Jack Broke da Prison Door
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Transcription: by Darryl D. Bush
"Jack Broke da Prison Door", also known as "Jack Brook da Prison" or<br> "Johnnie Brook da Prison Door" is a Shetland reel in 4/4 time and G Major.<br> The parts are played AABB (most versions) or AA'BB' (Martin & Hughes).<br> G.M. Nelson (in Anderson & Georgeson, Da Mirrie Dancers) relates the<br> story behind the tune which was written by one John (Jack) Gaudie (Goudie),<br> born in Levenwick, Shetland, in the 19th century. John was a young man of<br> exceptional strength and a good fiddler who worked in the Sandwick copper mines.<br> One night while ascending the mine shaft after his shift, a man<br> above him dropped a proving hammer which struck John on the head. He survived<br> the resulting severe concussion but developed serious neurological problems,<br> including violent episodes. His musical abilities remained intact.<br> Even though he was still a young man, he was acknowledged to be the best fiddler<br> in Shetland at that particular time. Sometimes, when he visited<br> town, he would become belligerent. On one occasion when he visited Lerwick<br> he committed a breach of the peace and was arrested and placed in "Nicol's Hotel",<br> or the local jail, run by an old soldier named Sergeant Nicol.<br> G.M. Nelson relates:<br> When Johnnie realised where he was his fury increased still further and<br> during the evening, with hand and foot, for there is no record of his<br> possessing any other implement, he broke down the door and, once outside,<br> set course for Clickimin and thence for home as fast as he could go.<br> Everybody was glad to see him go and no attempt was made to restrain him.<br> Johnnie, however, when he got home attributed his escape not only to his<br> strength but to his subtle diplomacy in avoiding the authorities after he<br> had broken goal. This amused him greatly and as he enjoyed it to the full<br> he took down his fiddle and composed that lively Shetland reel entitled<br> "Johnnie Brood da Prison Door" or "Jack Brook da Prison".<br> The melody is in the repertory of Shetland Fiddle Band and therefore is now widely<br> known in the islands.<br> It was printed in Anderson's Haand Me Down da Fiddle (1979),<br> Brody's Fiddler's Fakebook (1983),<br> Cooke's The Fiddle Tradition of the Shetland Isles (1986),<br> Martin & Hughes's Ho-ro-gheallaidh (1990) and<br> Miller & Perron's Irish Traditional Fiddle Music, vol. 2 (1977).<br> It was recorded by Tom Anderson and Aly Bain on The Silver Bow (1993),<br> Aly Bain & Mike Whellans on Aly Bain & Mike Whellans (1975).<br>
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