Annotation:Fasten the Leggin' (1)

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X:1 T:Fasten the Leg in Her [1] L:1/8 M:6/8 S:O'Neill - Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems (1907), No. 120 Z:AK/Fiddler's Companion K:G d/c/|B2B BAB|GBd gdB|A2A AGA|Bee dBA| B2B BAB|GBd gfg|efg f<ag|fdd d2:| |:e/f/|gag fgf|ede fdB|ABA AGA|Bee dBA| gag fgf|ede fdB|def e<ag|fdd d2:||



FASTEN THE LEGGIN' [1]. AKA - "Daingnig an cos orrti," "Fasten the Leg in Her," "Fasten the Leg on Her," "Fasten the Wig on Her," "Johnny is So Long at the Fair (2)," "Noonday Feast (2) (The)," "Paddy Taylor's Jig (1)," "Port Vincent Hegarty, "Rambles with Rory." Irish, Double Jig (6/8 time). G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AAB (Tubridy): AABB (Allan, Harker/Rafferty, Mallinson, Mulvihill, O'Neill): AA'BB' (Kennedy, Mitchell). The curious title variant "Fasten the Leg in Her," used by Canon wikipedia:James_Goodman_(musicologist) (1828-1896)[1] and Francis O'Neill, is perhaps a reference to horse racing or urging a horse forward, but it may also be a garbled version (or vice versa) of "Fasten the Wig on Her" or perhaps "Fasten the Legging" (referring to an article of clothing). Of course, many see the title as a double entendre.

The tune was once very popular, and was recorded by famed Irish-American piper Patsy Tuohey on a cylinder in 1919, and in the 78 RPM era by County Sligo fiddler Michael Coleman (1891-1945) in New York (1934, paired with "Wandering Minstrel (The)" and "Coleman's Cross"). James "The Professor" Morrison, originally also from County Sligo, recorded the jig in New York in 1925 as "Rambles with Rory," as the second tune in a medley, paired with "Noonday Feast (1) (The)." As often happens with influential recordings, both tunes in a medley entered tradition with one title (usually the first tune named on the recording), thus "Fasten the Leggin'" has occasionally been referred to as "Noon-day Feast" as well.

"Fasten the Leg on Her (2)" is related in the first strain. See also "Humors of Cork (3) (The)," which is the first two parts of "Fasten the Leggin'" with an additional two parts composed by renowned Isle of Lewis piper Donald MacLeod [1] (1917-1982).


Additional notes
Source for notated version : - piper Willie Clancy (1918-1973, Miltown Malbay, west Clare) [Mitchell]; a reissue of the Michael Coleman recording [Miller & Perron]; New Jersey flute player Mike Rafferty, born in Ballinakill, Co. Galway, in 1926 [Harker].

Printed sources : - Cole (1000 Fiddle Tunes), 1940; p. 52 (appears as "Fasten the Wig on Her"). Giblin (Collection of Traditional Irish Dance Music), 1928; No. 71. Kennedy (Jigs & Quicksteps, Trips & Humours), 1997; No. 43, p. 12 (appears as "Fasten the Wig on Her"). Mallinson (100 Enduring), 1995; No. 40, p. 17 ("Fasten the Leg in Her"). McDermott (Allan's Irish Fiddler), c. 1920's; No. 6, p. 3. Miller & Perron (Irish Traditional Fiddle Music vol. 1), 1977; No. 20. Mitchell (Dance Music of Willie Clancy), 1993; No. 73, p. 71. O'Neill (Krassen), 1976; p. 35 (appears as "Fasten the Leg in Her"). O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903; No. 860, p. 160 (appears as "Fasten the Leg in Her"). O'Neill (Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems), 1907; No. 120, p. 35 (appears as "Fasten the Leg in Her"). Ryan's Mammoth Collection, 1883; p. 81 (appears as "Fasten the Wig on Her"). Hugh Shields (Tunes of the Munster Pipers vol. 1), 1998; No. 77. Tubridy (Irish Traditional Music, Book Two), 1999; p. 33.

Recorded sources : - Ace of Hearts AH-95, Michael Coleman - "Irish Dance Party" (various artists). Claddagh Records, Paddy Taylor - "Boy in the Gap" (an unusual, old West Limerick, setting). Decca 12015 (78 RPM), Michael Coleman (1934). Gael-Linn CEF 165, Maire O'Keeffe - "Coisir/House Party" (1993). Green Linnet GLCD 1110, "The Boston College Irish Music Festival: My Love is in America" (1991). CCE, Néillidh Mulligan - "The Leitrim Thrush."

See also listing at :
Jane Keefer's Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources [2]
Alan Ng's Irishtune.info [3]
Hear Michael Coleman's 1934 recording at the Internet Archive [4]
Hear James Morrison's 1925 recording (as "Rambles with Rory") at the Internet Archive [5] (2nd tune in medley, following "Noonday Feast (1) (The)"). See the tune in the Dunn Family manuscript collection [6]



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  1. The tune appears in Book 1 of his large mid-19th century music manuscript collection, p. 33.