An Buachaill Caol Dubh

waltz

Key signature: Gmajor

Submitted on January 19th 2005 by fiddlinviolinin.

This tune has been added to 63 tunebooks.

Also known as The Black Slender Boy, The Dark Slender Boy.

Recordings of a tune by this name:

• A Week In January by Seamus Egan
• An Tris Is A Rian by Claire Keville, John Weir And Eithne Ni Dhonaile
• Brothers McMullen Soundtrack by Seamus Egan
• Callan Bridge by Niall And Cillian Vallely
• Chappell Recorded Music Library - National Ireland by The Chieftains
• Cherish The Ladies by Peg McGrath, Kathleen Smyth, Mary Mulholland
• Claddagh's Choice: An Anthology Of Irish Traditional Music by Various Artists
• Close To Home by Dónal Clancy
• Close To The White Bear by Dave Swarbrick And Simon Nicol
• Drops Of Brandy by Sean McAloon And John Rea
• Echoes Of Erin by Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann Concert Tour 2006
• Eistigh Seal by Matt Cranitch
• Evening Comes Early by John Doyle
• From West To East - Live Sessions by Various Artists
• Gaelic Roots by Various Artists
• Give It Shtick by Matt Cranitch
• Irish Traditional Music (on Uilleann Pipes, Hammered Dulcimer, Fiddle, Flute And Whistle) by Various Artists
• Jigs, Reels And Airs by Seamus Tansey
• Land's End by Michael Rooney And June McCormack
• Live 2004 by Planxty
• Sean Reid's Favourite by Jimmy O'Brien-Moran
• Solo Run by Johnny McCarthy
• The Bardic Moods Of Music by Abhan Trireach
• The Drones And The Chanters by Various Artists
• The Gentlemen Pipers by Various Artists
• The Home I Left Behind by CCE Tour 1974
• The King Of The Pipers by Leo Rowsome
• The Liffey Banks by Tommy Potts
• The Moneymusk by Hammy Hamilton
• The Nervous Man by Mícheál O' Raghallaigh
• The Pipering Of Willie Clancy. Vol 2 by Willie Clancy
• Weeds In The Garden by Muintir Lewis

X: 1
T: An Buachaill Caol Dubh
M: 3/4
L: 1/8
R: waltz
K: Gmaj
G/2A/2 Bc | d>g g/2f/2d/2c/2 Bc/2A/2 | B>A GF/2G/2 A/2B/2c/2A/2 | dg g/2f/2d/2c/2 A>G |
G3 G/2A/2 Bc | dg g/2f/2d/2c/2 Bc/2A/2 | B>A GF/2G/2 A/2B/2c/2A/2 | dg g/f/2d/2c/2 A>G | G3 ||
B/2c/2 dd | b2 ab/2a/2 g/2f/2b/2a/2 | g>f dc dd/2e/2 | =fa g/2f/2d/2c/2 d/2g/2^f/2a/2 |
g2 (9G/2A/2B/2c/2d/2e/2f/2g/2a/2 ba | ga (3b/2a/2g/2 (3f/2d/2c/2 Bc/2A/2 | dg g/f/2d/2c/2 A>G | G3 |]

Ah, I can't say enough how much I LOVE this air, one of my most favorite airs, very beautiful indeed!

Got this from O'Neill's Music of Ireland [1850]. Page 5, second tune, tune number 25.

I attempted to post my version but it got way too complicated since I don't exactly play the air beat by beat. Maybe later or something.

Cheers and influx of books = Hell yes,
Armand

# Posted on January 19th 2005 by fiddlinviolinin

The Black Slender Boy?

I think it's more widely translated as The *Dark* Slender Boy. Hammy Hamilton recorded a fantastic version of the tune on flute, but it seems impossible to transcribe. Maybe I should try. This is a beautiful tune, indeed!

It seems popular among pipers too.

# Posted on January 19th 2005 by slainte

Any feel for how fast/slow this 'should' be played? It's not a tune I know (yet), but looks nice, so I'd like to do it on fiddle tonight at our weekly singaround/session. Thanks

# Posted on January 19th 2005 by domnull

I was going to put it down as an alternate name [or did I? or maybe you..] but yes, late night transcripitions ya know!

# Posted on January 19th 2005 by fiddlinviolinin

Domnull, this should be played PRETTY DAMN slow, or at least not as fast as the midi plays it =P another good version of this is Cillian Vallely's version on "Callan Bridge" which he also plays with his brother, Niall Vallely! VERY good album.

# Posted on January 19th 2005 by fiddlinviolinin

I found a short sample clip of the tune for you: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/clipserve/B00006JSDZ001005/0/102-9938913-8852111 Not sure if it's the same version as posted, but you'll get an idea of how slow it is played on pipes. Flute players play it faster, of course.

# Posted on January 19th 2005 by slainte

Waltz? Ha ha ha ha ha!
This is a slow air, I guess you're up against the deficiencies of this website here. Played very slow and various notes should be greatly "humoured" - lingered over. Listen to Leo Rowsome play it on Ri na Piobari, or Willie Clancy on Pipering Vol. 2, Jimmy O'Brien-Moran on his CD.
The title was supposed by 19th century antiquarians to refer to the slender bottle of stout that accompanied the poet on his travels. Oooohh, romantic! Another interpretation, literally darker, comes from folklore; I won't describe in any detail, piper/historian Denis Brooks summed up the two themes as "Alcoholism or buggery."

# Posted on January 26th 2006 by Kevin Rietmann

I love the version of this on Planxty Live 2004. Beautiful!

# Posted on September 7th 2006 by Will-Moore

Lyrics

Any interpretation that this song is given, it remains about a man's dark vices following him wherever he tries to flee from them (be they alcohol or the other one)

Nuair a théim ar aonach a' ceannach éadaigh
'S bíonn an éirnis agam im láimh,
Síneann taobh liom an buachaill caol dubh,
'S cuireann caol-chrobh isteach im láimh.
Is gearr'n-a dhéidh sin go mbím go h-aerach,
Gan puinn dem chéill 's mé os cionn an chláir,
A' díol na n-éileamh do bhíonn am chéasa,
Seacht mí gan léine's an fuacht am chrá.

'Sé an buachaill caol dubh fada, féileach,
Cliste, léigheanta, 's gur mhaith é a shnó,
Do chlaoidh i bpéin mé 's do mhill i n-éag mé,
Is d'fhág mé féinig ar beagán stóir.
Dhon Fhrainnc dá dtéinn, nó go cuan Binn Éadain,
No a' dul don léim sin go h-lnis Mhór,
Bionn an séithleach im dhiaidh ar saothar,
Mara mbeinn féin uaidh ach uair de ló.

Do casadh Aoibhill na Craige Léith' orrainn,
A'gabháil na sli is do ghaibh liom baidh;
Is dúirt dá ngéillfeadh an buachaill caol dubh
Go dtúrfadh céad fear dó suas im áit.
Do labhair an caol-fhear go gonta géar lé,
Is dúirt ná tréigfeadh a charaid ghnáth,
Gur shiúil sé Éire tré choillte 's réitigh
Le cumann cléibh is le searc im dheuidh

# Posted on March 28th 2009 by DonallDubh