There is a perfectly reasonable explanation for Bang Your Frog.....
I've also heard that "old" tunes have strange names because, in the Gaelic, they sound like the first few notes of the tune.
For instance Paradimethyl Aminobenzaldehyde.......( tip; try singing that to The Irish Washerwoman....)....
I had an opportunity for some strange name tune fun last Sunday. A gal who's a nice fiddler and has recently moved to the hood has realized that I know just about all the names for the tunes and she sits next to me so she can write them down. As the evening progressed I ended up just leaning over and saying the name to her without her prompting me. Then they played a certain jig and I realized that the circumstances would probably never be repeated again. When the tune finish I leaned over, looked her directly in the eyes and said without hesitation, "Will you come home with me?" She gasped and said, "Are you serious?!!!" Then she saw the twinkle in my eye and realized I was pulling her leg and it was the tune name. Then she slugged me and laughed. Her husband, who was sitting at the bar, got a big laugh too when I explained why his wife bopped me one.
Iris, I think there is a good story about that tune - "Making babies with Steam"
Quote Fiddler's Companion:
"The title comes from a song by Johnnie McEvoy about Daniel O'Connell and his speech on the occasion of the debut of the first steam engine in Ireland in which he said it and railways would be the making of future generations of Irish people. The phrase was a potent double-entendre as O'Connell was suspected of having several illegitimate children with various mistresses"
About the ex-Newcastle United chairman John Hall, by the late Joe Scurfield, and has a distincly minor-major feel, which might reflect the composer's opinion of the chairman Less weird when knows the background though!
Upstairs in the Tent ( surely a Goon Show reference ? ) was one alternative title for a tune I've known and played for 30+ years, my first band called it Yah Tiddle-y-Ah Tah, also known as Skin the Goat ( bodrhan-players' favourite ? ) but it finally got nailed as being Lather the Wattle.
Sometimes weird names are as a result of mis-hearing, such as a story told by Colum Sands about the request for a song about the "Hairy Tongue".
You know that one that goes:
"Her Hairy tongue over her shoulders, tied up with a black velvet band".
I've banged toads on lab benches before... but never frogs on sofas.
I know a friend wrote a tune Take Me To Your Ladder (it's a joke, right, you know, these aliens come down in their ship and hover 20 feet above the earth until some brave soul walks near enough to look up underneath, and the aliens say to him or her, "take me to your ladder!" right...)
Alasdair Fraser was going to write one called 2 9 0. (Two Nine Oh. Say it out loud and kind of let the words run together and you'll get it.) That was in 2001 so I would assume he's written it by now...
Weird Tune Names
Weird Tune Names
I just discoverd a D dorian reel called Bang Your Frog on the Sofa. What are the strangest, most random names for tunes you've ever heard?
# Posted on April 30th 2006 by Zazzaliss
Re: Weird Tune Names
Buried my wife and danced on her grave!! Gets the strangest looks everywhere i go!!!
# Posted on April 30th 2006 by galway-fiddle
Re: Weird Tune Names
Making Babies With Steam???? Huh???/
Dusty Windowsills was probably written aften someone saw my house! LOL!
# Posted on April 30th 2006 by irisnevins
Re: Weird Tune Names
Where's Zina when you need her to lell the story fo Bang your frog...
# Posted on April 30th 2006 by I_Fel
Re: Weird Tune Names
Get Up Old Woman And Shake Yourself
The Highlander who kissed his granny
# Posted on April 30th 2006 by m
Re: Weird Tune Names
There is a perfectly reasonable explanation for Bang Your Frog.....
I've also heard that "old" tunes have strange names because, in the Gaelic, they sound like the first few notes of the tune.
For instance Paradimethyl Aminobenzaldehyde.......( tip; try singing that to The Irish Washerwoman....)....
# Posted on April 30th 2006 by Guernsey Pete
Re: Weird Tune Names
"Upstairs in a tent"
(Acknowledgements Ciaran Carson)
# Posted on April 30th 2006 by TomB-R
Re: Weird Tune Names
The Cat That Ate the Candle (aka The Cow that Ate the Blanket)
The Floating Crowbar
The Drunken Police Car
# Posted on April 30th 2006 by E
Re: Weird Tune Names
The Cat has kittened in Charlie's wig
# Posted on April 30th 2006 by siubhal
Re: Weird Tune Names
The Night Larry Got Stretched
# Posted on April 30th 2006 by joesmith
Re: Weird Tune Names
I had an opportunity for some strange name tune fun last Sunday. A gal who's a nice fiddler and has recently moved to the hood has realized that I know just about all the names for the tunes and she sits next to me so she can write them down. As the evening progressed I ended up just leaning over and saying the name to her without her prompting me. Then they played a certain jig and I realized that the circumstances would probably never be repeated again. When the tune finish I leaned over, looked her directly in the eyes and said without hesitation, "Will you come home with me?" She gasped and said, "Are you serious?!!!" Then she saw the twinkle in my eye and realized I was pulling her leg and it was the tune name. Then she slugged me and laughed. Her husband, who was sitting at the bar, got a big laugh too when I explained why his wife bopped me one.
