The Session >> Tunes >> Miss McLeod's (reel)

Details ABC Sheetmusic Comments

Miss McLeod's

reel

Key signature: Gmajor

Submitted on May 25th 2001 by Jeremy.

This tune has been added to 721 tunebooks.

Also known as Dance For Your Daddy My Little Laddie, Did You Ever Meet The Devil, Uncle Joe?, The Dun Cow, Eighthsome, Hop High Ladies, Iníon Mhic Leóid, May Day, McCleod's, McCloud's, McLeod's, Miss MacLeod, Miss McCleod, Miss McCleod's, Miss McCloud's, Miss McLeod, Miss McLeod’s, Mrs MacLeod Of Raasay, Mrs Mc Leod's, Mrs Mcleod Of Raasay, Mrs McLeod's, Mrs McLeods, Mrs. Mc Cloud, Mrs. McCloud, Mrs. McCloud's, Mrs. McClouds, Mrs. McLeod, Mrs. McLeod Of Rasay, Mrs. McLeods, Ms McCloud's, Old Mammy Knickerbocker, Uncle Joe's.

Recordings of a tune by this name:

Details ABC Sheetmusic Comments

X: 1
T: Miss McLeod's
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Gmaj
|:G2 BG AGBG|B2 BA BcBA|G2 BG AGBG|A2 AG AcBA|
G2 BG AGBG| B2 BA B2 d2|e2 ef edef|gfed BcBA:|
|:G2 gf edeg|B2 BA BcBA| G2 gf edeg|a2 ag aeef|
g2 gf edeg|BcBA B2 d2|edef edef|gfed BcBA:|

Details ABC Sheetmusic Comments
Miss McLeod's sheetmusic
Details ABC Sheetmusic Comments

This is a truly international tune. Scottish in origin, it has become a staple of both the Irish and American musical traditions. In Ireland it is most commonly played in the key of G major. In Scotland it's often played in the (national) key of A major.

In the second part, it's nice to occasionally play the "high" A part low.

# Posted on June 2nd 2001 by Jeremy

Does anyone have the B part for the setting that is in A major that has
K:A
|:A3c e2 ce|fecf ecBc|A3c e2cB|AFAF EAcB|
A3c e2 ce|fecB ABce|fedc defa|afec BAcB:|

in the A part?

Zina

# Posted on August 26th 2002 by Zina Lee

I've always heard the first bar played:

G2 BG dGBG, not the way it is transcribed here.

# Posted on July 25th 2003 by Hanley

Miss McLeod's (reel) by Michael Gorman & Mick Flynn . the sligo champion

T:Mrs McLeod's
M:C|
L:1/8
C:Niel Gow, Scotland (1727-1807)
S:Michael Gorman & Mick Flynn . the sligo champion
R:reel
N:In Scotland the parts are played in the opposite order, and the tune is
N:A.
D:
H:The original title is "Mrs McLeod of Raasay".
H:See also other versions, #491, #663
Z:gmp
K:G
G2BG dGBG|GBBA BcBA|G2BG dGBG|FGAB cBAF|
G2BG dGBG|GBBA Bcdf|efed ^cdef|~g3e dBAF:|
|G2gf edgd|B2BA BcbA|g2fg efge|A2AG AcBA|
G2gf edgd|B2BA Bcdf|efed ^cdef|~g3e dBAF|
G2gf edgd|B2BA Bcba|g2fg efgb|a2ag agef|
g2fg edgd|B2BA Bcdf|efed ^cdef|gedg ecAF||

% ABC2Win Version 2.1 31/08/2004

# Posted on August 31st 2004 by gian marco

Miss McLeod's

The Scottish version of this is here http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display.php/340.

The setting I play has elements of the Irish and Scottish versions. It would go nicely on the flute I think:

K: G
|:GABc d2BG|ABBA B2BA|GABc d2BG|AD~D2 ABBA|
GABc d2BG|ABBA B2Bd|e2ed ^cdef|gedB AdBA:|
|:G2g2 edeg|ABBA B2BA|G2g2 edeg|~a3b ageg|
dggf edeg|ABBA B2Bd|e2ed ^cdef|gedB AdBA:|

# Posted on November 11th 2004 by Dow

Do we need another variation?

I was at the "Echoes of Erin" concert last night. Great show! I could swear they played this tune like this, with the D in the first bar played as the low D:


G2BG DGBG|B2BA BcBA|G2BG DGBG|A2AG AcBA

# Posted on October 18th 2005 by MC2

Miss McLeod's

I've been playing the tune like this:

K: Gmaj
G2BG DGBG|B2BA BcBA|G2BG DGBG|A2AG AcBA|
G2BG DGBG|B2BA B2d2|efed Bdef|gedB AcBA:|
G2gf efge|B2BA BcBA|G2gf efge|a2ab agef|
~g3f efge|B2BA B2d2|efed Bdef|gedB AcBA:|

It's sometimes paired with Garrett Barry's, or Mister McLeod's: http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display.php/3434

# Posted on October 19th 2005 by slainte

Liz carroll's version - "Miss McLeod"

1st track on the 1986 recording "Cherish The Ladies", played by Liz Carroll. A great version, which unfortunately, I've only ever heard played once. Time it was better known.


