tom hall wrote: > > Hail andrew, et al, > > I assume that you're referring to "John Anderson, My Jo", by Burns. > > The version he wrote for the Merry Muses of Caledonia does suggest that he > was a piper. To wit: > > To see your hurdies fyke, John, > And hit the rising blow: > It's then I like your chanter-pipe, > John Anderson, my jo. > > The thrust of the song, however, suggests that John was late to bed and > early to rise, much to his wife's discomfort. > > I can post the entire text if interested. > > Slainte -- Tom > > >I have some infomation that suggets that the John Anderson referred to in the > >famous song was "supposed to have been the town piper of Kelso and a very gay > >dog". Could anyone elaborate on this? Was Anderson a historical figure, and > >what might he have done to be remembered as a "very gay dog"? > > > >Thanks! > > > >Regards, > >Andrew Kuntz > >Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music & Culture List - To > >subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: > >http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html > > Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music & Culture List - To >subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
Burns didn't write the version in 'The Merry Muses of Caledonia'. Texts of 1744 and 1768 are given in the Scarce Songs 2 file on my website. A listing of several other books containing the song that are earlier than the 'Merry Muses' copy is also given there. The tune was known considerably earlier. That from Alex. Stuart's 'Musick for .. [TTM] (c 1726) is given as an ABC if file S2.HTM on my website, and the tune appeared earlier in the 17th century Skene Manuscript (from which it is given in Dauney's 'Ancient Scottish Melodies'). Bruce Olson Roots of Folk: Old British Isles popular and folk songs, tunes, broadside ballads at my no-spam website - www.erols.com/olsonw or just <A href="http://www.erols.com/olsonw";> Click </a> Motto: Keep at it; muddling through always works. Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music & Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
