A Bhriogais Uallach three-two

The first part is traditional from the puirt a beul of the same name. The second part was composed by Dr. Angus MacDonald.

From celticlyricscorner.net

Gaidhlig:
Leis a’ bhriogas uallaich, horo-o hì
Leis a’ bhriogais uallaich, ho ri ho rò
Briogais an duin’ uasail, horo-o hì
‘S iomadh duine chual i nach robh na còir

Siod a’ bhriogais fhasanta, horo-o hì
Bhriogais a bha agamsa, ho ri ho rò
Bha i muthas fada dhomh, horo-o hì
‘S gad a chanainn farsaing air a h-uile dòigh

‘S chaidh mi chun an tàillier, horo-o hì
‘S gun gearradh e pàirt dhi, ho ri ho rò
Thuirt e airson pàigheadh, horo-o hì
Gun deanadh e dhà air na bh’ innte chlò

Cha robh innt ach diùbhaidh, horo-o hì
B’ fharsuing anns a’ chùl i, ho ri ho rò
Gad a rachadh triùir innt’, horo-o hì
Ghabhadh i co dhiùbh ‘ad, gu brith an còrr

Saoil nach robh i cunnartach, horo-o hì
Nuair a chuir mi umam i, ho ri ho rò
Shaoil iad nach robh duin’ innte, horo-o hì
Gus an cual ‘ad bruidhinn agus thuirt iad "ò"

Beurla:
With the fantastic breeks, horo-o hi
With the fantastic breeks, ho ri ho ro
The gentleman’s breeks, horo-o hi
Many a person heard of them that was not near them

These were the trendy breeks, horo-o hì
The breeks that I had, ho ri ho rò
They were rather long, horo-o hì
And I would say wide in every way

I went to the tailor, horo-o hì
That he would cut some of it, ho ri ho rò
He said that for payment, horo-o hì
He would make two from the amount of cloth

They were worthless, horo-o hì
They were wide in the back, ho ri ho rò
Though three people would go in them, horo-o hì
They would take them and more

Don’t you think they were dangerous, horo-o hì?
When I put them on, ho ri ho rò
People thought there was no one in them, horo-o hì
‘Til they heard talking and said, "Aw"

… is what you need for the beats to work out in your transcription.

not note length. To get the right time signature I’d have to post it as a 3-2 but the tune is usually played among reels so I posted it as a reel.

It’s phrased so that rhythm matches the lyrics.

So it should be:

X:1
T:A Bhriogais Uallach
M:3/2
L:1/8
K:Amix
|:AAAB A2AB AGd2|deee c2Bc dcB2|deee A2AB AGd2|[M:C] eAA2 (G2G)A BA(A2A4):|
[M:3/2]|:aeee edde eeg2|gaaa f2ef gfe2|deAB GAAA Bde2|[M:C]gAA2 (G2G)A Bd(A2A4):|

the ABCs as originally posted ended up with twice as many beats as a measure of 4/4 should have. Changing L:1/16 was a fix for that. Now the measures have been split in two, so that works out, too—at least as far as the math is concerned. I’m not quite sure that squeezing a 3/2 tune into 4/4 serves the piece all that well.

I’ve changed it to a 3/2. The ABCs were the same from initial posting up until I changed them to 3/2.

The extra beats in bars 4 and 8 I have posted above are as Dr. Angus MacDonald phrased it. I guess common time isn’t quite right there. 4/2 then?

I’m playing it as Dr Angus does on "A’ Sireadh Spors", a great tune that has been running round my head for the best past month or so…..

Here’s the Batties with an arrangement of "A’ Bhriogais Uallach" a commercial job by the looks of it and quite good.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sj5Q_I6YAFU

play video