Lyr Req: Semi demi quaver

Subject: Lyr Req: Semi demi quaver
From: Peterr
Date: 11 Mar 03 - 12:22 PM

Long time ago I heard a cumulative (is that right) song with a long chorus including as I think last lines
Semi-demi quaver down below,
This is my lady's holiday, so let the lads be merry (x2)

Can anyone help?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Semi demi quaver
From: Sorcha
Date: 11 Mar 03 - 12:35 PM

Didn't find a thing! Help!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Semi demi quaver
From: Ed.
Date: 11 Mar 03 - 01:18 PM

Well, I'd suspect it would be 'Demi semi quaver' but I couldn't find anything with that either...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Semi demi quaver
From: Schantieman
Date: 11 Mar 03 - 01:33 PM

and then possibly "Hemi demi semi quaver"?
..and possibly preceded by semi quaver, quaver, crotchet etc?

All we need now is a tune!

S

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Semi demi quaver
From: GUEST,The Fantum
Date: 12 Mar 03 - 07:53 AM

I have the words at home and if they have not appeared by this evening I shall post em
The tune is more challenging


Fantum

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Semi demi quaver
From: Peterr
Date: 12 Mar 03 - 04:48 PM

Yes, Im sure demi semi etc would be right.
Fantum, I'll look forward to seeing the words - I think I still have the tune tucked away the ageing subconscious

Subject: RE: Lyr : Semi demi quaver
From: fantum
Date: 12 Mar 03 - 05:12 PM

Right Peterr,
I am not at all sure of the right way to do this so the harvesters can pick it up so I will start a new thread with the right form under
Lyr:add Semi Demi Quaver

Its on its way

Fantum

Subject: Lyr Add: SEMI DEMI QUAVER
From: fantum
Date: 12 Mar 03 - 05:49 PM

Title
SEMI DEMI QUAVER

I am not sure this is the correct title and I have no idea of the author but it is still a nice piece of work.

Four and twenty fiddlers all in a row
Four and twenty fiddlers all in a row
Fiddle fiddle faddle semi demi quaver down below

It is my lady's holiday so let the lass be merry
It is my lady's holiday so let the lass be merry

Four and twenty fiddlers all in a row
Four and twenty fiddlers all in a row
Who'll rub it up who'll rub it up
Fiddle fiddle faddle semi demi quaver down below

It is my lady's holiday so let the lass be merry
It is my lady's holiday so let the lass be merry

Four and twenty cobblers all in a row
Four and twenty cobblers all in a row
Cobbler cobbler stabble tan tan terrero
Who'll rub it up who'll rub it up
Fiddle fiddle faddle semi demi quaver down below

It is my lady's holiday so let the lass be merry
It is my lady's holiday so let the lass be merry

Four and twenty tailors all in a row
Four and twenty tailors all in a row
One caught a louse t'other let him loose
One cried knock him down with a goose
Cobbler cobbler stabble tan tan terrero
Who'll rub it up who'll rub it up
Fiddle fiddle faddle semi demi quaver down below

It is my lady's holiday so let the lass be merry
It is my lady's holiday so let the lass be merry

Four and twenty priesties all in a row
Four and twenty priesties all in a row
Two ruffles to every shirt
One caught a louse t'other let him loose
One cried knock him down with a goose
Cobbler cobbler stabble tan tan terrero
Who'll rub it up who'll rub it up
Fiddle fiddle faddle semi demi quaver down below

It is my lady's holiday so let the lass be merry
It is my lady's holiday so let the lass be merry

Four and twenty barbers all in a row
Four and twenty barbers all in a row
Devilish hard times shave twice a penny
Two ruffles to every shirt
One caught a louse t'other let him loose
One cried knock him down with a goose
Cobbler cobbler stabble tan tan terrero
Who'll rub it up who'll rub it up
Fiddle fiddle faddle semi demi quaver down below

It is my lady's holiday so let the lass be merry
It is my lady's holiday so let the lass be merry

