Flaked, in Green Fields of Canada

Subject: Flaked, in Green Fields of Canada
From: halaswell
Date: 22 Aug 04 - 07:57 AM

In 'The Green fields of Canada', fiddlers FLAKE out the tunes.

Can anyone tell me if this is a correct term ?

Chambers doesn't have a definition that obviously relates to playing, but when you add a bit of poetic licence ...

Maybe pedantic, but I don't feel comfortable singing something I don't understand, and there may be an interesting story here.

Much thanks

Halaswell

Subject: RE: Flaked, in Green Fields of Canada
From: Maryrrf
Date: 22 Aug 04 - 08:01 AM

I'm glad you asked that question. I've been singing "played" but it does sound like "flaked". I hope somebody is able to answer this.

Subject: RE: Flaked, in Green Fields of Canada
From: GUEST,Claire
Date: 22 Aug 04 - 09:14 AM

The Joyce Gang's version on Green Fields... is written down in the cover sleeve of In yer Face as being 'flacked' but maybe this is a mispelling as it sounds like they are saying flaked on the album. I have always wondered about this too. Hopefully someone can help!

Subject: RE: Flaked, in Green Fields of Canada
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 22 Aug 04 - 09:23 AM

The word comes from Paddy Tunney's version of the song, which is the one that most revival performers sing. See thread The Green Fields of Canada for some discussion which touches on Paddy's occasional poetic additions to songs; it would seem that this is one such. The meaning of the word isn't enlarged upon; it would be whatever Paddy meant it to be.

Unfortunately it isn't any longer possible to ask him, but it's likely enough that people did, and not impossible that someone may come by who remembers.

Subject: RE: Flaked, in Green Fields of Canada
From: halaswell
Date: 23 Aug 04 - 09:45 AM

Much thanks to everyone. I'll mention 'flaking' to a couple of fiddlers - just in case thet have heard the term, but I'm going to stick to singing 'played'.

Cheers

Halaswell

Subject: RE: Flaked, in Green Fields of Canada
From: Bardford
Date: 23 Aug 04 - 02:13 PM

A google search (fiddle, flake, tune) yields these pages with the appropriate paragraphs pasted herein. It looks like flaked is indeed a "fiddle word". Perhaps something to do with the snowfall effect of the rosin...


http://www.shantalla.com/reviews_live.html

"The band works very much as a team with three lead instruments out front accordion, fiddle and
         uilleann pipes backed up with subtle guitars, bouzouki, and bodhran rhythms. Gerry Murray's
         piano accordion blends with Kieran Fahy on fiddle and piper Michael Horgan to provide a sturdy
         frontline that can flake it out with the best of them while also allowing a delicious subtlety in both
         style and approach."

And also
href="http://home.hccnet.nl/h.speek/irishbox/Cooley/cooley.html">http://home.hccnet.nl/h.speek/irishbox/Cooley/cooley.html

(A review of a Joe Cooley recording.)

"The double jig - "Daniel O'Connell" -
which follows brings vividly to mind Cooley's
last day playing. It was in Kelly's Bar, in Gort
that a small number of people had gathered on
a Sunday midday to hear Joe. Des Mulkere and
myself helped him to flake out the old mountain
reels, and as the two o'clock closing hour drew
on, a number of young musicians made their
way in from Galway where they had given a
concert the night before - there was Triona Ni
Dhomhnaill, a traditional singer of twenty-one,
Paddy Glackin, a young fiddle player, and
others... "

Subject: RE: Flaked, in Green Fields of Canada
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 23 Aug 04 - 02:55 PM

The latter instance is pretty clearly quoted from Paddy's set of Green Fields of Canada, so it doesn't really get us any further. I strongly suspect that the usage in the first example derives from Paddy's as well; the song is well-known nowadays, after all. What you need is a reference that pre-dates Paddy's version of the song; and that, I think, you may not find.

Subject: RE: Flaked, in Green Fields of Canada
From: Cluin
Date: 23 Aug 04 - 03:07 PM

fleadh?

Subject: RE: Flaked, in Green Fields of Canada
From: MartinRyan
Date: 23 Aug 04 - 03:49 PM

The sense is of playing fast and furious - and is not specific to fiddle players or fiddle playing. It's a firly common expression in Ireland - but I'll need to do some digging for recorded examples.

Regards

p.s. You also, of course, here a very tired person described as "flaked out" - but that's another story.

Subject: RE: Flaked, in Green Fields of Canada
From: GUEST,Ballyholme
Date: 23 Aug 04 - 04:02 PM

I think you're right, MartinRyan. The word is not necessarily confined to musical activities. Fast and furious would be a good approximation.

Subject: RE: Flaked, in Green Fields of Canada
From: GUEST,Fiddle Flaker
Date: 06 Sep 04 - 06:58 AM

There is a colloquial connotation to the word "flake" in ireland. To flake something typically means to hit it (e.g. he gave him a flake in the forehead, or the teacher used to flake us when we got something wrong).

This word is still used in colloquial and idiomatic speech in Ireland today. In the context of music (fiddle or otherwise) to flake out a tune would mean to play with gusto and power.

Subject: RE: Flaked, in Green Fields of Canada
From: wysiwyg
Date: 07 Sep 04 - 06:15 PM

refresh

Subject: RE: Flaked, in Green Fields of Canada
From: Nerd
Date: 07 Sep 04 - 09:40 PM

Indeed, the OED confirms Fiddle Flaker:

6. (Anglo-Irish.) To beat, flog. In quot. absol.

1841 S. C. HALL Ireland II. 316 note, My back was sore with the flaking..Flake away, my jewil.