Review: Come o'er the stream Charlie

Subject: RE: Review: Come o'er the stream Charlie
From: Big Tim
Date: 31 Aug 09 - 05:56 AM

Ewan MacColl recorded it as 'Maclean's Welcome' (c.1965). His notes were:

'This song of greeting sets forth in flowery terms the Highland delights prepared for Prince Charles Edward Stuart's coming by a clan chieftain. In spite of the dubious part played by a Maclean prior to the rising of 1715, the Clan Maclean regiment fought bravely in the front line at the disastrous Battle of Culloden and sustained grevious losses'.

Subject: RE: Review: Come o'er the stream Charlie
From: Jim McLean
Date: 31 Aug 09 - 05:44 AM

Gore also points to the Gesto Collection (1895), #50 where it appears as "MacLeans' Welcome, a Jacobite air from the Gaelic" and subtitled "Come o'er the Stream, Charlie". I would imagine the Gesto Collection is echoing Hogg rather than anything new.

Subject: RE: Review: Come o'er the stream Charlie
From: Jack Campin
Date: 30 Aug 09 - 06:40 PM

According to Gore's Scottish Fiddle Music Index, it's in Gale's Pocket Companion, c.1800. Which, amazingly, is the only version Gore lists under any title.

Subject: RE: Review: Come o'er the stream Charlie
From: Jim McLean
Date: 30 Aug 09 - 02:06 PM

Has the melody appeared in print prior to Hogg's 1821 edition?

Subject: RE: Review: Come o'er the stream Charlie
From: masato sakurai
Date: 30 Aug 09 - 01:28 PM

From The Fiddler's Companion:

COME OVER THE STREAM TO CHARLIE. AKA ‑ "Come O'er the Stream, Charlie." AKA and see "Crossing the Stream." Scottish, English; Waltz. G Major. Standard tuning. AB (Kerr, Martin): AAB (Kennedy, O'Neill, Raven): AABCC (Barnes). The title is from a song by James Hogg, composed in 1822 (to a pre-existing melody). Christine Martin (2002) says the tune appears in The Ballroom (1827) as "The Guracha," a Spanish dance. Source for notated version: Chicago Police Sergeant James O'Neill, a fiddler originally from County Down and Francis O'Neill's collaborator [O'Neill]. Barnes (English Country Dance Tunes, vol. 2), 2005; pg. 139 (appears as "Waltz Country Dance"). Kennedy (Fiddlers Tune Book), vol. 1, 1951; No. 74, pg. 36. Kerr (Merry Melodies), vol. 3; No. 306, pg. 33. Martin (Traditional Scottish Music), 2002; pg. 39. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903/1979; No. 153, pg. 27. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 136.

X:1
T:Come Over the Stream to Charlie
T:Crossing the Stream
M:3/4
L:1/8
R:Air or Waltz
S:O'Neill – Music of Ireland (1903), No. 153
Z:AK/Fiddler's Companion
K:G
G2|G3B d2|d2B2e2|d2B2g2|d2B2A2|G3 B d2|d2B2 GE|D2 B2A2|G4:|
d2|g3f g2|e3f g2|e2 a3g|(f2d2) d2|g3f g2|e2d2c2|B2A2G2|d4 B2|
c3d c2|B2d2g2|edcBAG|(B2 A2) d2|g3 f e2|d2g2e2|d2g2f2|g4||

Subject: RE: Review: Come o'er the stream Charlie
From: Jim McLean
Date: 30 Aug 09 - 05:09 AM

Hogg says "Maclean's Welcome FROM THE GAELIC" and the prints the tune (in F major) we are familiar with. (my copy is dayed 1821)
I know what Jack means when comparing it with "Ach du Lieber Augustine", which I always knew as "I'm a Little Dutch boy", especially when it is sung in such a measured waltz tempo.

Subject: RE: Review: Come o'er the stream Charlie
From: Jack Campin
Date: 30 Aug 09 - 04:46 AM

The tune is normally used the link in a "waltz country dance" medley. You don't hear those all that often now, but they are still part of the ceilidh band repertoire.

It's basically "Ach du lieber Augustin", isn't it? What tune did Hogg say to use? (This browser doesn't display Google Books pages).

Subject: RE: Review: Come o'er the stream Charlie
From: masato sakurai
Date: 30 Aug 09 - 02:58 AM

It's in James Hogg's The Jacobite Relics of Scotland, second series (1821), pp. 90-92; pp. 301-302 (notes), as Song XLVIII: "Maclean's Welcome".

Also in Greig's Scots Minstrelsie (vol.1), and others.

Subject: RE: Review: Come o'er the stream Charlie
From: GUEST,DonMeixner
Date: 30 Aug 09 - 12:51 AM

The Corries do a fine job of it.

Don

Subject: RE: Review: Come o'er the stream Charlie
From: Fidjit
Date: 29 Aug 09 - 10:31 PM

a big drum

Subject: RE: Review: Come o'er the stream Charlie
From: mg
Date: 29 Aug 09 - 10:14 PM

Forget it...I give a link one chance to work and only one

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrrwyhvJfk8

Subject: Review: Come o'er the stream Charlie
From: mg
Date: 29 Aug 09 - 10:13 PM

This is such a great song. How come no one has ever sung it in my presence?