Four and twenty apostles all in a row
Four and twenty apostles all in a row
Abraham begat Isaac
Isaac begat Jacob
Jacob begat the twelve tribes of Israel
Devilish hard times shave twice a penny
Two ruffles to every shirt
One caught a louse t'other let him loose
One cried knock him down with a goose
Cobbler cobbler stabble tan tan terrero
Who'll rub it up who'll rub it up
Fiddle fiddle faddle semi demi quaver down below

It is my lady's holiday so let the lass be merry
It is my lady's holiday so let the lass be merry

And there we have it I hope. Good luck with it
Fantum

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I moved this message here from another thread on the same topic. No need to start an ADD thread in response to a request. To help avoid confusion and duplication, it's generally best to keep all the information on a particular song in one thread. Just change the title of the message to ADD and the song title.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Semi demi quaver
From: Joe Offer
Date: 12 Mar 03 - 07:32 PM

This page (click) makes it sound like the song was quite popular in the 1830's. It's also mentioned in connection with Poe, and Dickens uses the phrase "four and twenty fiddlers, all of a row." Now, can we find a tune? Not in Levy or the American Memory Collection, and not in the ABC Tune Finder. Seems like we ought to be able to find more information on this.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Semi demi quaver
From: GUEST,Arkie
Date: 12 Mar 03 - 07:49 PM

Anyone know what a semi demi quaver is?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Semi demi quaver
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 12 Mar 03 - 07:57 PM

G'day GUEST.Arkie,

"... Anyone know what a semi demi quaver is? ..."

Not much (... a 1/32 note to the Yanks ... ?)

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Semi demi quaver
From: Joe Offer
Date: 12 Mar 03 - 08:00 PM

Sure, Arkie. A crotchet is a quarter-note. A quaver is an eighth-note.
My dictionary says a demiquaver is a sixteenth note, and so is a semiquaver.
A thirty-second note is, according to Webster's New World, a demisemiquaver (which doesn't address the semidemiquaver issue but I imagine they are the same).
A sixty-fourth note is a hemidemisemiquaver.

• A demi is a French half.
• A hemi is a Greek half.
• A semi is a big truck...
  er, a Latin half.

Now, see, wasn't that easy?
But back to the song - the song fragments I found didn't mention quavers, but they DID talk of 24 fiddlers and my lady's holiday.
-Joe Offer-

---

For the sake of completeness, allow me to add that I found that a breve is the longest note in modern notation, the equivalent of two whole notes, which are also called semibreves.
The British name for half note is minim.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Semi demi quaver
From: GUEST,Arkie
Date: 12 Mar 03 - 09:43 PM

I figured that there would be some folks who had at least an inkling. I heard a lecture on shaped note singing by someone who drew a chart illustrating the hemi, semi, quavers on infinitum and even crochets. I've asked a few shape note singers of long standing if they ever used the suckers and the response was they seemed to remember having heard of them.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Semi demi quaver
From: GUEST,the Fantum
Date: 13 Mar 03 - 07:47 AM

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Semi demi quaver
From: Peterr
Date: 13 Mar 03 - 08:07 AM

Fantum
Many thanks. It's exactly the one, and I think I can get the tune sorted
To all you others, I didn't actually need help with what a hemi demi whatever is as it's way beyond me (my daughter is very clever with all that stuff) but thanks for your thoughts anyway!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Semi demi quaver
From: Joe Offer
Date: 13 Mar 03 - 11:25 AM

But if someebody can come up with the tune for the rest of us, that would be very nice. E-mail it to me, and I'll post it.

--Joe Offer (click to e-mail)-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Semi demi quaver
From: Peterr
Date: 13 Mar 03 - 11:30 AM

I'd love to be able to write the tune down, but esp the chorus is almost recited, as I recall.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Semi demi quaver
From: fantum
Date: 25 Mar 03 - 07:28 PM

At long last I have found the recording of this song taken of the radio years ago and the only extra information is the song title.

"Four and twenty fiddlers"

However for the really clever surfers it may help.

