Annotation:Claw Her Weam
ABC Notation and Properties
CLAW HER WEAM. English, Reel or Scots Measure. England, Northumberland. F Major (Atkinson): D Major (Vickers). Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. Matt Seattle (1987) explains that, while William Vickers' music manuscript contents lists "Claw hir Weam" (which means roughly 'tickle her tummy' or 'stroke her belly'), the title that was printed on the page with the music is the incomprehensible "Clap hir Warm they." However it may mean "Clap Her Warm Thigh." Northumbrian musician Henry Atkinson entered the tune into his 1694-95 music manuscript collection as "Claw Her Waem", which is the name of a bawdy song set to the tune. Researcher Seattle finds that Atkinson's tune is a form of a melody whose derivations became popular as "Bonny Lass of Livingston (The)," "Cockleshells" and "Hielan Laddie (1)," although sometimes compressed and altered.
Source for notated version: William Vickers' music manuscript collection (Northumberland, 1770) [1].
Printed source: Seattle (Great Northern/William Vickers), 1987, Part 3; No. 437.