I’m looking for suggestions for traditional slow jigs or slow reels on the theme of emigration. Any suggestions?
While I don’t believe dance music deals with any theme, other than dancing, because a random name attached to it this one is perhaps an obvious choice.
“And the boys of the NYPD choir still singin’ Galway Bay
And the bells were ringing out for Christmas Day.”
https://thesession.org/tunes/3453 (I know, a hornpipe is not a jig… hey, I tried…)
Rocky Road to Dublin comes to mind now, reflecting on the lyrics.
Other avenues of investigation would be Canada, U.S., and Australia; the ones emigrating didn’t stay in the motherland, but would have had thoughts of it, and missed it.
I’d bet there’s some of those in mountain music and bluegrass.
The tune that I used to think was called Justin Bieber’s Hat is also known as The Returned Emigrant/Yank.
They called this first tune in this track the Farewell Reel in the liner notes and in the documentary itself:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoBdtN_oA7w
It’s been years since I’ve listened to or heard the soundtrack but if I remember the narrative it was about ‘American wakes’
There is of course another more well known name that’s on the tip of my tongue.
“My Love is in America” https://thesession.org/tunes/77
“The Green Fields of America” https://thesession.org/tunes/695