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Thunderhead jig

Also known as The American, Jig Brest Of St. Marc, Jig Brest St. Mark, St. Michael’s, Thunder Head.

There are 16 recordings of this tune.

This tune has been recorded together with Brenda Stubbert’s (a few times), Lads Of Tain (a few times), The MacNeils Of Ugadale (a few times) and Mrs. MacInroy Of Lude (a few times).

Thunderhead has been added to 13 tune sets.

Thunderhead has been added to 277 tunebooks.

Download ABC

Four settings

1
X: 1
T: Thunderhead
R: jig
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Bmin
|~B3 fBB|eBB dBA|~B3 fgf|edB ABd|
|~B3 fBB|eBB def|gfe ~f3|edB ABd:|
|:afd edB|ABd c2c|Bcc Bcc|
dcB ~c3|afd edB|ABd c2c|
(3Bcd B c2a|1gec dfg:|2gec dc=c||
# Added by seara .
2
X: 2
T: Thunderhead
R: jig
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Bmin
~B3 fBB|eBB dBA|~B3 fgf|edB AGc|
~B3 fBB|eBB def|gfe fdB|ADF ABc:||
|:dGG AGE|DEG ~F3|EFF EFF|GFE~F3|dGG AGE|
DEG FGA|1BdB ceg|f/2g/2af gfe:|2Bde fgf|edB AGc||
~B3 fBBf|eBB dBBA|~B3 fggf|edB AGGc|
~B3 fBBf|eBB dBef|gfe fddB|1ADF ABBc:|2ADF ABc2||
|:dGG AGGE|DEG EF~F2|EFF EF~F2|GFE EF~F2|
dGG AGGE|DEG EF~F2|1BdB ceeg|f/2g/2af g3e:|2M:6/8 Bde fgf|M:7/8 edB AGGc||
3
X: 3
T: Thunderhead
R: jig
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
[M:7/8 ]B3 fB Bf | eBB dB BA | B3 f2Gf | edB AG GA |
B3 fB Bf | EBB dB ef | gfe fd dB | ADF AB Bc :|
dGG AG GE | DEG F2F2 | EFF EFF2 | GFE F2F2 |
dBG AG GE | DEG F2FA | (3BcdB ce eg | (3fgaf g2 g2 |
dGG AG GE | DEG F2F2 | EFF EFF2 | GFE F2F2 |
dBG AG GE | DEG F2GA |[M:6/8]Bde fgf | [M:7/8]edB AG GA ||
4
X: 4
T: Thunderhead
R: jig
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Bmin
|:B3 fBB|eBB dBA|B3 f3|edB ABd|
B3 fBB|eBB def|gfe f3|edB ABd:||
|:afd edB|ABd c3|Bcd c3|dcB c3|
afd edB|ABd c3|Bcd cea|1gec dfg:|2gec dc=c||
# Added by JACKB .

Ten comments

Thunderhead

I just learned this jig and think it’s pretty nifty—-try it going Stan Chapman’s jig or—-into the reel Maggie’s Pancakes—I think it’s an interesting transition. Both tunes are great, and I particularly like them because both can be played on the Highland Pipes (I play with a GHPiper regularly, so it’s a challenge to find tunes that work on fiddle and pipes!)

Posted by .

Is this the Thunderhead that Gray Larsen wrote, anybody know? A nice, nice man, Gray Larsen (and Paddy too, of course!). Looking forward to learning the tune especially if it’s his! http://www.larsonandleague.com/bios.html

Zina

Grey Larsen

Yes, it is Grey Larsen’s tune - there’s also a very neat mix-meter version of it that Lunasa and also Hamish Moore plays on his album, ‘The Bee’s Knees’. Great tune!

Original Version

Here is ABC notation for the original version of Grey Larsen’s Thunderhead (from the album "Thunderhead").

It is played first in 6/8:

X:1
T:Thunderhead
R:Jig
M:6/8
L:1/8
K:BPhr
~B3 fBB|eBB dBA|~B3 fgf|edB AGc|
~B3 fBB|eBB def|gfe fdB|ADF ABc:||
|:dGG AGE|DEG ~F3|EFF EFF|GFE~F3|dGG AGE|
DEG FGA|1BdB ceg|f/2g/2af gfe:|2Bde fgf|edB AGc||

And it finishes in 7/8 (with a tiny bit of 6/8 at the end of the 2nd part):

X:1
T:Thunderhead
R:"Balkan"
M:7/8
L:1/8
K:BPhr
~B3 fBBf|eBB dBBA|~B3 fggf|edB AGGc|
~B3 fBBf|eBB dBef|gfe fddB|1ADF ABBc:|2ADF ABc2||
|:dGG AGGE|DEG EF~F2|EFF EF~F2|GFE EF~F2|
dGG AGGE|DEG EF~F2|1BdB ceeg|f/2g/2af g3e:|2M:6/8 Bde fgf|M:7/8 edB AGGc||

Thunderhead, Copyright 1982 Grey Larsen

Yes, this is definitely Grey Larsen’s Thunderhead. I have a copy of the tune noted in his handwriting and "(c) 1982 Grey Larsen" written on it There are minor differences between the sheet music posted here and the actual sheet music. The online version is a bit smoothed out. And in the original, the 7/8 section has amazing drive and energy.

Could you guys please help:

Is this the same toon as Gary Larson’s Thunderstick?

surely there’s a link between the two!

Re: Thunderhead

well this is NOT the tune played by Sharon Shannon on Out the Gap track 6 second tune, As far as I can tell she plays a reel If anybody knows what its called I would like to know??