Andy’s Saltire jig

A lovely syncopated jig I learnt from Donegal fiddler Liz Doherty. Composed by Scottish fiddler Amy Geddes.

There are a few recorded versions of this great jig: Catriona MacDonald on ‘Bold’, for example, and one by Amy Geddes herself while she was with Tannas. She once told me the story behind the tune, but my memory being what it is… I think it was around the time of the devolution vote in Scotland, and Amy’s father Andy displayed a saltire flag (St Andrews cross flag of Scotland) at the end of his driveway. It was stolen. Mmm. Not much of a story - there must have been more to it!

I play it quite differently, with the B part going into E major before returning to A at the end.

X: 1
T: Andy’s Saltire
C: Amy Geddes
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: A
a3 aec | BcB BGE | EBE cEd- | d2c BGE |
a3 aec | BcB BGE | DFA EGB | cAG A3 :|
B3 BGE | c2c c2A | BfB gBa- | a2g f^dB |
B3 BGE | c2c c2A | B^df agf | g3- gec |
B3 BGE | c2c c2A | BfB gBa- | a2e efg |
a3 aec | BcB BGE | DFA EGB | cAG A3 |]

Nigel, your story is right except that Dad is in the SNP and the local Tories nicked the Saltire. There are a few notes out in the sheet music here as well, and Catriona syncopates the first two notes on Bold which I didn’t - it’s always interesting to put your tunes out there and here them grow and change! This tune is also recorded on my CD Over the Sky to See available from http://web.mac.com/phatcontroller/cdsforsale/phatartists.html
Amy

Thanks for the extra dimension to the story, Amy. I’m reviving this tune to use at Feis Ros next week, and it’s wonderful to be playing it again, reminded of how lovely a tune it is. I’m going to try to work out what chords are used now by listening to the record.

Amy’s CD "Over the Sky to See" is fantastic, by the way - I’d recommend it to any fiddle-loving connoisseurs.

"Amy’s CD "Over the Sky to See" is fantastic, by the way - I’d recommend it to any fiddle-loving connoisseurs." nigelg

Yep, a regular little power house.

Actually a "little bird" (the title of another Amy album) tells me, that Amy has a new album in the pipeline. Should be good album and out at some point later in the year.

And here’s the link to the album hinted at above:

http://amygeddes.bandcamp.com/

You can listen to it on line, buy it as a down load, or contact Amy herself through the site and buy a disk direct from her, which includes the complete sleeve notes to the recording. Enjoy…