Feb/28/08
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Whiskey in the Jar/Kilgary Mountain

Whiskey in the Jar/Kilgary Mountains (Tab)

Fiddly-day-dee-dar, it’s nearly St Patrick’s day. So it is. Me fah-vorite goup is T’in Lizzy. So it is.

That’s enough of that. The song Kilgary Mountain is a traditional Irish song that has been picked up by acts from the likes of Peter, Paul and Mary and Roger Whittaker to Thin Lizzy and Metallica (usually under its more modern name Whiskey in the Jar)

I’ve tabbed out the tune in a couple of different ways. The first run through of the tune is a sober, steady fingerpicking version. For the most part, the first beat of the bar includes the chord with the melody being picked out for the rest of the bar. The chords are played as a ‘fake strum’ (one finger for each string, played on after the other to sound like a strum). For the melody, I’m using my thumb for the notes on the G string and my ring and index fingers for the other notes.

The second version is a wild, drunken strum through the tune. Be sure to emphasise the melody notes and play the non-melody supporting strums more quietly. There are also fingerpicked notes in this section. It can be quite tricky to switch from strumming to fingerpicking. I had to practice bar 23 in particular to get it right. One more note: don’t do what I did in the last bar. I’ve tabbed out what I’ve played but in the first two notes of the bar (0403) but you’re much better off just playing a C chord (0003). I intended to emphasise the melody note (E) but actually just fluffed it unnecessarily. So, do as I say, not as I do.

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This work by Ukulele Hunt is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.

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16 Comments

  1. DogSolitude › Uke Tab: Whiskey in the Jar/Kilgary Mountain February 28th, 2008 9:18 pm

    […] Uke Tab: Whiskey in the Jar/Kilgary Mountain This was written by rob. Posted on Thursday, February 28, 2008, at 1:16 pm. Filed under Ukulele. Bookmark the permalink. Follow comments here with the RSS feed. Comments are closed, but you can leave a trackback. ‹ Uke Tab: Fat Bottom Girls © 2008 ¶ Thanks, WordPress. ¶ veryplaintxt theme by Scott Allan Wallick. ¶ It’s nice XHTML & CSS. […]

  2. zymeck February 29th, 2008 12:39 pm

    2 for the price of 1!!

    excellent :D

  3. Art Crocker February 29th, 2008 3:41 pm

    Thanks for the link to Thin Lizzy, they do a great version. Great to see that the song was so popular. Thanks again for the tab.

  4. Woodshed February 29th, 2008 7:23 pm

    Glad you like it, guys. I’m trying to decide which other songs to do for St. Paddy’s. I think it will have to be a Pogues song. I was going to go with Streams of Whiskey. But I wouldn’t want to suggest that the Irish are all drunkards.

  5. Molechaser March 1st, 2008 10:54 pm

    Don’t know how I’ve managed to go my whole life unaware of this song, but I love it. Thanks for tabbing this–it’s accessible enough for a beginner to tackle, but it sounds really good.

  6. Woodshed March 2nd, 2008 7:59 pm

    You’re welcome, Molechaser. It’s a classic tune. Glad to introduce you to it.

  7. Lee March 4th, 2008 4:11 am

    I must give you my deepest thanks for this. I recently picked up my uke and this is the first song I’ve actually learned to…well, I can’t exactly say “play” but at least I can pick it out leaving something slightly reminiscent of the tune.
    Between your ebooks, your well written tabs (the strum notes help me tremendously), and hearing you play it, I’ve actually found the confidence I need to tackle my new lil’ uke. I named her Sally, and eventually, I will learn to play her.

    Thanks again!

  8. Woodshed March 4th, 2008 6:25 pm

    Hi Lee. Thanks for the kind words. I really appreciate it.

    I’ve been trying to talk more about strum patterns recently. It’s such a natural thing to me now, I tend to forget all about it.

    I hope you and Sally have a long happy life together.

  9. Irish Ukulele Tabs | Uke Hunt March 12th, 2008 6:04 pm

    […] And, in case you missed it, there’s my version of Whiskey in the Jar/Kilgary Mountain. […]

  10. diane ashcraft March 16th, 2008 5:50 pm

    i would love the chords to Kilgary Mountain…it’s been 30 years since I’ve played guitar…that was always my favorite and I cannot find it……I feel the need to play again..thank you, diane ashcraft

  11. Jimmy December 24th, 2008 2:28 am

    Roger whittaker’s live version of Kilgary Mountain is as good as any I’ve heard!

  12. Art Crocker March 5th, 2009 2:36 pm

    Al
    Wanted to reintroduce my self to your playing of Kilgary Mountain, do you still have the Mp3 available of you playing the tune?

  13. Woodshed March 7th, 2009 10:59 am

    Art: It’s right there at the top of the post. Isn’t it displaying for you?

  14. Jimmy July 4th, 2010 1:46 am

    I first heard this song on the irish episode of columbo. this song is awesome

  15. Tom May 31st, 2013 12:31 pm

    I don’t see the mp3 either. Would love to hear the proper way of playing the last few bars.

  16. Paul K July 4th, 2015 12:27 am

    I don’t see the mp3 either :(

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