Annotation:Priest and the Rake

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PRIEST AND THE RAKE. AKA and see “Fair-Haired White-Skinned Calf,” "Slainte Righ Pilib." Irish, Air (9/8 time). D Minor. Standard tuning (fiddle). AB. "This song is a dialogue between a priest and a rake. In the end lthe rake is converted and promises reform. The priest's words are truly typical of the earnest affectionate Irish soggarth. I learned the whole song in my early days from hearing it sung at home. The refrain 'Before the first dawn of day,' was often given in Irish--'Air maidin le fainge an lae: pronounced 'Er moddhim le fawning an lay'. Pluto comes in correctly enough, as he was king of the nether world. The air is a good version of Slainte Righ Philip" (Joyce).

Source for notated version:

Printed sources: Joyce (Old Irish Folk Music and Songs), 1909; No. 411, p. 222.

Recorded sources:

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