Key signature: Dmajor
Submitted on July 17th 2007 by nicholas.
This tune has been added to 21 tunebooks.
Also known as Jockey's Lament.
X: 1
T: Over The Hills And Far Away
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: barndance
K: Dmaj
A2|:d2 d2 de fe|d2 B2 B2 A2|d2 de f2 ef|g2 e2 e4|
a2 ag f2 e2|d2 B2 g2 B2|A2 AB AB de|f2 e2 e4:|
|:a3 g f2 ef|d2 B2 B2 fg|a2 fa gfed|f2 e2 e4|
abag f2 ef|d2 B2 g2 B2|A2 AF AB de|1 f2 e2 e4:|2 f2 e2 e2||
Over The Hills And Far Away
This is an English tune that has been around since at least the 1720s when it was used in "The Beggars' Opera" (whose idea was apparently first given to its writer John Gay by Jonathan Swift). But I don't know when and where it originated. Nor do I know what political baggage it may carry - there are various sets of words to it, I think. For all that, the tune is one of those troupers like The Dashing White Sergeant that deserves to be widely known.
I've transcribed it with an f# as the third last note of each part, as I prefer the tune this way; but it's often ended with a g here, the last two bars of the second part for instance going, |A2 AF AB df|g2 e2 e4 |
(Maybe it's easier for a singer to use this version.)
# Posted on July 17th 2007 by nicholas
Over The Hills And Far Away
This tune isn't really a barndance - or a hornpipe, reel or polka. I think it's been used as a march, and I'd call it one.
# Posted on July 17th 2007 by nicholas
Over The Hills And Far Away
Kuntz in his on-line "Fiddler's Companion" implies that the tune was around by the early c17 but that its place of origin is contested - may be England, may be Scotland. By late c18 it was known in New England. It was seemingly used by the British Army in the Napoleonic Wars as a tune specifically played when departing from camps, etc.
# Posted on July 17th 2007 by nicholas
Nicholas - why worry about classifying it as a dance tune? It's a song, or for our purposes a song melody. A lovely one at that.
The words (and tune) are at Mudcat Cafe:
http://www.mudcat.org/@displaysong.cfm?SongID=4555
# Posted on July 17th 2007 by Key Maniac Lad
Other relatives?
East Neuk of Fife http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/4905
Pat Killed the Rat (Over the Hills)
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/6272
Ive noticed similarities between these.
# Posted on July 17th 2007 by The Merry Highlander
Over the Hills
We used to sing a version of this song as follows:
When I'm rising early in the morning
When Im rising early in the morning
When I'm rising early in the misty May
And smell all the new day dawning etc etc
The tune and song used to be featured in the TV series 'Sharpe's Rifles'
# Posted on July 17th 2007 by Free Reed
Sharpe
Sharpe's Rifles is one of 20+ feature-length episodes of the 'Sharpe' series, still replayed regularly, an excellent series with John Tams excelling, particularly on this, the theme song.
There's a good cd available of the sound track from Virgin VTCD81 , 7243 8 41590 2 3, also starring Kate Rusby, Roger Wilson etal.
An updated version of the song is regularly heard in Bristol, well sung by Mick Byrne.
# Posted on July 17th 2007 by docdick
Source
This is a tune I've always liked, [ although I'm unaware of it being part of the Irish tradition. ] There's a fine version as the first track on the CD "On The Banks Of The Helicon - Early Music Of Scotland" by The Baltimore Consort, which included Chris Norman among its' members. They have the source as "Wit and Mirth : or Pills To Purge Melancholy", a collection of music published in London in 1719, which agrees with Nicholas' date above.
A Scottish band recorded an excellent song - probably by Burns - to this tune recently. I'll come back with details later.
# Posted on July 19th 2007 by Kenny
Martin Carthy used to sing these words to the tune.
Hark now the drums they beat again
For all true soldiers gentlemen
To list and enter into pay
Over the hills and far away
Chorus (after each verse):
O'er the hills and o'er the main
Through Flanders, Portugal and Spain
Queen Anne commands and we obey
Over the hills and far away
You gentlemen who have a mind
To serve a Queen that is good and kind
Come join with us and march away
Over the hills and far away
He that is forced to go to fight
Will never win true honour by it
For volunteers will win the day
Over the hills and far away
Although our friends our absence mourn
We with all honour shall return
And we shall sing both night and day
Over the hills and far away
Hark now the drums they beat again
For all true soldiers gentlemen
To list and enter into pay
Over the hills and far away
# Posted on July 19th 2007 by dafydd
Version for the Scottish Smallpipes from the Lowland and Border Piper's socety session tunes book. Currently played by me on my practise chanter, but coming to pipes near you soon...
Anyone have the William Dixon Manuscript? And does it include extra variations for this version.
M:C
K:ADor
AB | "D"defe defe | "G"d2 B2 B4 | "D"defe defe | "A"g2 e2 e4 |
"D"defe defe | "G"d2 B2 g3 B | "A"A3 B ABde | "A"f2 e2 e2 :|!
fg | "D"a3 f afef | "G"d2 B2 B2 fg | "D"a3 f afed | "A"g2 e2 e2 fg |
"D"a3 f afef | "G"d2 B2 g3 B | "A"A3 B ABde | "A"f2 e2 e4 :|
# Posted on October 25th 2007 by Crackpot
Jockey's Lament
This is also a Scottish Highlands song, about a lad called Jockey, whose love, Jenny, leaves him cruelly...
Over the Hills and Far Away is till the official tune for the 95th Rifle Regiment.
# Posted on February 13th 2008 by Purfling