The Blacksmith

jig

Key signature: Bminor

Submitted on March 17th 2003 by slainte.

This tune has been added to 98 tunebooks.

Recordings of a tune by this name:

• 6 Of One, 5 Of The Other by An Tua
• A Drop Of Pure by Quilty
• Anarchy And Rapture by Annwn
• Come Away To The Hills by Annwn
• Cornerstone by Celtic Spring
• Dance With Lbs by Lbs
• Finnegan's AWake by Finnegan's AWake
• For The Love Of Tara by Denis Lanctot
• Hark! The Village Wait by Steeleye Span
• In Concert by Stonecircle
• Live 2004 by Planxty
• Merrily Kissed The Quaker by The Blacksmiths
• Now And Then by Daoine Sidhe
• Now And Then by Trapezoid
• Pick It Up by Enda Scahill
• Planxty by Planxty
• Please To See The King by Steeleye Span
• The Blue CD by Irish Session Tunes
• The Celtic Fiddle Of Liz Knowles by Liz Knowles
• The Lark In The Morning by Steeleye Span
• The Planxty Collection by Planxty
• Whisper Of A Secret by Déanta
• Wind In The Willows by Willows Folk

X: 1
T: Blacksmith, The
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
R: jig
K: Bmin
|:fe|d2B def|a2a afe|f2B A2c|B2B Bfe|
d2B def|a2a afe|f2B A2c|B2B B:|
|:fg|a2a aba|f2f f2e|d2B def|a2a afe|
d2B def|a2a afe|f2B A2c|B2B B:|

The Blacksmith

This is a tune for beginners, but proficient musicians will also enjoy it.

The tune comes from the playing of Galway banjo player Enda Scahill. According to the liner notes of the recording, it was originally a slow air, but Dublin flute player Eamonn DeBarra changed it into a jig.

What a happy jig! I cannot help smiling while playing it slowly.

# Posted on March 17th 2003 by slainte

Planxty

Planxty has done very good job of this tune the best version i've haerd yet

# Posted on May 4th 2005 by lilting piper

Are you sure, Lilting Piper? I doubt Planxty recorded this very rare tune.

# Posted on May 4th 2005 by slainte

Origins

“Planxty” did indeed record “The Blacksmith”, but not a jig. “The Blacksmith” is a traditional English song, which was recorded by “Steeleye Span” on their 2nd recording “Please To See The King”. Andy Irvine re-arranged it , and “Balkanised” it, making much use of his mandola and Donal Lunny’s bouzouki, on “Planxty”’s first LP, the “black” album. Enda Scahill’s jig version was derived from one of these recordings – I can’t remember which , but am sure it is mentioned in the sleeve notes of his solo CD.

# Posted on May 4th 2005 by Kenny

Sorry for my ignorance. I haven't got any Planxty album yet. Could you post the original version of the tune? That should be nice one too.

# Posted on May 5th 2005 by slainte

I'm presuming you're joking about the happy jig part in the first part slainte. ;)

Very nice jig and it sounds well on Pick it Up.

# Posted on August 18th 2006 by PaddyCmusic

Planxty

Could anyone have a go at the Andy Irvine arrangement? I can't figure out the breakdown at the very start of the tune. It's been at me for years!!!!

# Posted on November 1st 2007 by daithishortland