Small Tunes Podcast: “Bung Your Eye!”

Posted on | February 24, 2012 | by Vince Janoski | No Comments

This happy little jig is often heard as “Lord Dunmore’s Jig” or simply “Lord Dunmore” but is predated by the tune “Bung Your Eye.” A “bung” is typically the hole in the whiskey barrel where the spigot inserts before bottling or dispensing. It could also be the act of inserting the spigot itself, thus the instruction indicated in the title to “stick something in your eye.” I can only guess that the Lord Dunmore linked to the modern title of the tune was John Murray, the 4th Earl of Dunmore who had shifting loyalties during the Jacobite rebellion of Bonnie Prince Charlie. He eventually threw his hat in as a Hanoverian loyalist, which may have earned him the scorn of Scottish locals. The relationship of Lord Dunmore to his bung, was probably a topic of ribald conversation back in the day. Listen to the podcast for more background of the tune and a rendition on the bagpipe.

“Bung Your Eye!”.

Small Tunes: Vintage Melodies from the Bagpipe Tradition 006 Bung Your Eye! [ 3:30 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (848)

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