The Jockey At The Fair

jig

Key signature: Gmajor

Submitted on August 29th 2003 by dafydd.

This tune has been added to 39 tunebooks.

Also known as Gary Owen, Jockey At The Fair, Jockey To The Fair, Setdance.

Recordings of a tune by this name:

• 30 Years A-Greying - Disc 1 by The Dubliners
• A Date With The Gallowglass Ceili Band by The Gallowglass Ceili Band
• Dancing Days by Chris Leslie
• Fifty-Odd Years by Jimmy Power
• Foolin' In Doolin by Michael Blackie O'Connell And Karol Lynch
• Here And There by Seamus Connolly
• Irish Fiddle Player by Jimmy Power
• Leo Rowsome: Classics Of Irish Piping by Leo Rowsome
• Micheal O Suilleabhain by Micheal O Suilleabhain
• Rig-a-jig-jig: Dance Music Of The South Of England by Lynn Saoirse
• Slow Airs And Set Dances by Eugene O'Donnell
• Son Of Morris On by Morris On
• The Civil War Collection by Jim Taylor
• The Master Pipers Volume 2 by Tommy Kearney
• The Princess Royal: Dance Music From South Armagh by The Nine McCusker Brothers And Hugh Savage

X: 1
T: Jockey At The Fair, The
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
R: jig
K: Gmaj
D|:G2A B2c|d2g d2c|BdB GFG|cBc A2c|
d^cd efg|a2 f d2g|fed AB^c|1d3 d3:|2d3 dfg||
|:afd afd|c2c B2d|dgd dgd|c2c B2d|
e2f gfe|d2c B2 d|edc BAG|B2G E2F|
GGG GBd|e2f g2e|dBG GAB|E2F G2A|
Bg2 B2A|1G3 Gfg:|2G3 G2D|

Jockey At The Fair

Submitted because someone requested it.Transcribed from Ashley Hutching's album "Son Of Morris On"

# Posted on March 1st 2003 by dafydd

Set dance

This is a set dance in jigtime.

# Posted on December 14th 2003 by Henk Bos

Jockey

How do you know which came first ?

# Posted on December 14th 2003 by Kenny

I don't know if this jig has its own place in ITM, but it's more familiar to me as the tune for a popular English Cotswold morris dance ("Son of Morris On" and its predecessor and recently released sequel being a collection of such tunes) often known as "Jockey _to_ the Fair."
To be pedantic about it, in the morris context the B part for "Jockey" is usually played _three_ times, because it's a "corner dance." The typical morris set is arranged this way:
1 2
3 4
5 6
So, the "corners" -- dancers 1 and 6, 2 and 5, 3 and 4 -- each take a turn dancing as a couple to the B part.

# Posted on December 15th 2003 by sts

Always thought it was typically English - but it IS in O'Neill's, so ......

# Posted on December 15th 2003 by Henk Bos

It certainly sounds English - perhaps Northumbrian (The name Jockey or Jock - a local diminutive of John, equivalent to Jack, not a rider - appears in a number of Northumbrian tune titles). But if it appears in O'Neill's, then it was obviously played by Irish musicians some time ago. My guess is than it was taken to Ireland by English dance masters in the 18th(?) century - hence its use as a set dance tune.

# Posted on December 16th 2003 by granama

Set dance

well even if it is english, we still dance it in irish dancing

# Posted on June 22nd 2007 by Champ_irish_dancer

'Jockey to the Fair' is also the tune that shepherd/farmer 'Gabriel Oak' plays more than once in Thomas Hardy's novel 'Far from the Madding Crowd'. Given Hardy's attention to detail, and the fact he describes it as 'well known', it was probably pretty common around Dorset in the mid nineteenth century. Extracts...

Chapter VI
Gabriel's hand, which had lain for some time
idle in his smock-frock pocket, touched his flute which he
carried there. Here was an opportunity for putting his
dearly bought wisdom into practice.
He drew out his flute and began to play "Jockey to the Fair"
in the style of a man who had never known moment's sorrow.
Oak could pipe with Arcadian sweetness and the sound of the
well-known notes cheered his own heart as well as those of
the loungers. He played on with spirit, and in half an hour
had earned in pence what was a small fortune to a destitute
man.

Chapter VIII
While the cup was being examined, the end of Gabriel Oak’s flute became visible over his smock-frock pocket, and Henery Fray exclaimed, “Surely, shepherd, I seed you blowing into a great flute by now at Casterbridge?”
“You did,” said Gabriel, blushing faintly. “I’ve been in great trouble, neighbours, and was driven to it. I used not to be so poor as I be now.”
“Never mind, heart!” said Mark Clark. You should take it careless-like, shepherd, and your time will come. But we could thank ye for a tune, if ye bain’t too tired?”
“Neither drum nor trumpet have I heard since Christmas,” said Jan Coggan. “Come, raise a tune, Master Oak!”
“Ay, that I will,” said Gabriel, pulling out his flute and putting it together. “A poor tool, neighbours; but such as I can do ye shall have and welcome.”
Oak then struck up “Jockey to the Fair,” and played that sparkling melody three times through accenting the notes in the third round in a most artistic and lively manner by bending his body in small jerks and tapping with his foot to beat time.

# Posted on May 26th 2008 by WhistlinLeeds

It appears in Volume 2 of Aird's Airs (c1780), "A Selection of Scotch, English, Irish, and Foreign Airs, adapted for the Fife, Violin or German Flute", Glasgow (about 600 tunes in three volumes)

They're all online at Leeds University courtesy of Richard Robinson:
http://www.leeds.ac.uk/music/Info/RRTuneBk/listings.html#Aird2

(scroll up a bit for the frontpiece image)

# Posted on May 26th 2008 by WhistlinLeeds

Version from Thompson's Compleat Collection of Country Dances c.1770

X: 1
T: Jockey to the Fair
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
R: jig
K: Gmaj
|:D|G2A B2c|d2g d2c|BdG GFG|A/B/cB A2d|
d^cd efg|faf e2g|fed Ad^c|(d3 d2):|
|:d|afd afd|c2c B2c|dgd dgd|dcB A2A|
G2G B2d|g3 e3|dBG AcA|(G3 G2):|

# Posted on July 27th 2008 by fynnjamin