Adderbury Tune Bank

Having trouble with the tunes? Here they all are... well most of them, played by Stephen Wass on a Castagnari Nik (a two row melodeon or button key accordion in the keys of G and D). To save space I have mostly played just a single A and B, except where I have not! It's also my voice on the words plus cold, I don't think you'll catch it over the Internet but you never know, sit back a little if you down load them.

An important feature of Adderbury is the tradition of singing in some dances. Michael Pickering in his "Village Song and Culture" (Croom Helm 1982) pointed out the links between members of the nineteenth century team and organised singing groups in the village. Certainly some of the team's repertoire was drawn from popular music of the time. Sometimes, presumably when worn out, they would simply stand and sing a song with sticking in the chorus. One wonders if there were occasions when a musician was unavailable so the side got into the habit of working with song tunes everyone knew. Singing during the 'once to yourself', a walk round for the current team, certainly gets everyone in step and ready to operate at the same tempo.

Yet to be captured digitally is the jig "Jockey to the Fair".

The tunes are in roughly the same order as those listed in that excellent little booklet in the Morris Federation's workshop series, "The Adderbury Tradition"

Thanks to Ashely Yakeley of the MossyBack Morris Men who in an idle moment converted all the tunes to MP3 format and told me about iTunes.

Back to Adderbury Morris

Princess Royal	Down load it here	Handkerchief A(AABB)4
The Bell	Down load it here	Handkerchief A(AB3)4
Haste to the Wedding	Down load it here	Handkerchief A(AB)5
Black Joke	Down load it here	Handkerchief A(AB)6
Buffoon	Down load it here	Handkerchief A(AB)5
Stourton Wake	Down load it here	Handkerchief A(AB)5
Old Woman	Down load it here	Handkerchief A(AB)6
Betty Windsor*	Down load it here	Handkerchief A(AB)5
Bethlehem	Down load it here	Handkerchief A(AB)5
Lollipop Man	Down load it here	Handkerchief A(AB3)4
The 17th May	Down load it here	Handkerchief A(AABBB)4
Constant Billy	Down load it here	Stick dance A(AB)6
Sweet Jenny Jones	Down load it here	Stick dance A(ABA)6
Lads a Bunchem	Down load it here	Stick dance A(AB)6
Bluebells	Down load it here	Stick dance A(AB)7
Roast Beef	Down load it here	Stick dance AA(AAB)6
Washing Day	Down load it here	Stick dance A(AB)5
Brighton Camp	Down load it here	Stick dance A(AB)6
Landlord	Down load it here	Stick dance A(AB)6
Beaux of London City	Down load it here	Stick dance AA(AABB)6
Cobb's Horse*	Down load it here	Stick dance A(ABB)4
Cuckoo's Nest	Down load it here	Stick dance AA(AABB)4
Shepherds Away	Down load it here	Hand clap A(AABB)3A...
Anniversary Jig**	Down load it here	Handkerchief AA(AAB)4
Happy Man	Down load it here	Stick dance A(AB)3
Postman's Knock	Down load it here	Stick dance B(AB)2B
Le Halle Place**	Down load it here	Handkerchief A(AB)5
	* Composed by Chris Leslie ** Composed and played by Chris Leslie