Regards

Fantum

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Semi demi quaver
From: Joe Offer
Date: 26 Mar 03 - 02:51 AM

I looked and looked. Seems we should be able to find this tune.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Semi demi quaver
From: nutty
Date: 26 Mar 03 - 05:13 AM

There's a broadside of the song in the Bodleian Library, HERE

Unfortunately undated and handwritten, which makes it rather difficult to read.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Semi demi quaver
From: Peterr
Date: 26 Mar 03 - 07:20 AM

nutty
Great link - must check the Bodleian out sometime. M Edwins 'new' Four and Twenty Fidlers implies perhaps that it was well known and used satire, updated in this version. Wonder when it was?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Semi demi quaver
From: nutty
Date: 26 Mar 03 - 11:16 AM

There's a printed version here dated between 1802 and 1819

Four and Twenty Fidlers

and another undated but readable copy here (likely to be around the same date as the one above)
HERE

The second line of the first verse appears to be .........

There was fiddle faddle, double damme, simi quibble, down below

Subject: Lyr Add: MR. EDWIN'S NEW FOUR AND TWENTY FIDLERS
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 28 Mar 03 - 09:32 AM

Lyrics transcribed from the broadside image at http://bodley24.bodley.ox.ac.uk/cgi-bin/acwwweng/ballads/image.pl?ref=Harding+B+17(200a)&id=07523.gif&seq=1&size=0
The Bodleian Library Ballads Catalogue: Harding B 17(200a).
Doubtful words are marked with (?).

Mr. EDWIN'S New four and twenty Fidlers.

Four and twenty fidlers all on a row,
There was fiddle faddle, double damme, simi quibble, down below;
And it is my lady's holiday,
Therefore we will be merry.

Four and twenty harpsichords all on a row,
There was concords, discords, harpsichords, all sorts of cords,
One, two, and almost three,
With my fiddle-faddle, &c.

Four and twenty ladies all on a row,
There was prittle prattle, tittle tattle,
Pray ma'am do you go to the musical festival?
La I ma'am, they say there are to be 20,000 performers
O la I what a monstrous noise must they make,
With their concords, discords, &c.

Four and twenty washerwomen all on a row,
There was up to their elbows in suds,
With their prittle prattle, tittle tattle,
Concords, discords, &c.

Four and twenty parliament men all on a row,
There was minority, majority, up to their elbows in suds, &c.

Four and twenty lawyers all on a row,
There was damages, settlements, imprimis, item, for as much as the alike said,
Minority, majority, &c.

Four and twenty old maids all on a row,
There was, O how I hates all male creatures!
With their damages, settlements, &c.

Four and twenty lingos (?) all on a row,
O Homer, Illiad, Virgil, Wat Tyler, Oddyssey, Pope,
O how I hates all male creatures, &c.

Four and twenty singing masters all on a row,
Ma'am you pitch too high, sir, you pitch too low,
Ma'am that's the very right key,
With my catches and glees,
Under the bush with my Highland laddie,
O my charming Iliad, &c.

Four and twenty lovers all on a row,
There was kissing and toying, toying and kissing, sighing, &c.
Ogling under the bush with my Highland laddie,
O my charming Iliad, Virgil, Wat Tyler, Odyssey, Pope;
O how I hates all male creatures!
Pray ma'am do you take in the World?
No, ma'am, I take in the Public;
With damages, settlements, imprimis, item, for as much as the alike said,
Minority, majority, up to their elbows in suds,
Prittle prattle, tittle tattle, concords, discords, harpsichords, all sorts of cords,
One, two, and almost three
With my fiddle, faddle, faddle fiddle, double damme, simi quibble, down below,
And it is my lady's holiday,
Therefore we will be merry.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Semi demi quaver
From: GUEST,Dai Jeffries
Date: 27 Sep 14 - 07:13 AM

A bit late I know but I heard this song last night for the first time since about 1973. The author was Thomas D'Urfey (isn't it always?)and the lyrics given are the now usual distillation of a whole set of floaters. A tailor's goose was a flat iron and 'stabble' was originally 'stab awl'. In the west country it was pronounced 'starbole'.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Semi demi quaver
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 27 Sep 14 - 09:34 AM

