The Bag Of Spuds reel

Also known as An Mála Fataí, The Bag O’ Spuds, The Bag Of Potatoes, Cruit Ṗrátaí, The Gipsy, The Gypsy, The Ladybower, Ladybower’s, Ladybowers’, Sligo Dandy.

There are 92 recordings of this tune.
This tune has been recorded together with

The Bag Of Spuds appears in 3 other tune collections.

The Bag Of Spuds has been added to 152 tune sets.

The Bag Of Spuds has been added to 725 tunebooks.

Download ABC

Seventeen settings

1
X: 1
T: The Bag Of Spuds
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Ador
A2eA cAeA|ABcd edBA|G2dG BGdG|GABc dcBG|
A2eA cAeA|ABcd edcB|ABcd efge|dBGA BAA2:|
|:a2ea ageg|agbg agef|gedB GABd|gfga bgeg|
a2ea ageg|agbg ageg|d2de g2ge|dBGA BAA2:|
"variations"
|:A2eA A2eA|ABcd e2dB|G2dG BGdG|GB~B2 GBdB|
A2eA cAeA|ABcd e2dB|ABcd eg~g2|dBGA BAA2:|
|:a2ea a2ea|agbg agef|gedc BGBd|gfga bgeg|
a2ea ageg|agbg agef|gedc BGBd|1 gedB BAA2:|2 gfge dBGB||
2
X: 2
T: The Bag Of Spuds
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Ador
|:A2eA cAeA|ABcd eBdB|G2dG BGdB|GB~B2 GBdB|
A2eA cAeA|ABcd eBdB|A2Bd efge|1 dBGA BAAG:|2 dBGA BAA2||
|:a2ea ageg|agbg agef|gedc BGBd|~g3a bgeg|
a2ea ageg|agbg ageg|d^cde ~g3e|1 dBGA BAA2:|2 dBGA BAAG||
3
X: 3
T: The Bag Of Spuds
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Ador
|:A2eA cAeA|ABcd (3efe dB|~G2 dG BGdB|GB~B2 GBdB|
A2eA cAeA|ABcd (3efe dB|ABcd eg~g2|dBGA BA ~A2:|
|:a2ea ~a2ea|agbg agef|(3gfe dc BGBd|gfga bgea|
a2ea ~a2(3efg|agbg agef|gedc BGBd|gedB BAA2:|
4
X: 4
T: The Bag Of Spuds
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Amix
A2eA c/B/AeA|ABcd efdB|GAAG d2dB|GBBB GBdB|
A2eA c/B/AeA|ABcd efdB|A/A/AGA g2ge|dBGA BAA2:|
a2ea ageg|agbg agef|gedc BGB/c/d|g2ga bge2|
a2ea ageg|agbg agef|d2ef g2ge|dBGA BAA2:|
5
X: 5
T: The Bag Of Spuds
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Ador
A2eA cAeA|ABcd egdB|G2BG dgBA|GBBA GBdB|
A2eA (3cBA eA|ABcd egdB|G2Bd egge|dB (3GAB (3BAG dB|
A2eA cAeA|ABcd egdB|GBGB dgBA|GBBA GBdB|
A2eA (3cBA eA|ABcd egdB|G2Bd egge|dBGA BA~a2||
a2ea ageg|a2ab agef|(3gfe d^c BG (3GBd|gfga (3bag eg|
a2ea ageg|agbg ageg|d2de ~g2ge|dB (3GAB BA~a2|
a3a agea|(3bag ab agef|(3gfe d^c BGBd|gfga (3bag eg|
ed (3efg a2ab|ba (3bag aged|bdef g2ge|dBGA AGdB||
6
X: 6
T: The Bag Of Spuds
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Ador
A2eA cAeA|ABcd eBdB|G2dG BGdB|GB B2 GBdB|
A2eA cAeA|ABcd e2 dB|ABcd efge|1 dBGA BAAG:|2 dBGA BA A2||
a2ea ageg|agbg agef|gedc BGBd|g3a bgeg|
a2ea ageg|agbg ageg|d^cde g3e|1 dBGA BA A2:|2 dBGA BAAG||
7
X: 7
T: The Bag Of Spuds
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Ador
|:A2eA cAeA|ABcd edcB|G2dG BGdG|GABc dcBG|
A2eA cAeA|ABcd edcB|ABcd eage|dBGA BAA2:|
g|:a2ea ageg|agbg agef|gedc BGBd|~g3a bgeg|
a2ea ageg|agbg agec|~d3e~g3e|dBGA BAA2:|
8
X: 8
T: The Bag Of Spuds
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Ador
|:A2eA (3cBA eA|ABcd edcB|G2BG dGBG|GABc dcBG|
A2eA cAeA|ABcd edcB|ABce gfge|dBGA BAA2:|
|:a2ea ageg|agbg agef|gedB GABd|~g3a bgeg|
a2ea ageg|agbg ageg|d^cde gfge|dBGA BAA2:|
9
X: 9
T: The Bag Of Spuds
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Ador
A2eA cAeA|ABcd edBA|G2dG BGdG|GABc dcBG|
A2eA cAeA|ABcd edcB|ABcd efge|dBGA BAA2:|
|:a2ea ageg|agbg agef|gedB GABd|gfga bgeg|
a2ea ageg|agbg ageg|d2de g2ge|dBGA BAA2:|
