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18 Dec 15 - 07:02 PM (#3759465) Subject: Set Dancing Songs? From: Rog Peek Are there any songs out there which are about or directly connected to Irish set dancing. Particularly interested in any comical songs. Rog |
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19 Dec 15 - 07:09 AM (#3759573) Subject: RE: Set Dancing Songs? From: Mr Red I am sure there are the occasional songs that people sing while dancing. We dance to this band and I have vague recollections of singing. www.theperfectcureband.com/ |
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19 Dec 15 - 09:14 AM (#3759606) Subject: RE: Set Dancing Songs? From: MartinRyan Tim Dennehy of Kerry wrote and sings "A Winter's Tear" - a very fine song with set dancing at its core: Click here Regards |
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19 Dec 15 - 10:22 AM (#3759619) Subject: RE: Set Dancing Songs? From: Rog Peek Thanks Martin What a lovely song, had a tear in my eye. Roger |
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20 Dec 15 - 07:34 AM (#3759855) Subject: RE: Set Dancing Songs? From: Jim Martin And here's the lyrics (courtesy Tim's official website): http://www.sceilig.com/a_winters_tear_2.htm |
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20 Dec 15 - 11:38 AM (#3759894) Subject: RE: Set Dancing Songs? From: GUEST,Liberty Boy (sans cookie) Pat Burke a regular at An Góilín wrote a very funny song about his efforts to learn set dancing a few years ago. I'll text him and make him aware of this request and perhaps he'll share it with us. |
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20 Dec 15 - 06:36 PM (#3759951) Subject: RE: Set Dancing Songs? From: Tattie Bogle Janet Russell has done quite a bit about dancing to song tunes: I seem to remember doing a Gay Gordons to "The Waxy's Dargle" at a workshop she did for us! |
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21 Dec 15 - 08:16 AM (#3760053) Subject: RE: Set Dancing Songs? From: Rog Peek Liberty Boy - Googled it, absolutely brilliant, just the sort of thing I was hoping for. Managed to transcribe most of it, but can't get a handle on some, so lyrics from Pat would be great. Thanks Rog |
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21 Dec 15 - 10:31 AM (#3760074) Subject: RE: Set Dancing Songs? From: Pat deVerse I hear my name being spoken in hushed tones! Yes, I wrote the Set Dancers Complaint back in 2001. I started writing it during the Fleadh Cheoil in Listowel that year. It was published in Set Dancing News at the time. Indeed, I did spend approx. two years attempting to learn Set Dancing in Bray, Co. Wicklow. My instructor was Angela Bernard....god help the poor woman! Anyway, here's the words of the song, sung to the air of Bold Thady Quil. Apparently, the 'Thady' in question was hardly able to sew two pieces of leather together, and was satirised by a local ballad maker. Given that I couldn't dance a few steps despite all my trying....(very trying according to some set dancers), I considered the air most appropriate! THE SET DANCERS` COMPLAINT ( air: Bould Thady Quill ) Ye fair maids of Erin, with a fondness for dancing, a word of warning I now give to ye, avoid the advances at any set-ceilí of dark-eyed strangers in your company, And ne`er raise your left hand one inch o`er your shoulder if lost for a partner upon the dance floor for the fool who comes charging, his wild eyes a-blazing should never have ever been let through the door. Chorus For slides and for polkas, steps in jig or reeltime, and those blasted hornpipes, the hardest of all, in all my time trying, there`s no point in denying my feet are not flying when the sets they are called. In the neat town of Bray, in the fair County Wicklow, near the banks of the Dargle, I chanced for to stray, for there a good woman, she holds her dance classes, all through the long winter, till the last days of May, Oh, pity the poor créatúr, for I have her heart scalded, no fist can I make of those steps, none at all, though the brain is fine-tuned, the message short-circuits, be times never reaching my poor feet at all. chorus For slides...................... It`s a long way to West Clare, to Milltown and Quilty, There, I endeavoured to take a chance, at Scoil Samhraidh Willy Clancy, I enrolled in the classes with the help of some experts, I would learn to dance, a full week I spent there `midst trials and tribulations, blood sweat and tears did I shed in my cause, but in spite of their efforts and six days of coaching, My two feet as yet obey their own laws. chorus For slides.................... A Belfast man told me he could cure my problems, he keeps a neat workshop, the site of his toil, in these days of ceasefires and military cessations, his well-honed talents are underemployed, Says he, "my method`s flawless, two loaded revolvers, will have you stepping with skill and with flair, And if not the alternative is most alarming, six months spent on crutches or in a wheelchair . chorus For slides.................... Well, I`ve met some odd folk, and I`ve met some strange folk, and we've all met some folk, who`re not nice at all It was my own luck of a wild winter`s evening to meet Cinderella`s sister, when I went to the ball. for I partnered this woman, an Amazonian virago, with the temper of a Rothweiller, locked up in the pound, for she snarled and she growled and she bared her white fangs, and if she used them to bite, well, I didn`t stay`round . chorus For slides .............. Now in brief conclusion, it is no illusion, I fear this set dancing may be not for me, it might suit me better to go mountain climbing, potholing, or diving in the deep sea, pony-trekking, hand-gliding or orienteering, windsurfing, coarse fishing or hunting the wren, Ara' God blast ye all for reviving set dancing, it certainly dosen`t suit this gentleman. chorus For slides................. © Pat "the Verse" Burke 2001 |
