# Song and Tune Projects > Song and Tune Projects >  Poll for November tune

## fiddlegit

The new poll is open.Polls

----------


## MandoJimbo

I voted, but again this month I'm impartial...Which would make a nice set with Bill Cheatam, and Whiskey Before Breakfast??

----------


## fiddlegit

It's neck and neck 'tween "Nine Pound Hammer" and "Leather Britches". I voted LB 'cause I think it's usually done in "G" (on fiddle anyway) and I don't think we've had that key yet, but I s'pose NPH could be G also!

----------


## Baron Collins-Hill

leather britches, great one, ill be posting a recording if that one wins

----------


## Bluegrasstjej

Gosh, I don't know any of them, haven't even heard Leather britches. I've never played Nine pound hammer, is it supposed to be an instrumental tune? I've heard it lots of times but with singing. I don't like it much but I guess it's worth learning it since it's one of the standards at bluegrass jams.

----------


## MandoJimbo

changed my vote to Leather Britches..Or should we do two tunes this month?

----------


## craigtoo

hrumph... I want Cripple creek.. But I'm just the new guy anyway..

----------


## Phantoj

Well, I'm going to campaign for the _Nine Pound Hammer_!! What's with you hammerers jumping ship! You want leather britches, I'll take a digital photo and upload your leather britches right here... a jpeg not an mpeg!

Now is the time to reconsider... It's a long way to Harlan, just to get a little brew and my opponent wants you to to walk every mile of it!

I'd just like to ask, in closing, to the Leather Britch supporters: _How can you roll if the wheels won't go?_ Huh?

----------


## Phantoj

PS - it doesn't matter how you vote, JUST VOTE!



(if you agree with me)

----------


## Baron Collins-Hill

id like to see those britches if you dont mind...

----------


## Phantoj

Trust me, you'd rather not.


(but I do have a pair, from my motorcycling days...)

----------


## Baron Collins-Hill



----------


## MandoJimbo

Phantoj, Pretty strong argument for the NPH...May have to check that box? How can you roll if the wheels won't go?? javascript**: InstaSmilie()

----------


## Michael H Geimer

I voted for the Clinch Mountain Backstep. I already play it, but it is such a great tune. It gives a lot back for the very little effort needed to work it up. That one's all about the groove! (and that backstep)

Poor Little Sadie ... The Ralphie Nader of Fiddle Tunes.

----------

Where should I look to hear that one? Oh Benigus Wheres some recordings that youve posted?

----------


## craig

dem,

sjusk does a nice version of Clinch Mountain Backstep under theMisc Musings. 

craig

----------


## fiddlegit

Looks like a runaway victory for Leather Britches with 14 votes and the runner up on 8, and just a few hours to go.

----------


## Bluegrasstjej

Gosh. A brand new tune for me, never even heard about it before. It will be really interesting, I won't have much time to learn it either since I'm going to Ireland next week. But I've listened to the tune in Tabledit, I like it.

What about some more comments on each other's recordings? I've missed feedback lately!!! I can tell you that I haven't been good at that lately either, but can we all start giving some more feedback? And where are the beginners? It seems they gave up somewhere between Whiskey before breakfast and Bill Cheatham.

----------


## Phantoj

This beginner has already conceded and has begun working on Leather Breeches....

----------


## sjusk

That´s the spirit, Phantoj!

Tjej, you´re right about the lack of feedback. My excuse is that I have been pretty busy lately, but yer...it´s a bad excuse. Mandolin-picking is important!

I have actually been listening to most of the recent uploads, just didn´t have the time to listen close enough to make comments. One of the major points of this forum is feedback and discussion about our efforts.
Let´s improve and keep the enthusiasme.

By the way, I don´t know that song either, but I want to...

Søren/sjusk

----------


## fiddlegit

I'm really looking forward to learning Leather Britches, it's another one (of the hundreds) that I've always wanted to learn but never got round to. I'm hoping some of you will upload a version fairly soon so I can steal some ideas.  

Regarding the lack of feedback issue... even though I like to get feedback, I find it difficult to give it, as I just think everybody's efforts are so good, and don't know what to say other than "well done I really enjoyed your recording" which gets a bit boring.

----------


## Phantoj

Fiddlegit - maybe I'll post a real stinker to give you a chance to post something besides accolades...

----------


## Phantoj

I hear there's another poll tomorrow that could be kinda close, but this one was HIGH DRAMA!!

----------


## Bluegrasstjej

> I'm really looking forward to learning Leather Britches, it's another one (of the hundreds) that I've always wanted to learn but never got round to. I'm hoping some of you will upload a version fairly soon so I can steal some ideas. # 
> 
> Regarding the lack of feedback issue... even though I like to get feedback, I find it difficult to give it, as I just think everybody's efforts are so good, and don't know what to say other than "well done I really enjoyed your recording" which gets a bit boring. #


Yeah, I know what you mean, I feel that way too.

----------


## MandoJimbo

I'm trying to decide which version to work on? Not a very familiar tune to me...I can't even think of a recording that it's on??

----------


## JimRichter

Probably big, most recent recorded mandolin version of it was Sam Bush's on "Late as Usual" in the mid'80s. That's the version I learned off the LP. I think I first learned Norman Blake's wonderful flatpicked guitar on the tune and later learned the mando from it.

