, the 4th Earl of Huntly, who was somewhat “cocky” to say the least. He is said to have died of a stroke after being captured at the Battle of Corrichie. His disemboweled corpse was put on trial for treason some months later, and convicted.

It is said that the tune is in honour of Alexander Gordon, the 4th Duke of Gordon, who raised The Gordon Highlanders regiment in 1794, and it is the regimental march.

The “Gay (or gey) Gordons” also refers to the regiment, so there is the link.

S: “Jimmy Doyle & Dan O’Leary: Traditional Music From The Kingdom Of Kerry”
https://thesession.org/recordings/1247 ~ Side B, track 1 (8 of 14), the 2nd slide of two…

Out of curiosity and for the sake of Red Menace I’m going to have to pull out all my recordings of this from Scotland and other Scottish realms. It’s only right that I do… I have been known to be playing Mixolydian and not realizing it, but it’s not the only mode that has had that overwhelming effect on me. 😎 The Eastern European ones drag me away by the hair, which is probably why I’m now bald…

I have also learned this one direct as well from other living sources and situations where the average tempos varied from 130 to 150 bpm (1 beat = three quavers/eighth notes)…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQMf8gwLbuE

play video

This found its way to Sliabh Luachra from returning soldiers and possibly via the radio of WW1 coverage. A link to the lyrics can be found here: http://www.traditionalmusic.co.uk/ww1-songs/chase-me-charlie.htm
Padraig supposedly loved this one, besides playing it he also taught it frequently

I got this tune from sheet music a cousin of mine who studied under Padraic O’Keeffe sent me, the latter of whom plays it on the Kerry Fiddles album (as a slide). Hopefully my transcription is indicative of the fiddling style he notates, which I would post if not for a lack of technical ability… Unfortunately as a B/C Accordion player it is quite difficult to get the second high triplet (gag) to a level of cleanliness at any respectable speed what with the bellows having to go from a pull to a push and so I tend to stay on the push (and play gcg).

It goes nicely with Denis Murphy’s slide in DMajor and then true to Padraic’s form, I try to play Tom Billy’s Favorite, which it usually manipulated into the Dingle Regatta (beware!) If you haven’t had the pleasure of hearing Padraic and the proteges play it, prepare to be enlightened: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_pZC7PebkE

play video

In Scotland, as with many other pipe tunes, you don’t play a straight through 2 A tunes and 2 B tunes but in the repeat of the B, halfway through you go back to final half of the A tune to finish it. As in this example here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYAcPTQR0zE

play video

And it is often played in dotted 6/8 timing in common with many other “6/8 marches” rather than as a 6/8 jig.

The words sung in my family, from Dundee, went:
Campbelltown Loch, I wish you were whisky
Campbelltown Loch och aye
Campbelltown Loch I wish you were whisky
I would drink you dry.
We also sang the Auntie Mary version too.

Played this setting in the IVFDF 2017 (Cambridge) scratch band.

Some more variations on Auntie Mary. Could also do the runs from G to d instead, and maybe hold the c longer before the d for the runs.

A few recordings listed here aren’t actually of the jig, but rather of a beautiful strathspey of the same title in Bb. Wonder if anyone outside Cape Breton plays it… whether it’s been forgotten in Scotland like some other CB tunes seem to be… It’s usually played in Bb, although Wendy MacIsaac plays it in A, and a 19th-century Scottish publication (Davidson) has it in D.

A simplified Nfld setting.

Made a mistake when originally typing this up, with “F2A B2A” in the 5th & 6th bars of the B Part (rather than “F2F FED” followed by “F2A B2A”), which somewhat surprisingly sounded quite alright. Haven’t included this mistake/variation in X14.

> Campbelltown Loch, I wish you were whisky

That’s a different pipe tune - the Glendaruel Highlanders.

The tradition is pretty much dead, but most of the commonplace pipetunes at one time had words, often not fit for polite company, or snatches: “and the only tune, that he could play, was the Barren Rocks of Aden”

Cock O’ the North is one of our band’s (The Olde Michigan Ruffwater Stringband) favorites. We recorded it on an album (Michigan Summer) in a medley between Andy DeJarlis and Growling Old Man, Grumbling Old Woman. A very exciting tune. I noticed there were no versions with chords, so here’s one with.