#folktunes

By: Lisa Timmerman, Executive Director

“Leather breeches full of stitches, Old shoes and stockings on-- My wife she kicked me out of bed Because I had my breeches on.”

When the Scottish and Scots-Irish arrived in Virginia, they spread across the state attracted to the different environments and landscapes. While Dumfries certainly experienced an influx of Scottish, immigrants also went to the Appalachian frontier. What excites us is how the immigrants weaved their heritage, experiences, and memories of their homelands into our state. One way we can see the influence is by listening to folk music.

While Parson Weems famously fiddled, he was not the only Scotsman with the taste for this instrument. The fiddle arrived in North America during the 17th century and quickly became popular due to the lightweight and portable nature of the instrument along with its’ versatile tunes. The fiddle provided the perfect atmosphere for joviality, especially among those who faced long and arduous days laboring for basic daily needs, such as food, and the chance to participate in the local economy. Virginia even held fiddle contests in the early 18th century, colonial Americans even seeking experienced indentured and enslaved persons for their performances. Of course, fiddling evolved into its’ own unique style in different Virginia regions, incorporating cultural elements from free black persons, enslaved persons, Italian immigrants, and German immigrants to name a few. Dancing quickly became a part of the fiddle performance along with the banjo, the two instruments gaining popularity in the late 19th century.

(Reed, Henry, Bobbie Thompson, and Katherine B Olson. Henry Reed playing the fiddle, accompanied by Bobbie Thompson of the Hollow Rock String Band on guitar, at the Narrows Virginia Fiddlers Contest, summer. United States Narrows Virginia, 1967. Summer. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/afcreedp.17/)

Famous Virginia fiddler Henry Reed (1884-1968), performed one musical piece that highlights the Scottish and American cultural influences. “Leather Britches” probably evolved from a late 16th century Scottish reel known as Lord MacDonald’s Reel, although Professor Samuel Bayard noted it was either related or connected to popular Irish tunes, such as “Breeches On (The)”, “Irish Lad (The),” “Irish Lad’s a Jolly Boy”, and “O the Breeches Full of Stitches.” Researcher and fiddler Lisa Ornstein collected scant evidence to support this citing a 1879 book referencing breeches and stitches. Once the tune arrived in America, it quickly spread into and past Virginia with interesting changes. First, the title. “Leather Breeches” could refer to the green snap beans dried in their pods. To dry them, people pierced the pod with a needle, stringing them to hang. The other possible meaning is the actual leather garment. Some musicians have noticed that playing the fiddle invokes a similar motion to sewing leather with a needle and thread. These different meanings have also influenced the different ballads. The following are examples of other verses, from both oral and print historical sources:

“Leather breeches, full of stitches, Mammy sewed the buttons on.”

“Leather Breeches full of stitches, Leather Breeches, Leather Breeches; Mammy cut 'em out an' M'daddy sewed an' sewed the stitches.”

Despite some ministers from the 18th century deeming the fiddle as a “devil’s box,” the fiddle and this tune remain popular to this day, especially in fiddling contests performed across America. As with folk tales and folklore, folk music helps retain collective memories and can document the shift in people’s ideologies and tastes. If you ever find yourself at a tavern with a fiddler, listen carefully to the words and melody as you enjoy the vibrant living lore of America.

Note: Ready for more folklore? Join our virtual Weems-Botts Bibliophiles in April where we read short Arthurian Legends and discuss the rich historic and literary history behind them! Click here for your ticket to Camelot.

Really looking forward to playing with the Edinburgh Quartet today...

Programme of Beethoven, Dvorak and gorgeous arrangements by the Danish Quartet of folk tunes from Armenia and Denmark.