G,B,DG c2 BG | DGBA BcBA | G,B,DG B2 AG | AFDF AdBA |
GABG dGEG | cGDG BGdG | c2 Bd cded | BddB AdBA :|
GBdb ageg | dBBA B2 AB | GBdb aged | eaga gedB |
GBdb ageg | dBBA B2 GB | edcB cded | BddB AdBA :|

# Posted on July 9th 2006 by Kenny

Dave Swarbrick

Dave would play it back to front, and then kick it up into A...gave it a fantastic lift...

X:1
T: Miss McLeod's
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Gmaj
|:G2 g2 edeg|B2 BA BcBA| G2 g2 edeg|A2 AG A cBA|
G2 gf edeg|BcBA B2 d2|edef edef|gfed BcBA:|
|:GA Bc dBGA|B2 BA BcBA|GA Bc dBGB|A2 AG AcBA|
GA Bc dBGA| B2 BA B2 d2|e2 ef edef|gfed BcBA:|
K:Amaj
|:A2 a2 fefa|c2 cB cdcB| A2 a2 fefa|B2 BA B dcB|
A2 ag fefa|cdcB c2 e2|fefg fefg|agfe cdcB:|
|:AB cd ecAB|c2 cB cdcB|AB cd ecAc|B2 BA BdcB|
AB cd ecAB| c2 cB c2 e2|f2 fg fefg|agfe cdcB:|

# Posted on August 17th 2006 by Ger the Rigger

Here's the unusual version that Andrew MacNamara recorded. He said he got it from Joe Cooley, but only learned it for the recording and hasn't played it since. He plays it in A on the C#/D accordion, but I've transposed it to G so I can play it on the B/C box. On the recording, he plays it four times through, varying it each time. I've transcribed the variations and written out the repeats explicitly. He takes it at around 96 beats per minute (two beats per measure), if I recall correctly.

X:1
T:Miss MacLeod's (arr. Andrew MacNamara)
S:Andrew Macnamara
R:Reel
L:1/8
M:C|
K:GMAJ %Transposed from AMAJ
GGBG DGBG|BBBA BdBA|GGBd gfed|egdB AdBA|
GGBG DGBG|BBBA GABd|eccB cdea|gedB AGED||
GGBG DGBG|(3BdB BA BdBA|GGBG DGBd|FEDC B,DA,D|
G,G,BG DGBG|BBBA GABd|eccB cdea|gedB AdBA||
ggag edeg|BBBA GABd|ggag edeg|aabg aged|
ggag edeg|BBBA GABd|eccB cdea|gedB AdBA||
ggag edeg|bbBA GABd|ggag edeg|ac'bg aged|
gbag edeg|BBBA GABd|(3efg fa gbae|gedB AGED||
GGBG DGBG|(3BdB BA BdBA|GGBd gfed|(3efg dB AGED|
GGBG DGBG|[BB,2]BBA GABd|eccB cdea|gedB (3ABc BA||
GGBG DGBG|(3BdB BA BdBA|GGBG DGBd|FEDC B,DA,D|
G,G,BG B,GBG|BBAB GABd|eccB cdea|gedB AcBA||
G2 Gg edeg|[Bb][Bb]BA GABd|G2 Gg edeg|a2 bg aged|
ggag edeg|BBBA GABd|ec (3ccc egga|gedB AdBA||
ggag edeg|bbBA GABd|ggag edeg|ac'bg aged|
gbag edeg|BBBA GABd|(3efg fa gbae|gedB (3ABc BA||
GGBG DGBG|(3BdB BA BdBA|GGBd gfed|(3efg dB AGED|
GGBG DGBG|[BB,]BBA GABd|ec (3ccc egga|gedB (3ABc BA||
GGBG DGBG|(3BdB BA BdBA|GGBG DGBd|FEDC B,DA,D|
G,G,BG B,GBG|(3BdB AB GABd|eccB cdea|gedB (3ABc BA||
ggag edeg|[bB]bBA GABd|ggag edeg|aabg aged|
ggag edeg|[bB]bBA GABd|ec (3ccB cdea|gedB AcBA||
G2 Gg edeg|[bB]bBA GABd|GGGg edeg|ac'bg aged|
ggfg edeg|BBBA GABd|egfa gbae|gedB (3ABc BA||
[G2G,2] GG DGBG|[B,2B2] BA BdBA|GGBd gfed|(3efg dB (3ABc BA|
GGBG DGBG|(3BdB BA GABd|eccB cdea|gedB (3ABc BA||
GGBG DGBG|(3BdB BA BdBA|GGBG DGBd|FEDC B,DA,D|
G,2 BG DGBG|BBAB GABd|eccB cdea|gedB AcBA||
[g2G2] Gg edeg|bbbA GABd|ggag edeg|ac'bg aged|
ggag edeg|bbBA GABd|eccB cdea|gedB (3ABc BA||
ggag edeg|bbBA GABd|ggag edeg|ac'bg aged|
gbag edeg|bBBA GABd|(3efg fa g2 (3bag|gedB (3ABc BA|G4 z4|]