# Posted on April 30th 2006 by Phantom Button
Re: Weird Tune Names
Lol phantom.
Pin your catfish on the tree.
# Posted on April 30th 2006 by folkie musicie junkie
Re: Weird Tune Names
That was a tune name by the way, I wasn't telling Phantom button to pin his catfish on the tree, obviously.........
# Posted on April 30th 2006 by folkie musicie junkie
Re: Weird Tune Names
Guernsey- no organic chemistry, please, it's making my head hurt!
# Posted on May 1st 2006 by Fiddlekit
Re: Weird Tune Names
Iris, I think there is a good story about that tune - "Making babies with Steam"
Quote Fiddler's Companion:
"The title comes from a song by Johnnie McEvoy about Daniel O'Connell and his speech on the occasion of the debut of the first steam engine in Ireland in which he said it and railways would be the making of future generations of Irish people. The phrase was a potent double-entendre as O'Connell was suspected of having several illegitimate children with various mistresses"
# Posted on May 1st 2006 by Donough
Re: Weird Tune Names
Grandma hold the candle still while I shave the chickens lip
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/2525
# Posted on May 1st 2006 by Ray Mariani
Re: Weird Tune Names
"She was only the stableman's daughter but all the horse manure"
# Posted on May 1st 2006 by RichardB
Re: Weird Tune Names
It's "the night BEFORE Larry was Stretched". He was Hanged. It makes perfect sense if you know the words (by Hurlfoot Bill).
# Posted on May 1st 2006 by Innocent Bystander
Re: Weird Tune Names
Oh this discussion is hilarious!!
I don't have a tune name to spare but I remeber
that Ben Sands has a sketch about funny tune names...
# Posted on May 1st 2006 by thesheep
Re: Weird Tune Names
Thanks Donough! It makes sense now!
# Posted on May 1st 2006 by irisnevins
Re: Weird Tune Names
"Balls to Hall"
About the ex-Newcastle United chairman John Hall, by the late Joe Scurfield, and has a distincly minor-major feel, which might reflect the composer's opinion of the chairman
Less weird when knows the background though!
# Posted on May 2nd 2006 by Andy V
Re: Weird Tune Names
Upstairs in the Tent ( surely a Goon Show reference ? ) was one alternative title for a tune I've known and played for 30+ years, my first band called it Yah Tiddle-y-Ah Tah, also known as Skin the Goat ( bodrhan-players' favourite ? ) but it finally got nailed as being Lather the Wattle.
# Posted on May 2nd 2006 by Guernsey Pete
Re: Weird Tune Names
old hag you have killed me
# Posted on May 3rd 2006 by m
Re: Weird Tune Names
Sometimes weird names are as a result of mis-hearing, such as a story told by Colum Sands about the request for a song about the "Hairy Tongue".
You know that one that goes:
"Her Hairy tongue over her shoulders, tied up with a black velvet band".
# Posted on May 3rd 2006 by Donough
Re: Weird Tune Names
"The Diddly- iPod" (from a Sharon Shannon CD).
"The Dingle Berries" (Lunasa)
"The Tit in the Wringer" (my title; tune as yet unwritten)
Keep `em coming!
# Posted on May 4th 2006 by michaelr
Re: Weird Tune Names
I've banged toads on lab benches before... but never frogs on sofas.
I know a friend wrote a tune Take Me To Your Ladder (it's a joke, right, you know, these aliens come down in their ship and hover 20 feet above the earth until some brave soul walks near enough to look up underneath, and the aliens say to him or her, "take me to your ladder!" right...)
Alasdair Fraser was going to write one called 2 9 0. (Two Nine Oh. Say it out loud and kind of let the words run together and you'll get it.) That was in 2001 so I would assume he's written it by now...
# Posted on May 9th 2006 by anna k
Re: Weird Tune Names
I had a french girlfriend once and we really enjoyed spending time together on the sofa.
# Posted on May 9th 2006 by Phantom Button
Re: Weird Tune Names
"I Had A Lass Till I Ran at Her" - also known as "Hod the Lass While I Run at Her"
There's also "the Savage Hornpipe"
# Posted on May 31st 2006 by Joe CSS
Re: Weird Tune Names
I can't believe no one has mentioned "pull the knife and stick it in again". Sorry to re-awaken this old thread, but that name is a classic!
# Posted on March 24th 2007 by fiddle85