Key signature: Gmajor
Submitted on August 29th 2003 by dafydd.
This tune has been added to 45 tunebooks.
Also known as Shelby's Mule.
Recordings of a tune by this name:
X: 1
T: Waiting For The Federals
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Gmaj
GA|:B4 B2 AB|d2B2 BA G2|B4 d3B|ABAG E2D2|
B4 B2 AB|d2B2 BA G2|ABAG E2F2|1G3AG2 GA:|2G3AG2 Bd||
|:g4 gage|d2B2 BA G2|g4 gfga| be-ef e3f|
gaba g2 ge|eged BA G2|ABAG E2F2|1G3AG2 Bd:|2G3AG2 GA||
Is it because it ain't Irish
?
I'm surprised this tune has never been posted before. It gets played frequently at nearly every session I been to--maybe, done to death, some might argue. Possibly, it's never been posted because it's less popular in "pure Irish sessions"-I don't know.
# Posted on June 6th 2004 by Johannes J
I've never heard this tune played in a U.S Irish session. Here, it's mainly associated with old-time fiddling and contra-dance music. It's also called Seneca Square Dance. It's been years since I've played this tune and its posting here brings back some fond memories. I might try it out on the pipes just for giggles and grins.
# Posted on June 7th 2004 by Bill Reeder
I was going to say that too, Bill. I thought it was an American Old Time tune, as I learned it in an Appalachian fiddle class.
# Posted on June 7th 2004 by Andee
I first heard this tune some years ago in a gig in Scotland, but the band couldn't tell me where it came from. It's the only time I've heard it live, and we like to play it now and then in a very lively mood.
# Posted on June 8th 2004 by jorge o'lochlainn
Related to "Shoot That Turkey Buzzard"
This is certainly and Old-time tune, although Aly Bain has recorded it, which probably accounts for any currency it might have in Ireland or Scotland. I expect it would be frowned upon in most American Irish sessions, however, regardless of which Celtic Fiddle God may have dabbled in it. Narry the twain shall meet, I reckon.
The tune is related to "Shoot That Turkey Buzzard" and there is a quite interesting discussion of this and another very similar tune called "Davy Dugger", both played by the very fine Kentucky fiddler Clyde Davenport to be found on the following link:
http://www.stg.brown.edu/projects/davenport/DAVY_DUGGER.html
This discussion points up the way old-time fiddlers consider tunes to be seperate and distinct based on seemingly slight variations.
One old-timer once said "They ain't no notes to it, you just play it!" Says a lot about trying to play old-time tunes from notation; perhaps more than any other fiddle tradition, old-time defies transcription.
# Posted on June 12th 2004 by ffidylguy