Rattlin‘ Roarin’ Willie slip jig

I transcribed the abc’s from The Scottish Ceilidh Collection for Fiddlers, from Taigh na Teud, one of several books I think many of you are familiar with. Ryan requested it long ago. The book put it in G major and naturalized half the f’s, and I put it in mix and sharped the other half. Any preferences?

One of my favourite song introductions of all time, by Roy Gullane of the “Tannahill Weavers” - “This is a song by our national poet Robert Burns. It’s called ”Rattlin‘ Roarin’ Willie“, and many people think that’s what he died of…….”.

Sweeney’s Men recorded this song in 1968 - the first ever recording featuring an Irish musician (Johnny Moynihan) playing a bouzouki.

I notice the version posted here by cj has only one part. I have a two part version in A mixolydian, which I got from Richard Robinson’s Tunebook (see Links section):

M:9/8
K:Amix
f|ecA ABA cef|gfg B2c d2f|ecA ABA ceg|a^ga c2d ef=g|a^ga ecA ecd|gfg B2c d2f|ecA f2e fae|cAc BGB A2:|
:f|ecA acA ecA|BGB gBG d2f|ecA acA ecA|agf ecA e2f/g/|agf ecA cef|gfg B2c d2f|ecA f2e fae|cAc BGB A2:||

Y’migh check out Great Big Sea’s and the Chieftains vresion of it on Fire in the Kitchen

There is a version of this on the Barra McNeils “Racket in the Attic” CD. I think the Barra McNeils also participated in the Fire in the Kitchen version.

I only know this as a 9/4 hornpipe. The setting I play is close to the one in the Northumbrian Minstrelsy. I learnt it off a Kathryn Tickell CD:

M:9/4
K:G
|:e2|dcBABG d4G2 Bcd2e2|=f2gfed f2c2A2 c4e2|dcBABG d4G2 Bcd2ef|efgfge g2d2B2 d4ef|
gfefge g2d2B2 d3cB2|c2B2A2 =f2c2A2 cBcdef|g4d2 e4d2 gfefge|dcBcdB c2A2F2 G4:|
|:d2|G2BcdB d2BcdB G2BcdB|=F2ABcA =f2c2A2 c4e2|G2BcdB d2BcdB G2BcdB|g2BcdB d2BcdB d2e2f2|
g2BcdB d2BcdB g2BcdB|c2ABcA =f2c2A2 cBcdef|g4d2 e4d2 gfefge|dcBcdB c2A2F2 G4:|

Thats all well and good but where do i find the words?

Took me 15 seconds

Rattlin‘ Roarin’ Willie

O rattlin‘ roarin ’ Willie
Oh he held to the fair
An’ for to sell his fiddle
An’ buy some other ware
But partin‘ wi’ his fiddle
The saut tear blint his eye
And rattlin‘ roarin’ Willie
Ye’re welcome hame to me!

O Willie, come sell your fiddle
O sell your fiddle sae fine
O Willie, come sell your fiddle
And buy a pint o’ wine!
If I should sell my fiddle
The warl’ would think I was mad
For mony a rantin’ day
My fiddle and I ha’e had.

As I cam’ by Chrochallan
I cannily keekit ben
Rattlin‘ roarin’ Willie
Was sitting at yon board en’
Sitting at yon board en’
And amang guid companie
Rattlin‘ roarin’ Willie
Ye’re welcome hame to me!

Actually, if I am not mistaken, he only worte the last stanza.
Or at least that is what I read somewhere…

Quite right, Ben. Burns himself claimed only the last verse. It’s said that the hero of the song was a lawyer in Edinburgh, one William Dunbar, also a colonel of the Crochallan corps. He is described by Burns as “one of the worthiest fellows in the world.”

Key signature: D Mixolydian & G in the comments
Submitted on October 7th 2007 by ceolachan.
https://thesession.org/tunes/7837

Sorry, but I can’t find any information as to where I learned it this way. I only remember it being this repeatedly, suspecting it has something to do with the song…

X: 4
T: Rantin‘, Roarin’ Willie
M: 9/8
L: 1/8
R: slip jig
K: G Mixolydian
|: d>^cd G2 A B>de | f>ef A2 B c2 e |
d>^cd G2 A B2 ^f | g^fg B2 c d>e=f |
g>fe f>ed e>dc | f>ef A2 B c2 e |
d>^cd e2 d e<gB | A2 G G3- G2 :|

Anyone coming here might also be interested in the extended article on RRW on the LBPS site:
http://lbps.net/RRW/
where there are many more versions of both tune and lyrics.

I also opened a thread on the dunsire bagpipe forum:
http://www.bobdunsire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=472380#Post472380
though this may be inactive if you read this much later than the date of posting.

http://youtu.be/viKY8SdemoM

play video

Kenny, brushing the cobwebs of this thread: “Whistlebinkies” here is “Foxhunter’s Jig” described to me by a very accomplished piper as “a four part piper’s show off tune.” It’s a ton of fun to play and so is “Rattlin‘ Roarin’ Willie.” Nice pairing.

[url]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NangvM19MmI&list=RDNangvM19MmI&start_radio=1[/url]

play video

Hi 5Wire. That’s a great video and it’s actually one of the earlier videos I ever listened to when I started really delving into enjoying this kind of music. The High Level Ranters also play this slip jig that way. I prefer it to the way it’s played on the Whistlebinkies version (although it’s still a very enjoyable set!)

I see Whistlebinkies as incorporating an expansion of the Foxhunter theme. They play the first two parts pretty trad and then mess with it as the video progresses. I too like the trad way but one of the great things about music is there are infinite interpretive possibilities. I agree, it’s an enjoyable set.