Key signature: Gmajor
Submitted on February 6th 2007 by The Merry Highlander.
This tune has been added to 4 tunebooks.
Also known as Darkey Dan, Darkie Dan, Darkie's Dream, The Darkies Dream, The Darkies' Dream.
X: 1
T: Darkey's Dream
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: barndance
K: Gmaj
|: D2EF GABG | B2BA Bd (3def | gfga gfed | BGBG A2BA |
DDEF GABG | B2BA Bd (3def | gfga gfed | BcBA G2G2 :|
|: g3a bagf | gage dcB2 | g3g bagf | a2ab a2(3def |
g3a bagf | gage dcBd | gfga gfed | BcBA G2G2 :|
Comments:
Before anyone gets weird about the title, this title sticks pretty hard to this setting in most USA traditions, so any other name wouldn't be accurate.
In ONeills there is a hornpipe called Always Welcome which seems related. There's a lot of info. on this tune in the Ceolas Fiddler's companion....
"Darkie's Dream" even appears in an Irish collection (Roche) where it is listed simply as a "barndance." Other tunes that bear a general or part similarity are "Always Welcome," "The Butcher's Row"and "Old Yaller Houn.'" In the repertoire of West Virginia fiddler Burl Hammons, who learned it from African-American musician Grafton Lacey.
It has roots in Ireland, SW PA, Western MD, WV, MO and even Arizona. For such a widespread and once loved tune, you won't hear it played in any current US tradition. I searched the session for versions, but couldnt find any, although Im sure something resembling it has to be here.
# Posted on February 6th 2007 by The Merry Highlander
Missing 1/16 notes
Bars 2 & 6 are short by a 1/16th note each. Should the last F# in each of those bars be an 1/8th note instead? Or shoud the last three 1/16th notes be 1/8th note triplets?
Also, it sounds a bit like a march or a polka. I'm wondering if the time signature might be better as 2/4 instead of 4/4?
# Posted on February 8th 2007 by DuncanCameron
Short bars
By golly I think you are right about the short bars! Thats what I get for taking these things out of my head and trying to put them in notation... Ive been an ear player for 25 years and still struggle with notes and ABC's. To answre your question about the preceding notes to the high "g" I did struggle to get it quite right coming out of the MIDI... Either of your suggestions could work and Im pretty sure I tried it both ways but it didnt sound right on the midi, so I went unknowingly with the shortened bars!
The time signature is accurate for the setting I know, but historically was played in USA many ways schottische, more of a hornpipe and even a reel, but I cant find any evidence of it being used as a march or polka. The Irish setting is listed as "barndance."
# Posted on February 8th 2007 by The Merry Highlander
I was hoping
I was hoping someone would post an Irish version or the one listed in the "Roche" collection. I may do some searching on that myself.
# Posted on February 8th 2007 by The Merry Highlander
SImilar in A part
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/1378
# Posted on February 8th 2007 by The Merry Highlander
I updated the ABC's
ABC's should be ok now.
# Posted on February 9th 2007 by The Merry Highlander
And it's about time too MH, you gettin' all mixed up and confused with your moniker...
# Posted on February 9th 2007 by ceolachan
From Roche Vol III
X:1
T:Darkies Dream, The
R:Barndance
M:C
L:1/8
K:D
A,2 B,>C (D F3) | {F}E2 DE (F A3) | d2 c>B A>FD>E | (F2 {GF}E}>D E2 A2 |
A,2 B,>C (D F3) | {F}E2 DE (F A3) | d2 c>B A>FD>E |1 F>A,B,>C D2 d2 %repeat 8va% :|2 fABc d2 ((3ABc) ||
d2 d>e f>d AF | A>BA>F A2 ((3ABc) | d2 d>e fd AF | (F>E)E>F E2 ((3ABc) |
d2 d>e f>d AF | A>BA>F A2 ((3ABc) | d2 c2 ((3BcB) A2 | ((3GAG) ((3FGF) ((3EFE) (D>B,) %D.C.%
# Posted on February 13th 2007 by Alancorsini
Thanks Alan
Thanks! I was curious to what the Roche version might be like.
# Posted on February 13th 2007 by The Merry Highlander
Roche III, page 53, tune #159 ~ "The Darkies' Dream" Barn-Dance
"The Roche Collection of Traditional Irish Music, Volume I", 1912
Old Dances (not Irish by origin) ~ pages 45 - 58
X: 2
T: Darkies' Dream, The
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: barndance
K: DMaj
|: A,2 B,>C D F3 | E2 DE F A3 | d2 c>B A>FD>E | F2 E>D E2 A2 |
A,2 B,>C D F3 | E2 DE F A3 | d2 c>B A>FD>E |[1 F>A,B,>C D2 d2 :|[2 fABc d2 (3ABc ||
d2 d>e f>d AF | A>BA>F A2 (3ABc | d2 d>e fd AF | F>EE>F E2 (3ABc |
d2 d>e f>d AF | A>BA>F A2 (3ABc | d2 c2 (3BcB A2 | (3GAG (3FGF (3EFE D>B, |]
& transposed up to G...
