Building a Traditional Tune Repertoire
by Wendy Anthony
Miss McLeod's Reel
(Key of G)
aka:
Hop High Ladies
&
Did You Ever See The Devil, Uncle Joe?
The Tune:
This tune originated in the Scottish Hebrides, during the late 18th century, as Mrs McLeod of Raasay or Miss McLeod's Reel, & was played in the key of A, with parts A & B in reverse order. The tune is generally played in the key of G in Ireland, Britain & North America, unless changed (eg to key of D) to suit the singer's voice, with the parts ordered as noted here. Oldtime fiddlers from the southern USA call the tune by the names Hop High Ladies (Hop Light Ladies) or Did You Ever See The Devil, Uncle Joe?, each version coming with a variety of lyrics. Mandolin pickers playing this melody include: John Reischman & The Jaybirds playing Hop High Ladies on the CD Fieldguide and John Moore & Bluegrass Etc playing Did You Ever See The Devil, Uncle Joe?, on the CD Home is Where the Heart is.
Techniques:
- Overview of Tune:
Part A uses 1/8 notes to create runs of the first 5-notes of the G-scale, using mainly the A strings, with the addition of an occasional 5th fret (G) on the D strings, and three notes on the E strings in the last 2 measures. Part B uses more 1/4 notes to create a musical emphasis, especially with the two octave G notes. These are interspersed with 1/8 note turns, and played mainly on both the A & E strings, as well as the occasional 5th fret (G) on the D strings.
- Fingering & Pick Strokes: Pick all 1/4 notes with Downstrokes & all paired 1/8 notes with Down/Upstrokes. In Part A measures 1, 3 & 5, try keeping your index (2nd) finger down at the 2nd fret (B), to use as pivot to help move the 3rd finger smoothly between the two 5th frets (D & G), making sure to lift the 2nd finger in time to produce a clear open A note. In Part B measure 9, a set of G notes, one octave apart, are picked by skipping from the D strings 5th fret to the E strings 3rd fret, picking both with Downstrokes. Be sure to clear the A strings with just enough room to miss them, in order to cleanly pick both E strings. In measures 12 & 13, use your pinky (4th) finger on 7th fret (B), & your 3rd finger to jump between the 5th frets of the A & D strings.
Variations:
- Add chord notes to the melody: The tune can sound much richer when played with some open string chord notes, giving the illusion of drone pipes. Add these notes while playing the melody. Allow these open strings to ring clearly throughout the entire measure in order to get the full effect.
- Different Octaves: As the first strings of the mandolin are tuned to G, there's ample fret board space to play this tune in 3 different octaves of G. Play a different octave each time through, or try mixing them together to make your own variation. Playing one octave lower uses only the G & D strings. The highest octave is do-able by playing a modified version on the E strings, though a more advanced version could be played in closed position up the neck, using the 10th, 12th, 14th & 15th frets on both the A & E strings, working-out the pinky (4th) finger on the 15th frets.
- Different Key: Both John Reischman & John Moore play this melody in the Key of D. To play along with them, simply move the same finger fretting patterns for the Low Octave tab in G, from the G strings over to the D strings. To play this tune in the Scottish key of A, move the same fingering pattern over one more set of strings to start on the A strings.
- Lyrics: In terms of semantics, instrumentals are called tunes, & a melody with lyrics is called a song. As the lyrics usually follow the melody line quite easily, knowing the words to a song can often be of help to know which notes to play. An internet search will provide many sources & varieties of lyrics, some of which include:
Verse - Part A: Did You Ever See The Devil, Uncle Joe?
Did you ever see the devil, Uncle Joe, Uncle Joe
Did you ever see the devil, Uncle Joe, Uncle Joe
Did you ever see the devil, Uncle Joe, Uncle Joe
Well, I don't mind the weather if the wind don't blow.
Chorus - Part B: Hop High Ladies
Hop high ladies for the cake's all dough,
Hop high ladies for the cake's all dough,
Hop high ladies for the cake's all dough,
I don't mind the weather so the wind don't blow.
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