The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #160411   Message #3804938
Posted By: Joe Richman
13-Aug-16 - 05:21 PM
Thread Name: Origins: Fair and Easy vs Kick the Pope
Subject: Origins: Fair and Easy vs Kick the Pope
"Kick the Pope" is one of the tunes mentioned in the song "Old Orange Flute". I Googled it and found a Youtube video with the title "KICK THE POPE" which had a flute band with a drum-beating "Pope" (the guy looked like John-Paul ). However, the tune sounded like one I've associated with the song "Wild Colonial Boy"! I was pretty sure that the tune "Kick the Pope" wouldn't have been used for that so I dug further. On "The Traditional Tune Archive" I found a tune called "Fair and Aisy I'll Be Rid of Her".

This was the discussion post there:

FAIR AND AISY (I'LL BE RID OF HER). AKA and see "Fair and Aisy I'll Get Out of It," "Kick the Pope." American, March (6/8) or Jig. D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AB. The title of this originally Irish tune was "Kick the Pope," while the title above and the 1st alternate were the inspiration of old Scottish fifer Dick Gibson in an effort to gentrify the Orange sensibilities of the 'Pope' title. Bayard (1981) belives it belongs to the same tune group as "Bung Your Eye", and to the larger "Welcome Home (3)" tune family. "

On thesession.org website I found another copy of the sheet music and a good MIDI file of it.
It is a 6/8 jig-march which makes sense.

I'm pretty sure the Youtube band isn't playing "Kick the Pope", but I want to make sure. I wanted to make a medley of Orange tunes, and I already know "The Protestant Boys" (aka "Lilliburlero") and "Croppies Lie Down" which are also mentioned in"Old Orange Flute".

BTW, I found a NI BBC video of coverage of several flute band parades on the 12th of last month, and it sounded kind of like coverage of any other parade intended to entertain the public. No fighting or rioting in sight.