Is this the tune?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bt6kOqN582k

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Semi demi quaver
From: fantum
Date: 27 Sep 14 - 02:26 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgCwkv4DN88

This is the tune I associate with this song.
CLICK HERE

Fantum

Subject: Lyr Add: FOUR AND TWENTY FIDDLERS
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 28 Sep 14 - 06:21 PM

This version doesn't mention hemi-, demi-, or semiquavers, but it's obviously related. It appears with musical notation for the tune, in Calliope: or, The Musical Miscellany (London: C. Elliot and T. Kay, 1788), page 148. I have inserted line breaks where I think they will be helpful, and I have modernized the the spelling (where it was inconsistent anyway):


FOUR AND TWENTY FIDDLERS

1. Four and twenty fiddlers all on a row
Four and twenty fiddlers all on a row
There was fiddle faddle fiddle
And my double damme semi quibble,
Down below.
It is my lady's holiday, therefore let us be merry.
It is my lady's holiday, therefore let us be merry.

2. Four and twenty drummers all on a row,
There was hey rub a dub, ho rub a dub,
Fiddle faddle, &c.

3. Four and twenty trumpeters all on a row,
There was tantara rara, tantara rera,
Hey rub a dub, &c.

4. Four and twenty cobblers all on a row,
There was stab awl and cobbler, and cobbler and stab awl,
Tantara rera, &c.

5. Four and twenty fencing masters all on a row,
There was push carte and tierce, down at heel, cut him across,
Stab awl and cobbler, &c.

6. Four and twenty captains all on a row,
There was oh! d—n me, kick him down stairs,
Push carte and tierce, &c.

7 four and twenty parsons all on a row,
There was lord have mercy upon us!
O! d—n me, kick him down stairs, &c.

8. Four and twenty tailors all on a row,
One caught a louse, another let it loose,
And another cried knock him down with the goose,
Lord have mercy upon us, &c.

9. Four and twenty barbers all on a row,
There was bag whigs, short bobs, toupees, long queues, shave for a penny,
Oh d—n'd hard times, two ruffles and ne'er a shirt,
One caught a louse, &c.

10. Four and twenty Quakers all on a row,
There was Abraham begat Isaac, and Isaac begat Jacob,
And Jacob peopled the twelve tribes of Israel,
With bag wigs, short bobs, toupees, long queues, shave for a penny,
Oh d—n'd hard times, two ruffles and ne'er a shirt,
One caught a louse, another let it loose,
And another cried knock him down with the goose,
Lord have mercy upon us,
Oh d—n me kick him down stairs,
Push carte and tierce, down at heel, cut him across,
Stab awl and cobbler, and cobbler stab awl,
Tantara rara, tantara rera,
Hey rub a dub, ho rub a dub,
Fiddle faddle fiddle
And my double damme semi quibble
Down below,
It is my lady's holiday therefore let us be merry.
It is my lady's holiday therefore let us be merry.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Semi demi quaver
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 29 Sep 14 - 12:25 AM

Thanks for the link, Fantum. That's great!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Semi demi quaver
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 30 Sep 14 - 10:28 AM

I liked this song enough to make a MIDI of it, based on the video that Fantum just linked above. The lyrics are:

Four and twenty fiddlers all of a row
Four and twenty fiddlers all of a row
Hey diddle diddle semi demi quaver down below
This is my lady's holiday so let the lads be merry (2x)

They are singing in the key of E-flat, and the song goes from 4/4 time to 3/4. I'm not familiar enough with that key to get the harmony down.

I'll send it in.

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Click to play (joeweb)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Semi demi quaver
From: doc.tom
Date: 30 Sep 14 - 10:53 AM

Brilliant - just found this thread! Used to be sung by the Songwainers - I always thought Dave Stevenson had fettled it out of very little (as he often did) - nice to know there's something more substantial behind it. Didn't they used to put it with My Dame Has A Lame Tame Crane?
TomB

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Semi demi quaver
From: Joe Offer
Date: 30 Sep 14 - 09:37 PM

Leeneia's MIDI poated.

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Click to play (joeweb)