Annotation:Forfeit o' da Ship (Da)
X:1 T:Forfeit o' da Ship, Da M:C L:1/8 R:Reel K:D AB|d2 dB dA F2|ABAF EDEF|(3AAA AF ABde|f2 ed B2:| |:AB|d2 fd adfd|d2 fd eAAf|(a2 a)e fdef|dBAF E2:||
FOREFIT O' DA SHIP, DA. Shetland, Reel. D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AB (Boys/Lough): AABB (Anderson & Georgeson, Cooke, Hunter, Martin, Martin & Hughes, Phillips). In the repertory of Tom Anderson's Shetland Fiddle Band, and therefore widely known in the islands. Tom Anderson (1970, 1978) states the tune is supposed to be one of the tunes composed by an unknown fiddler-whaler, inspired by the sound of the sea breaking on the bows of a sailing ship. Robin Morton (1976) believes there is Scandinavian influence apparent in the melody. Tom Anderson (1979) remarks:
Dis is een o' wir favorite tüns an we tink it cam frae Unst. If du could tink du wis ida fo'castle o' a sailin ship an heard da sea brakin o'er da boo, du'll be able to play him right. We hae pittin accents ida music ta tell dee whaur ta lay on da bow wi a measur o strength sae dat du can hear whaur da sea stricks da boo.