Key signature: Amixolydian
Submitted on November 6th 2003 by Oranaiche.
This tune has been added to 123 tunebooks.
Also known as Drunken Piper, Far Am Bi Fhin, Far Am Bi Mi Fhien, Far Am Mi Fhin, March Of The Mín Na Toiteán Bull, The March Of The Mín Na Toiteán Bull, March Of The Meeatoiteen Bull, March Of The Meena Toiten Bull, March Of The Meena Totten Bull, March Of The Meenatoiteen Bull, March Of The Meenatotten Bull, Reel Of The 51st Division, We Will Take The Good Old Way.
Recordings of a tune by this name:
X: 1
T: Drunken Piper, The
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Amix
|:E2 |AAAB d3e | edBd e2a2 | GGGB d3e | dBGB d3e |
AAAB d3e | edBd e2a2 | g2eg efed | c2A2A2 :|
|: e2 |a4 e2a2 | edef g2a2 | GGGB d3e | dBGB d2e2 |
a4 e2a2 | edef g2a2 | g2eg efed | c2A2A2 :|
Words!
Natalie MacMaster has this tune in a set with Primrose Lasses and a recently composed tune called Father John Angus Rankin. This tune in the set, however, is under the name of 'Far Am Mi Fhin' (Where I Will Be)- because Cookie Rankin SINGS it! It's on the 'No Boundaries' album she has out. No, it's not totally trad, but it's a cool song!
Here are the words she uses-
Far am bi mi fhin is ann a bhios mo dhochas,
Far am bi mi fhin is ann a bhios mo dhochas
Far am bi mi fhin is ann a bhios mo dhochas
Far am bi mi fhin bidh mo dhochas ann.
Suibhal air na cladaichean 's a' coiseachd air a' ghainmhich,
Suibhal air na cladaichean 's a' coiseachd air a' ghainmhich,
Suibhal air na cladaichean 's a' coiseachd air a' ghainmhich,
Far am bi mi fhin bidh mo dhochas ann.
Theid mi fhin is Sine null gu taigh a' phiobair,
Theid mi fhin is Sine null gu taigh a' phiobair,
Theid mi fhin is Sine null gu taigh a' phiobair,
'S ni sinn brod an ruidhle leinn fhin air an lar.
Is mar d'thoir am piobar puirt dhuinn airson ruidhle,
Is mar d'thoir am piobar puirt dhuinn airson ruidhle,
Is mar d'thoir am piobar puirt dhuinn airson ruidhle,
Tha fidheal aig a' chiobair is piob aig a' cheard.
# Posted on November 6th 2003 by Oranaiche
This is a Scottish tune, being part of the Highland bagpipe repertoire, although it has no doubt made its way in to the Cape Breton tradition.
John Doherty played a version of it, called The March of the Meena (although, according to the sleeve notes of 'Bundle and Go', it is a highland, not a march).
# Posted on November 7th 2003 by CreadurMawnOrganig
According to the music I have, Far am Bi Mi-Fhin is Port-a-beul (mouth music) and while similar to the Drunken Piper is not quite the same tune (notes).
The version I have ( of Far am Bi Mi-Fhin) was recorded by Norman MacKinnon on Tir nam Beann
# Posted on November 9th 2003 by Mostlywind
I learned this as a Waulking Song from my colleague Fiona Young of Fort William.
I found John Docherty's march 'The Drunken Piper' to be exactly the same tune.
# Posted on November 25th 2005 by The Archivist
The Dubliner's did a version of this tune to break up the song "Mormom Braes". Does anyone here have their version of it?
# Posted on March 18th 2006 by 52Paddy
The version I know is the 3-part one posted above. Presumably this is a Donegal title referring to the village of Meenatotten in Co. Donegal. I'm interested to find out about the story of the bull if anyone knows about it. A while ago I came across an archived document on the net - I think from the 1950s - which mentioned that the village of Meenatotten had finally acquired a bull which had been donated from elsewhere. I can't remember the exact details and that page doesn't seem to be on the net anymore. I wish I'd cut & pasted it here at the time but I wasn't sure if it even had anything to do with the title of this tune and I didn't want to look like an idiot if this is a famous legend or something. Can anyone shed light?
# Posted on June 23rd 2006 by Dr. Dow
Question for 'c'
I've read that this is sometimes played as a highland fling. Does it make a good one in your opinion? It doesn't quite sound right to me.
