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Rapper Tunes

Rapper Tunes

Does anyone have any suggestions for tunes that i could play on my fiddle for my dad's rapper team to dance to? I've got a bundle of the usual ones, the tenpenny bit, the blackthorn stick etc. but i was wondering if anyone could think of any other 6/8 tunes that would work. Bearing in mind that the average age of the team is about 80, i really want some great tunes to get them moving!!!

# Posted on December 18th 2005 by folkiemad

Re: Rapper Tunes

My daughter is on a rapper sword team, and some of the tunes they've used include:
Jig of Slurs
Cliffs of Moher
The 30-Year Jig
Rolling Wave
Humours of Trim

I think these are all posted in the "Tunes" section.

Don't know if this one is in your repertoire, but The Peacock Followed the Hen is another good rapper tune.

# Posted on December 18th 2005 by sts

Re: Rapper Tunes

I thought it was wrapper dancing..

# Posted on December 19th 2005 by McMandolin

Re: Rapper Tunes

Jug of Slugs and Atholl Highlanders are a regularly heard pair, and Lark In The Morning fits well to start with.

From the Northumbrian repertoire, Bellingham Boat, Elsie Marley, Random jig and Hexham Quadrille jump about a fair bit.

And if you do want 9/8s, there are a host of other Northumbrian tunes to pick from.

# Posted on December 19th 2005 by geoffwright

Re: Rapper Tunes

when you said rapper i thought you meant homie gee bitches & hoes type rapper tupac snoop dog thing sorry :-(

# Posted on December 19th 2005 by Ripthecalico

Re: Rapper Tunes

Grand Union rapper used to use mainly Northumbrian tunes that echoed the rhythm of the specific steps as it changed - most of them are standard "da dee dee da dee dee", but a couple of standard steps use "da dee dee da - da", i.e exactly what New Rigged Ship does. They started with Hexham Races (which can be gentle(ish) to warm them up at the start, or pretty wild, at the finish); then One-horned sheep, which really got them moving - and the audience, sometimes - then New Rigged Ship, which echoed the step they'd have moved into by then; then Blackthorn stick (because you can start in G, then lift it to A to lift them again); then Elsie Marley, which really moves rapper along, then Jump at the Sun in Gm, a lovely change of emphasis which they used for the cowp (= one dancer doing a somersault leaning on 2 others' shoulders). We'd put a chromatic run down in the B music as they did the first cowp, then they'd regroup and do a double which we'd accompany with the same chromatic run down, then take it up again. Then we'd slip back into Hexham Races for the final lock.
They reckoned 6/8 marches and single jigs didn't work, but most Irish double jigs would, which fits with the suggestions made so far.

# Posted on December 19th 2005 by Pippa

Re: Rapper Tunes

9/8 jigs do work but you need to make sure the dancers are expecting and they should be slip jigs rather than hop jigs.

I always use double jigs. In addition to those mentioned above there are
The Unfortunate Rake
Connaughtmans Rambles
Syriacus (Tripping Upstairs)
Morrison's
My Darling Asleep
Father O 'Flynn

# Posted on December 19th 2005 by Paul_draper

Re: Rapper Tunes

One resource you should definitely check out, especially when you have loads of time, is Tony Barrand's video archive of morris, sword and clog dancing [http://www.bu.edu/dbin/dance/]. You can find all kinds of videos of rapper dance performances, both in the UK and the US. Plenty of tune ideas there, to be sure!

# Posted on December 19th 2005 by sts

Re: Rapper Tunes

Mmm... rapper. Double jigs definitely. Here's a list of the ones I often end up playing:
Connaughtmans Rambles
Swallowtail (jig)
My Darling Asleep
The Tenpenny Bit
Blackthorn Stick (in A)
Mug Of Brown Ale
Jig of Slurs
Rosewood

and sometimes:
Cliffs of Moher
Wild One (a wacko but fun contra-y tune)

# Posted on December 29th 2005 by lurker

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