Merrily Kissed The Quaker

slide

Key signature: Gmajor

Submitted on May 25th 2001 by Jeremy.

This tune has been added to 764 tunebooks.

Also known as Kiss The Crater, Kiss The Quaker's Wife, Merrily Danc'd The Quaker's Wife, Merrily Danced The Quaker's Wife, Merrily Danced The Quakers Wife, Merrily Kiss The Quaker, Merrily Kiss The Quaker's Wife, Merrily Kissed The Quaker's Daughter, Merrily Kissed The Quaker's Wife, Nine Inch Will Please A Lady, The Quaker's Wife, The Quaker.

Recordings of a tune by this name:

• Agus Na Muideartaich by Fergie MacDonald And Friends
• Best Of Irish Fiddle by Florie Brown
• Between Earth And Sky by Robin Bullock
• Between The Strings by Adrian McAuliffe And Cathal Flood
• Bubble And Squeak by Bubble And Squeak
• Came The Dawn by Seamus Creagh
• Celtic Enchantment by Greg Joy
• Celtic Side Saddle by Davey Arthur And Co
• Ceol Na Carraige by The Owenabue Valley Trad Group
• Claddagh's Choice: An Anthology Of Irish Traditional Music by Various Artists
• Cold In April by Mat Walklate
• Dance Music Of Ireland: Volume 1 by Matt Cunningham
• Dance Music Of Ireland: Volume 2 by Matt Cunningham
• Dance Music Of Ireland: Volume 3 by Matt Cunningham
• Dance Music Of Ireland: Volume 3 CD Version by Matt Cunningham
• Début by Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band
• Fiddledance by Frank Ferrel And Friends
• Fieldvole Music by Tony Hall
• Foinn Seisiun 3 by Ennis/Dublin Session Group
• Fonnsheen by Fiona Davidson
• For The Sake Of Old Decency by Cathal McConnel And Len Graham
• Gerry MacFadden by Gerry McFadden
• Grandson Of Morris On by Morris On
• Grianan by Grianan MTC
• I'm Here Because I'm Here by Quilty
• Irish Jigs by Paul Hutchinson, John Hymas And Tony Harris
• King Of The Melodeon Men by Jimmy Shand
• Last Leaves by Malinky
• Legacy Of The Scottish Fiddle Vol. 2 by Alasdair Fraser, Muriel Johnstone And Natalie Haas
• Merrily Kissed The Quaker by The Blacksmiths
• Mind The Dresser: Music For The Sets Volume 2 by Various Artists
• Mosaic: Celtic Harp by Therese Honey
• One More Time by McComiskey, Mulvihill And McLeod
• Phosphorescence by Alys Howe
• Piper's Dance by Ballycastle
• Planxty by Planxty
• Près De Paris by Pierre Bensusan
• Second Album by Boys Of The Lough
• Set Dances Of Ireland, Volume IV by Various Artists
• Spirit Of The Isles: A Concert For Beltane by Various Artists
• Standing Stones by The Crossing
• The Big Spree by Breabach
• The Chieftains 3 by The Chieftains
• The Fiddle Music Of Donegal - Volume One by Various Artists
• The Orkney Sessions From The Ayre Hotel by Various Artists
• The Planxty Collection by Planxty
• The Silver Spire by Karen Tweed
• The Square Triangle by The Four Star Trio
• The Ulster Outcry by Ar Leitheidi
• The Very Best Of The Claddagh Years by The Chieftains
• The Wild Keys by Mikie Smyth
• The Wood And The Wire by Fairport Convention
• There's A Buzz by Battlefield Band
• Through And Through by Spiers And Boden
• Traditional Irish Accordion by Tony MacMahon
• Tripping Down The Stairs by Spiral Seisiún
• Wet Your Whistle by Wet Your Whistle
• Where Else Would You Be by The Pub Scouts

X: 1
T: Merrily Kissed The Quaker
M: 12/8
L: 1/8
R: slide
K: Gmaj
|:D|GAB G2B c2A BGE|GAB DEG A2A AGE|GAB GAB cBA BGE|GAB AGF G3 G2:|
|:A|BGG AGG BGG AGG|GAB DEG A2A AGA|BGG AGG BGG AGG|GAB AGF G3 G2:|
|:d|g2g a2a bag edB|g2g gab a2a agf|g2g f2f ege dBA|GAB AGF G3 G2:|

Apparently there are words to go with this song: I'm sure I remember hearing somebody sing "Merrily kissed the quaker's wife and merrily kissed the quaker..." to the tune of the first few bars. If anybody knows more words to go with this tune, be sure to add them.

I've shown the first part of the tune with a little variation, turning the typical slide rhythm of the first couple of bars into a more jig-like rhythm for the next two bars.

# Posted on June 2nd 2001 by Jeremy

Jig, perhaps?

I play this as a jig...hmmmmmm...

# Posted on April 22nd 2002 by Josh Kane

Jig - slightly different

This is very close to the version which I know as a jig. Never seen it as a slide before, interesting...

