Annotation:Wabash Jig
X:1 T:Wabash Jig T:Hell on the Wabash [5] C:Dan Emmett M:2/4 L:1/8 R:Reel N:The tune was published with three sharps in Coes, yet some of the 'G' notes were N:indicated to be played sharped. I believe the tune is meant to be set in A mixolydian, N:and the key signature should have been in 2 sharps--a printer's error. B:Coes Album of Jigs and Reels, something new, for professional and amateur violinists, B:leaders of orchestras, quadrille bands, and clog, reel and jig dancers; consisting of a B:Grand Collection of entirely New and Original Clog-Hornpipes, Reels, jigs, B:Scotch Reels, Irish Reels and Jigs, Waltzes, Walk-Arounds, etc. (1876, p. 7) N:George Coes performed with the San Francisco Minstrels in California from 1852 to 1859. Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion K:Amix {g}a|z{g}a A>B|c/d/e/c/ A>{^f}g|z{^f}g G>A|B/c/d/B/ G>{^f}g| z{^g}a A>B|c/d/e/c/ A(3B/A/G/|A/c/ (3e/f/g/ a/e/f/d/|c/A/B/^G/ A:| |:A/B/|c/e/ z/e/ z/e/c/A/|c/e/ z/e/ z/e/c/A/|B/d/ z/d/ z/d/B/G/|B/d/ z/d/ z/d/B/G/| c/e/ z/e/ z/e/c/A/|c/e/ z/e/ z/e/c/A/|A/c/ (3e/f/^g/ a/e/f/d/|c/A/B/^G/ Az:|]
WABASH JIG. AKA and see "Hell on the Wabash (5)." American, Reel (2/4 time). A Mixolydian/Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. "Wabash Jig," also known as "Hell on the Wabash", was the product of Ohio song and tune composer Daniel Decateur Emmett (1815- ), most famous for his blackface minstrel songs. Hans Nathan, in his book on Emmett, connected "Wabash Jig" with "Night We Made the Match (The)," an Irish hornpipe printed in Francis O'Neill's Music of Ireland (1903), where it is sourced to Chicago fiddler Edward Cronin, originally from Count Tipperary. Despite that "Wabash Jig" predates O'Neill's publication it is assumed that it has an Irish provenance. Emmett was no stranger to a number of influences for his songs and melodies, including several adapted from other Irish melodies, as well as martial music from his early years as a fifer in the army.
