Do you find the phrase 'diddly music' offensive?

sensibleken

Just wondering. I have been reading on another blog about the use of the phrase 'diddley music' to describe trad. Usually its used by players from britain or america and the arguement was that to Irish players the phrase is offensive.

I never took offense to it myself, never gave it a bit of notice to be honest.

Any thoughts? Would you find it offensive if a trad player overseas used this term? or an irish player for that matter

Futurecrook

I've never once come across anyone who actually plays traditional music referring to it as 'diddly music'. I've only ever heard it from people who know nothing about it. Usually when someone clueless finds out I play trad music they respond with, 'oh I wouldn't have thought you'd be into that diddly eye stuff.' It's not really offensive just a fair indication they haven't a clue about the tradition at all.

sensibleken

I've never heard it in Ireland but aparantely its common practice in England, America, Canada to call it such, by players of the music

froog

why is it offensive? just slang

thetwangman

It can be offensive when the inference is that “diddly eye” music is silly music for silly people.

redtelephone

Futurecrook wrote: »

I've never once come across anyone who actually plays traditional music referring to it as 'diddly music'. I've only ever heard it from people who know nothing about it. Usually when someone clueless finds out I play trad music they respond with, 'oh I wouldn't have thought you'd be into that diddly eye stuff.' It's not really offensive just a fair indication they haven't a clue about the tradition at all.

Couldn't agree more. It's just ignorance of what it's about. I wouldn't be bothered about it.

Latchy

From my expierence of being in quite a few ' Irish theme bars ' around the uk I can understand why some non Irish people might refer to it as diddly, or diddly eye music because the stuff they play over the speakers in some of these places resembles a bad celi session , nothing like original traditional Irish music and probably recorded in some studio over in Tiawan

But I dont think people are being offensive unles it's listening to the above versions

neil_hosey

ive heard it been used over here by people whod rather watch match of the day or read now magazine than listen to good music..

does my chops in.

Whiskey Devil

neil_hosey wrote: »

ive heard it been used over here by people whod rather watch match of the day or read now magazine than listen to good music..

does my chops in.

Yep. Same thing. It does piss me off a bit to be honest.

dancingqueen

Makes me so angry - same as people flailing about as if Irish dancing and being general knobs.

It's pure ignorance to be honest, but it's irritating as hell

Scráib

It's a bit derogatory, I use it to describe people's understanding of Trad who don't really understand it at all.

Dancing Sets

I've heard it many times by people who haven't a note in their little heads.
Ignore it because its their loss. Just keep playing and listening to the most beautiful music in the world.

session savage

I wouldnt be the least bit offended. Actually its a fair description. I always thought it came from the lilting side of things. Lilters often use diddley as a lyric and its only traditional irish music where you get lilting so its a fair description I think.

irecolly

I'm irish through and through, I've always referred to it as diddley eye music, what's wrong with that? its a fair description.

Citycap

I do find a lot of the trad music repetitive but then out of the blue you will hear some fantastic piece played either solo or in a group and I really appreciate it. In any case a lot of what passes for pop etc is repetitive rubbish anyway