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The Chattering Magpie reel

Also known as An Mheaig Chabach, The Chattering Magpie, The Chattering Magpies, The Gun In The Thatch.

There are 57 recordings of a tune by this name.

A tune by this name has been recorded together with The Flax In Bloom (lots of times), Corney Is Coming (a few times), Lord McDonald’s (a few times), The Pigeon On The Gate (a few times) and The Whistling Postman (a few times).

The Chattering Magpie has been added to 13 tune sets.

The Chattering Magpie has been added to 153 tunebooks.

Download ABC

Four settings

X: 1
T: The Chattering Magpie
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
dc||BGAF DGG2|gfge fdcd|BG (3GGG DGFG|FGAB c2dc|
BGAF DGG2|gfge fdcd|BGAF DG (3GGG|FGAB c2Bc||
|:dg{a}gf (3ggg bg|dgbg fgaf|dg{a}gf (3ggg dg|1 bgaf gfef:|2 bgaf gedc||
X: 2
T: The Chattering Magpie
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
A|:BGAF DGGF|G2 ge fdcA|BGAF DGBG|E/F/G AB c2 dc|
BGAF DGGF|G2 ge fdcA|BGAF DGBG|E/F/G AB c2 Bc||
dggf g2 gf|d~g3 fgaf|dggf ~g3a|bgag fdcA|
dggf g2 gf|d~g3 fgaf|d~g3 dgBg|bgag fdcA||
# Added .
X: 3
T: The Chattering Magpie
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
|:BGAF DGGA|B2ge fdcA|BGAF DG~G2|1 FGAB c2dc:|2 FGAB c2Bc||
|:dggf g2bg|dg~g2 fgaf|dggf ~g3a|bgag fdcA:|
X: 4
T: The Chattering Magpie
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
dc|:BGAF DGGA|B2 ge fdcA|BGAF DG G2|FGAB c2 dc|
BGAF DGGA|B2 ge fdcA|BGAF DG G2|(3EFG AB c2 Bc||
|:dggf g3e|dgge fgaf|dggf g3a|bgag fdcA|
dggf g3e|dg3 fgaf|dggf g3a|bgag fdcA||
# Added by JACKB .

Ten comments

Gun in the thatch

This version is by Sean McGuire.

Gun/Magpie

Does anyone know if this is another version of the Tune "Chattering Magpie" or are they considered distict tunes. They’re certainly very similar.
Cheers
Donough

Is there a defined boundary between what are two variants of a tune and what are two distinct tunes? What’s more, does it matter? I would say that this IS a version of The Chattering Magpie, but it is different enough from the ‘standard’ version to be called by a different name. But that’s only my opinion.

Liam’s Version

To my ear this version is much simpler than the version played by Liam O’Flynn, which is a fantastic version, I don’t know how you add another version of a tune on this site, but I think Liam’s version is a far better tune.

Posted by .

Here’s a setting taken off a private session recording.

X: 1
T: Chattering Magpie, The
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: G
A|:BGAF DGGF|G2 ge fdcA|BGAF DGBG|E/F/G AB c2 dc|
BGAF DGGF|G2 ge fdcA|BGAF DGBG|E/F/G AB c2 Bc||
dggf g2 gf|d~g3 fgaf|dggf ~g3a|bgag fdcA|
dggf g2 gf|d~g3 fgaf|d~g3 dgBg|bgag fdcA||

Posted .

The Chattering Magpie

The version #3 is what I’ve been playing. Paul McGrattan and Chris Droney individually recorded almost the same versions except for a couple of phrases.

Re: The Chattering Magpie

look like it’s one the composition of the east - Galway fiddle player & composer Paddy Kelly .very nice tune i heard from a record of the east galway duet claire Keville & Liam Lewis .

Re: The Chattering Magpie

I don’t think it’s this reel - there’s another reel which I posted as "Aggie Whyte’s" which is sometimes called "Chattering Magpies" by Galway musicians in particular. It may have been composed by Paddy Kelly, but I don’t think this one was.

Posted by .