Annotation:Soldier's Lament (The)
X: 1 T:Soldier's Lament, The C:C.E.Larrabee, Binghamton, N.Y. M:6/8 L:1/8 Q:1/4=75 F:http://www.john-chambers.us/~jc/music/abc/mirror/drumband.org/Soldiers_Lament_v2.abc K:G G|GBd gfg|f>ed cBA|G>Bd efg|f>de def| gbg afd|c>de dBA|G>AB c>Ad|B>GA G2 :| |: B/c/|d2e B2d|gfa gfe|d2e B2d|gfa g2 e/e/| d2e B2d|gfa gfe|dgB AGA|BGA G2 :|
SOLDIER'S LAMENT, THE. American, March (6/8 time). G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. "Soldier's Lament" was one of several tunes contributed to the American Veteran Fifer by C.E. Larrabee of Binghamton, New York, presumably a former musician in the United States army. The first strain is nearly identical to the well-known Irish/English jig "Paddy Whack (1)", a widespread and common jig played since at least the second half of the 18th century. An astute investigator at drumband.org posted an observation about the second strain, applied to the abc's posted to that site: "The second staff of this tune, #70, is identical to the second staff of tune #69. This is highly suspicious and one of the tunes is believed to be in error. Both were contributed by the same person, however, and are not common, so the contributor may have knowingly composed or played both with the same second half. The tune is akin to 'Rye Whiskey'." However, the second strain of "Soldier's Lament" does not, to my ear, resemble "Rye Whiskey" even when the usually 3/4 time melody is set in 6/8 time.
