Ugly stick

Ugly stick

The ugly stick is a traditional Newfoundland musical instrument fashioned out of household and tool shed items, typically a mop handle with bottle caps, tin cans, small bells and other noise makers. The instrument is played with a drum stick and has a distinctive sound.

Origin

In outports and remote villages, social gatherings such as concerts (colloquially referred to as "tymes"), mummering and kitchen parties, were an important part of the rural culture. The principal melody instruments were accordions and fiddles with rhythmic accompaniment from the ugly stick.

Construction

The instrument’s main body is a mop or broom handle cut to approximately four feet. An old rubber boot was attached to the bottom and a cymbal attached at the very top. At strategic intervals along the length of the shaft, nails affixed with bottle caps, felt tins and other noise makers would be nailed into the shaft. The instrument would then be decorated with items of colour and fluff to the artist's taste.

Playing

The ugly stick was held in one hand at about ¾ up the shaft and the musician would hold a drum stick in the other. The instrument would be lifted and dropped on the floor in a rhythmic fashion while the musician would strike the attachments and cymbal to embellish the sound.

Idiomatic usage

"Beaten with the ugly stick" is an American and British idiom for someone or something that looks ugly or unappealing.

ee also

*Music of Newfoundland and Labrador
*List of Newfoundland songs
*List of people of Newfoundland and Labrador
*Folk music
*Lagerphone

External liks

* [http://www.heritage.nf.ca/society/trad_instru_music.html Traditional music and instruments by Heritage Newfoundland]
* [http://www.flickr.com/photos/dmer/79961698/ A sample picture]


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • ugly-stick — n An imaginary stick that makes anyone hit by it ugly. Where did you get that outfit! Were you hit by the ugly stick? 1990s …   Historical dictionary of American slang

  • ugly stick — n an imagined source of repellent physi cal characteristics, manners or behav iour. The words usually form part of a sardonic speculation that the person in question has been taking ugly pills or has been hit with the ugly stick . An alternative… …   Contemporary slang

  • ugly stick — /ˈʌgli stɪk/ (say uglee stik) noun Colloquial (humorous) a notional stick with which a person has been hit in order to make them ugly …  

  • The Ugly Stick — infobox television show name = The Ugly Stick caption = The Ugly Stick opening title format = Sketch Comedy runtime = approximately 30 minutes starring = Daniel Juhasz, James Ruhfus, Nick Maxwell, Alfed Daniel, Jon Bennett, Simeon Branca, Annie… …   Wikipedia

  • hit by the ugly stick — mod. made to be very ugly. □ She is so lame. Looks like she was hit by the ugly stick till it broke! □ Go look in the mirror. It looks like you was hit by the ugly stick! …   Dictionary of American slang and colloquial expressions

  • beaten with the ugly stick — Phrs. Of a person, unnattractive. Cf. hit with the ugly stick …   English slang and colloquialisms

  • hit with the ugly stick — Phrs. Of a person, unnattractive. Cf beaten with the ugly stick …   English slang and colloquialisms

  • Beaten by the ugly stick while swinging from the ugly tree — very, very ugly …   Dictionary of Australian slang

  • beaten by the ugly stick while swinging from the ugly tree — Australian Slang very, very ugly …   English dialects glossary

  • Ugly Betty (season 3) — infobox tvseason season name = Ugly Betty (season 3) caption = Ugly Betty s innertitle dvd release date = dvd format = country= USA network =ABC first aired =September 25, 2008 last aired =Spring 2009 num episodes = prev season = 2 next season =… …   Wikipedia

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