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21 Dec 15 - 10:45 AM (#3760077) Subject: RE: Set Dancing Songs? From: GUEST,Liberty Boy Thanks Pat! |
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21 Dec 15 - 11:16 AM (#3760082) Subject: RE: Set Dancing Songs? From: GUEST,Diva Pat that is brilliant! kathy (Hobkirk) with two left feet |
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21 Dec 15 - 03:15 PM (#3760117) Subject: RE: Set Dancing Songs? From: Pat deVerse Thanks Kathy. Have you never heard me sing it before? Probably not, as it only gets an occasional outing. Wishing you all the best for Xmas and the coming year |
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21 Dec 15 - 04:24 PM (#3760121) Subject: RE: Set Dancing Songs? From: GUEST,Diva No Pat but I look forward to hearing it!Hope you have a grand Christmas and all the best for 2016 |
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22 Dec 15 - 07:34 AM (#3760208) Subject: RE: Set Dancing Songs? From: GUEST,Learaí na Láibe G'man Pat. |
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22 Dec 15 - 11:08 AM (#3760278) Subject: RE: Set Dancing Songs? From: Pat deVerse Thanks Learaí, might give the Set Dancers Complaint a blast at O'Donoghues Xmas session lunchtime wed. |
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22 Dec 15 - 11:42 PM (#3760402) Subject: RE: Set Dancing Songs? From: GUEST,mg just read in one of those irish blogs that an italian neurologist found that people with parkinson's disease do well when irish set dancing..they showed a clip of them dancing..ones who had difficulty with balance etc. were dancing up a storm. he published this somewhere i think. |
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23 Dec 15 - 07:21 AM (#3760441) Subject: RE: Set Dancing Songs? From: Jim Martin Here you go: http://www.setdancingnews.net/news/news.lp#Bristol |
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23 Dec 15 - 07:38 AM (#3760446) Subject: RE: Set Dancing Songs? From: Jim Martin And an earlier article in the Irish Times: http://www.irishtimes.com/news/set-dancing-benefits-for-parkinson-s-1.1066245 |
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23 Dec 15 - 09:07 AM (#3760464) Subject: RE: Set Dancing Songs? From: Tattie Bogle A friend runs a singing class for the local Parkinson's Disease Group: singing is also beneficial in that it improves breath control and articulation. And we played for a ceilidh for the same group: the dancers were a mixture of those afflicted and their friends: as Jim has said in the linked article, we thought we might have to play at slower than usual dance speed, but in fact were asked by the dancers to take it back up to almost usual pace. And, not Irish, but another ceilidh dancing song from Glasgow songwriter, Ian Davison: not in the DT, though 4 verses of it are posted in a 2002 thread. Here's the whole song (translations if required!) Phil and Aly are, of course, Phil Cunningham and Aly Bain, and quite a few dances mentioned. ROOM FUR US A' IN THE DANCE Ian Davison Tune: Back O' Bennachie Chorus (+ after each verse) Wi' Phil oan the boax an' Ally on the fiddle, We birl at the tap an' we dash doon the middle, An, "Whit she sees in him is a riddle", But there's room fur us a' in the dance. 1.There's some o' us no even startit yet, An' some of us are up fur every set, An' some o' the faces shine wi' sweat, An' there's room fur us a' in the dance. 2.They're a' in noo, wi' the Sergeant dashin', An' the elbows up, an' the partners clashin', An' the blood is up an' the eyes are flashin', An' there's room fur us a' in the dance. 3.The cry goes up fur Strip the Willow, The ties are aff, the dresses billow, An' ah widnae mind her tae share ma pillow, An' there's room fur us a' in the dance. 4.Then airm-n-airm in rows we're headin', Steppin' it oot fur Mairi's Weddin', An' some'll no miss the weight they're sheddin'. An there's room fur us a' in the dance. 5.Wi the Quarrie's jig an' Autumn in Appin, The feet are gauin' an' the hands are clappin', An' the Deil knaws whit next'll happen, An' there's room fur us a' in the dance. 6.By the Duke O' Perth and the Eightsome Reel, Ye'd think we a' hud springs in oor heels, An' a wee quick cuddle or a kiss we'll steal, An' there's room fur us a' in the dance. 7.Wi' the Hamilton Rant and the Kashmir shawl, Ye kin hairdly hear the caller's calls, Fur the din that's echoin' aff the wa's, An' there's room fur us a' in the dance. 8.But noo it's time fur Toddlin' Hame, An' maist o' the people are limpin' lame, An' quite a few folk are lyin' there maimed, An' there's room fur us a' in the dance. |
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23 Dec 15 - 06:26 PM (#3760568) Subject: RE: Set Dancing Songs? From: Rog Peek Many thanks Pat for the lyrics to your song. Absolutely brilliant, and as I said, just what I was hoping for. Rog PS Thought I had sent this yesterday, but it seems not to have made it. Of course I might, in a 'senior moment', just have forgotten to click the button! |
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23 Dec 15 - 07:37 PM (#3760583) Subject: RE: Set Dancing Songs? From: Rog Peek Incidentally, I am the 'Roger' referred to in Geraldine Teggart's article in Set Dancing News' I help with modifying figures for the sets and teaching and calling. The amount of modification depends on the individual sets and precludes certain movements e.g. 'dancing around the house' which is usually replaced by a 'lead around'. The music is slowed down, though not by much, most figures being danced to between 80% and 85%. Mostly we have a set dancer pairing with someone with Parkinson's, which works very well and we usually have between two and three sets. We've just enjoyed our third Christmas dance and Geraldine is to be congratulated on running a very successful group. I know that I speak for the set dancers involved when I say that we find it very enjoyable. As for the Parkinson's sufferers, well, they do keep coming back for more! Rog |