Bonnets so Blue (1)

BONNETS SO BLUE [1]. AKA – "Bonnets o' Blue (2)." English; Country and Morris Dance Tune (6/8 time). G Major (Carlin, Mallinson, Wade): D Major (Karpeles, Kennedy & Raven): C Major (Bacon, Barnes). Standard tuning (fiddle). AB (Carlin): AAB (Raven, Wade): ABC (Barnes, Sharp): AABC (Karpeles & Kennedy): ABCBC (Bacon, Mallinson). The Cotswold morris version is from the village Bucknell, Oxfordshire, area of England (a similar tune was collected in Brackley, Northampton) area of England, where it is a solo jig dance. Wade's version is from the North West (England) morris tradition and is used for either polka or single step. The author of "English Folk-Song and Dance" found the melody in the repertoire of fiddler William Tilbury (who lived at Pitch Place, midway between Churt and Thursley in Surrey), who used, in his younger days, to play the fiddle at village dances. He learned his repertoire from an uncle, Fiddler Hammond, who died around 1870, and who had been the village fiddler before him. The conclusion was that "Bonnets of Blue" and similar old country dance tunes survived in the tradition (at least in southwest Surrey) well into the second half of the 19th century.

Printed source: Bacon (A Handbook of Morris Dances), 1974; p. 124. Carlin (Master Collection), 1984; p. 36 (#46). Karpeles & Schofield (A Selection of 100 English Folk Dance Airs), 1951; p. 41. Kennedy (Fiddler's Tune-Book, vol. 1), 1951; No. 96, p. 47. Kerr (Merry Melodies, vol. 2); No. 312, p. 34 (appears as "Bonnets o' Blue"). Mallinson (Mally's Cotswold Morris Book, vol. 2), 1988; No. 38, p. 19. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; p. 103. Sharp (Country Dance Tunes), 1909/1994; p. 7. Wade (Mally's North West Morris Book), 1988; p. 9.

Recorded sources: EMI/Harvest 7243 8 29861 2 6, Ashley Hutchings et al – "Son of Morris On" (1976/1994).

X:1
T:Bonnets so Blue [1]
L:1/8
M:6/8
K:D
A|ded def|ABA ABc|dfb afd|efe e2A|
ded def|ABA A2b|agf age|(d3d2):|
||e/d/|cde efe|(A3A2)d|cde efg|
a3a2g|f2e d2c|B2c d2e|fgf edc|(B3B2)||A|
def def|def d2A|dfb agf|egf e2A|
def def|def d2b|agf age|(d3d2)||