"variations"
|:A2eA A2eA|ABcd e2dB|G2dG BGdG|GB~B2 GBdB|
A2eA cAeA|ABcd e2dB|ABcd eg~g2|dBGA BAA2:|
|:a2ea a2ea|agbg agef|gedc BGBd|gfga bgeg|
a2ea ageg|agbg agef|gedc BGBd|1 gedB BAA2:|2 gfge dBGB||
10
X: 10
T: The Bag Of Spuds
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Ador
A2eA (3cBA eA|ABcd dedB|G2dG (3BAG dB|GB (3BBB GBdB|
A2eA (3cBA eA|ABcd dedB|GABd (3eee ge|dBGB (3cBA AG:|
|:a2ea ag (3efg|agbg agef|gedc BGBd|(3ggg ga bgeg|
a2ea ageg|agbg ageg|dddf (3ggg ge|dBGA BA (3AAA:|
11
X: 11
T: The Bag Of Spuds
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Ador
dB|:^GAEA BAEA|ABcd egdB|~G3D AGDB|GB~B2 GBdB|
^GAEA BAEA|ABcd egdB|G2B/c/d e2ge|1 dBGA BAA^G:|2 dBGA B~A3||
a2ea ageg|a2bg ageg|fgdc ~B3d|~g3z bgeg|
a2ea ageg|ac'bg ageg|d3e ~g3e|dBGA B~A3|
a2ea ageg|a2bg agef|gedc ~B3d|~g3a bgeg|
a2ea ageg|a2bg ageg|d3e ~g3e|dBGA BAA^G||
12
X: 12
T: The Bag Of Spuds
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Ador
|:A2eA (3cBA eA|ABcd edBA|G2dG BGdG|GABc dcBG|
A2eA (3cBA eA|ABcd edcB|ABcd efge|dBGA BAA2:|
|:a2ea ageg|agbg agef|gedB GABd|gfgb ageg|
a2ea ageg|agbg ageg|d2de gage|dBGA BAA2:|
13
X: 13
T: The Bag Of Spuds
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Ador
A2eA BAez|ABcd efdB|GzBG dGBA|GBBA GBdB|
AzeA BAez|ABcd efdB|GzBd egge|1 dBGA BAdB:|2 dBGA B~a3||
|:azeg ageg|azab agef|(3 gfe dc BGBd|gfga (3bag eg|
[1 azeg ageg|agbg ageg|dzde ~g3e|dBGA B~a3:|
[2 ed (3efg az ab|baag aged|Bdef gzge|dBGA BAdB||
14
X: 14
T: The Bag Of Spuds
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Ador
|:A2eA (3cBA eA|ABcd eBdB|G2dG (3BAG dB|G2 BB GBdB|
A2eA (3cBA eA|ABcd eBdB|ABcd edBc|dBgd BAA2:|
a2ea ag (3efg|ac'bg agef|gedc BGBd|g3a bgeg|
a2ea ag (3efg|ac'bg ageg|d3e gage|dBGB BA A2|
a2ea ag (3efg|ac'bg agef|gedc BGBd|g3a bgeg|
ed (3efg agab|c'abg ageg|d3e gage|dBGB BA A2||
15
X: 15
T: The Bag Of Spuds
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Ador
G|:A2eA BAeA|ABcd eAdB|G2dG BGdB|GB~B2 GBdB|
A2eA BAeA|ABcd eAdB|ABcd efge|dBGA BAA2:|
|:~a2e ~a ageg|agbg agef|gedc BGB/c/d|~g2 ga bgeg|
~a2e ~a ageg|agbg ageg|~d2 de ~g3e|dBGA BAA2:|
16
X: 16
T: The Bag Of Spuds
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Ador
|:~A2 e ~A3 gA|~A2 eA gedB|~G3A Bz (3Bcd|egfa gedB|
~A2 eA fAgA|~A2 eA gedB|GA (3Bcd efge|dBGB~A3 z:|
~a3b ageg|agbg agef|gedc BG (3Bcd|egfa gabg|
az ea ageg|~a3 b aged|~B3d edge|dBGA AG (3Bcd|
~a3b ageg|agbg agef|gedc BG (3Bcd|egfa gabg|
az ea ageg|~a3 b aged|~B3d edge|dBBB GBdB||
17
X: 17
T: The Bag Of Spuds
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Edor
|:E2BE GEBE|EFGA BFAF|D2AD FDAF|DF F2 DFAF|
E2BE GEBE|EFGA B2 AF|EFGA BcdB|1 AFDE FEED:|2 AFDE FE E2||
|:e2Be edBd|edfd edBc|dBAG FDFA|d3e fdBd|
e2Be edBd|edfd edBd|A^GAB d3B|1 AFDE FE E2:|2 AFDE FEED||

Thirty-six comments

This is a lovely tune I specially like when played on flute. It’s a very lively reel when played fast and an astonishingly beautiful tune when played slowly.
It shares the name with a totally different reel in the key of G which is posted here as well

Toni, this is the version I’m familiar with, too, from the playing of Liz Carrol and more recently (and in a much lower register, requiring viola of all things), Kevin Crawford and Martin Hayes on “In Good Company.”