# Posted on April 22nd 2002 by chicagofiddler

I think the confusion is that this tune is one of those rare slides that are played kinda funny, some folks call them Single Jigs or Hop Jigs. These can also be played as regular jigs as well , they lend themselves to all sorts of different time signatures, but are normally notated in 12/8. They're played a lot faster than a garden variety "slide", If you have the Michael Coleman 78's he plays the "FoxHunters" as a single. I'm sure Zina could clarify the difference from a dancers perspective.

# Posted on April 23rd 2002 by Mad Baloney

Words to the Tune

Here are words to the tune learned a good few years ago from Cathal McConnell

The Quaker's wife she baked a scone
And Johnny danced while it was on
Merrily kiss the Quaker's wife
And merrily kiss the Quaker

# Posted on May 16th 2002 by LongNote

Found the words!

The Quaker's wife sat down to bake
With all her bairns about her.
She made them all a sugar cake,
And the miller he wants his mouter (i.e. a fee for grinding flour).
Sugar and spice and all things nice,
And all things very good in it,
And then the Quaker sat down to play
A tune upon the spinet.
Merrily danced the Quaker's wife,
And merrily danced the Quaker
Merrily danced the Quaker's wife,
And merrily danced the Quaker.

# Posted on May 29th 2002 by bsykes62

Diddled version of Merrily Kiss the Quakers Wife

Or Merrily Quak The Wife’s Kisser as we call it round here.
A long time ago I heard a Diddled version of this Slide sung by a man. It was a great arrangement, does anyone know who did it, and where I can get a copy.

All the best

PP

# Posted on July 24th 2003 by Pied Piper

Re: Diddled version of Merrily Kiss the Quakers Wife

Hi PP,

One of the first guest musicians to appear on a Chieftains album was lilter Pat Kilduff and he lilted the Quaker tune on the last track of Chieftains 3.

You can also check out this site if you are into the lilting thing:

http://www.ubu.com/ethno/soundings/celtic.html

I like the version of "Within a Mile to Dublin" that is on this site.

Greg

# Posted on July 24th 2003 by octogreg

Re: Diddled version of Merrily Kiss the Quakers Wife

btw I'd be careful about saying "I diddled the Quaker's Wife", as that has certain connotations in the S. Ontario dialect...

# Posted on July 24th 2003 by octogreg

Re: Diddled version of Merrily Kiss the Quakers Wife

In the States, too. ;)

# Posted on July 24th 2003 by Zina Lee

Here's the version played on track 12 of The Chieftains 3. There are substantial differences in the second and third parts.

X: 1
T:Merrily Kiss the Quaker
M:12/8
L:1/8
R:Slide
K:G
GAB DED ~c2A BGE|GAB DED ~A2B AGE|GAB DED ~c2A BGE|GAB DED ~G3 G3:|
|:G2B ~d3 edB d2B|G2B d2B ~A3 AGE|~G2B ~d3 edB d2B|GAB ~D3 ~G3 G2D:|
|:~G2B d2d edB ~g2e|dBA GBd ~e2f g2g|ged BAB d2B AGE|GAB DED ~G3 G2D:|

# Posted on February 28th 2004 by turophile

Seamus Ennis played and transcribed this tune as a slide, and the same version too. Could be why its posted that why, even though many of you play it as a jig.

# Posted on December 2nd 2004 by Paddy

In the '70's a reliable researcher told me that the earliest known manuscript appearance of this tune was in a tune-book found in Weardale in Co. Durham, England.
I don't know the age of the MS, and of course no researcher can summon up for comparison all the tune-books that ever existed - even if appearance in one could date a tune, which is very often not the case.
But it's nice to think there could just be an outside chance that this ITM standard started life in my patch of England (-after all, porter started off in England, as a brewery worker's mistake!.).
I'll check this column for refutations...

# Posted on August 30th 2006 by nicholas

Merrily Kissed...

The info @ FC is a good read http://www.ibiblio.org/fiddlers/MER_MIC.htm#MERRLIY_DANCED/KISSED_THE_QUAKER('S_WIFE)

# Posted on August 30th 2006 by Dr. Dow

The above website suggests the tune was generally known in England and Scotland by and after the mid c18, anyway.

# Posted on August 31st 2006 by nicholas

Also known as...

Also known as "That tune about the duck." - Merrily Kissed the Quacker.
Boom boom !

# Posted on April 9th 2007 by Guernsey Pete

on the chieftans "tears of stone" they slip this in at the end of deserted soldier. the version is as posted above by turophile.
they call it "the kerry slide" and they play it in F. I'd nearly consider it a different tune as the B and C parts are quite different to merrily...

