The Blackthorn Stick jig

Another name I’ve heard this tune called is the Joys of Wedlock. Anybody else?

The jig that I know as "Joys of Wedlock" is different. I guess that just means the joys of wedlock are many. 🙂

Sarah

I just checked JC’s ABC Tune Finder. Search on "Joys of Wedlock." The second one in the list (index 10) is exactly the version I know as Joys of Wedlock. The first one in the list is the same melody but slight differences. I didn’t look at any of the others — there were 15 hits.

By the way, Joys of Wedlock (as on the ABC Tune Finder) is a nice, bouncy little jig — I like it a lot.

Sarah

I know a version called "The Catholic Boys" and the name seems to fit the tag at the end of each melody line.

Maryland Highlander

Well first of all it’s a pity there are no Ornamentations on the notes, can anyone donate them?

Second - I have "Think Before you Think" by Danu, and for some reason "The Blackthorn Stick" though it is played as a jig, I couldn’t find any resemblence.

I originally learned this tune in A where I think it falls pretty nicely (at least on fiddle).

Celtic Thunder play this following Sixpenny Money…

I play it following A Health to the Ladies. Both tunes rollick along at a good clip, and I like the immediate key change from A to G between without slowing down. I recently looked at the entry for the former and discovered that someone else plays it the same way!

I should post my own ornaments for this tune, although it’s fairly easy to see where one might put any.

i know this tune as "Blackthorn", and it appears on the Bradley Brother’s CD entitled "Irish Dance World"

However, the tune we are discussing is listed on this site as on Kevin Joyce’s CD "Final Round", this is incorrect. "Blackthorn Stick" is the title of a track on this CD, however, the tune is very different, as is the structure.

hope that provides a little clarity.

I wish you folks with your versions would add your ABC take on it here…please?! 😏 Here are two historical relatives ~

"The Maid On The Green"
Key signature: G Major
Submitted on July 20th 2003 by gian marco.
https://thesession.org/tunes/1831

"Mick McGarry’s Jig"
Key signature: D Major
Submitted on June 24th 2004 by Dow.
https://thesession.org/tunes/3202

"O’Neill’s Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies", 1903, page 133, tune #711
"O’Neill Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems", 1907, page 19, tune #13
"O’Neill’s Irish Music", 1915, page 75, tune #129

X: 2
T: Humors of Bantry
T: Humours of Bantry
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
R: Jig
K: G Major
|: d |\
gfg e/f/ge | dBG AGE | DEG AGA | BGB AGE |
gfg e/f/ge | dBG AGE | DEG AGA | BGG G2 :|
|: d |\
edd gdd | edd gdB | def gfg | edB AGE |
[1 gfg e/f/ge | dBG AGE | DGG A/B/cA | BGG G2 :|
[2 gfg aga | bge edB | GFG A/B/cA | BGG G2 |]

Key signature: G Major
Submitted on May 27th 2002 by kardshark87.
https://thesession.org/tunes/702

& other familiy members ~

"The Maid On The Green"
Key signature: G Major
Submitted on July 20th 2003 by gian marco.
https://thesession.org/tunes/1831

"Mick McGarry’s Jig"
Key signature: D Major
Submitted on June 24th 2004 by Dow.
https://thesession.org/tunes/3202

Key signature: G Major
Submitted on March 8th 2008 by ceolachan.
https://thesession.org/tunes/8328

This really is just a variation on the Blackthorn Stick. I wouldn’t call it a separate tune. The litmus test is: try it at your local session. If people join in with the Blackthorn Stick, then it’s likely the tune isn’t going to hold its ground in sessions. I’d personally let it gather dust in O’Neill’s. Blackthorn Stick is one of my favourite tunes though.

I’d also be wary of calling The Maid On The Green "family". The A-part is very similar, yes, but can you prove that one was a direct descendant of the other?

To be in the same family is not the same as one being a direct descendent of the other. A common ancestor is all they require.

Right. So is there a common ancestor?

Changes in parts are not exactly rare, such as an A-part known and a B-part forgotten or half remembered, or an A-part from one and a B-part from another suddenly coming to hand and being taken as a reasonable pairing ~ they are still related, share something significant, like a part, A or B… Also, there isn’t necessarily a no go with taking the second part of this against others playing the more common if later version known as "The Blackthorn Stick".

In the end it is Jeremy’s call and he may axe this. Personally, I like the second ending from this, which may even predate "The Blackthorn Stick". Mostly, the name "The Blackthorn Stick" seems to be a later occurance, as far as I can figure…

The links are there for people to compare themselves, in your case you disagree, alright, point made… 😏

There are bastards in music too… 😉

I have a dozen different versions of the tune in front of me at the moment, and it is to be found in this old stalwart ~

"Ryan’s Mammoth Collection", 1883
(consequently also in "Cole’s 1,000 Fiddle Tunes")

Has anyone got Lyrics for this tune? It does better as an air for a song…

I have a set comprised of Rakes of Kildare, The Blackthorn Stick, Lannigan’s Ball. Great rollicking tunes. The "minor-major-minor" sandwich is a lot of fun, and makes for a pretty unique set.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21aJnNYTn-c

play video

This version appears in P.W. Joyce’s Old Irish Music and Songs (1909), vol. 1, p. 99, No. 200, as Fire on the Mountains.

This version of “Fire on the Mountains” is provided by the Traditional Tune Archive that gives the Roche Collection as source. According to TTA, this tune is also known as Boys of Bockhill, Boys of Rockhill, Humors of Bantry, Billy Patterson, Billy Patterson’s Favorite, Blackthorn Stick, Catholic Boys, The Rose on the Mountain, The Eagle’s Nest, The Coach Road to Sligo, The Hare on the Mountain.

Transposed for a middle interlude between two run-throughs in G version.