# Posted on June 23rd 2006 by Dr. Dow
I found that link. It looks like Google can't find it anymore but I tracked it down using a simulaneous search with multiple search engines:
http://www.oireachtas-debates.gov.ie/D/0130/D.0130.195203200037.html
# Posted on June 23rd 2006 by Dr. Dow
DÁIL DEBATES - Díospóireachtaí Dála / Parliamentary Debates:
The extract ~ in case it goes bye-bye again:
Dáil Éireann - Volume 130 - 20 March, 1952
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Donegal Bull Station.
Mr. O'Donnell Mr. O'Donnell
Mr. O'Donnell asked the Minister for Agriculture if, in view of the fact that there is no bull within a radius of seven miles of Meenatotten, Dungloe, County Donegal, he will take immediate steps to have a Polled Angus bull allocated to the area.
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Agriculture (Mr. Bartley) Gerald Bartley
21
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Agriculture (Mr. Bartley): An Aberdeen Angus bull was available in the Meenatotten area under my Department's special scheme for congested districts up to the 1st October last, when its term of location expired. No application for a replacement bull was received until the 10th of this month. This application will be favourably [21] considered, if it is found that a suitable bull is available after the prior applications from the congested districts have been dealt with.
Mr. O'Donnell Mr. O'Donnell
Mr. O'Donnell: Will the Parliamentary Secretary take every possible step to ensure that a bull is allocated to the area? The Parliamentary Secretary will appreciate that it is a very isolated area and that considerable hardship will be caused if a bull is not made available. There may be surplus bulls in other constituencies, one of which might be transferred to that particular area.
Mr. Bartley Mr. Bartley
Mr. Bartley: I can assure the Deputy that that will be done but priority must be given to the cases whose applications were in at the usual time.
Mr. O'Donnell Mr. O'Donnell
Mr. O'Donnell: Hardship should be taken into consideration.
# Posted on June 23rd 2006 by ceolachan
Thanks 'c'. I've been trying to cut & paste that for about 20 minutes and it was rejected each time. Probably because you were trying to do the same thing?
# Posted on June 23rd 2006 by Dr. Dow
So are you going to ignore my question, 'c'?
# Posted on June 23rd 2006 by Dr. Dow
Sharon's comment about it being a 'waulking song' definitely rings bells. Unfortunately I don't have that many resources here to draw on, but I do have our tune book from the Gaelic choir I used to sing with. I'll see if I can find that and get any more information on that point. On your question too Dow, let me see if I've a relative for this first, and then, if not, I'll give it a go. I was just dancing to it in a fling sort of way, but I am so used to it as a march and I need to work past that... I do love the tune, but I have a few differences in the way I know it, but nothing major...
# Posted on June 23rd 2006 by ceolachan
Well it's mixolydian anyway
# Posted on June 23rd 2006 by Dr. Dow
Hey Dow, how about some lessons on making smilies. My wink is becoming a tick... As you can see, no, I wasn't ignoring your question, I was dancing, thank you...
# Posted on June 23rd 2006 by ceolachan
And don't blame me for your inability to master the fine arts of cutting and pasting...
# Posted on June 23rd 2006 by ceolachan
~ or proper gurning...
# Posted on June 23rd 2006 by ceolachan
There seem to be many versions of this that I've heard but most would have e3f in the bars 1 & 5 where the sheet-music here has d3e (excuse my poor abc), and B2 in bar 8 where they have c here; and so on for those phrases in part B.
The Dubliners play it at more of a reel tempo in the middle of "Mormond Braes" but it's pretty much the notes as I've outlined above with some Barney twiddles
# Posted on March 7th 2007 by Bren
Another version
This version from (http://abcnotation.com/tunePage?a=www.sfco.puckette.com/tunes/0039) is more familiar to me:
X:40
T:Drunken Piper, The
R:Reel
M:2/4
%%printtempo 0
Q:110
K:Ador
|:"Am"AAAB e4 | (uedBd) e2g2| "G"GGGB d3ue| dBGB vd2ue2| "Am"AAABe4|
"Am"(ed)Bd e2a2| "G"g2(eg) "Em7"efed| "Am"(Bc/B/A2) uA2ue2:| "Am"va4ue2ua2| edef g2a2|
"G"GGGB d3e| dBGB "G/E"d2e2| "Am"a4 "Am/B"ue2ua2| "Am/C"edef "D"e2a2| "Em"g2(eg) "G"efed|
"Am"(Bc/B/A2) (uA2ue2)| "Am"a4 "Am/E"ue2ua2| "C/A"edef "Dmaj7"g3a| "G"GGGB d3ue| dBGB "G/E"d2e2|
"Am"AAAB "Am/B"e4| "Am/C"(ed)Bd "Am/D"e2a2| "Em"g2(eg) efed| "G"(Bc/B/A2) "Am"A2x2|]
# Posted on January 19th 2012 by Jack O'Connor