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"What the Devil Ails You?", also known as "Blue Bird Schottische", "Everybody
Schottische", "Hi-Lo Schottische", "Jack Clumb Up the Plum Tree", "Rochester
Schottische", "Cat Clumb Up the Plum Tree Schottische" or "Sparrow in the
Treetop" is a schottische known in western Pennsylvania in D Major.
The parts are played ABA.
"Rochester Schottische" is a very popular and widespread schottische melody throughout North America. Samuel Bayard (1944) remarked that the title of the tune very often was not known among western Pennsylvania fiddlers, giving rise to a number of different names. His source for the title, Charles Armstrong, husband of fiddler Sarah Armstrong (Bayard's source), recalled two lines of a rhyme, attached to the tune in tradition: What the devil ails you, what the devil ails you?It seems likely that the Armstrong's title for the tune, "What the Devil Ails You?" is an import from Scotch-Irish tradition, brought to southwestern Pennsylvania by settlers. It was collected from Mrs. Sarah Armstrong (Derry, Pa.) on November 18th, 1943 by Samuel Bayard. It was printed in Adam's Old Time Fiddlers' Favorite Barn Dance Tunes (1928) (as "Hi-Lo Schottische"), Bayard's Hill Country Tunes (1944), Bayard's Dance to the Fiddle (1981), Ford's Traditional Music in America (1940) (appears as "Rochester Schottishe") and Howe's Diamond School for the Violin (1861). |