X: 3
T: Darkies' Dream, The
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: barndance
K: GMaj
|: D2 E>F G B3 | A2 GA B d3 | g2 f>e d>BG>A | B2 A>G A2 d2 |
D2 E>F G B3 | A2 GA B d3 | g2 f>e d>BG>A |[1 B>DE>F G2 g2 :|[2 bdef g2 (3def ||
g2 g>a b>g dB | d>ed>B d2 (3def | g2 g>a bg dB | B>AA>B A2 (3def |
g2 g>a b>g dB | d>ed>B d2 (3def | g2 f2 (3efe d2 | (3cdc (3BcB (3ABA G>E |]
My memory of this one has me hearing and playing this like a march and AABB, with the B-part repeating and with a 1st & 2nd ending, something that works nicely fo the likes of the "Gei Gordons"...
# Posted on August 3rd 2008 by ceolachan
Repeat 8va = repeat and octave up / D.C. = Dal Capo = repeat from the start
Some other transcriptions of this old melody give it as AABAA, or AABA... Following Roche's suggested 8va for the repeat & D.C., which Alan had given and I'd left out ~ here it is written out with the raised repeat of the A part notated... In this transcription, still using the Roche notation as the core, I'm giving it as AABA ~ finishing on G4...
X: 3
T: Darkies' Dream, The
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: barndance
K: GMaj
D2 E>F G B3 | A2 GA B d3 | g2 f>e d>BG>A | B2 A>G A2 d2 |
D2 E>F G B3 | A2 GA B d3 | g2 f>e d>BG>A | B>DE>F G2 g2 |
d2 e>f g b3 | a2 ga b d'3 | g'2 f'>e' d'>bg>a | b2 a>g a2 d'2 |
d2 e>f g b3 | a2 ga b d'3 | g'2 f'>e' d'>bg>a | bdef g2 (3def ||
g2 g>a b>g dB | d>ed>B d2 (3def | g2 g>a bg dB | B>AA>B A2 (3def |
g2 g>a b>g dB | d>ed>B d2 (3def | g2 f2 (3efe d2 | (3cdc (3BcB (3ABA G>E |
D2 E>F G B3 | A2 GA B d3 | g2 f>e d>BG>A | B2 A>G A2 d2 |
D2 E>F G B3 | A2 GA B d3 | g2 f>e d>BG>A | B>DE>F G4 |]
# Posted on August 3rd 2008 by ceolachan
"Darkies Dream" ~ a transposition from F to G of an old time setting
"The Phillips Collection of Traditional American Fiddle Tunes, Volume Two"
Compiled, transcribed and edited by Stacy Phillips
Mel Bay, 1995
Page 38 ~ "Darkie's Dream (Grant Lamb)
The order of sections is 1-2-1 (one time).
X: 4
T: Darkies' Dream, The
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: barndance
K: GMaj
|: D>D EF G B3 | A2 GA B d2 f | (3gag fe dBGA |[1 B A2 G A2 B2 :|[2 BG A2 G4 ||
gfga bgdB | de d/e/d/B/ d3 f | gfga bgdc | (3BcB A^G A3 f |
gfga bgdB | de d/e/d/B/ d2 df | gafg efde | (3cdc Bc A2 d2 ||
|: D>D EF G B3 | A2 GA B d2 f | (3gag fe dBGA |[1 B A2 G A2 B2 :|[2 BG A2 G4 |]
# Posted on August 3rd 2008 by ceolachan
"The Roche Collection of Traditional Irish Music, Volume III", 1927
It seems I cut and pasted one part incorrectly above. For Frank Roche's 1927 "Note on Irish Dancing" complete, from Volume III, go here and scroll down ~
http://www.thesession.org/members/display/11705
# Posted on August 3rd 2008 by ceolachan
Recorded by Michael Gorman as "Jamesy Gannon's Favorite," and by Timmy Cronin, student of James Morrison, as "Offally Favorite."
Hear a cylinder recording of banjoist Fred Van Eps play it: http://www.archive.org/details/FredVanEpsBanjoOrchestra-01-10
Van Eps also recorded something called the Darkies' Awakening, more of a reel this time. Drums his fingers on the banjo head, also throws in the shave-and-a-haircut-two-bits.
# Posted on August 23rd 2009 by Kevin Rietmann