Annotation:My Silly Auld Man

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X:1 T:My silly auld man M:6/8 L:1/8 R:Jig Q:”Lively” B:Robert Riddell – Collection of Scotch Galwegian Border Tunes (1794, pp. 10-13) N:Compiled by Capt. Robert Riddell (1755-1794), friend of Robert Burns N:The last variations by "J.C." are from John Cowan, "a very noted performer N:on the fiddle, at Newton Stewart in Galloway. He died (as I have been informed) N:before the middle of the present century, having obtained longevity in its N:plentitude--old Peter MacNaughtan fiddler at Monniehive told me he was taught N:by John Cowan about the year 1725 and he was then an old man." Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion K:F f|cAA AGA|cAA A2f|cAA AGA|FDD D2f| cAA AGA|cAA AGF|TG3 AGA|FDD D3:| |:f3 {a}gfg|afc AFA|f3 {a}gfg|afd Td2 f/g/| afa geg|fde {g}f2d|cAF GAG|FDD D2:| |:f|cAA AGA|cAA A2f|cAA AGA|FDD D2f| cA/B/c/A/ FA/B/c/A/|cA/B/c/A/ dB/c/d/B/|cA/B/c/A/ GAG|FDD D2:| |:c|{g}f3 {a}gfg|afc {B}AGF|f3 {a}gfg|afd Td2f/g/| af/g/a/f/ ge/f/g/e/|fdf {d}cAF|TF3 GAG|FDD D2:| |:f|{d}cBA {B}AGF|{d}cBA A2f|{d}cBA {B}AGA|{G}FDD D2f| {d}cB {B}AGF|{d}cBA {B}AGF|G,3 {B}AGA|FDD D2:| |:c|f3 {a}gfg|abg edc|f3 {a}gfg|afd dfg| aAa gGg|fFe {g}f2d|cAF Tg2A|FDD D2:| |:f|{d}cAA {B}AGF|{d}cAA A2f|cA/B/c/A/ GAG|FDD D2f| cA/B/c/A/ FA/B/c/A/|cA/B/c/A/ dB/c/d/B/|cA/B/c/A/ GAG|FDD D2:| |:c|f3 {a}gfg|afc AFA|f3 {a}gfg|afd d2 f/g/| d'3 c'3|b3 a3|{d}cAF GAG|FDD D2:| |:f|cAA AGA|cAA A2f|cAA AGA|FDD D2f| cAf cAf|dAf dAf|{G}TF3 AGA|FDD D2:| |:e|fFf gEg|aFa gEg|fFf gEg|afd d2 f/g/| aAa gGg|fFe {gf2d|cAF TG2A|FDD D2:| |:f’|c'aa aga|c'aa a2f'|c’aa {b}aga|fdd d2f’| c’aa {b}aga|c'.a.a {b}agf|Tg3 aga|fdd d2:| |:e|f3 {a}gfg|af/g/a/f/ AFA|f3 {a}gfg|afd d2 f/e/| dd’d cc'c|BbB Afd|cAF G2A|FDD D2:| |:f|cAA AGA|cAA A2f|cdB {B}AGA|FDD D2f| cdB {B}AGA|Ffc {B}AGF|DED AGA|FDD D2:| |:e|fe/f/g/e/ ge/f/g/e/|af/g/a/f/ ge/f/g/e/|fe/f/g/e/ ge/f/g/e/| afd d2 f/g/| af/g/a/f/ ge/f/g/e/|fdf cAF|TD3 AGA|FDD D2:| |:f|{d}cBA {B}AGF|{d}cAA A2f|{d}cBA {B}AGA|FDD D2f| cAf dAf|cAf dAf|G,3 {B}AGA|FDD D2:| |:e|f3 {a}gfg|abg {f}edc|fef {a}gfg|afd d2 f/g/| [A3a3][e3g3]|[d3f3] def|cAF G,>BA/G/|FDD D2:| |:f|cA/B/c/A/ FA/B/c/A/|cAA A2f|cfB AGA|FDD D2f| cA/B/c/A/ FA/B/c/A/|cA/B/c/A/ dB/c/d/B/|cA/B/c/A/ GAG|FDD D2:| |:c|[A3f3][c3g3]|[c3a3][c3g3]|[A3f3] {a}gfg|afd dfg| [A3a3][G3g3]|Tf3 def|cAF TG2A|FDD D2:| |:e|[C3F3A3f3] {a}gfg|afd AFA|[C3F3A3f3] {a}gfg|afd d2 