Annotation:Thaunalaw
X:1 T:Thaunalaw T:It is Day M:2/4 L:1/8 R:Air Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion K:F cc {d/}e>f|gf f2|cc {d/}e>f|gf e/c/e/f/|gf ec/B/|AA AG/F/|EF GA/_B/|cG AF|| cF (F>G)|AB G>F|EF (GA/)B/|cGAF|cF (F>G)|AB G>F|EF G(A/B/)|cG AF||
THAUNALAW (It is Day). AKA and see "It is Day." Irish, Air (2/4 time). F Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AB. P.W. Joyce (Ancient Irish Music, 1873) writes: “This spirited air takes its name from the chorus of an Irish drinking song, which I have written phonetically with the music. It may be translated, (First toper.) “It is day, it is day, it is day—in the early morning!” (Second toper,) “Arrah, not at all, my dear friend, it is only the light of the moon, shining on high!””
Thaunalaw, thauna law, thaunalaw, agus na woddin!
Neel na law arrah agraw och sullus aurd athawsa yollig.
Joyce notes there was an English song to the air, printed on a broadsheet, called “The lamentation of Patrick Keane the tailor,” which was “full of coarse, broad humour. Here is one half stanza:--
I am a tailor by my trade, in cutting out I am quite handy,
And all I earn ev’ry day, my wife lays out in tea and brandy.
