Billy On The Bodhrán (jig) on The Session

Two settings

X: 1
T: Billy On The Bodhrán
R: jig

M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
A, DEF|F2D EF(A,|A,2)A, A,B,D|E2D GF(B,|
B,2)A, DEF|F2 D EF(A,|A,2)A, B,D(E|E2)D GF(D|
D2)A, DEF|F2D EF(A,|A,2)A, A,B,D|E2D GF(B,|
B,2)A, DEF|F2D EF(A,|A,2)A, B,D(E|E2)D GFD||
DFG A3|B2(A A)ED|DEF E2D|GF(B, B,2)A,|
DFG A3|B2(A A)ED|DEF E2D|GF(D D2)A,|
DFG A3|B2(A A)ED|DEF E2D|GF(B, B,2)A,|
DC(B, B,2)A,|DE(F F)ED|FG(E E2)D|DDC D2||

Two comments

Billy On The Bodhrán

Tune by David Foley. I first heard/transcribed it off David Foley and Jack Smedley’s album “Time to Fly” released in 2020 and since then they’ve recorded it with Rura and Michael McGoldrick.

It’s been a while since I’ve transcribed a tune so feel free to edit or comment for corrections.

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

play video

Live recording with Jenn Butterworth on guitar, track 3.3 (starting at 4:36)

https://davidfoleyjacksmedley.bandcamp.com/track/head-east
Tune starting at 3:55.

Billy On The Bodhrán, X:2

Love, love, love this tune. I became obsessed with it again yesterday after listening to RURA’s latest release. I had a transcription sketched out somewhere in my notebooks and decided to finish it only to find Eli had already posted it a mere couple of weeks ago. I combined some of my transcription with theirs. Thanks, Eli!

Namely, I decided to transcribe it one octave higher to accomodate mid-staff reading, rearranged Eli’s version to include a pickup bar –and consequently shifted the phrasing and accents–, added the B/c/d flourish we flute players like to use –and abuse–, changed the notation for the legato, and modified the | a3 b2a | bars for an arguably more colorful | a2f bfa- |. Everything is based off of Foley and Smedley’s recording. Perhaps the newest RURA release adds some other variations? I have not listened to it all that carefully just yet.

Billy On The Bodhrán jig

Two settings

Two comments

Billy On The Bodhrán

Billy On The Bodhrán, X:2