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The Cuckoo hornpipe

Also known as Archie Simon, Canadian Reel, The Cuckoo Clog, Dublin, Dublin’s, Murray’s Fancy.

There are 89 recordings of this tune.

This tune has been recorded together with Chief O’Neill’s Favourite (a few times), The Smell Of The Bog (a few times), The Bucks Of Oranmore (a few times), The Champion (a few times) and The Flowers Of Spring (a few times).

The Cuckoo appears in 2 other tune collections.

The Cuckoo has been added to 7 tune sets.

The Cuckoo has been added to 169 tunebooks.

Download ABC

Eight settings

1
X: 1
T: The Cuckoo
R: hornpipe
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
D2 || BGDG cAFA | d^cde dBGF | Ec{d}cB AGFG |
|1 (3.A.B.A (3.G.F.E (3.D.E.D B,2 :|2 (3.A.B.A GF G2 |ga ||
bg ~g2 dgBg |bg ~g2 dgBg |
|1 c'a~a2 eaca |c'a~a2 eaca :|
|2 ((3aba) ((3gag) ((3fgf) ((3efe) | ((3ded) ((3cdc) B2 |]
2
X: 2
T: The Cuckoo
R: hornpipe
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
B>GD>G c>AF>A | d>^cd>e d>BG>F | E>c (3cBc A>GF>G | (3ABA (3GFE D2 (3dcd |
B>GD>G c>A (3FGA | (3d^cd d>e d>BG>F | E>c (3ccc A>GF>G | (3ABA G>F G2 :|
b>g (3gfg d>gB>g | b>g (3ggg d>gB>g | c'>a (3aba e>ac>a | c'>a (3aaa e>ac>a |
b>g (3gfg d>g (3Bcd | bg (3ggg d>gB>g | (3aba (3gag (3fgf (3efe | (3ded (3cdc (3BcB :|
3
X: 3
T: The Cuckoo
R: hornpipe
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
b>g (3gfg d>gB>g | b>g (3ggg d>gB>g | c'>a (3aba e>ac>a | c'>a (3aaa e>ac>a |
b>g (3gfg d>g (3Bcd | bg (3ggg d>gB>g | (3aba (3gag (3fgf (3efe | (3ded ^c>dB>d :|
4
X: 4
T: The Cuckoo
R: hornpipe
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
BABd cBcA | (3dcd (3gfe dBGF | EcBc AGFG | (3ABA (3GFE DCB,D |
BABd cBcA | (3dcd (3gfe dBGF | EcBc AGFG |[1 ADFA G3 A :|[2 ADFD G2 ga ||
|: bg (3gfg dgBd | bg (3gfg dgBg | c'a (3aga eaca | c'a (3aga eaca |
bg (3gfg dgBd | bg (3gfg dgBg | (3aba (3gag (3fgf (3efe |[1 decd Bdga :|[2 decd Bdgd |]
5
X: 5
T: The Cuckoo
R: hornpipe
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
B2 (3Bcd c2 c>e | (3ded g>e d>BG>F | E2 cB AGFG | (3ABA (3GFE D>d^c>d |
B>^AB>G c>Bc>A | d2 (3gfe d2 (3BAG | E>c (3cBc A2 (3GFG | (3ABA (3AGF G2 :|
|: b>g (3gfg d>gB>g | bg (3gfg d2 a>b | c'a (3a^ga eaca | c'a (3a^ga e2 ga |
b2 (3gfg d2 (3Bcd | bgfg dgBg | a2 (3gag f2 (3efe | d2 (3cdc (3Bcd :|
B2 Bd c2 ce | d2 ge dBGF | E2 cB AGFG | A2 GE Dd^cd |
B^ABG cBcA | d2 ge d2 BG | EcBc A2 FG | A2 G2 G2 :|
|: bgfg dgBg | bgfg d2 ab | c'a^ga eaca | c'a^ga e2 ga |
b2 ge d2 Bd | bgfg dgBg | a2 g2 f2 e2 | d2 c2 B2 :|
6
X: 6
T: The Cuckoo
R: hornpipe
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
B2 (3Bcd c2 c>e | (3ded g>e d>BG>F | E2 c>B A>GF>G | (3ABA (3GFE D>d^c>d |
B>^AB>G c>B (3cB=A | d2 (3gfe d2 (3BAG | E>c (3cBc A2 (3GFG | (3ABA (3AGF G2 :|
b>g (3gfg d>gB>g | b>g (3gfg d2 a>b | c'a (3a^ga e>ac>a | c'>a (3a^ga e2 g>a |
b2 (3gfg d2 (3Bcd | b>gf>g d>gB>g | a2 (3gag f2 (3efe | d2 (3cdc (3Bcd :|
7
X: 7
T: The Cuckoo
R: hornpipe
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
|: B^ABd cBce | (3dcd (3gfe dBGF | EccB AGFG | (3ABA (3GFE DG,B,D |
| BABd cBce | (3dcd ge dBAG | EccB AGFG |1 (3ABA GF G3 A :|2 AGFA G2 ga ||
|: bg (3gfg dgBg | bg (3gfg dgBg | c'a (3a^ga fada | c'a (3a#ga fada |
| bg (3gfg dgBg | bg (3gfg dgBg | (3aba (3gag (3fgf (3efe |1 (3ded ce dega :|2 (3ded ef g4 ||
8
X: 8
T: The Cuckoo
R: hornpipe
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
BABd cBcA | (3dcd (3gfe dBGF | EGcB AGFG | (3ABA (3GFE (3DED (3cBA |
BDGd cBcA | (3dcd (3gfe dBGF | E2cB AGFG |[1 A<DFA ~G3 A :|[2 A<DFA ~G2 ga ||
|: bg (3gfg dGBd | bg (3gfg d2 ab | c'a (3aga ea (3aga | c'a (3aga e2ga |
bg (3gfg dGBd | bg (3gfg d2bg | (3aba (3gag (3faf (3eae |[1 (3ded (3cBc (3Bcd g2 :|[2 (3ded (3cBc (3Bcd gd |]

