Annotation:Uncle Jim
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UNCLE JIM. AKA and see "Is Fear Paidir na Port," "Minion (The)," "Prayer is Better than a Tune (A)," “Steamboat March,” “Steam Boat Quickstep," “Washington Quickstep.” Canadian, Jig. A Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB (Jarman): AA’BB’ (Perlman). Credited to Ontario fiddler John Burt by Jarman, however the tune is quite a bit older. Perlman (1996) records that these words were sung to the ‘B’ part on Prince Edward Island:
Mrs. MacArthur have you a daughter?
Yes, I have and a pretty one, too!
She has gone for a bucket of water,
When she comes in I will give her to you!
The melody was recorded by the Kilfenora Ceili Band, who added it to their 5-part "Kilfenora Jig." Irish versions go under the title “Is Fear Paidir na Port”, or “Prayer Is Better Than A Tune (A)."
Source for notated version: Elliot Wright (b. 1935, Flat River, Queens County, Prince Edward Island; now resident of North River) [Perlman]; Dawson Girdwood (Perth, Ottawa Valley, Ontario) [Bégin].
Printed sources: Bégin (Fiddle Music in the Ottawa Valley: Dawson Girdwood), 1985; No. 32, p. 46. Jarman (The Cornhuskers Book of Square Dance Tunes), 1944; p. 16. Perlman (The Fiddle Music of Prince Edward Island), 1996; p. 139.
Recorded sources: