The Session >> Tunes >> The Salt (slip jig)

Details ABC Sheetmusic Comments

The Salt

slip jig

Key signature: Gmajor

Submitted on January 31st 2002 by Will Harmon.

This tune has been added to 27 tunebooks.

Also known as A Bumper At Parting, B'fhearr Liomsa Ainnir Gan Guna, Come Under My Dimity, The Devil And The Bailiff, Ditherum Doodle, I'll Take A Glass With A Friend, Jig An Da Thuistiun, Johnny D's, Maire Rua, Maire Ruadh, Maire Ruaid, Mall Rua, The Market Stake, Maura Rua, Moll Roe, Moll Roe In The Morning, Moll Roe's, Moll Rua, The Munsterman's Flattery, The Night Before Larry Was Stretched, The Night Larry Was Stretched, One Bumper At Parting, Red Haired Mary, Rent In Arrears, Sweet Molly Roe, Taim In Arrears, Táim In Arrears, Though Late Was I Plump, The Wheels Of The World.

Recordings of a tune by this name:

Details ABC Sheetmusic Comments

X: 1
T: Salt, The
M: 9/8
L: 1/8
R: slip jig
K: Gmaj
|:DGG GAG FGA|BGG GAB ~c3|DGG GAG FGA|BAB cAF G2 E:|
|:DED cAG FED|DED cAB ~c3|DED cAG FGA|BAB cAF G2 E:|

Details ABC Sheetmusic Comments
The Salt sheetmusic
Details ABC Sheetmusic Comments

The Salt

I'll spare you all the explanation behind why this tune is posted here (see the discussion thread by the same name), except to say that the basic melody line stuck in my head over the years. Maybe someone else can post the lyrics that go with it.

Some of my favorite tunes come from songs (The Crather, the Jolly Ploughboys, the Frost is All Over, etc.), and it's always fun to unfurl one of these on fiddle at a session and see if anyone knows the words and joins in.

The Salt would be a good "first" slip jig for beginners--easy to play, room for ornaments if so desired, and firm in its 9/8 rhythm and phrasing. It sounds just fine at a slow, almost air-like pace, and works well on whistle--a good tune to learn those c naturals on a D whistle (try it--the drop back down to A is easy, and the c nat is a pivotal note in the tune, so you'll naturally emphasize it--a little more volume, perhaps), and good practice for cuts, taps, and/or tonguing to separate all those repeated G notes.

You don't have to roll those c's--just hold 'em nice and long. Alternatively, for variety's sake you CAN roll the BAB phrases in the last measure of each half (just do ~B3). Also, flutes and pipes could cran the low D's in the B part to nice effect.

# Posted on January 31st 2002 by Will Harmon

I'm assuming the first three eighth notes in the first three bars should be an octave up? That's how we play it anyway.

# Posted on February 11th 2002 by Kerri Brown

The Salt

I recall Ciaran Curran and Fintan McManus playing this tune on cittern and bouzouki and calling it Maire Rua (Red Haired Mary). I didn't know Coneff had recorded it. I learned it from my old friend Eamon Toland who recorded it years before and I greatly prefer his singing to Coneff's.

# Posted on March 2nd 2002 by LongNote

"Maire Rua" Quintuplets ~ all in the family

"Maire Rua"
Key signature: G Major
Submitted on September 26th 2002 by banjowalsh.
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/993

"A Bumper At Parting"
Key signature: D Major
Submitted on March 23rd 2007 by nicholas.
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display.php/6991

"Johnny Loves Molly" ~ ?
Key signature: D Major
Submitted on June 25th 2007 by JohnQ.
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/7400

"Come Under My Dimity"
Key signature: Gmajor ~ & D in comments
Submitted on September 29th 2007 by ceolachan.
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/7793

# Posted on November 30th 2007 by ceolachan

Not a member yet? Sign up!

forgotten your password?

Frequently Asked Questions

cancel

Enter your email address to have your password sent to you.