# Posted on April 11th 2007 by doyler

"Merrily Kiss the Quaker" ~ Bulmer & Sharpley

"Music From Ireland, Volume One"
compiled by Dave Bulmer & Neil Sharpley, 1974
ISBN: 0-9503784-02

Page 30, tune #77: "Merrily Kiss the Quaker"

X: 77
T: Merrily Kiss the Quaker
M: 12/8
L: 1/8
R: slide
K: G Major
|: D |
GAB D3 BcA BGE | GAB DEG ABG AGE |
GAB D2 B c2 A BGE | GAB D2 E G3 G2 :|
|: A |
BGG AGG BGG AGE | GAB DEG ABA AGA |
BGG AGG BGG AGE | GAB D2 E G3 G2 :|
|: B/d/ |
gfg aga bge dBd | gfg gab a3 agf |
gag fgf ege dBA | GAB D2 E G3 G2 :|

# Posted on August 3rd 2007 by ceolachan

The Robert Burns version

NINE INCH WILL PLEASE A LADY
(Robert Burns)

Come rede me dame, come tell me dame,
My dame come tell me truly,
What length o' graith when weel ca'd hame
Will sair a woman duly?"
The carlin clew her wanton tail,
Her wanton tail sae ready,
"l learn'd a sang in Annandale,
Nine inch will please a lady."

"But for a koontrie eejit like mine,
In sooth we're not sae gentle;
We'll tak tway thumb-bread to the nine,
And that is a sonsy pintle.
Oh, Leeze me on, my Charlie lad,
I'll ne'er forget my Charlie,
Tway roaring handfuls and a daud
He nidged it in fu' rarely."

But wear fa' the laithron doup
And may it ne'er be thriving,
It's not the length that makes me loup
But it's the double drivin.
Come nidge me Tom, come nidge me Tom
Come nidge me, o'er the nyvel
Come lowse an lug your battering ram
And thrash him at my gyvel!

# Posted on September 27th 2007 by Davetnova

Recording on soundlantern

This is my rendition on soundlantern recorded today:

http://www.soundlantern.com/SoundPage.do?ToId=4212&Path=quakera.mp3

# Posted on June 26th 2008 by Hup

Was this ever a pipe tune, perhaps in D?
I only ask because I was recently reading Steele Rudd's book of comic stories "The Poor Parson" (set in 19thC rural Australia) in which a central character "Duncan McClure" gets his pipes out at a dance and plays "The Quaker's Wife" according to the author.
Given that Rudd's transcription of Doric speech seems accurate enough, I'd guess that the tune detail is from real life observation.

# Posted on February 18th 2009 by Bren

4th part ?

When I learned that tune ages ago, from an old cassette, it was played with a fourth part :
D|G2B d2d|edB dBA|G2B dBG|ABA A2D|
G2B d2d|edB dBA|GAB D2E|GAG G2D|
but I don't know much more... except no one around me seems to know anything about that fourth part...

# Posted on May 10th 2010 by Nikita Pfister

And the cassette is long lost...

# Posted on May 10th 2010 by Nikita Pfister

4th part ?

I'm used to play "Merrily kissed the Quaker's wife" with a fourth part, but it seems, apart from one or two friends, no one else plays that 4th part. I posted it in the tunes' section :
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/70/comments
I'd be glad to know if there actually is a version with a fourth part...
It would have been recorded in the 70es, it's one of the first irish tune I learned...

# Posted on May 10th 2010 by Nikita Pfister

Sorry, I put it in 6/8. here's the "correct" ABC in 12/8 :

D |: G2B d2d edB dBA | G2B dBG ABA A2D |
| G2B d2d edB dBA | GAB D2E GAG G2D :|

# Posted on May 10th 2010 by Nikita Pfister

I suspect the 'ceili band' influence. They needed it to fit the basic 32 bars for a dance and threw in the 4th part so that it added up to 64 bars, or 2 x 32, but of course, if you're doing it in 12/8 that would be the equivalent of 32 bars of 12/8, 2 x 16... Ceili bands take liberties. That's my guess. I'd be curious to hear the specifics if anyone can name a recording of this with 4-parts, and the band/musicians...

# Posted on May 10th 2010 by ceolachan

Damn, having said that, your 4th part is familiar. I'm going to have to check through my notes. I've a sneaking suspicion there may have been something like that in an old Armagh Pipers publication, which, unfortunately I haven't on hand. It was three small booklets of tunes, I think for the whistle... I'll see what I can dig up.

# Posted on May 10th 2010 by ceolachan

Two Version from Danny O'Donnell

Here are 2 versions of the tune picked up from transcriptions of Danny O'Donnell in "The Northern Fiddler". The first has something of the 6/8 pipe march about it.

K:Dmaj
|:A|def AFA|BGB ~A3|def A2g|f2a gfe|
|def AFA|BGB ~A3|fed faf|~e3 d2:|
|:A|def f2a|f2a fed|def faf|efe ecA|
|def f2a|f2a fed|fed faf|~e3 d2:|

K:Dmaj
|:A|def A2f|g2f ~e3|def AFA|BAB d2A|
|def A2f|agf ~e3|def ecA|1 ~G3 d2:|2 B3 d2||
|:A|def a2f|a2f a2f|def a2g|~f3 a2f|
|def a2f|b2f a2f|def ecA|~B3 d2A|
|def a2f|b2f a2f|def a2g|~f3 a3|
|b2g efg|a2f d2A|def ecA|~B3 d2|

# Posted on January 30th 2011 by LongNote