Annotation:Wait for the Wagon

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WAIT FOR THE WAGON. AKA – “On the Wagon,” “Waiting for the Wagon.” American, Song and Dance Tune; English, March. F Major ('A' part) & C Major ('B' part) (Ford): D Major (Callaghan). Standard tuning (fiddle). AB (Ford): AABB (Callaghan). An American song tune composed by R. Buckley & George P. Knaupf in 1851. It was adopted (tongue-in-cheek) in Britain as a military march by the Royal Corps of Transport. The tune was played by old fiddler William “Jinky” Wells, accompanist for the Bampton Morris Dancers, although it was not a traditional morris tune and is almost never heard played for morris dancing today. "Wait for the Wagon" was recorded from the playing of East Anglia publican (of the Dennington Bell) and melodeon player Dolly Curtis in the 1980’s.

Source for notated version:

Printed sources: Callaghan (Hardcore English), 2007; p. 53. Ford (Traditional Music in America), 1940; p. 119 (lyrics also printed by Ford).

Recorded sources: Beautiful Jo Records BEJOCD-28, The Mellstock Band – “The Dance at the Phoenix: Village Band Music from Hardy’s Wessex and Beyond.”. EFDSSCD13, Old Hat Concert Party – “Hardcore English” (2007. Various artists). Firebird FBR01, Phoenix – “After the Fire.” Old Hat Records OH-1, Old Hat Band - "The Old Hat Concert Party" (1986). Veteran VT130CD, Dolly Curtis (et al) - “Who Owns the Game: Traditional Songs and Melodeon Tunes from Central Suffolk” ().