Annotation:Oran-gaoil
X:1 % T:Oran gaoil, a gallic song translated by a Lady M:3/8 L:1/8 R:Air B:Johnson - Scots Musical Museum, vol. 3 (1790, Song 273) Z:AK/Fiddler's Companion K:Dmin d2|(c2A2)c2|d2d2e2|f3g f2|(f3e) d2|c2A2f2| {f}e4 d2|c2A2d2|D4 E2|F3G (AB)|c2A2F2| G2A2c2|d3e f2|cA3F2|A3B AG|F3G E2| D4||A2|d3ed2|{d}c4A2|f4f2|{f}e4d2|(c2A2)f2| {f}e4 d2|c2A2d2|D4 E2|F4G (AB)|c2A2F2| G2A2c2|d3e f2|c2A2F2|A4 A G|F3 GE2|D4||
ORAN-GAOIL. Scottish, Air (6/8 time). E Minor. Standard tuning (fiddle). AB. Poet Robert Burns (1759-1796), in a letter to publisher George Thomson (August, 1793), remarked:
They have lately in Ireland, with great pomp, published an Irish air as they say, called 'Caun du delish' ("Ceann du delis" AKA "Black Headed Dearie). The fact is, in a publication of Corri's a great while ago [Scots Songs, 1783, ii. 29]], you will the same air called a Highland one, with a Gaelic song set to it. Its name there, I think, is 'Oran Gaoil' and a fine air it is.
Writing to Thomson the next year, he returned to the subject:
The other one in your collection 'Oran gaoil', which you think is Irish, they claim as theirs by the name of 'Caun du delish', but look into your publication of Scottish Songs, and you will find it is a Gaelic Song, with the words in that language, a wretched translation of which original words is set to the tune in the [Scots Musical] Museum. Your worthy Gaelic priest gave me that translation, and at his table I heard both the original and the translation sung by a large party of Highland gentlemen, all of whom had no other idea of the tune than it was a native of their own country.