Details ABC Sheetmusic Comments

The Drops Of Brandy

slip jig

Key signature: Dmajor

Submitted on November 21st 2001 by Jdharv.

This tune has been added to 272 tunebooks.

Also known as Drops Of Brandy, Lots Of Drops Of Brandy, New Drops Of Brandy, Tá Nead Ag An Dreoilín.

Recordings of a tune by this name:

A North Country Barn Dance by The Morpeth Ranters
A Traveler's Dream by Maggie Sansone
Aengus by Aengus
Banish Misfortune by Malcolm Dalglish And Grey Larsen
Barr Na Cuille by Neil Mulligan
Best Of Irish Ceili Music by Various Artists
Celtic Sessions by William Coulter
Drops Of Brandy by Sean McAloon And John Rea
Foinn Seisiun 2 by Ceoltóirí Cultúrlainne
Full House by Fairport Convention
Gerry MacFadden by Gerry McFadden
Instrumental by The Dubliners
Irish Traditional Music (on Uilleann Pipes, Hammered Dulcimer, Fiddle, Flute And Whistle) by Various Artists
Let Down The Blade by John Regan And Paddy Glackin
Live And Kicking by Swarb's Lazarus
Paddy Keenan by Paddy Keenan
Portrait Of A Scottish Jew's Harp Player by Lindsay Porteous
Some Foriegn Land by Colcannon
Soulstice by Todd Denman And Aniar
Stockton's Wing by Stockton's Wing
The Bardic Moods Of Music by Abhan Trireach
The Best Of Irish Jigs And Reels Vol.1 by Various Artists
The Collection by Stockton's Wing
The Dawning Of The Day by Finbar And Eddie Furey
The Floating Bow (Traditional Fiddle Music From Donegal) by John Doherty
The Humours Of Lewisham Volume 2 by Aidan Crossey
The Lark's March by Patricia Clark
The Master Pipers Volume 2 by Tommy Kearney
The Northumbrian Small Pipes by Various Artists
The Open Door by Sean Nua
The Rakish Paddy by Paddy Cronin
The Rare Stuff by The Rare Stuff
The Return From Fingal by Séamus Ennis
The Sky Didn't Fall by Kathryn Tickell And Corrina Hewat
Traditional Irish Music by James Kelly
Traditional Music Of Ireland by Joe And Antoinette McKenna
Tri by Far From Home
Tryst by Iain MacInnes
Water From The Well by The Chieftains

Details ABC Sheetmusic Comments

Another Source

This tune is found on William Coulter's CD: "Celtic Sessions"

# Posted on January 23rd 2004 by windybaer

Drops of Brandy

In Bristol we play it in G. This gives the useful option of playing it at the lower octave.
Trevor

# Posted on April 21st 2004 by lazyhound

The Drops Of Brandy (slip jig)

I believe the original is in A and scottish. Am I wrong?

# Posted on April 21st 2004 by gian marco

I think it is Scottish and we certainly play it a lot for dance sets like "Drops of Brandy" and "Strip the widow--sorry Willow :-) ". Both are very similar. Usually, it's played in A or G here. Again, the setting is different, though who's to say we're right? :-)

# Posted on April 21st 2004 by Johannes J

Drops of Brandy is also in the Metis tradition as well! It was very cool the time I saw a Metis dance troupe and band at a festival and out pops a version of Drops of Brandy...

# Posted on April 21st 2004 by Zina Lee

Drops of Brandy (in G) - slip jig

I forgot to say, it makes a nice round to play, each player coming in after 4 bars. When played in G one player can play at the octave. If you have more than two players playing as a round (we've done it with 4) everyone has to concentrate very hard otherwise it's so easy to lose it.
Trevor

# Posted on April 21st 2004 by lazyhound

Seen it in G

I believe it is in O'Neill's in the key of G instead of A... I play it either way. I believe it is irish in origin - but it doesn't really matter, it is lots of fun to play and teach as it has a good slip jig rhthym.

# Posted on May 29th 2006 by Toronto jam

G again

We play this in G as well at our Asheville sessions.

I've known others who play it in A as well.

# Posted on October 24th 2006 by fltress

Metis version

The Metis versions of Drops of Brandy that I've heard seem to have little relationship to the slip jig - they're in 2/4 or 4/4 time and have a different melody altogether - great tunes in their own right. Much closer in feel to Fench-Canadian than Irish.

# Posted on November 26th 2006 by danceall

"Drops of Brandy" ~ 1 - 2 - 3 = D, G, A Major ~ but this transcription

I love this old standard and will be adding more, but for the moment, feeling that powers greater than me are moving me and trying to keep me civil ( GRRRR! ;-) ) ~ here goes windy's take in 3 keys and on a proper diet ~

X: 1
T: Drops Of Brandy
M: 9/8
L: 1/8
R: slip jig
K: D Major
|: ABA FDF FDF | ABA FDF GFE |
ABA FDF FDF | GFG E2 F GFE :|
|: DFA dAF dAF | DFA dAF GFE |
[1 DFA dAF dAF | GFG E2 F GFE :|
[2 DFA dfe dAF | GFG E2 F GFE ||

X: 2
T: Drops Of Brandy
M: 9/8
L: 1/8
R: slip jig
K: G Major
|: ded BGB BGB | ded BGB cBA |
ded BGB BGB | cBc A2 B cBA :|
|: GBd gdB gdB | GBd gdB cBA |
[1 GBd gdB gdB | cBc A2 B cBA :|
[2 GBd gba gdB | cBc A2 B cBA ||

X: 3
T: Drops Of Brandy
M: 9/8
L: 1/8
R: slip jig
K: A Major
|: efe cAc cAc | efe cAc dcB |
efe cAc cAc | dcd B2 c dcB :|
|: Ace aec aec | Ace aec dcB |
[1 Ace aec aec | dcd B2 c dcB :|
[2 Ace ac'b aec | dcd B2 c dcB ||

# Posted on September 27th 2007 by ceolachan

"Follow Her Over The Border" ~ slip jig ~ suspected family member, one octave

Key signature: D Major
Submitted on September 25th 2007 by ceolachan.
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/7771

# Posted on September 29th 2007 by ceolachan

Lyrics

here's the traditional lilt: (Part A is the lilt, Part B is the verses)

Curfá:
Didildí déidildí déidildí
didildí déidildí deam
didildí déidildí déidildí
didildí déidildí deam

Tá nead ag an dreoilín, an dreoilín
tá nead ag an dreoilín sa sceach,
Tá nead ag an dreoilín, an dreoilín
is gearrcaigh ag teacht amach.

Tá nead ag a' fiolar na faille,
tá nead ag an gcaistín cnoic,
tá nead ag an éan is airde
is nead ag an bhfaoilinn dubh.

Téanam go Dairbhre, Dairbhre
téanam go Dairbhre, a Chit,
téanam go Dairbhre, Dairbhre,
is ólfaimid tenny bit.

# Posted on April 26th 2008 by DonallDubh

"Drops of Brandy" ~ |: d2 B BGB ~

I'm more inclined to take it so, starting with the long-short in the first measure of the A-part and repeating it in bars 2 & 3 ~

# Posted on April 29th 2008 by ceolachan

James Kelly version

James Kelly does a really nice version of this one on the CD 'Traditional Irish Music", with Paddy Keenan, Zan McLeod, Mark Stone and Daithi Connaughton. Track 7, with The Gift from the Fairies / Drops of Brandy / Is the Big Man Within?. I love this one!

# Posted on May 27th 2008 by anniemcu