Lyr Req: The Water Dog's Hole / Otter's Holt

Subject: The water dog's hole
From: GUEST,Liz the Squeak
Date: 04 Jun 00 - 04:39 PM

Otherwise known as the Otters' Holt or variations on that theme (the water dog being the otter). It's a lovely tune, sorry I can't reproduce it here, but I have a vague and distant memory of it being done as a lament, with words to it. Something about the hunting of the otter with otterhounds, it was a lament on the decline of both dog and otter. Probably making this up out of a drunken recollection or a dream from a former life, but what the heck, it can't hurt to ask can it?!

Thanks,

LTS

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The water dog's hole
From: Pene Azul
Date: 04 Jun 00 - 05:03 PM

There's a page with the tune here with a link to a MIDI.

PA

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The water dog's hole
From: GUEST,Liz the Squeak
Date: 04 Jun 00 - 05:08 PM

Yes, that's the one,thanks; but it was sung at about a quarter of the speed......!!! Now, any words to it around please??

LTS

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The water dog's hole
From: Pene Azul
Date: 04 Jun 00 - 05:16 PM

There's a 5+ Mb .zip of MP3s of it with other songs on this page. I haven't listened to it so I don't know if it has vocals. Still looking...

PA

Subject: Tune Add: THE OTTER'S HOLT
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 05 Apr 03 - 01:54 AM

According to this page "The Otter's Holt" was written by Martin Crehan. Other sources say it's by Junior Crehan.

A Dutch band called "Fling" has a very nice instrumental medley called "The Cat's Whiskers/Otter's Holt" on their album "The Blackbird" which you can find at their website here. (To play an mp3 sound sample, click here.) I recognize the tune as the same one that Andy M. Stewart used for his charming song "Take Her in Your Arms" -- which has nothing to do with otters.

Here's a tune that I copied from http://www.cnnw.net/~oneil/o.html#12

X:
T:Otter's Holt, The
T:Poll an Madra Uisce
S:irtrad-l, Ethan Hack, 10/94
D:Bothy Band: "Old Hag You Have Killed Me"
N:3rd tune in the "Music in the Glen" Set
N:In Bulmer and Sharpley as "the Aughdarra"
M:C|
K:Bm
fBBA FEFB|A2 FB ABde|fBBA FEFA|B2BA B2de|fBBA FEFB|A2FB ABde|f2af effe|
[1dBAF B2de:|
[2dBAF B3A|:d3f a2fa|bfaf effe|d3f a2fa|bfaf e2fe|d3f a2fa|bfaf efde|fBBA FEFA|
ABBA B3a:|

Sorry, I haven't found any evidence of any lyrics to go with this tune -- other than Stewart's

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The water dog's hole
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 05 Apr 03 - 07:12 PM

See also the entries at  The Fiddler's Companion:

Water Dog