Annotation:Sailor Lassie (The)
X:1 T:Sailor Lassie, The M:9/8 L:1/8 R:Slip Jig B:Robert Bremner – “For the year 1769 a collection of scots reels, or country dances” (p. 107) Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion K:C F|(E/F/G)E c>dc TB2G|(A/B/c)A GEC D2F|(E/F/G)E c>dc TB2G|(A/B/c)A GEC C2:| e|c2c (e/f/g)e gec|(e/f/g)e afd d2e|c2c (e/f/g)e gec|(e/f/g)e gec c2e| c2c (e/f/g)e gec|(e/f/g)e afd d2e|cGc edc TB>AG|(A/B/c)A GEC C2||
SAILOR LASSIE, THE. AKA and see "Dollie's/Dolly's the Girl for Me," Miss Margaret MacGregor’s Favourite,” "Polly the Lass," "Sailor's Delight (4)," “Tadg O Flaherty.” Scottish, Slip Jig (9/8 time). D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AAB. John Glen (1891) finds the earliest appearance of the tune in print in Robert Bremner's 1768 2nd collection (p. 107). It is closely followed by its inclusion in Northumbrian musician William Vickers' 1770 music manuscript collection under the title "Polly the Lass," and Straight & Skiller's c. 1775 collection as "Sailor's Delight (4)." James Aird printed another version of the tune in his fourth collection under the title "Miss Margaret MacGregor’s Favourite," and yet another as "Dolly's the Girl for Me," for a total of three different appearances (including "Sailor Lassie") under three titles in his Selection of Scotch, English, Irish and Foreign Airs series of volumes. It was entered into the large mid-19th century music manuscript collection of Canon James Goodman (County Cork) as "Tadg O Flaherty."
The Irish double jig "Shandon Bells" echoes the same melodic and harmonic material, but is not cognate.
