Gillie Callum (strathspey) on The Session

Also known as Ghillie Callum, Ghillie Challum, Gille Calium, Gille Callum, Gille Callum Da Pheighinn, Gille Calum, Gillie Callam, Gillie Callam Da Pheithein, Keelum Kallum, Keelum Kallum Taa Fein, The Lad Malcolm, Lasses Gar Your Tails Todle, Sword Dance, The Sword Dance, Tail Toddle, Tail Todle.

A tune by this name has been recorded together with Ryan’s Rant (a few times) and Sleepy Maggie (a few times).

Eleven comments

I learned this tune from Marijan Rudel in Ljubljana, Slovenia. He transcribed it from Dave Swarbrick’s playing - LP "Smiddyburn" (1981)

Sword Dance

This tune is actually called ‘Ghillie Challum’… though, yes, it is known to most people as the Sword Dance.

“Lasses Gar Your Tails Todle” / “Tail Toddle” ~ closer to the usual air

Key signature: D Major
Submitted on March 7th 2003 by gian marco.
https://thesession.org/tunes/1484

“Gille Callum” ~ 1786 ~ in 7 parts

"A Collection of Reels"
Alexander McGlashan
(nicknamed ‘King M’Glashan’ because of his dress sense)
Published by Neil Stewart, Edinburgh, 1786

K: A Mixolydian
|: A<Ac>e d2 B>G | A<Ac>e d2 c>A |1 E<EG>B d2 B>G | A<Ac>e dB e2 :|
2 BEBe d2 B>G | A<Ac>e B/c/d e2 ||
|: A<Ac>A g2 B>G | A<Ac>A a2 a>e |1 G2 g2 d2 B>G | A<Ac>A dB e2 :|
2 g2 a/g/f/e/ d2 B>G | A<Ac>A B/c/d e2 ||
|: A<Ac>A AgBG | A<Ac>A AacA |1 aefd egBG | A<Ac>e B/c/d e2 |
2 gbeg dgBG | A<Ac>E B/c/d e2 ||
|: A<Ac>A G/G/G BG | A<Ac>A A/A/A c>A | c>ABA G/G/G B>G | A<Ac>A B/c/d e2 :|
|: A<Ac>e dgBG | A<Ac>e AacA | a/g/f/e/ fd gdBG | A<Ac>e B/c/d e2 :|
|: A2 cA BGBG | A2 cA cAcA | cAcA BGBG | A<Ac>A B/c/d e2 :|
|: A<Ac>e AgBG | A<Ac>e AacA | gaeg dgBb | gaeg dg e2 :|

Apologies ~ forgot the repeat :| at the end of the four bars for the C-part:

|: A<Ac>A AgBG | A<Ac>A AacA |1 aefd egBG | A<Ac>e B/c/d e2 :|
2 gbeg dgBG | A<Ac>E B/c/d e2 ||

“Gille Callum” / “Keellum Kallum”

"Waifs and Strays of Gaelic Melody"
Captain Frances O’Neill, Chicago, 1922
~ collected from William Walsh, police officer and highland piper

The following is based on that transcription:

K: A Mixolydian
|: A2 c>A d2 B>G | A2 c>A d2 c>A | B2 g>e d2 B>G | A2 c>A d>B e2 :|
A2 c>A g2 B>G | A2 c>A a2 c>A | a2 c>A g2 B>G | A2 c>A d>B e2 |
A2 c>A a2 B>G | A2 c>e a<ea>e | g>a (3gfe d<gB<g | e<a (3efg (3Bcd e2 ||

“Gille Callum” ~ without the G#

The following is much more familiar to me, without the G#, very close to "The Athole Collection", 1884, which has G#s in the A-part…

K: A Dorian
|: A<Ac>e d2 B>G | A<Ac>e d2 c>A | B>EB>e d2 B>G | A<Ac>e d>B e2 :|
A<Ac>e g2 B>G | A<Ac>e a2 c>A | a2 c>A g2 B>G | A<Ac>e d>B e2 |
A<Ac>e g2 B>G | A<Ac>e a>ba>f | g>ag>e d/c/B/A/ G2 | A<Ac>e d>B e2 ||

A Mixolydian!!! (= F# & C#)

GOOF! ~ Damn, I need a rest, not A Dorian, the confusion being that "The Athole Collection" transcript I had started in A Major, but the same as all the rest here ~ A Mixolydian…

Also a ‘note’ contributing to the confusion, that the transcript I had for O’Neill’s "Waifs and Strays" was given accidental free, or as ‘a minor’ and the notation given above could be played as that…

Gille Callum

All in the family ~ polka, reel, strathspey

polka ~ "Fiddle Faddle" / "Ffidl Ffadl"
# Added by Conway - November 12th, 2003
https://thesession.org/tunes/2146

reel ~ "The Tail Toddle"
# Added by gian marco - March 6th, 2003
https://thesession.org/tunes/1484

Gillie Callum strathspey

Six settings