Fire On the Mountain

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TOW #006: Fire On the Mountain

From: George Hunt Date: Mon, 31 May 1999 00:40:00

Well, here it Sunday already and time for a new TOW! Early last week, one of the list members offered to collect votes on one of a list of 5 Bill Monroe tunes, and forward the one selected with the most votes for TOW. I gathered from ensuing posts that there wasn't much interest in following up on this, and I haven't heard from anybody, so I'll just name another tune.

I do recognize and appreciate the interest shown by those who wanted a Monroe tune, so I will offer this week a TOW that, although not a Bill Monroe composition, is a tune on which he placed his stamp most indelibly. I am talking about Fire on the Mountain, which has that splendid Monroe break in which he takes that fiddle tune into undisputed mando territory.

The recording that I have of this tune is the Smithsonian CD "Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys", with Tex Logan fiddling, but I know that it is on other Monroe recordings as well.

I think Fire on the Mountain is a good mando tune straight ahead, and of course Bill's break is well worth listening to and thinking about. Good Luck, have fun, and watch that key change.

From: Midgaard Serpent Date: Mon, 31 May 1999 04:25:00

I always try playing this one with the Marshall Tucker Band's Fire on the Mountain in my head and that buggers me A LOT since they aren't the same tunes !

From: David Thompson Date: Tue, 01 Jun 1999 04:10:00

I dont remember where I found this version at,,could it be the mando cafe?

From: Dave Berry Date: Tue, 01 Jun 1999 03:40:00

George,
You are very good at picking TOW's that I have in the hole for the Traditional Tunes site.

Here is a moderate tempo version of Fire on the Mountain that I recorded with my Minidisk when my friend Bill Foss and I were messin around one day. The arrangement is again based on Butch Baldassari's "30 Fiddle Tunes for the Mandolin" materials. This tune is usually played lightning fast but this one is a bit slower than most so I could play the harmony part.

traditionaltunes.com

From: Nigel Gatherer Date: Tue, 01 Jun 1999 09:20:00

I have placed tablature for a simple version of Fire On the Mountain on my website (click here). It is specially adapted for beginners to pick up quickly and easily.

X: 22 T:Fire on the Mountain M:4/4 L:1/8 R:reel Z:Transcribed by Nigel Gathere K:A cd| "A"efed cAcd| efae fecd| efed cBAc|"E"BAGB "A"A2 :| ! K:D FG|"D" ABAG FDFG| ABdA BAFG| ABAG FEDF| "E" EDCE "D"D2:| ! K:A cd|"A"efed cBAc|"E"BAGB "A"A2 || Download as ABC file
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From: J. Coon Date: Tue, 01 Jun 1999 21:15:00

I think I got it the same way Nigel has it shown. I am not sure about how the C part is used. maybe someone could explain it?

From: Nigel Gatherer Date: Wed, 02 Jun 1999 00:05:00

Oh. Right. The way I play it, you play AABBC and then go back to the beginning. As I write this it strikes me that I haven't heard many recorded versions of the tune - are there other ways of playing it?