The Battering Ram jig

hey, what can I really say about it? Have fun!

G?

The tune title refers to a device used by the English in Ireland
to knock down the walls of a cottage from which the inhabitants
have been evicted.

As opposed to the Buttery Rum, a salve applied by those same inhabitants.

Here is a variant on the tune. The key I suggest is more properly D mixolydian (1 #):

d|:B2G A2G|B2D D2d|BAG AGE|GDD D2d|
B2G A2G|BdB BAG|ABA BAB|1 GDD D2d:|2 GDD D2B|
|:dBG A2B|dBG G2B|dBG AGE|GDD D2B|
BdB BAG|BdB AGE|B2G AGE|GDD D2B:|
|:deg aga|bag age|deg aga|bag e2g|
bag age|ged edB|dBG AGE|GDD D2B:||

-m

It’s in G.

If you want to follow this with something, it sounds good to lift into Ador and play something like “Rakes Of Kildare” or even better Sean Ryan’s “Nightingale”.

I looked at many versions of the tune, but they all have some awkward phrases for flute. Here’s what I play:

X: 1
T: Battering Ram, The
R: jig
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
B | dBG BAG | dBA G2 B | dBG AGE | GED D2 B |
dBG BAG | BdB BAG | ~A3 BAB | GED D2:|
B | deg aga | bge edB | deg aga | bge e2 a |
bag age | ~g3 ege | dBG AGE | GED D2:|
A | B2 G AGA | BGE DGA | BAG AGE | GED D2 A |
B2 G AGA | BdB BAG | ~A3 BAB | GED D2:|

I actually learned the basis of the version from my whistle tutor in England. You could add more ornamentation, but I personally prefer keeping the tune simple with emphasis on the beats.

Listen to Sligo musician and singer Colm O’Donnell play this tune: http://www.bogfire.com/music_cd_mp3s/track04.mp3 You’ll find info on the player and his recording at: http://www.bogfire.com/colm_music.html

On “Land’s End” June and Michael play a 2 part setting of this tune that they attribute to a Danu recording (“All Things Considered”). It’s basically the first two parts of the tune as it is posted here, but with a few differences. Definitely has a different feel. If I feel ambitious I’ll post the setting in the comments section here.

Here’s my transcription of the two-part version on Draíocht’s “Land’s End”.

X: 1
T: Battering Ram, The
S: Land’s End - Michael Rooney and June McCormack
Z:kjay
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
R: jig
K: Gmaj
B|dBA BdA|~G3 G2B|dBA BdA|~G3 efg|dBA ABA|GED ~G3|AGE A2B|GED D2B|
dBA BdA|~G3 G2B|dBA BdA|GB/2c/2d efg|dBA ABA|GED ~G3|AGE A2B|GED D3|
deg a2b|ged edB|deg a2b|gag g2e|deg a2b|ged edB|dBG A2B|GED D3|
deg a2b|ged edB|deg a2b|gag g2e|deg a2b|ged edB|dBG A2B|GED D2|

I’ve always liked the Battering Ram, but since I learned this setting, I don’t like the more common setting nearly as much. I sometimes accidentally go into the third part from the normal setting when playing the two part setting, so watch out.

Watch June McCormack and Michael Rooney playing the 2-part version transcribed above: http://www.custysvideo.com/video/michaelrooneyjunemccormack_video.mpg

This might go nicely in a set with Larry The Beer Drinker as the rhythm and phrasing are quite similar.

played a lot in sessions at Whitby (N.E. England) Folk Week August 2008
Mike

The video clip in Custy’s website is not available any more. You can listen to them play the unusual version of the tune above: http://www.rte.ie/radio1/ceilihouse/rams/2006/4february.smil (starts around 24:20)
From Ceili House Archive 2006: http://www.rte.ie/radio1/ceilihouse/1075154.html

Tune Flows well into the jig, Geese in the Bog.

B2G AGA | Bdd BAG | AGA BAB | GED GAB….

Have you been listening to Arcady https://thesession.org/recordings/9

I’d always assumed the name alluded comically to a ‘battering’ (step dancing) ram

Nice version up the octave from Tony MacMahon here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9BkF7-Bhi4

play video

… has a twist in the last part.

Watch Desi Wilkinson playing it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbdx8qYRikA

play video

Here’s John Blake’s interpretation of it: https://soundcloud.com/journalofmusic/john-blake-the-battering-ram

John Carty also recorded the same version on “At Complete Ease.”

Fun concertina tune!

Piping version

The clip is available here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaRjy6bFsMA

play video

I really like this version played by Desi Wilkinson:
https://youtu.be/XU5B0GPjWP0

play video

He plays his keyless Martin Doyle flute really powerful.

https://youtu.be/rp9wgq48OEU

play video

Nice set with winnie hayes played by donal lunny and mary custy

Taken from ‘A Fine Selection of Over 200 Irish Traditional Tunes for Sessions’, compiled by David Speers with a Forward by Matt Cranitch. This is only a little different from the other versions here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3cYdWWawsE

play video