Annotation:Hoch Hey Johnny Lad

Tune properties and standard notation

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HOCH HEY JOHNNY LAD. AKA and see "Hech How Johnnie Lad," "Jerry O'Sullivan's," "Oh Hey Johnny Lad." Scottish, Canadian; Reel or Strathspey. Canada, Cape Breton. A Major. Standard, ADae or AEae tunings (fiddle). AABB'. "Hoch Hey Johnny Lad" (sometimes "Hech How..." or "Hey How"...) is a line from the chorus of a song to the tune. Scottish versions are usually set as a reel, though MacDonald, in his Skye Collection notes the tune is sometimes played as a strathspey. The 'high-bass' or ADae and AEae tunings are employed on Cape Breton where the melody has been frequently recorded, set as a strathspey. John Glen, in Early Scottish Melodies, notes that this tune is the same as "Lasses of the Ferry/Lassies of the Ferry" in Stewart's Reels (1761-63, p. 33) and "Lads of Saltcots (The)." The Irish group Lunasa recorded the tune as "Jerry O'Sullivan's," sourced to contemporary uilleann piper Jerry O'Sullivan (Yonkers, N.Y.).

Source for notated version: Donald MacLellan and Donald Campbell (Cape Breton) [Dunlay & Greenberg].

Printed sources: Dunlay & Greenberg (Traditional Celtic Violin Music from Cape Breton), 1996; p. 121. Kerr (Merry Melodies), vol. 2; No. 24, p. 6. Köhlers' Violin Repository, 1881-1885; p. . MacDonald (The Skye Collection), 1887; p. 14. Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; p. 26.

Recorded sources: Celtic CX 35, "Donald MacLellan" (c. 1950's. Unlisted after "Old Traditional Strathspey"). Celtic CX 049, Donald and Theresa MacLellan/The MacLellan Trio. IMS WRC1 759, Winnie Chafe - "Cape Breton Scottish Memories" (1979). Rounder 7059, Alex Francis MacKay with Gordon MacLean - "Gaelic in the Bow" (2005). Smithsonian Folkways Records, SFW CD 40507, The Beaton Family of Mabou - "Cape Breton Fiddle and Piano Music" (2004).

See also listing at:
Alan Snyder's Cape Breton Fiddle Recordings Index [1]
Jane Keefer's Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources [2]

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Tune properties and standard notation