Re: Jig of Life

[Markku Kolkka <mk59200@cc.tut.fi>]

At 09.00 17.9.96 -0700, IED wrote:
>Doug writes:
> > P.S.  Back in 1986 I heard "Jif of LIfe" on the BBC, but without any
> > singing.  It was a different arrangement and the broadcaster said the song
> > was an old tune unearthed by one Paddy Bush.  Does anyone know more about
> > this?
>At the Romford KT Convention (October 1985) Paddy said that the source for
>the rhythm and bass-drone sounds from the "jig" sections of "Jig of Life"
>were inspired by a tape he had made of a performance he had himself witnessed
>of a "Greek or Macedonian fire dance" (if IED remembers correctly).  He has
>never heard anything else about such a thing, however.  Anyone?

A few years ago I saw a documentary of this Greek fire-walking ceremony on
the EuroNews channel. I wasn't really paying much attention to the program
until the band started to play and my ears twitched. "Why do I know this
tune", I thought for a couple of seconds until I realized that they were
playing "Jig of Life" (or something very close to it).

The ceremony is held annually in a village in north-eastern Greece,
according to the legend to celebrate the rescue of the holy icons from a
burning church. The "Jig of Life" tune is played continuosly during the
preparations (which include sacrificing a lamb), and the fire-walkers
prepare by dancing for hours (possibly overnight, the exect time wasn't
mentioned) to the music until they reach a trance state.
 
--
	Markku Kolkka
	mk59200@cc.tut.fi