I remember having a wonderful time with this tune with Mike Compton at a workshop a year or 2 back. He had heard me playing Leather Britches in a lunchtime jam w/ some fellow students and asked me to play it while he gathered other mandolinists around in a circle to play 3s or 4s. He was trying to demonstrate a theory of John Hartford's that he learned while one of Hartford's "Good Ole Boys." What a blast.

Biggest challenge for me on Leather Britches is working on a closed third position version of it (much like you'd hear a fiddler do).  Have no problem with it except the last couple of bars of the A part--hard to get that pinky working.

Jim

----------


## sjusk

Jim, that must have been great learning stuff from Mike Compton - good for you!

I´m sitting over in Denmark, and just recently "discovered" John Hartford and then of course Compton. He has a wonderful "rough" attack on the mandolin that I immediately fell for.
In my opinion he shows a lot of personality through that mandolin of his.

I wonder which one he´s playing?

I´m looking forward to hear some uploads soon on November´s tune; I´ve never heard of it before, and as Roger puts it, we need some ideas we can steel.

Søren

----------


## MandoJimbo

Wow, forgot all about late as usual.. Wore that one out years ago. I vaguely remember Hartford doing a fiddle version, seems it got a little to "out there" for my taste.. Kenny Baker used to play a version of it, but I really can't remember. I may be wrong but it seems that this tune may be one of those that really generated a lot of "artistic expression"?? Many different versions that are difficult to recognize.. I got all of the Tabledit versions.. I'll play with them all a little.. I just hate the MIDI versions. So much is lost on so many of these tunes... this will be a fun one I hope.

----------


## MandoJimbo

Jim, You got me digging through my Norman Blake stuff, completely forgot about the album Whiskey before Breakfast. No Leather Brithces on it but take a listen to Fiddlers Dram/ Whiskey before Breakfast... A very nice set. Now I really have too many tunes in my head.

----------


## sjusk

Coulter, now you made me curious.
Who is Norman Blake? 
I know this question may sound odd to you, but being so far away from where the action is, there are a lot of things yet undiscovered. 
Hartford was a "white spot" on the map to me until recently, now I´m having a great time exploring; 
I just wonder what kicks Norman Blake offers?

Søren

----------


## Bluegrasstjej

I played through Leather britches a few times before going to work today. A really nice tune, not too hard to learn I think.
I haven't heard much of Norman Blake, I don't even know what instrument he plays, but I've heard him do Eight more miles to Louisville or if it was Ginseng Sullivan (or both?).

----------


## sjusk

Hej Susanne, thought you were off for Ireland!? 
Fiddling and picking in Ennis.

when are you going?

Søren

----------


## PaulD

I don't know how actively Norman Blake is playing anymore, but talk about a Mando Player! He's well worth dredging up, and if you like John Hartford, pick up Aereoplane (I think that's the album name) by Hartford with Norman Blake on mando. It's an old album, but timeless. 

Jim mentions Norman on Fiddler's Dram/Whiskey Before Breakfast; I assume that's of the Blake & Rice album??? That's one of my all-time favorite sets... I learned it by ear but I have trouble with the B parts in both tunes the way Norman plays them... love it, though.

I'm probably way off base for this thread... so pardon me, but I stepped in on the tail end Norman's name caught my eye.

Paul Doubek
From the shores of the Great Salt Lake

----------


## MandoJimbo

sjusk,
www.theacousticcafe.com%2Fnorman.html
Has a short biography on Norman. He also has a Mandolin Instructional VHS/Book out on Homespun recordings.. I don't have it so I can't comment. He is just one of the cleanest players, really understands the tune and always offers the simple melody, progressively more interesting and never boring.

----------


## sjusk

Hi Jim C.
Thanks, but I´m sorry to say that link just won´t work, but I´ve found some information elsewhere on Norman Blake - and yer, he´s one of The Good Old Boys! For sure. I´ll get my hands on one of his recordings sooner or later.

Late Derroll Adams visited my country more than once, and one of the Danish Good Old Boys asked him: "What´s your secret Derrol, how do you do it?" And Derroll just said: "Simplicity man...simplicity" 

Thanks Paul, I´ll have an eye out for that Aeroplane record. I got to know about Hartford on Bluegrassbox, which was recommended in this forum. I´ve forgot by whom, but it´s a great site offering authentic (and legal!) tapes, done by another bunch of Good Old Boys!

Søren

----------


## MandoJimbo

Susanne,
Which LB are you working on? Still tinkering with one of the Strangeland TAB files, I think it is number 4? Think it best represents how the tune is supposed to go? At least I think that is how the tune should go? Still really don't like the MIDI and no uploads yet..

----------


## Bluegrasstjej

I'm working on the first tef file of Leather britches, I think it's called Leather britches2, think it's a good and simple one, no ornamentations, just the melody, I need the basic version since I've never heard it before. 

Yes, Sören, I'm going to Ireland really soon. One day left to work and then I'm off to Ennis (actually Glasgow the first night). Can't wait!!!!!!! I'm going on Tuesday and the festival starts on Thursday. I plan to visit mainly pub sessions and just a few concerts, and probably the set dance workshop. I also want to visit Galway, Cliffs of Moher, and some other nice place I come across. And, of course, go shopping!I'm sure I'll have a great time.

----------