f/g/| Aab g2a|fde Tf2e/d/|cAF G,>BA/G/|FDD D2:| |:f|cAf dAf|{d}cAA A2f|cAf dAf|FDD D2f| cAf dAf|cAf dAf|TG3 AGA|FDD D2:| |:c|{g}fef {a}gfg|afc AFA|f3 {a}gfg|afd d2 f/e/| dd'd' cc'c'|Bbb Afd|{d}cAF TG2A|FDD D2:| |:f’|c'aa {b}aga|c'aa a2f'|c'aa {b}aga|fdd d2f’| c'af' d'af'|c'af' d'af'|f2 {b}aga|fdd d2:| |:c|fef/g/e/ ge/f/g/e/|af/g/a/f/ ge/f/g/e/|fe/f/g/e/ ge/f/g/e/|afd d2f/g/| d'c'd' Tc'b'c'|Tbab Taga|Tf3 {a}gfg|fdd d2:| |:f|c>AA/A/ F>AA/A/|c>AA/A/ A2f|c>AA/A/ F>AA/A/|F>DD/D/ D2f| c>AA/A/ F>AA/A/|c>AA/A/ F>AA/A/|G,2B AGA|FDD D2:| |:c|f>ff/f/ g>gg/g/|afd AFA|f>ff/f/ g>gg/g/|afd Td3| d'>d'd'/d'/ c'>c'c'/c'/|b>bb/b/ a>aa/a/|f3 {a}gfg|fdd d2:| |:f|{d}cAA {G}FAA|{d}cAA {g}fAA|{d}cAA {G}FGA|{G}FDD D2f| {d}cAA {G}FAA|{d}cAA {e}dAA|G,3 {B}AGA|FDD D2:| |:e|fFf gEg|afd {d}cBA|fFf gEg|afd d2 f/g/| a3g3|Tf3 def|{d}cAF G2A|FDD D2:| P:"Variations J.C." |:F|Tc>dc/B/ AFA|cAA A2f/g/|a/f/g/e/f/d/ d/c/B/A/G/A/|FDD D2f| .c/.f/.A/.f/.c/.f/ .d/.f/.A/.f/.d/.f/|.c/.f/.A/.f/.c/.f/ .d/.f/.A/.f/.d/.f/| T(F/E/F/G/A/B/) AGA|FDD D2::e|f/f/FG ECg|aFa (a/g/).f/.e/.d/.c/| (F/c/)(a/c/)(a/c/) (E/c/)(g/c/)(g/c/)|fdd Td2 f/g/|a/a/ab Tg2a| .f/.e/f/e/.d/.^c/ def|(d/c/).B/.A/.G/.F/ TG>B{A}G|FDD D2:|]

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Robert Riddell, from a frontispiece drawing in one of the manuscript volumes in library of the Society of Antiquaries, London

MY SILLY AULD MAN. AKA and see "Before I Was Married (2)" "Billy O'Rourke's Jig (1)," "Black Rogue (1)," "Come Under My Plaidie," "Johnny MacGill," "Johnnie McGill," "Johnnie MacGill." Scottish, Jig. F Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB and variation sets. The tune appears in the 1794 collection of Capt. Robert Riddell (1755-1794) of Glenriddell, Laird of Friar's Carse, near Dumfries, Scotland. He was a friend of his neighbor, Robert Burns (1759-1796, who at the time was a tenant farmer), and the poet visited Friars' Carse frequently, describing the estate as 'positively the most beautiful spot in the lowlands of Scotland'. A cordial relationship continued until they had a falling out the year before Riddell issued his publication; it was over a drunken incident at Friar's Carse, although details remain mysterious.

The tune has roots in both Scotland and Ireland, and numerous variants are extent. However, Riddell attributes the tune to "John MacGill, town piper of Girvan."

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