The Cockerel In The Creel reel

This great tune has been requested a few times so thought I would submit it. I got this version from ‘The White Album’ by Alasdair White. Alasdair has a great flamboyant style so I’m not entirely sure how close it is to the original by Donald MacLeod. If I can find an older version I’ll put it in the comments here.

Most of the tune is in A dorian but the first part is G so that’s what I’ve submitted it in.

I am stunned this was not already in here! We played this in the session last night. A mighty, mighty tune.

It is indeed. Ali White eats it up on his album.

.. and at a guess the name might come from the story of strict Sundays in the highlands and islands where the hens might be let out but the cockerel would be kept apart - stuck under a creel or basket, so that there would be no naughtiness on the Sabbath!

I have still to get Ali’s album. I will have to rectify that. I have a few of the other albums with this tune on though - Breabach, Capercaillie and David Brewer so I am doing ok on versions. I particularly like Breabach’s playing of it although it is all too brief.

The White album is fantastic, probably my favourite Scottish album. I’ll need the get the Breabach album and see what they do with it.

white album is possibly my favorite solo fiddle album, anyone got the dots for the weatherman?

X:1
T:Cockerel in the Creel,The
C:D.MacLeod
S:P/M Donald MacLeod’s Collection, Book 6
R:Reel
M:C|
L:1/8
K:amix
f|g2ed B2AG|BddG G2B2|g2ed B2AG|AAAB e2ef|
g2ed B2AG|BddG G2B2|d2Bd eAdB|BABd e2e||
f|g2ag aaag|eaaf gagd|eaag aaag|egfd e2g2|
e2de AAAB|edBA GGGB|dBaf gfed|BABd e2e2||
Aeed deed|BGGB eGdB|Aeed deed|BAAB e2g2|
eaag aeef|gefd efge|d2Bd eAdB|BABd e2e||
f|g2gf efge|faef gefd|AaAa aAaf|gefd e2g2|
faAa aeef|gefd efge|d2Bd eAdB|BABd e2e|]

Spindizzy has the origin of the tune name right.

Out of habit I put the key as Amix but Gmajor or Eminor work too. It’s typical of this composer’s tunes to shift keys.

This is indeed a top tune, here it is again but doted, minus the f# lead notes for the 2nd and 4th parts, my editor doesn’t like them.


f| g2ed B2A<G | BddG G2B2 | g2ed B2A<G | AAAB e2ef |
g2ed B2A<G | BddG G2B2 | d2B<d eAdB | B<AB<d e2e2 |
g2ag aaag | eaaf gagd | eaag aaag | egfd e2g2 |
e2de AAAB | edBA GGGB | dBaf gfed |B<AB<d e2e2 |
Aeed deed | BGGB eBdB | Aeed deed | BAAB e2g2 |
eaag aeef | gefd efge | d2 B<d eAdB | B<AB<d e2e2 |
g2g<f efge | f<ae<f gefd | AaAa aAaf | gefd e2g2 |
f<aA<a aeef | gefd efge | d2B<d eAdB | B<AB<d e2e2 |

Drat, I was getting rid of a redundant name ("Cockeral…" - changed on relevant recording) and this happened. C(reel). Daftness. Please excuse front page activity spam while I try to remedy this.