Annotation:Temperance Reel
X:1 T:Temperance Reel M:2/4 L:1/8 R:Reel S:Ryan’s Mammoth Collection (1883) Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion K:G (3D/E/F/ |: "G"G{A}G/F/ G/A/B/c/ | d/B/g/e/ "D/F#"d/B/A/c/ | "Em"B/E/{F}E/D/ E/F/G/A/ | B/G/A/F/ "D7"G/F/E/D/ | "G"G{A}G/F/ G/A/B/c/ | d/B/g/e/ "D/F#"d/B/A/c/ |"Em"B/E/{F}E/D/ E/F/G/A/ | "D7"B/d/A/F/ "G"G :| |: B | "Em"B/e/e/d/ e>f | g/e/a/f/ "A7"g/f/e/d/ | "D"B/d/d/e/ d>e | g/e/a/f/ "Bm"g/f/e/d/ | "Em"B/e/e/d/ e>f | g/e/a/f/ g/f/e/d/ | B/E/{F}E/D/ E/FG/A/ |1 "D7"B/d/A/F/ "G"G :|2 "D7"B/G/A/F/ "G"G/F/E/D/ ||
TEMPERANCE REEL. AKA and see "Devil in Georgia (1) (The)" (Doc Roberts title), "Gigue du père Lauzon," "Gol Grier," "Kingsport," "O'Connell's Welcome to Clare," “Oh My Foot,” "Old Tiddley-Toe," "Road to Newbridge (The)," “Rocky Road to Denver,” “Six Hand Reel,” "Teetotaler's Reel," “Where's My Other Foot?” Irish, American; Reel. USA; New England, Michigan, West Virginia. G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. The popular reel is widely disseminated throughout Australia, Ireland, Great Britain and North America under either the "Temperence Reel" or "Teetotaler's Reel" titles, and dates to the 19th century. North American musicians most often call it by the "Temperance" name, but it appears to have an Irish provenance. Ken Perlman (1979) is of the opinion the tune is related to a Co. Kerry polka entitled "Pigtown" (which also goes by several other names including "Pigtown Fling", "Stoney Point (1)" and others). Ford prints a version under the title “Six Hand Reel,” presumably collected in Missouri, as were many of his tunes, however, other Missouri titles include “Rocky Road to Denver” (Roy Wooliver/Gene Goforth) and “Where is My Other Foot?” (Lonnie Robertson). See also Quebec fiddler Isidore Soucy's "Gigue du père Lauzon," an irregular version with parts reversed.
The earliest American recording of the tune is by Joseph Samuels in 1919 (Meade), however Brooklyn accordion player John "Dutch" Kimmel recorded it in a medley with "Cuckoo's Nest" and "Mason's Apron" in 1915. Fiddler William B. Houchens recorded it in 1924 (released on Silvertone 4056-B) played as the first tune in a set, paired with "Reilly's Reel." Ted Sharp, Hinman & Sharp recorded the reel in 1933 (Champion 45182) under the title "Where's My Other Foot?".