Good post.

Posted .

Is it? Looks like it was simply been cut & pasted from Henrik Norbeck’s to me.

Better effort than my English grammar though I suppose.

Whenever playing this tune, my fingers say it is very similar to New Copperplate. I haven’t learned Old Copperplate yet, but that sounds even more similar.

Standard Session Version

I came cross this tune several times while travelling around in UK quite recently. I’ve just reconstructed the most common version from memory and a couple of recordings. It is actually a composite of the two slightly different ones Toni took from Norbeck’s collection. Something like this:

K: Ador
A2eA cAeA|ABcd eBdB|G2dG BGdB|GB~B2 GBdB|
A2eA cAeA|ABcd eBdB|A2Bd efge|1 dBGA BAAG:|2 dBGA BA~A2||
a2ea ageg|agbg agef|gedc BGBd|~g3a bgeg|
a2ea ageg|agbg ageg|d^cde ~g3e|1 dBGA BA~A2:|2 dBGA BAAG||

Note the second part is virtually identical to that of “Down the Broom.”

Next-o-kin

Has it occurred to you the first part of this reel is v similar to the 1st part of Morrison’s reel?
https://thesession.org/tunes/7135
I’ve known both reels for years but have only noticed today!

This goes well in E(dorian?) too.

Posted .

Gerry o connor

any clue of the variations from the no place like home album

Sligo Dandy

T: Sligo Dandy
S:John Kennedy, Ballyshannon 1990
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K:Ador
|:A2eA cAeA|ABcd (3efe dB|~G2 dG BGdB|GB~B2 GBdB|
A2eA cAeA|ABcd (3efe dB|ABcd eg~g2|dBGA BA ~A2:|
|:a2ea ~a2ea|agbg agef|(3gfe dc BGBd|gfga bgea|
a2ea ~a2(3efg|agbg agef|gedc BGBd| gedB BAA2:||

the second tune that is

Bag of spuds mixolydian version

This is a splendid mixolydian version of the same tune:
X: 1
T: Bag Of Spuds, The
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: A mixolydian
A2eA c/B/AeA|ABcd efdB|GAAG d2dB|GBBB GBdB|
A2eA c/B/AeA|ABcd efdB|A/A/AGA g2ge|dBGA BAA2:||
a2ea ageg|agbg agef|gedc BGB/c/d|g2ga bge2|
a2ea ageg|agbg agef|d2ef g2ge|dBGA BAA2:||

Unfortunately, I haven’t transcribed it as I heard it long ago on a tape, on yhich is was followed by The Bird in the Bush in a set. It was played on the tin whistle, please come forwrd if you have more precisions.

My memory is faulty, at least, for bars 6 to 8 of the 1st part.

The Bag Of Spuds, X:7

Got this setting off ClareFM almost a decade ago. Unfortunately, I don’t remember the artists, but I do remember it was primarily fiddle, and possibly flute.

Re: The Bag Of Spuds

I should add that it was played as a slow reel, and came out beautifully as such.

Re: The Bag Of Spuds

It occurs to me that it would sound fabulous to play this tune with two fiddles, one playing down the octave! That’s a long-forgotten/abandoned practice that needs reviving in my opinion.

Re: The Bag Of Spuds

It’s not ‘long-forgotten’ in Ireland, Daniel!

Posted by .

Re: The Bag Of Spuds

Gonzo, it seems to be pretty well non-existent in ITM in the US…

The Bag Of Spuds, X:9

a version from Gerry O’Connor’s “No Place Like Home” in a set with the CopperPlate reel

The Bag Of Spuds, X:14

Based on the playing of Noel Hill and Tony McMahon on their Aisling recording. I like the high Cs that remind me that the turn is not Down the Broom. The end of the turn also distinguishes this setting

The Bag Of Spuds, X:15

Very similar to the second setting, but tweaked a little from the playing of Martin Hayes on Keven Crawfords album “In Good Company”. He plays it on a viola and the low quality is amazing. It’s not in this key on the recording but as this is the most common and “session friendly” key, it makes sense to leave it in Aminor.

Re: The Bag Of Spuds

I’ve just been playing over this again and playing along to Martin Hayes and Kevin Crawford on “In Good Company” and I’ve realised that they’re playing it in Cminor, which when translated to a Viola is like playing in Gminor on a fiddle, this probably explains their interpretation of this tune. I learnt it by just tuning my Mandolin down a tone and played it in Dminor, so the jump up to Am is easy. When played in Aminor it is also great played down a whole octave.