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Jenny Dang the Weaver (Planc Sinead an Fiodoir)
Scottish (origin), Shetland, Irish, Canadian, American; Air, Reel or "Solo Strathspey." USA, New England. Canada, Cape Breton.
ARTIST: From Ceolas;
CATEGORY: Fiddle and Instrumental Tunes; DATE: 1746
RECORDING INFO: Surenne, Dance Music of Scotland, 1852, Canadian Broadcasting Corp. NMAS 1972, Natalie MacMaster - "Fit as a Fiddle" (1993). Claddagh Records CC17, Sean Keane - "Gusty's Frolics" (1975). Culburnie Records CUL102, Alasdair Fraser & Jody Stecher - "The Driven Bow" (1988). Green Linnet GL1108, The Tannahil Weavers - "Cullen Bay." Green Linnet SIF 1077, Capercaillie - "Crosswinds" (1987). Green Linnett GLCD 1119, Cherish the Ladies - "The Back Door" (1992). "The Caledonian Companion" (1975). "Dun Creagan in Paradise."
OTHER NAMES: "Jenny Bang the Weaver," "Jemmy Dang the Weaver," "Jenny Beguil'd the Webster."
SOURCES: Fiddler Seán Keane (Ireland) [Breathnach]; Peter Chaisson (b. 1942, Bear River, North-East Kings County, Prince Edward Island) [Perlman]. Alburger (Scottish Fiddlers and Their Music), 1983; Ex. 19, pgs. 39-40 (a reprint of the Skye version). Breathnach (CRE III), 1985; No. 139, pg. 65 (appears as "Planc Sinéad an Fíodóir/Jennie Bang the Weaver". Cole (1001 Fiddle Tunes), 1940; pg. 5. Gow (Complete Repository), Part 1, 1799; pg. 34. Honeyman (Strathspey, Reel and Hornpipe Tutor), 1898; pg. 13 (reel). Hunter (Fiddle Music of Scotland), 1988; No. 216. Johnson (The Kitchen Musician's No. 10: Airs & Melodies of Scotland's Past), Vol. 10, 1992; pg. 7. Kerr (Merry Melodies), Vol. 1; Set 6, No. 4, pg. 6. Lowe's Collection, 1844. MacDonald (The Skye Collection), 1887; pg. 35 (appears as a "Solo Strathspey"). Perlman (The Fiddle Music of Prince Edward Island), 1996; pg. 77. Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; pg. 83.
NOTES: D Major. Standard. AB (Athole, Gow, Skye): AAB (Honeyman, Hunter): AA'B (Perlman): ABC (Breathnach): AABB (Cole): AA'BB' (Kerr). Composition of the tune has been credited to the Rev. Alexander Garden (1688-1778), minister of Birse, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Hunter (1988) relates that around 1746 "the minister's 'handy-man,' and ex-weaver from Mary well called Jock, hotly refused to clean the parson's boots when requested to do so by Mrs. Garden. The enraged minister's wife gave him such a beating with her 'tattie-beetle' that he soon performed the task." It was first published in the 2nd edition of William Thompson's Orpheus Caledonius (1733), where it appeared as "Jenny Beguil'd the Webster." John Glen (1891), though, finds it earliest in print in Robert Bremner's 1757 Collection of Scots Reels or Country Dances (pg. 54), and it was also printed in the Gillespie Manuscript of Perth (1768). It is reported to be in Rutherford's 200 Country Dances of c. 1756. It became a favorite early 19th century song (at least in Lowland centers, says Emmerson {1971}), with lyrics by Sir Alexander Boswell set to the tune. The song tells of a weaver who makes unwanted advances toward Jenny, who turns him down flatly, or 'dangs' him:
Jenny dang, and Jenny dang, and Jenny dang the weaver,
Soon the fool his folly kent and Jenny dang the weaver.
The popular melody was known in the American colonies where it appeared in the MS copybooks of violinist Whittier Perkins (Massachusetts, 1790) as "Jemmy dang the weaver" and Clement Weeks (Greenland, New Hampshire, 1783) as "Jenny Dangs." It has been observed that there is some similarity between this tune and the Irish "Longford Tinker."
For the song lyrics below: Leugh is prounounced "looch" (ch as in "loch"). Peugh is pronounced "Pyooch."
Here are the lyrics:
At Willie's wedding on the green
The lassies, bonnie witches
Were a' dress'd oot in aprons clean
And braw white Sunday mutches
Auld Maggie bade the lads tak' tent
But Jock would no believe her
But soon the fool his folly kent
For Jenny dang the weaver
Jenny dang, Jenny dang
Jenny dang the weaver
But soon the fool his folly kent
For Jenny dang the weaver
At ilka country dance or reel
Wi' her he would be bobbin'
When she sat doon, he sat doon
And tae her would be gabbin'
Where'er she gaed, baith but 'n' ben
The coof would ne'er leave her
Aye kecklin' like a clockin' hen
But Jenny dang the weaver
Jenny dang, Jenny dang
Jenny dang the weaver
Aye kecklin' like a clockin' hen
But Jenny dang the weaver
Quo' he my lass, tae change my mind
In troth I needna swither
You've bonnie een and if you're kind
I'll never seek anither
He humm'd and haw'd, the lass cried Peugh!
And bade the coof no deave her
Syne snapped her fingers lap and leugh
And dang the silly weaver
Jenny dang, Jenny dang
Jenny dang the weaver
Syne snapped her fingers lap and leugh
And dang the silly weaver
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