Jenny Nettles reel

A traditional Scottish reel.Sounds better in a slower tempo.

and here in a slightly different version with a third part:
X: 1
T: Jenny Nettles
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: strathspey
K: Ador
AB|:c2B2A2a2|efge dBGB|cdBc A2a2|gefd e2 AB:|
cdeA cdeA|B/c/dcA BGdB|cdeA cdea|gefd e2 AB|
cdef gage|gage dcB/A/G|B/c/def gagf|eaa^g a2A2|
eceB eAAB/c/|dBdA dGGg|eceB eAAB/c/|dB[gG]B A3c:|

I modified the abc today to include a repeat bar.
I learnt this version from a tutor book published by Robin Williamson in 1976. And while I cannot guarantee that what I offered here is faithful to the score he published, it’s possible that it bears some of his mark, for the book (actually named English, Welsh, Scottish and Irish Fiddle Tunes) included some of his variations (it also contained a ‘floppy’ black disk with a rendition of this tune if my memory is correct)

About the name of this tune;

It is not enough to have ‘an (enlightened) opinion’ or ‘best guest’ about the origin of the name of a tune: Scottish and Irish tune names often refer to very specific people, places and things or circumstances, like the Jenny Lind polka, The Laurel Tree (with capital letters) or The Morning Star (capitals again) and so on.

Since I did not grow up in Scotland but was brought up on a healthy diet of trad and folk songs, I assumed ‘Jenny Nettles’ was a character (real or otherwise) the likes of ‘Jenny Storm" (which is the name of a Yorkshire ballad) or ’Captain Rock’.

I later learned that “Jenny-nettles” is a vernacular Scottish name for a “daddy long legs” (a denizen of fields and meadows, not quite a spider but definitely an arachnid (in the opiliones group) also called a harvester for its whip-like forearms(legs?) -NB: “daddy long legs” can refer to the crane fly and to a house spider as well)

Today, I learnt that it is also the name of a piece of machinery, as used, for example, on a steam boat. The piece being circular and composed of at least 6 or 8 arms, the nickname seems rather appropriate in a ‘creative’ sense.

Perhaps someone will come forward with some specific, historic information concerning this tune, which may help throw some light on its title..?

From ‘spinning Jenny’ to ‘Jenny nettles’, it wouldn’t be the first time a piece of machinery was named after Jenny..

…meanwhile, several Irish tunes have been (enthusiastically) named after some modern piece of equipment like ‘The Steam Packet’ or ‘The gudgeon of Maurice’s car’, etc

So, it remains to be seen: what caused this strathpey to be christened beastie-ally or mechanically?

On account of the C natural and accidental sharp seventh, this tune is considered a fiddle tune. However its range fits the Scottish pipes perfectly and most advanced contemporary players can tackle the C natural.

..add ‘scotch snaps’ for good measure..

I was just reading an article about the border pipes a couple weeks ago and it mentioned how many tunes fit in the range of bagpipes but have a C natural rather than a C sharp, and that this has led some bagpipe historians to believe that there once would have been a commonly played bagpipe with a C natural rather than a C sharp. I never understood why Scottish pipers can’t just half hole to get flattened notes and accidentals like the Irish do, but then again I know nothing about bagpipes.