"Who was responsible for "Hangman's Reel"? I hate that tune. One big, long, four-part chord progression with no actual melody."

Okay, since you asked, cric-crac sit back and cric-croc let me talk. A stranger came into the village - this very village - and attended a dance. In the course of the dance, the stranger got into a fight, and unfortunately killed his opponent. A trial was held the next day, the stranger found guilty, and taken out to be hanged. However, perhaps there was some little bit of sympathy for the (handsome) stranger, because an out-of-tune fiddle was brought to him and he was told that if he could play it, his life would be spared. The stranger took the fiddle and played the tune that became known as the "Hangman's Reel". His life - normally here the phrase "needless to say" would appear - was spared, and the tune has been a popular one ever since, mes enfants.

Given the circumstances of its composition, I'd cut the tune some slack!