Fourteen comments

I first heard this on a Michael Coleman recording but was inspired to learn it after hearing Seamus Ennis play it on the whistle, it goes pretty high on fiddle I just slide up into second postion for those high C’s in the high bar. It works great on the whistle I cran the low D on the part that dips below D. It’s a little challenging at first, but hey I think every tune is tough the first couple times through.
This tune has some strange "Reavy-ness" to it, but it’s an old hornpipe that was probably written before Reavy was born.

Have Fun

The Cuckoo’s out ~

M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: hornpipe
K: Gmaj
|: (3edc |
B>GD>G c>AF>A | d>^cd>e d>BG>F | E>c (3cBc A>GF>G | (3ABA (3GFE D2 (3dcd |
B>GD>G c>A (3FGA | (3d^cd d>e d>BG>F | E>c (3ccc A>GF>G | (3ABA G>F G2 :|
|: ga |
b>g (3gfg d>gB>g | b>g (3ggg d>gB>g | c’>a (3aba e>ac>a | c’>a (3aaa e>ac>a |
b>g (3gfg d>g (3Bcd | bg (3ggg d>gB>g | (3aba (3gag (3fgf (3efe | (3ded (3cdc (3BcB :|

Oops! ~ variant part deux:

|: ga |
b>g (3gfg d>gB>g | b>g (3ggg d>gB>g | c’>a (3aba e>ac>a | c’>a (3aaa e>ac>a |
b>g (3gfg d>g (3Bcd | bg (3ggg d>gB>g | (3aba (3gag (3fgf (3efe | (3ded ^c>dB>d :|

hmmmm, consistency ~ |: g>a |

I’ve heard this in sessions before. The parts are supposed to be repeated the way ‘c’ has transcribed it, right? As in, not the way Brad has it. Sounds like it needs 32 bars, not 16.

This is on "The Best of Seamus Tansey." More recently it was recorded by Harry Bradley.

32 bars!

