Come West Along The Road

reel

Key signature: Gmajor

Submitted on January 1st 2002 by Jeremy.

This tune has been added to 177 tunebooks.

Also known as West Along The Road.

Recordings of a tune by this name:

• 40th Anniversary 1946 - 1986 by The Tulla Ceili Band
• A Rake Of Reels by John Nolan
• As Long As You're Enjoying Yourself by John Brennan And John McGillian
• As We Got Them: Traditional Flute And Fiddle Music From County Sligo by Various Artists
• Celtic Fire by John Whelan
• Celtic Sessions by William Coulter
• Cnoc Bui by Conal Ó'Gráda
• Crossroads by Máirtín O'Connor, Cathal Hayden, Seamie O'Dowd
• Dance Music Of Ireland: Volume 12 by Matt Cunningham
• Dance Music Of Ireland: Volume 2 by Matt Cunningham
• Dance Music Of Ireland: Volume 3 CD Version by Matt Cunningham
• Dance Music Of Ireland: Volume 7 by Matt Cunningham
• Days Of Doolin by Dulsert
• Down From Bell Harbour by Chris Droney
• Drifted by Ginger
• Drioball Na Fáinleoige by Johnny Connolly
• Foinn Seisiun 1 by Ceoltóirí Cultúrlainne
• Foxglove by Moving Cloud
• Happy To Meet And Sorry To Part by Joe Burke, Michael Cooney And Terry Coleman
• He Didn't Dance by Cucanandy
• In Praise Of Lissycasey by Various Artists
• In The Footsteps Of Coleman by Various Artists
• Irish Traditional Concertina Styles by Various Artists
• Johnny O'Leary Of Sliabh Luachra by Johnny O'Leary
• Keelwest by Paul McGrattan
• Lamh Ar Lamh (Many Hands) CD 2 by Various Artists
• Live In Seattle by Martin Hayes
• Many Happy Returns by Arcady
• Memories Of Clare by Bobby Gardiner
• On Oiche Go Maidin by O'aces
• Real Reels Of Ireland by Various Artists
• Reeds And Rosin by Todd Denman And Dale Russ
• Rogha Órdha by Various Artists
• Set Dancing Downunder by The Coast Ceili Band
• Show The Lady: Music For The Sets Volume 5 by Various Artists
• Songs, Jigs, Reels by Glenside And Kilfenora Ceili Bands
• The Family Album by The McCarthys
• The Godfather by Brian Rooney
• The Green Hills Of Clare by The Crehan Family And Carl Corcoran
• The Heather Breeze by Heathery Breeze Ceili Band
• The Humors Of Glin by Martin Mulvihill
• The Irish Folk Festival '01 by Various Artists
• The Michael Sexton Ceili Band by The Michael Sexton Ceili Band
• The More That's Said The Less The Better by Craobh Rua
• The Sanctuary Sessions by Various Artists
• The Wild Keys by Mikie Smyth
• Traditional Irish Fiddle Music by The Kilfenora Fiddle Ceili Band
• Traditional Music From The Glens Of Antrim by Leo Brown And PJ Hill
• Traditional Music Of Ireland by Paddy Carty And Conor Tully
• Turas by Turas
• Under The Moon by Martin Hayes

X: 1
T: Come West Along The Road
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Gmaj
|:d2BG dGBd|G2(3Bcd efge|d2BG dGBd|1 ABcd edBe:|2 ABcd edBd||
|g2bg egdg|egdg edBd|g2bg egdg|BABd edBd|
|g2bg egdg|egdg edBd|gabg efge|dega bage|

This is one of those reels that sounds best played at a fairly fast session speed.

I find the first phrase quite tricky to play on the banjo/bouzouki (and presumably, fiddle) which leads me to think that maybe it would be easier on an instrument like the tin whistle. Perhaps it was originally a pipe tune?

Martin Hayes does a great job of making this tune sound effortless on his "Under The Moon" LP.

# Posted on January 1st 2002 by Jeremy

Come West

Nice tune Jeremy. Another possible version of the first phrase, which I find a little easier on fiddle, goes as follies:

|d2 BG dGBG|(3GGG Bd efge|

You still have to rock that ring finger across the first and second strings to get the notes, but this version eliminates the second dG combination, which is what usually trips me up.

# Posted on January 1st 2002 by Will CPT

Can be played slow as well

On "As Long as You're Enjoying Yourself," a nice little recording from John Brennan (guitar) and John McGillian (box), two of the main staples in Irish music in Philly, McGillian plays a lovely version of this tune in Amajor (or one of the minor equivalencies w/ 3 sharps-- not sure), but he plays it very slowly. Worth checking out if you get the chance b/c it gives you a different perspective on the tune.

# Posted on February 24th 2003 by Jason G

I've been playing a slightly different version:

K: Gmaj
d2BG dGBG|G2Bd ef (3gfe|d2BG dGBG|1 ABcd edBc:|2 ABcd edBd||
g2bg egdg|(3efg dg edBd|g2bg egdB|ABcd edBd|
g2bg egdg|(3efg dg edBd|gabg efge|dega bage||

# Posted on September 24th 2005 by slainte

The Grada recording

There is an absolutely beautiful version of this tune, played as a slow reel, on Grada's Endeavour. It's the second tune in the Anto's Gambit set.

# Posted on December 15th 2005 by ChrisLaughlin