# Posted on December 22nd 2006 by GaryAMartin

Whew, I knew you were mad Gary, but great stuff. I just wish you would start practicing spacing so it would be easier to read from the ABCs, like a space either side of a bar line... I love this kind of madness ~ in moderation of course... ;-)

# Posted on December 22nd 2006 by ceolachan

While we're on the subject I bloody hate the way you leave a space either side of the barline, 'c'. In the same way as I don't like to see 2 odd socks hanging together on the washing line.

# Posted on December 22nd 2006 by Dow

Don't worry. I have an electric clothes dryer.

# Posted on December 22nd 2006 by GaryAMartin

You use a washing line, HA! ~ That'll be the day. You probably don't even know what that's all about. You probably thought it was weird folks hanging clothes on a line for decoration...

# Posted on December 22nd 2006 by ceolachan

Space, music is all about space, the way we space the moments of silence, as much the cream filling... Like good print design or art, equally important you consider what surrounds a thing, the context. The worst designs are so chock full that they confuse and are muddy, too busy... ;-)

# Posted on December 22nd 2006 by ceolachan

It's all silence if you just stare quietly at the ABCs on the screen, except for the hum of the computer's fan. But try not to smear cream filling all over the keyboard. Or on Mark's nice clean odd socks.

# Posted on December 22nd 2006 by GaryAMartin

I've just lost my appetite... :-/

# Posted on December 22nd 2006 by ceolachan

This is Howie MacDonald's version:
X: 76
T: Miss MacLeod
N: as played by Howie MacDonald
M: C|
L: 1/8
Q: 1/2=112
R: reel
K: G
G2gf efge|dBBA BcdB|g3g efge|agfe dc'ba|
(3gag fg efge|dBBA Bcdf|egfa gbaf|gdBd cAFA:|
(3DEG BG DGBG|B3c BAGE|(3DEG BG cGBG|AFDF AcBA|
(3DEG BG DGBG|B3c Bcdf|egfa gbaf|gdBd cAFA:|

# Posted on February 8th 2007 by DonaldK

Yeah, and fiddlers will have to go out of the safety zone into second position - a nice little surprise.

# Posted on February 8th 2007 by DonaldK

After a further listen I reckon the first bar in lines 3 and4 of the above transcription should be:
(3DEG BG DGBA|
Also bars 2 and 3 of the A part (first line) are ornamented thus:
|dB{c}BA BcdB|g3{f}g efge|

# Posted on February 8th 2007 by DonaldK

This is a big seanòs dancing tune.

# Posted on July 4th 2007 by Liammcg

Aaron Copeland's version of Miss McLeod's Reel!

Listening to Lyric FM this morning I heard distinct echoes of Miss McLeod's reel in a piece called 'Hoedown' from 'Rodeo'. Mad. Another example of the tradition evolving into other musical styles and compositions. Check it out!

# Posted on December 8th 2007 by Curtin

I thought it went UP there. I was surprised when the dots didn't, but then I see Donald's go up there.

It's not that bad for us, we can hack it! Without the high note there it doesn't sound quite right.

# Posted on August 14th 2008 by SWFL Fiddler

...and yes, big time sean nos dance tune. Perfect on a melodeon for a nice step or two!

# Posted on August 14th 2008 by SWFL Fiddler

Watch Connemara melodeon player John Gannon playing the tune: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbbRJwGdx8Q
Or just listen to him playing the tune: http://www.myspace.com/cgannonmusic (the third clip)

Another Connemara melodeon master Johnny Connolly recorded the tune in 3 different keys in a row on his latest album.

# Posted on August 15th 2008 by slainte

Recorded by Leo Rowsome in 1937

http://www.archive.org/details/LeoRowsomeandHisIrishPipersBandMissMcLeods

# Posted on August 28th 2008 by Ramiro

And by Tom Ennis in 1923

http://www.archive.org/details/TomEnnisRedieJohnsonAndTomQuigleyMissMcleodsReelRakishPaddy

# Posted on August 28th 2008 by Ramiro

And by Coleman in 1936

http://www.archive.org/details/MichaelColemanMissMcLeodsPhillipOBeirnesDelight

# Posted on August 28th 2008 by Ramiro

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