Annotation:Over the River to Charlie (2)

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OVER THE RIVER TO CHARLIE [2]. AKA - "Over the Water To Charlie." AKA and see "We Prefer Our Own King," "Wha'll be King but Charlie," "Royal Charlie," "Fy Buckle Your Belt," "More Power to Ye," "Behind the Bush in the Garden (1)." Scottish (originally), Irish, American; Jig or March. USA: southwestern Pa.; Wetzel County, W.Va. A Mixolydian. Standard tuning (fiddle). AB. Bayard (1981) feels this tune has more claim to its title than other of the "River" or "Water" tunes, as it had Jacobite associations prior to its first printing. The earliest version found by him is in Capt. Simon Fraser's collection and appears as "Se'n Righ atha aguin is fear linn" (We Prefer Our Own King), and Fraser's notes indicate that it was known in Ireland as well as Scotland. By 1745, the high tide of the Jacobite rebellion, the tune was disseminated enough to be called "one of the incentives of rebellion" (Fraser) and soon became associated with the anonymous lyrics "Wha'll Be King but Charlie?" by which title instrumental versions are often known.

Sources for notated versions: Emery Martin (Dunbar, Pa., 1946) and Scott Phillips (Wetzel County, W.Va., 1930's) [Bayard].

Printed sources: Bayard (Dance to the Fiddle), 1981; 557A-B, p. 496.

Recorded sources:

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