DT Study: MacAlister Dances Before the King

Subject: MacAlister Dances Before the King
From: Joe Offer
Date: 18 Dec 25 - 12:10 AM

We don't have any information about this song. Here are the DT Lyrics.

MACALISTER DANCES BEFORE THE KING

Clansmen, the peats are burning bright, sit round then in a ring,
And I will tell of that great night I danced before the King.

For as a dancer in my youth, so great was my renown
The King himself invited me to visit London town.

My brand new presentation kilt and ornaments I wore,
As with my skean-dhu I rapped upon the Palace door.

And soon I heard a lord or duke come running down the stairs,
Who to the keyhole put his mouth demanding who was there.

"Open the door, " I sternly cried, "as quickly as you can,
Is this the way that you receive a Highland gentleman?"

The door was opened, word went round, "MacAlister is here"
And at this news the Palace rang with one tremendous cheer.

The King was sitting on his throne but down the steps he came,
Immediately the waiting lord pronounced my magic name.

The lovely ladies of the court with pearls and jewels decked,
All blushed, and trembled as I bowed to them with great respect.

Slowly at first with hands on hips I danced with ease and grace,
Then raised me airms above me head and swifter grew the pace.

At last no human eye could see my steps so light and quick,
And from the floor great clouds of dust came rising fast and thick.

The King was deeply moved and shook me by the hand in friends true
"Alas," he cried," although a King, l canna dance like you. "

And then the gracious Queen herself came smiling up to me,
She pinned a medal on my breast for everyone to see.

Her whisper I shall not forget nor how her eyes grew dim,
"Ah, where were you MacAlister the day I married HIM?"


From singing of Willie Scott
@dance @royalty @queen @Scottish
filename[ MACDANCE
RG

Smithsonian Folkways recording by Sandy Scott: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1K5jp7rIjl0

Is this only a recitation, or is there a sung version?

Ballad Index:

Irthing Water Hounds, The

DESCRIPTION: October 11, 1873, hounds from Irthing Water are on a fox hunt. Finally "the celebrated Mowdie" finds a fox in a hole. A terrier flushes Reynard and his trail flushes a vixen. Both foxes are killed. "Drink success to the Irthing lads"
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1967 (recording, Willie Scott)
KEYWORDS: death hunting animal dog
FOUND IN: Britain(Scotland(Bord))
REFERENCES (2 citations):
McMorland/Scott-HerdLaddieOTheGlen, pp. 118-119, 155, "Irthing Water Foxhounds" (1 text, 1 tune)
ADDITIONAL: Willie Scott, "The Irthing Water Hounds," School of Scottish Studies Archive SA1953.254,Tobar an Dualchais/Kist o Riches accessed 14 September 2013 from http://www.tobarandualchais.co.uk/en/fullrecord/66326/1
Roud #5692
RECORDINGS:
Willie Scott, "The Irthing Water Hounds" (on Voice18)
NOTES [6 words]: River Irthing is in Northumberland. - BS
Last updated in version 3.2
File: RcIrtWaH

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https://mainlynorfolk.info/folk/songs/mcallisterdancesbeforetheking.html

Subject: RE: DT Study: MacAlister Dances Before the King
From: Reinhard
Date: 18 Dec 25 - 02:01 AM

It's a poem from D.M. MacKenzie, probably from his book Highland Readings (Glasgow: Laidlaw & MacKenzie, 1935) - which I don't have and I can't find an online table of contents.

It is recited only, by Mary B. Maclean on a 1930 shellac record, by Willie Scott on Tobar an Dualchais, and by Willie's son Sandy Scott on Folkways.

Roud seems to have given the number 5692 to both The Irthing Water Hounds and to McAllister Dances Before the King, which seems to be a mistake.

Spelling: All versions on poetry websites, as well as the Folkways album habe the spelling "McAllister", so I think this may be the original spelling.   Mary B. Maclean's record has "McAlister", Tobar an Dualchais has "MacAllister" and Alison McMorland's book (and the DT liyrics) has "MacAlister".

Subject: RE: DT Study: MacAlister Dances Before the King
From: Robert B. Waltz
Date: 18 Dec 25 - 03:37 AM

Reinhard wrote: Roud seems to have given the number 5692 to both The Irthing Water Hounds and to McAllister Dances Before the King, which seems to be a mistake.

It's more complicated than that. "McAllister Dances Before the King" is Roud #38986 (five items, all versions of Willie Scott's recitation), but four versions (three from Willie Scott, one from Duncan MacIntosh) were mis-filed under #5692.

But I agree; "McAllister" is not the same as "The Irthing Water Hounds," and the "McAllister" versions with Roud #5692 should be reassigned to #38986.

Subject: RE: DT Study: MacAlister Dances Before the King
From: GUEST,Mike Yates
Date: 18 Dec 25 - 06:11 AM

In 2002 I recorded a version of the recitation 'MacAllister's Dance Before the King' from Willie Scott's son Sandy Scott. Although his father, Willie, knew the piece, Sandy had learnt it some time around 1946 from a farmer's son, Willie MacFarlane, at Hartwood Myers in the Ettrick Valley.
You can hear this recording on the CD 'Borderers - Ballads, songs and tunes from the Scottish Borders' (Kyloe Records 102).

Subject: RE: DT Study: MacAlister Dances Before the King
From: Reinhard
Date: 18 Dec 25 - 07:50 AM

Ah, I should have searched in Roud and on my own site for something like "m* dance* before the king". Then I wouldn't have missed Roud 38986 of which all versions have "Danced" in their title and not "Dances", and Mike's recording which has "Dance" ;-)

Subject: RE: DT Study: MacAlister Dances Before the King
From: Jack Campin
Date: 18 Dec 25 - 09:03 AM

There is a similar anecdote in the Abkhaz novelist Fazil Iskander's Sandro of Chegem, where Sandro does a spectacular Caucasian dance in front of Stalin (and inspires a favour in return that Abkhaz mountains should go back to having Abkhaz names instead of Russian ones).

I'd guess "dancer shows off to the King" is a widespread trope?

Subject: RE: DT Study: MacAlister Dances Before the King
From: Joe Offer
Date: 18 Dec 25 - 03:33 PM

I didn't see the connection between Irthing Water Hounds and MacAlister, but I thought I'd put them up anyhow because I didn't have time to research thoroughly. I suspected that the Usual Suspects would step in and point out the discrepancy - which they did. Thanks, guys.
That's what I like about Mudcat, the way we work together on things.

Here's Reinhard's page on this piece:
https://mainlynorfolk.info/folk/songs/mcallisterdancesbeforetheking.html