Shamus O'Brien
Source:
Various
Composer:
W.S. Hays
Region:
South West
Circa:
1849-1900
Year:
1867
"Shamus (or Seamus) O'Brien" was a standard old-time waltz for many Ontario fiddlers in the 20th century. The melody comes from an 1867 Irish-American music hall song by William Shakespeare Hays - "Sheamus O'Brien; Answer to Nora O'Neal". There are a million different ways to play this tune. This is more or less how I do it. The minor key B part is wonderfully melodramatic. I've found it's good for accompanying the waltz-clog stepdance. Reg Hill plays his version in the YouTube link below.
Still from a 1912 movie of "Shamus O'Brien" - based on a popular poem from the 1850s
Themes
ONTARIO FIDDLE HIT PARADE
DANCE
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