Annotation:Ripe the Ribs
X:1 T:Ripe the ribs, a Strathspey M:4/4 L:1/8 R:Strathspey B:John French – Collection of New Strathspeys, Reels, etc. (1801) N:Dedicated to Mrs. Boswell of Auchinleck N:Published by Gow & Shepherd, “for behoof of Mr. French’s widow and children.” K:A C|A,<A,E>C E>FE>C|A<A {Bc}d>c BB,B,C|A,<A,E>C E>FAd|c<eB>c AA,A,:| f|e<ea>c e>A {d}c>A|B<Bc>A F>BBf|e<ea>c e>Acf|e<ag>b eaac'| e<ea>c e>A {d}c>A|B<Bc>A F>BBc|A<cF>A E<AEC|D<FE>C A,AA||
RIPE THE RIBS. Scottish, Strathspey (whole time). A Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AAB. Composed by biography:John French. The expression to 'ripe the ribs' refers to clearing out ash from the bars of a fireplace, as in Thomas Henderson’s Lockerbie (1937), where: “Mrs. Johnstone riped the ribs of the big grate and poked the peats …”. Similarly, it can be used of clearing out the tobacco ash from the bowl and stem of a pipe, as in “Robin rypit the dottle oot o’ his pipe” from John Service’s Dr. Duguid (1897).