The Peeler’s Jacket reel

A rousing session tune popular in sessions in my area of the UK, in Montana, and probably all places between. The version submitted is that from Henrik Norbeck’s collection, which is as close to what we play as makes no difference.

In 1829, Robert Peel, who was Home Secretary in the British Government Cabinet of the day, set up the London Metropolitan Police Force, the first properly organized police force in the world. Henceforth, policemen were often called "bobbies", after Robert Peel’s name, and also "peelers", but possibly less commonly.

The tune is sometimes known as "The Flannel Jacket".

trevor

Montana?! LOL ,:-}

I cant believe this tune hasnt been posted yet - its a really popular session tune everywhere (well oz and the UK and Ireland at anyrate)

You betcha we play Peeler’s Jacket in Montana. The standard set we do for gigs is Boys of the Lough, Dunmore Lasses, Peeler’s Jacket. Seems like that’s how it ends up at our sessions, too, more often than not.

Bridie, there are LOTS of common tunes that haven’t been posted here yet…after all, we have to actually go to work some time…. 🙂

I think Trevor was having a bit of a dig at you Will!…

Actually Mark, Trevor and I emailed and talked about how basically identical our settings are, which never ceases to amaze me, thousands of miles apart and playing the same notes….

A-ha, it’s all making sense 🙂
I play a slightly different version, but then I’m thousands of miles from both of you…

Okay, so my first run through usually goes something like this:

T: Peeler’s Jacket, The
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Gmaj
|G2 BG DGBG|FGAB (3ccc Bc|dggf d2eg|fdcA BGAF|
|G2 BG DGBG|FGAB c2 Bc|dggf d2eg|1 fdcA BGGF:|2 fdcA BGBd||
|:~g3 e d2 ef|(3ggg ga bgaf|gage d2 eg|fdcA BGBd|
|~g3 e d2 ef|~g3 a bgaf|gbag fdeg|1 fdcA BGGe:|2 fdcA BGAF||

A very nice version of this tune can be found on the album " The Slopes of Benbulben" by box player John Reagan.

Can anyone give me mandolin tab?

This setting (just slightly different) appears in The Petrie Collection of Irish Music, part II, ed. Charles Villiers Stanford (1905), p. 147, no. 584 as “The Flannel Jacket” (transcription AK/Fiddler’s Companion).

This lovely setting is from the youtube performance of Tom McElvogue:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alsxmrTizGk

play video

Played on his Bb flute, the reel has an unhurried, almost languid feel that makes it the perfect follow-up to the beautiful slow air ‘An Cailin Rua’ which precedes it. Tom writes (p.c.): ‘My version of the Peeler’s Jacket is largely based upon how I remember it being played by a master musician called John Doonan (piccolo player from Jarrow, Tyne & Wear, UK.’ [My transcription is for the standard flute in D.]

Note that the structure of this youtube version of the Peeler’s Jacket is different (AABA) from the version McElvogue recorded on his CD, The Long Hard Road:

https://thesession.org/recordings/3829

(the CD is available at:
http://www.karentweed.com/product/tom-mcelvogue-paddy-kerr-the-long-hard-road-digital/)

Correction: X:5 is not the Peeler’s Jacket but Murphy’s Hornpipe. I’ll contact Jeremy to see if this mistake can be corrected.