Annotation:My Useless Scrip
X:1 T:My Useless Scrip(t) M:C| L:1/8 B:David Young – “A Collection of Scotch Airs with the latest Variations” (AKA - The B:McFarlane Manuscript (c. 1741, No. 141, p. 197) F: https://rmacd.com/music/macfarlane-manuscript/collection/pdfs/my_useless_scrip.pdf N:The Society of Antiquaries of Scotland K:F AB|c3d (cA) c2|f6 c2|d2f2 (cA)(GF)|G6 (F/G/A/B/)|c3d (cA) c2|f6 g2| (ag) a2 (ec) e2|f6:||:ef|g4a (ge)(dc)|(fe)(dc) A3c|d2f2e2 (dc)|d6 e2| fdgf e3e|fgaf b3a|(ba)(gf) e3e|fdTcA Tc2 (d/e/f/g)|Tg3f f2:|
MY USELESS SCRIP(T). AKA - "Farewel my useless scrip." Scottish, English; Air (cut time). F Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. "Farewel my useless scrip" was a song attributed to 'Mr. Forcer', printed in Thomas D'Urfey's Wit and Mirth: or, Pills to Purge Melancholy vol. VI (1719-20, p. 320). It was an older piece, however, and was published (as "A New Song set by Mr. Forcer") in The Alamode Musician[1] (1698), printed by Henry Playford. The words begin:
Farewell my useless scrip and poor unheeded flocks,
No more you'll round me trip, nor cloath me with your Locks,
Few by yon purling stream where Jockey, where Jockey first I knew,
I only think, I only think, I only think on him,
I cannot, cannot, cannot think of you.
English composer John Blow (1648-1708) fashioned a setting of the song in 1699.
