Annotation:Old Age and Young

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OLD AGE AND YOUNG (NEVER AGREES). AKA - "Auld Eage and Young Never Grees the Gither." Scottish, Country Dance Tune (3/2 time). Directions for the dance to this tune were written down in 1752 by John McGill, dancing master in Girvan, for his students. The melody, in 'Old Hornpipe' (Triple Hornpipe) time, appears in the Drummond Castle Manuscript (in the possession of the Earl of Ancaster at Drummond Castle), inscribed "A Collection of Country Dances written for the use of his Grace the Duke of Perth by Dav. Young, 1734." Jack Campin identifies "Old Age and Young" as an adaptation of an English pipe tune from the 17th century called "Three Sharp Knives," and he suggests the English tune might have been a vehicle for some sort of ritual-combat dance. "Black's Hornpipe" also has similarities, says Jack. The melody was also published in Robert Petrie's 3rd Collection of Strathspey Reels (c. 1800), and in collections by Daniel Dow (1746) and John Anderson (1790).

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