Yes…

Cuckoos ~

“The Cuckoo’s Nest” / “Eamonn McGivney’s”
Key signature: E Dorian
Submitted on September 29th 2003 by lazyhound.
https://thesession.org/tunes/2020

"The Cuckoo’s Nest"
Key signature: Gmajor
Submitted on January 15th 2004 by gian marco.
https://thesession.org/tunes/2395

“Nyth Y Gwcw” / “Nyth Y Gôg” / “The Cuckoo’s Nest”
Key signature: D Dorian
Submitted on August 16th 2006 by ceolachan.
https://thesession.org/tunes/6101

"Nyth Y Gôg" / “Nyth Y Gwcw” / “The Cuckoo’s Nest”
Key signature: e minor
Submitted on November 17th 2006 by ceolachan.
https://thesession.org/tunes/6380

"The Cuckoo’s Nest"
Key signature: Bdorian
Submitted on January 10th 2007 by Merry-Hielander.
https://thesession.org/tunes/6619

The cuckoo

I heard it called the blackbird the swallow and the cuckoo

"Cuckoo" / "The Cuckoo’s Nest" ~ rescued duplication

Key signature: G Major
Submitted on October 19th 2008 by brailsford.
~ /tunes/9019

X: 3
T: Cuckoo
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: hornpipe
K: Gmaj
dc |:\
BABd cBcA | (3dcd (3gfe dBGF | EcBc AGFG | (3ABA (3GFE DCB,D |
BABd cBcA | (3dcd (3gfe dBGF | EcBc AGFG |[1 ADFA G3 A :|[2 ADFD G2 ga ||
|: bg (3gfg dgBd | bg (3gfg dgBg | c’a (3aga eaca | c’a (3aga eaca |
bg (3gfg dgBd | bg (3gfg dgBg | (3aba (3gag (3fgf (3efe |[1 decd Bdga :|[2 decd Bdgd |]

"The Cuckoo’s Nest" ~ a few other possibilities

X: 4
T: Cuckoo’s Nest, The
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: hornpipe
K: Gmaj
|: d>c |\
B2 (3Bcd c2 c>e | (3ded g>e d>BG>F | E2 cB AGFG | (3ABA (3GFE D>d^c>d |
B>^AB>G c>Bc>A | d2 (3gfe d2 (3BAG | E>c (3cBc A2 (3GFG | (3ABA (3AGF G2 :|
|: g>a |\
|: b>g (3gfg d>gB>g | bg (3gfg d2 a>b | c’a (3a^ga eaca | c’a (3a^ga e2 ga |
b2 (3gfg d2 (3Bcd | bgfg dgBg | a2 (3gag f2 (3efe | d2 (3cdc (3Bcd :|

~ sans > & (3

X: 5
T: Cuckoo’s Nest, The
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: hornpipe
K: Gmaj
|: dc |\
B2 Bd c2 ce | d2 ge dBGF | E2 cB AGFG | A2 GE Dd^cd |
B^ABG cBcA | d2 ge d2 BG | EcBc A2 FG | A2 G2 G2 :|
|: ga |\
|: bgfg dgBg | bgfg d2 ab | c’a^ga eaca | c’a^ga e2 ga |
b2 ge d2 Bd | bgfg dgBg | a2 g2 f2 e2 | d2 c2 B2 :|

Fully swung ~ 😏

Oops! ~ I cut-and-pasted an older version of the swung one above, with missing bits and mistakes. Here is the correction, with the full swing of it ~

X: 4
T: Cuckoo’s Nest, The
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: hornpipe
K: Gmaj
|: d>c |\
B2 (3Bcd c2 c>e | (3ded g>e d>BG>F | E2 c>B A>GF>G | (3ABA (3GFE D>d^c>d |
B>^AB>G c>B (3cB=A | d2 (3gfe d2 (3BAG | E>c (3cBc A2 (3GFG | (3ABA (3AGF G2 :|
|: g>a |\
b>g (3gfg d>gB>g | b>g (3gfg d2 a>b | c’a (3a^ga e>ac>a | c’>a (3a^ga e2 g>a |
b2 (3gfg d2 (3Bcd | b>gf>g d>gB>g | a2 (3gag f2 (3efe | d2 (3cdc (3Bcd :|

It’s also a Morris dance and tune …Kirtlington I think

The Cuckoo, X:8

This is a version I learned at Feakle Festival from Catherine McEvoy. It is more flute-friendly, avoiding the low dips below D. It is most similar to X:4, but differs in various places. I really like how she does the 2nd last bar of the B, where the triplets keep coming back to the A note. She follows it with the Smell of the Bog.