Annotation:But the House and Ben the House

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X:1 T:But the House and Ben the House M:6/8 L:1/8 N:A version of "Black Joke [1]" B:Cooke - Fiddle Tradition of the Shetland Isles (1986, p 87) K:A E>FG|[M:9/8]A3 F3 E>FG|:[M:6/8]A2 A- A>GA|B2B- B>AB|c2c- cBA|Bdc BAG| |1[M:9/8] A3F3 E>FG|A3F3 E>FG:|2[M:6/8] A2B c2d||e2e e2a|fed c2d| caa cBA|B2B- B>AB|c2c- cBA|Bec BAG|A3||

BUT THE HOUSE AND BEN THE HOUSE. AKA and see "Black Jock (1)" (Black Joke (1) (The)). Shetland, Jig or Air. A Major. AEae tuning (fiddle). AA'B. This is the Whalsay Island (Shetlands) title of the tune and song commonly known as "Black Jock" (Joke) on the mainland. It was one of the tunes played by John Irvine and Andrew Poleson for the Shetland custom of "bedding the bride." 'But' and 'Ben' refer to the 'outer' and 'inner' portions of the house, or the servants' and family quarters in rural habitations in early days [William White, Notes and Queries No. 54, 1876].

But your house and ben your house
This house is like a bridal house.

See also the similarly titled, but musically different strathspey "But and Ben," perhaps another vehicle for the words.

Additional notes

Source for notated version: - Andrew Poleson and John Irvine (Whalsey, Shetland) [Cooke].

Printed sources : - Cooke (The Fiddle Tradition of the Shetland Isles), 1986; Ex. 34, p. 87.

Recorded sources: -

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