The Eel In The Sink

reel

Key signature: Amixolydian

Submitted on February 17th 2003 by Dow.

This tune has been added to 148 tunebooks.

Also known as The Blackthorn, Eel In The Sink, Eels In The Sink, The Irish Blackthorn.

Recordings of a tune by this name:

• A Clare Conscience by Aidan McMahon And Anthony Quigney
• A Few Tunes by John Skelton
• A Wind Of Change by Brendan O'Regan
• Aleanna by Aleanna
• Atlantic Breeze by Shaskeen
• Boxed by Anders Trabjerg
• Casadh Na Taoide - Turning The Tide by Liadan
• Celtic Roots (Spirit Of Dance) by John Whelan
• Cooley by Joe Cooley
• Crashing Through The Trees by Warblefly
• Crystal Clear by Jerry Holland
• Deborah Quigley With Martin Gould by Deborah Quigley
• Folktrax 154 - The Sligo Fiddler: Michael Coleman by Michael Coleman
• Garden Of Butterflies by Jody's Heaven
• Gavin Whelan by Gavin Whelan
• John Williams by John Williams
• Matt Molloy, Paul Brady, Tommy Peoples by Matt Molloy, Paul Brady, Tommy Peoples
• Memories From The Holla by Peter Carberry, Angelina Carberry And John Blake
• Music At The House by Brendan Bulger, Marty Fahey And Kathleen Gavin
• Pay The Piper: Music For The Sets Volume 3 by Various Artists
• Selkie by Mick Conneely
• Straight From The Bottle by Jameson's Revenge
• Sugrú by Eilish O'Connor
• The Good Ear by Dougal Adams And Ormonde Waters
• The Green Mountain by Pat O'Connor
• The High Notes by The High Notes
• The Music Makers: Celebrating 35 Years Of Comhaltas In Leeds by Leeds CCE
• The Ships Are Sailing by Comhaltas Concert Tour Group 1978
• Traditional Irish Music by William Sullivan
• Traditional Irish Music From Doolin Co. Clare by Terry Bingham
• Traditional Irish Music On Flute And Guitar by Jack And Jimmy Coen
• Tunes For Practice by Seamus Creagh
• Whirlwind by Brian Hughes
• With Every Breath by John Wynne
• Wooden Flute Obsession: Volume 2, Disc 2 by Various Artists

X: 1
T: Eel In The Sink, The
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Amix
e2AB cdec|d2BG dG (3Bcd|eAAB cdef|1 gedg eAAc:|2 gedg eAAe||
a2ea aged|cdef (3gbg fg|a2ea agab|gedg eAAe|
a2ea aged|cdef (3gbg fg|afge fdef|gfgd BAAc||

Transcribed directly from the playing of Terry Bingham, not from Henrik Norbeck, who has also transcribed the same track. This is my favourite version of the tune in Amix, but it also comes in Ador, in which case it is (according to Norbeck) sometimes called "The Blackthorn Reel". In some settings, the phrases end |gedB BAA2| but I prefer Terry Bingham's version |gedg eAA...

On the Terry Bingham track the guitarist plays Ador chords whilst Bingham is playing in Amix with C#s. I think this spoils it, and would have preferred a more complimentary harmonisation. Do you think it was deliberate?

# Posted on February 17th 2003 by Dow

Eel

Also recorded by Molloy, Peoples & Brady, Seamus Tansey & Joe Sheridan, and Vinnie Kilduff (on Brendan Regan's solo recording).

# Posted on February 18th 2003 by Kenny

Anders Trabjerg

On Anders Trabjerg's CD Boxed, he plays it with Am chords, using C-nat, and using the C# twice in the B-part.

Lars

# Posted on February 19th 2003 by Larshansen

Eel in the Sink

When my mother liked a good reel she would always say: "a reel to raise the deads and make them dance". I have the same thing to say about this one. A very lively reel

# Posted on March 13th 2003 by graphix

Another Version

The Old Man's Blackthorn Stick: http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/5774

As for the versions in Ador or Amix, I often hear the last two bars played like this: |afge fdef|gedB BA~A2||

# Posted on January 25th 2007 by slainte

The Eel in the Sink - Another Version

X: 1
T: The Eel in the Sink
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Amix
AG||:EAAB cedc|B~G3 BGAG|EAAB cdef|gedB BAA2:||
a2ea aged|(3Bcd ef g2(3efg|a2ea agab|gedB BAA2|
ea~a2 aged|(3Bcd ef g2fg|(3agf (3gfe (3fed ef|gedB BAA2||

# Posted on August 14th 2009 by laveylad