The Fiddler's Morris
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Transcription: by Darryl D. Bush
"The Fiddler's Morris", also known as "Hilland Tune", "There was a Lad was born in Kyle",<br> "The White Cockade", "O an ye were dead guidman", "I Wish that You were Dead Good Man",<br> "O Gin Ye were Dead Gudeman", "Watson's Scots Measure" or "A Highland lad my love was born" is an<br> English country dance tune in cut time in F Major. The parts are played AB.<br> "Fiddler's Morris" was first published by Henry Playford in the 11th edition of his Dancing<br> Master (1701) and was retained in the series through the 18th and final<br> edition of 1728. The piece was also published by the Walshes (John Walsh and his namesake)<br> commencing with The Compleat Country Dancing Master of 1718. The latter editions of the Dancing<br> Master were issued by John Young, heir to the Playford publishing concerns, who also republished<br> Henry Playford's A Collection of Original Scots Tunes from the year 1700. In that collection<br> "Fiddler's Morris" appears under the title "Hilland Tune" by which title it also was printed<br> in London publisher Daniel Wright's Aria di Camera (1727).<br> The tune was known in Scotland as "O an ye were deid, guidman" and was the indicated tune for<br> poet Robert Burns's song "There was a lad was born in Kyle."<br> O an ye were deid, guidman,<br> A green turf on your head, guidman,<br> I wad bestow my widowhood<br> Upon a rantin' Highlandman.<br> James C. Dick in Songs of Robert Burns notes that the first part of the tune resembles the<br> second phrase of "The Duke of Buccleugh's Tune" in Playford's Apollo's Banquet 6th Edition (1690).<br> Cognates to "Fiddler's Morris" are to also found in Scottish collections under the title<br> "Watson's Scots Measure" (c.f. David Young's Macfarlane Manuscript of 1741, William McGibbon's<br> Third Collection and Alexander McGlashan's Scots Measures (1781).<br> It was printed in Neal, Carey and Toye's The Espérance Morris Book (1910),<br> Elias Howe's Musician’s Omnibus Nos. 6 & 7 (1880-1882),<br> Moffat & Kidson's Dances of the Olden Time (1912),<br> John Walsh's Complete Country Dancing-Master, Volume the Fourth (1740) and<br> Barlow's Complete Country Dances from Playford's Dancing Master (1985).<br>
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