Key signature: Gmajor
Submitted on April 27th 2004 by Grack.
This tune has been added to 70 tunebooks.
Also known as Andy Irvine's, The Banks Of Envernes, The Banks Of Inverness, Salmon, Salmon Tails Up The River, Salmon Tails Up The Water, Siege Of Ennis.
Recordings of a tune by this name:
X: 1
T: Salmon Tails Down The Water
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
R: polka
K: Gmaj
GE DE|GG/G/ GA|Bd AB/A/|GE D>E|
GE DE|GG/G/ GA|Bd AB/A/|1 (G2 G2):|2 (G2 G>)A||
(3Bdd d>B|(3cee e>e|dB AB/A/|GE D2|
Bd d>B|ce e>f|gf ed|e/f/g BA|
(3Bdd d>B|(3cee e>e|dB AB/A/|GE D2|
GE DE|GG/G/ GA|Bd/d/ AB/A/|cc c2|
Andy Irvine's
This is practically the same tune as Andy Irvine's, or the Siege of Ennis Polka. One of my favourites.
# Posted on April 27th 2004 by Conán McDonnell
Makes a good set to follow the Knocknaboul polkas as in the Greenfire recording.
# Posted on April 28th 2004 by Stewart
I think this comes from the Northeast of England - at least, it is a standard anong Northumbrian pipers.
# Posted on April 28th 2004 by OrganicPeatCreature
We call it "Salmon Tails Up The Water" (don't they swim upriver?)
Sorry about "Salmon" in the other names section - I pressed return by accident.
# Posted on April 28th 2004 by Dow
I've just remembered, this is the first tune I learnt - I got it off my woodwork teacher at school back in 1989 or 1990. He used to make himself things like mandolins, citterns and Appalachian dulcimers during breaks and dinner times. I thought that was really cool, so I took up the mandolin.
# Posted on April 28th 2004 by Dow
The Pogues used this tune for the 'instrumental section' at the end of their version of "South Australia" (on the "If I Should Fall from Grace... album).
A good tune.
# Posted on April 29th 2004 by Grack
Salmon Tails
This is a Northumbrian standard. Everyone plays it up here. Strictly speaking its not a polka but a rant, the characteristic dance indiginous to the North-east of England (they rant elsewhere but in a heavy, downbeat polkary sort of way, Northumbrian Ranting is very light and special).
The tune is reputedly composed by James Allen - piper, gypsy, rogue and hero who was hanged for sheep steeling around the turn of the 18th century. Jimmy (or Jamie) Allen is another classic Northumbrian rant that goes wellwith Salmon Tails
# Posted on May 2nd 2004 by noelbats
Salmon Tails Up the Water
I know it as the "UP" title. It is Northumbrian, and is certainly a rant! I had this explained to me sweetly back in 1981.
I'd been visiting friends in the NE of England, John and Elsie Nettleton, and the Morpeth Gathering was happening. My friends coaxed me into entering the miscellaneous instruments competition, (first time I ever played a comp!) the rules being to play 2 tunes, one of which had to be Northumbrian...so I played an Irish Slow Air, An Buachaill Caol Dubh, followed by Salmon Tails. I was playing against some wizards, Robin Dunn, Neil Smith, George Welsh, amongst others but somehow I was awarded first prize.
HOWEVER, (the late) Foster Charlton's comments, read out by Phil Ransome went something like this...
"Beautiful Slow Air, beautifully played, best piece of music on the day and what won you the competition...but Brian, please note that Salmon Tails Up the Water is a Northumbrian Rant and not a bl..dy Irish Polka!"
I was suitably chastised!
Brianx
# Posted on May 3rd 2004 by briantheflute
Salmon Tails Up the Water
An early Scottish version went under the name "The Banks of Inverness" and it can be found in Ryan's Mammoth Collection as "The Banks of Enverness".
# Posted on December 19th 2005 by nigelg
Go here for non-Northumbrian versions:
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/1640
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/4774
# Posted on May 1st 2006 by Dow
Salmon Tails, and Jimmy Allen
Jimmy Allen, the c18 piper mentioned in the thread above, was had up for some offence, stealing a horse I think, in his old age. He was put in a prison under Elvet Bridge in Durham City where he died - he was not hanged.
The name "Salmon Tails Up The Water" puts me in mind of something I saw when I used to fish; in what remained of the rapids in a stretch of river I used to fish, when the water was very low, the tails of the salmon there would sometimes appear waving half-out of the water, looking a bit like cabbage leaves except for the colour - I did some double-takes at first.
I love this tune. On a D/G melodeon with D-scale notes on the lowest buttons, as opposed to (or as well as) chromatic ones, one can cross the rows and make all kinds of chords and sonorous noises.
# Posted on August 2nd 2006 by nicholas