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Itchy Fingers reel

By Robert R. Pinkman

There are 11 recordings of this tune.

This tune has been recorded together with

Itchy Fingers has been added to 9 tune sets.

Itchy Fingers has been added to 171 tunebooks.

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Four settings

1
X: 1
T: Itchy Fingers
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
|:cd|e2ef eAce|fAdf e2cd|
e2ef eAce|cAdc B2cd|e2ef eAce|
fAdf e2ce|dccB BfeB|c2A2 A2:|
ce|a2Aa caAa|fada e2ce|
a2Aa caAa|cAdc B2ce|a2Aa caAa|
fada e2ce|dccB BfeB|c2A2 A2||
ce|a2Aa caAa|fada e2ce|
a2Aa caAa|cAdc B2cd|e2ef eAce|
ddaf e2ce|dccB BfeB|c2A2 A2||
2
X: 2
T: Itchy Fingers
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
|:FG|A2AB ADFA|BDGB A2FG|A2AB ADFA|FDGF E2FG|
A2AB ADFA|BDGB A2FA|GFFE EBAE|F2D2 D2:|
FA|d2Dd FdDd|BdGd A2FA|d2Dd FdDd|FDGF E2FA|
d2Dd FdDd|BdGd A2FA|GFFE EBAE|F2D2 D2|
FA|d2Dd FdDd|BdGd A2FA|d2Dd FdDd|FDGF E2FG|
A2AB ADFA|GGdB A2FA|GFFE EBAE|F2D2 D2||
# Added by JACKB .
3
X: 3
T: Itchy Fingers
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Amix
|:cd|e2ef eAce|fAdf e2cd|e2ef eAce|cAdc B2cd|
e2ef eAce|fAdf e2ce|dccB BfeB|c2A2 A2:|
|:ce|a2Aa caAa|fAda e2ce|a2Aa caAa|cAdc B2|
[1 ce|a2Aa caAa|fAda e2ce|dccB BfeB|c2A2 A2:|
[2 cd|e2ef e~c3|~d2af e2ce|dccB BfeB|c2A2 A2||
|:cd|eAce AceA|fAdf e2cd|eAce Aced|cAdc B2 cd|
eAce Acea|fAdf e2 ce|dccB BfeB|c2 A2 A2:|
|:fg|a2Aa caea|fada e2 fg|a2Aa caea|cAdc B2|
[1 fg|a2Aa caea|fada e2 ce|dccB BfeB|c2 A2 A2:|
[2 cd|e2ef e~c3|~d2af e2ce|dccB BfeB|c2A2 A2||
4
X: 4
T: Itchy Fingers
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
|:FG|A2AB ADFA|BDGB A2FG|A2AB ADFA|FDGF E2FG|
A2AB ADFA|BDGB A2FA|GFFE EBAE|F2D2 D2:|
|:FA|d2Dd FdDd|BDGB A2FA|d2Dd FdDd|FDGF E2|
[1 FA|d2Dd FdDd|BDGB A2FA|GFFE EBAE|F2D2 D2:|
[2 FG|A2AB AF ~F2|~G2dB A2FA|GFFE EBAE|F2D2 D2||
|:FG|ADFA DFAD|BDGB A2 FG|ADFA DFAG|FDGF E2 FG|
ADFA DFAd|BDGB A2 FA|GFFE EBAE|F2 D2 D2:|
|:Bc|d2Dd FdAd|BdGd A2Bc|d2Dd FdAd|FDGF E2|
[1 Bc|d2Dd FdAd|BdGd A2FA|GFFE EBAE|F2 D2 D2:|
[2 FG|A2AB AF ~F2|~G2dB A2FA|GFFE EBAE|F2D2 D2||

Five comments

Itchy Fingers

Composed by Pipe Major Rab Pinkman of the “King’s Own Scottish Borderers”. It should be in A mixolydian, I think, not D.
To be honest, I’d always thought it composed by P.M.Robert Mathieson, who included it in one of his books of tunes, but it appears he was the arranger on this occasion, not the composer.
It is a hornpipe, not a reel, although as I’ve said before , bagpipe hornpipes are played like Irish reels.
I did an internet search on this tune before posting these comments, and found a pipe-band who play this tune and precede it with “The Ass In The Graveyard”. They call it “The Ass and Itchy” set. Just as well they didn’t play them the other way round!
Recorded by a fine Scottish group called “Calluna”.

Posted by .

Thanks to xbigtimepiex and Kenny for the tune and details.

When did Pinkman live?
Any other version anyone? Or name? or similar sounding tunes?
I first heard this tune played at great speed on the scottish pipes in 93 on Harmony hill. (definitely sounded like a reel not a hornpipe; Aren’t scottishpipe reels often played like hornpipes nnot the other way round?) It made an impact on me which isn’t quite matched by the only mild pleasure I get from it today. Which shows once more music should be heard / experienced live, not just read!
It is still a classic tune with a name to match!
It’s when I first attempted to look for it on the net that I came across this great site! which made me fast forgot my original query : remembered it only today after two years of distraction!
(that is: attraction to all the other gems people have posted here!)
Have a good quest everyone!
PS: Calluna is latin for heather.

Itchy Fingers

Pipe Major Robert R. Pinkman was born in Edinburgh in 1953 and died in Penicuik on 3 December 2012. In 1971 he joined the 1st Bn King’s Own Scottish Borderers and in 1979 became their Pipe Major.