O Dear Mother My Toes Are Sore jig

Mr “c” submitted this https://thesession.org/tunes/7018

Other than the name, it has no similarities. I am a nut for jigs, especially jigs from the USA and this one is simple, yet clever and memorable. This was once a common tune in my parts and Id be surprised to hear anyone play it these days. (US fiddlers play few jigs theses days.) The A part is a common “folk” dance tune in many USA tunes… For a 4/4 version there is “Fly Around My Pretty Little Miss.” The B part in this tune varies from player to player. Samuel Bayard collected probably 10 or more versions of this jig (all 6/8) and the “B” parts varied, while the “A” remained constant. The tune in 4/4 “Fly Around” usually shares the same “A” but varying “B”s.

I’m a ‘mister’? How are you doin‘ MH? I hope well. Yes, the 6/8 takes by that name, you did see Nigel’s contributions in the ’Comments’ for the link you gave? Anyway, a different tune but 6/8 and barred differently, here it is again, and Nigel’s valued work is worth a repeat ~

# Posted on April 1st 2007 by nigelg:

"Oh dear mother my toes are sore
Dancing all over your sandy floor
Behind the door"

At one time a popular American rhyme, “which we find attached to 6/8 tunes fairly often…” (from Hill Country Tunes, Instrumental Folk Music of Southwestern Pennsylvania, Bayard, 1944)

The tune in that book, called “Oh Dear Mother My Toes Are Sore” ~ …

X: 10
T: Oh Dear Mother My Toes are Sore
Z: Nigel Gatherer
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Am
e2^f edB | GA>B AGE | CD2 ^F/E/DF | A3 A z2 :|
e2^f g2a | ge^c dzg | e>ge dBG | ABA GEC |
D3 ^F/E/DF | A3 A z2 :|

Alright, but ~ where did you get this version from, sir MH?

X: 2
T: O Dear Mother Me Toes Are So Sore
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
R: jig
K: D Major + a bit more 😉
|: FA |
f2 e d2 B | A2 F D2 E | F3 FED | F2 A AB/c/d |
fge dcB | ABG FED | F/G/AF EFE | D3- D :|
|: ef |
g2 e f2 d | c2 e Ace | gfe fed |
[1 c2 B Ad/e/f | gfe ff/e/d | cde A2 a | gfe dcB |1 A3- A :|
[2 c2 B A2 a | gfe f2 d | cde a2 f | edc BA^G | A3- A |]

Well, I had to, and especially after a long day walking all over Manchester yesterday wi‘ me honey… 😎 The De’il made me do it…

Some of the variations you included are ones I hit on when fiddling it… my abcs are my take on the tune from reviewing all of Bayard’s collected versions although the “A” part I knew from somewhere else.