Annotation:Stable Call (The)

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X: 1 T:Stable Call,The. GS.062 M:3/4 L:1/8 Q:3/4=50 S:George Spencer m/s, Leeds,1831 R:.Fanfare O:England A:Leeds H:1831 Z:vmp.Cherri Graebe K:G major G2GGGG | B2G2B2 | d2 dddd | d2B2d2 |! g2gggg | g2d2B2 | G2 GGGG | G4 "1"d2 :|! |:g2 gggg | g4 bg | a2 dddd | e6 |! a2 aaaa | a4 c'a | b2 gggg | g4 z2 |! G2 GGGG | B2G2B2 | d2 dddd | d2B2d2 |! g2 gggg | g2d2B2 | G2 GGGG | G4 :|

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STABLE CALL, THE. AKA and see "Scotch Gray's March (2)." English, Irish; March (3/4, 6/8 or whole time). D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AB. Donnellan researcher Gerry O'Connor considered that the tune was originally in 4/4 time, although it had been altered to 6/8 time and the key changed in the ms. Conor Ward and Fr. John Quinn find the tune in the music manuscript collections of George Spencer (Leeds, c. 1831, 3/4 time), James Winder (as "Scotch Gray's March", Lancashire, c. 1835-41, 3/4 time) and Patrick O'Farrell (Aughadowry, Ballinamuck, Co. Longford, c. 1870's, 6/8 time). O'Connor thought the tune in all likelihood was originally based on a military bugle call, and Quinn/Ward, digging deeper note that a stable call was a military signal to assemble for troops to feed and water horses. Lyrics set to the tune are quoted in Charles Wheeler Denison's volume Life of Major-General Sheridan (1865, p. 175[1]).

In 1851 and 1852, Colonel Sumner made his march to the canon of Chelly, in New Mexico. Colonel Brackett says that “in the conon of Chelly, Sumner’s dragoons did not gather many laurels, though they did their duty; but the Indians were too wily for them, and, lining the sides of the pass, or canon, they rolled down rocks, fired guns, and shot arrows at our troops, until they were glad to retrace their steps. It was, I believe on this march that the song was composed by a soldier, which nearly every cavalrymen know, and which is sung to the tune of the ’Stable-call.’ It runs thus:

Come off to the stables, all if you are able,
And give your horses some oats and some corn;
For it you don't do it, the colonel will know it,
And then you will rue it, as sure's you're born.

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