Cluck Old Hen
"Cluck Old Hen" (Roud 4235), also known by variants like "Cacklin' Hen" is a popular Appalachian fiddle and banjo tune {{Cite book |last=McNeil |first=W.K |url=https://archive.org/details/southernmountain0000unse |title=Southern mountain folksongs : traditional songs from the Appalachians and the Ozarks |publisher=August House Publishers Inc. |year=1993 |isbn=0874832845 |edition=1st |pages=146–149}} in the mixolydian or dorian mode (as in the score below which is in A dorian). It is played either as an instrumental or with lyrics, which vary from one version to another. One of the earliest reported transcriptions of the tune dates from 1886.{{cite web|last=Yates|first=Mike|title=Far in the Mountains : Volumes 1 & 2 of Mike Yates' 1979-83 Appalachian Collection|url=http://www.mustrad.org.uk/articles/mount12.htm|work=Musical Traditions|accessdate=29 April 2013}} The earliest recording is attributed to Fiddlin' John Carson, in 1923.{{Cite web |title=Cluck Old Hen |url=https://balladindex.org/Ballads/Wa120.html |access-date=2024-09-03 |website=balladindex.org}}
Synopsis
The song describes the exploits of an "old hen" who performs various acts, such as laying ten eggs for railroad men. The song is made up of 'floating verses' with chorus of the song generally going:{{poem quote|Cluck old hen, cluck and squall,
Ain't laid an egg since way last fall,
Cluck old hen, cluck and sing,
Ain't laid an egg since way last spring}}
Score
<<
\new ChordNames \chordmode {
\set chordChanges = ##t
a2:m g |%1
a2:m g |%2
a2:m g |%3
e2:m a:m |%4
a2:m c |%5
a2:m g |%6
a2:m c |%7
e2:m a:m |%8
}
\new Staff \relative c''{
\key a \dorian
\time 4/4
\repeat volta 2
{
e4 a8( e g4) a8 g(
e4) a8 e d4 fis
e4 a8 e g( fis) g fis(
e8) d( c4) a2
}
\break
\repeat volta 2
{
a4 a c2
a4 a g2
a4 a8( b c) b c d(
e8 d) c4 a a
}
}
>>
{{cite book|last=Brody|first=David|title=The Fiddler's Fake Book|year=1983|publisher=Oak Publications|location=New York|isbn=0-8256-0238-6|page=70}}
See also
References
External links
= History =
- [http://www.csufresno.edu/folklore/ballads/Wa120.html Description] in "Traditional Ballad Index of Folk Songs from the English-Speaking World", Folklore department, California State University, Fresno
- [http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=61809 Discussion thread] regarding lyrics and origins, from Mudcat Café
= Recordings and transcriptions =
- [http://www.traditional-songs.com/download_score.php?name=Cluck%20old%20hen&country=Usa The sheet music]
- [https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/10196 Recording by Fiddlin' and Family Powers] information and mp3 download from Project Gutenberg*.
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Category:Songs with unknown songwriters
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