Annotation:Watson's Scots Measure

Back to Watson's Scots Measure

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WATSON'S SCOTCH MEASURE. AKA and see "A Highland Lad my Love was Born," "O, An Ye were Dead, Guidman" I Wish that You were Dead Good Man, O Gin Ye were Dead Gudeman, "There was a Lad (was born in Kyle)," "White Cockade (1) (The)." Scottish, Scottish Measure. F Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. Emmerson (1971) thinks that Watson must have been a dancer or musician, else the honorific 'Mr.' would have been inserted. “There was a lad born I Kyle” is a title and line from a Robert Burns song set to the melody of “Watson’s.” Gow (1799) calls it “A very old tune.”

Source for notated version:

Printed sources: Emmerson (Rantin’ Pipe and Tremblin’ String), 1971; No. 26, p. 128. Gow (Complete Repository, Part First), 1799; p. 5. Henderson (Flowers of Scottish Melody), 1935 (appears as “There was a lad born in Kyle”). Howe (1000 Jigs and Reels), c. 1867; p. 152. McGlashan (Collection of Scotch Measures), 17 . McGlashan (Collection of Strathspey Reels), 1778; p. 7.

Recorded sources:

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