Jim Tweedie’s Sea Legs hornpipe

Posted in memory of 2 musical friends, sadly departed, Gordon Duncan and Tony Cuffe. This is a great 5-part Highland bagpipe hornpipe composed by J.A. MacGee. How the name came about, I have yet to find out. It does have an Irish connection, in that I first heard it and learned it from the LP record by the London-Irish band “Shegui”, round about 1980, I’d say. Their version is slightly different from the setting I’ve posted.
Both Tony and Gordon recorded the tune, on bagpipes and guitar, respectively.

Great tune, and a tune that deserves to be played.

Veteran west highland box player Dougie MacDougal, certainly thought so, he had a hand in encouraging fiddler Patrick Duncan into dusting off this and many other once popular tunes, tunes from Dougie & Cos’ post-war west highland dance band scene, in a bid to re/introduce them to our generation of players.

Paddy is certainly to be credited with introducing/re-popularising quite a few old tunes, but despite his best efforts and for whatever reason? “Tweedie’s” wasn’t so readily taken up. Perhaps it’s a bit of a handful? certainly is for me.

Hopefully your posting it here will help get this tune some wider and much deserved attention. I’ll be whistling it all day now…

Thanks for posting.

https://youtu.be/dRPybqRg6hg

play video

About the origin of this tune, Tracey Williams wrote:

“Jim Tweedie’s Sealegs. This tune in 5 parts was composed of course by John Allan Macgee in commemoration of Jim’s first trip from New Zealand to the UK – an epic 6-week journey in the 1950s which involved the crossing of 5 seas or oceans. Each of the parts also tells a section of the story of the gaining of Jim’s sealegs – from jauntily leaving the harbour to entering the high seas, to ‘feeding the fish’ and gradually onwards towards gaining his sealegs. A mighty tune for a great friend and a true gentleman.”

John Wilson wrote a 6th part which is often heard added to the original five.

I have read that the Jim Tweedie of the title is not the same Jim Tweedie who was a well-known bagpipe maker.

It did strike me that the first part bore some passing resemblance to the well-known Sailor’s Hornpipe tune! (The one usually played at Last Night of the Proms.)

Not sure how to edit the recordings but this tune is also on Ceol Beag from the castle by PM Angus MACDonald which can also be found here . A classic , my favourite piper.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ijNBsor1wNA

play video

First tune played by Gordon Duncan here :
https://youtu.be/0cotYDwwKRM

play video