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Isabela Blackley jig

By Donald MacLeod

Also known as Isabelle Blackley, Isobel Blackley, Miss Isobel Blackley.

There are 7 recordings of this tune.

Isabela Blackley has been added to 23 tunebooks.

Download ABC

Two settings

1
X: 1
T: Isabela Blackley
R: jig
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
|:cee efa|dff fed|cee cee|dBB B2e|
cee efa|dff fed|cee fed|cAA A2e:|
|:d2f afd|cee gec|dfg afd|cAA A2e|
d2f afd|cee ABc|cee fed|cAA A2e:|
|:dff Bff|dff Bff|cee ABA|aba edc|
dff cee|Bdd ABA|cee fed|c2A AA2:|
|:eaa efg|fed cdc|Bdd AB=c|gfg ecA|
eaa efg|fed cdc|cee fed|c2A AA2:|
2
X: 2
T: Isabela Blackley
R: jig
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Amaj
B|cee ega|dff fed|cee ega|dBB BAB|
cee ega|dff fed|cee fed|cAA A2:|
|:c|d2f afd|cee =gec|dff afd|ecA A2c|
d2f afd|Bdd =GAB|cee fed|cAA A2:|
|:c|dff Bff|dff Bff|cee Ace|aga ecA|
dff cee|Bdd =GAB|cee fed|cAA A2:|
|:A|eaa ef=g|fed cde|Bdd =GBd|=gfg ecA|
eaa ef=g|fed cee|Bee fed|cAA A2:|

Eight comments

Not so standard.

I got this off the "Sweet Rural Shade" recording by the Boy’s of the Lough. Those guy’s were likely to play anything so I don’t know the origin.

I have enjoyed being the only person performing it. (to my knowledge). I played it for a friend recently and he spit out the ABC’s. He did a fantastic Job of finding the melody considering all the extras I put in.

Hope you enjoy it. I would love to hear if you all play the tune yourselves.

It sounds like a Bagpipe tune. The high-B in the 2nd part and the C-natural in the 4th part (neither of which can be played on the bagpipes) could have been a fiddler’s modification.

I happen to play this one as well; as far as I know it’s definitely scottish.

By the way -

The friend I mentioned Is Brink. Thanks Bud.

By the Way

I remembered having this album so I dug it out and read the sleeve notes and yes it is definitely maybe Scottish as far as I know. It is listed as Isabelle Blackely on the album is played in A major not D major although there is a brief modulation in the second part. There is a lot going on in the mix and it’s difficult to distinguish the tune from the harmonies at times but this is probably closer to what they’re playing:
T:Isabelle Blackley
M:6/8
L:1/8
R:Jig
K:Amaj
B| cee ega | dff fed | cee ega | dBB BAB |
cee ega | dff fed | cee fed | cAA A2 :||
|: c| d2f afd | cee =gec | dff afd | ecA A2c |
d2f afd | Bdd =GAB | cee fed |cAA A2:||
|: c| dff Bff | dff Bff | cee Ace | aga ecA |
dff cee | Bdd =GAB | cee fed |cAA A2:||
|:A | eaa ef=g | fed cde | Bdd =GBd | =gfg ecA |
eaa ef=g | fed cee | Bee fed |cAA A2:||

Yep, it’s Scottish…

This piping jig was written by the most prolific of Scottish highland piping composers, Donald MacLeod. Wonderful tune. The version you have here is a tad different from the original, but the melody is still there and works quite well.

Cheers,

Kevin