|
While working with Greg Walsh's piece about Art Scammell, I got curious about Mount Royal High School and did a little internet surfing. I connected through email with a man named Chris Pappas, who graduated from MRHS and has a curious website here. Following is an excerpt from one of his e-mails to me regarding the Squid Jiggin' Ground.
"I thank you for your letters to me. I have since found the Squid Jiggin Ground song on the internet and will make mention on my website of Arthur R. Scammell's contribution to Canadian culture. It is truly a great song - one I had never heard before. Being a "mainlander" who probably couldn't pick a cod out of a line-up, this may be understandable but while looking around for info for you, I found out that maritime mothers sometimes sing Squid Jiggin' Ground to their children as a lullaby. Thank you, again, for bringing this piece of Canadiana to my attention.
___________________
The widely distributed second edition of the Gerald S. Doyle song book furnished the song played on the carillon bell towers in Ottawa when Newfoundland officially joined Canada in 1949 - A.R. Scammell's The Squid Jiggin' Ground.
On the Chieftans CD Further Down the Old Plank Road: The famous Nitty Gritty Dirt Band gives a spirited performance of "The Squid Jiggin' Ground", a lively little song rather peculiar in subject but catchy in tune, its words having been set to the Irish Larry O'Gaffs Jig by immigrants to Newfoundland, Canada.
(back to table of contents) |