Kitty’s Wedding

Hornpipe, D, Traditional Irish

Kitty's Wedding. Traditional Irish Hornpipe. TrailJams Tune of the Week. Play it together July 30, 2023. Illustration copyright 2023 Jonathan Lay. trailjams.org

This is a cheerful tune that reminds fiddlers what that low string is for, reminds whistle players about transposing low notes, and brings you a smile for the wedding party. Be sure to look at the “Nifty Mnemonics” lyrics below for a handy way to remember the melody.

Recordings

Dots (Music Notation)

As always for traditional tunes, the musical notation and chords do not indicate the “right” way to play the tune, but are a useful reference.

Sheet music and for Kitty's Wedding. Traditional Irish hornpipe. Key of D Major. Arranged by Jonathan Lay 5/20/2022, revised 1/23/2023.
Play from the Dots
Slow tempo 55bpm
Moderate tempo 75bpm

Sets

Examples of sets that include this tune.

Nifty Mnemonics –
Lyrics for Remembering the Tune

Here are some lyrics to help you remember how the tune goes. (They are not traditional, and are pretty silly.)

Kitty's Wedding -- memory aid lyrics by Jonathan Lay

A Part (2x):
   Bring your ma, bring your da, bring your little yellow dog
   We are going to Kitty's wedding, everybody will be there
   Bring a scarf, bring a hat, bring your little striped cat
   For we're going to Kitty's wedding just to see our Kitty wed

B Part (2x):
   We are going to Kitty's wedding, by the hedgerows we are treading
   And we'll gladly walk the dusty miles to reach the chapel door
   Now our arms and legs are swingin' and our 
   Voices raised in singin', 'cause we're
   Going to Kitty's wedding just to wish our Kitty joy

(Copyright Jonathan Lay 2021)

References and Resources

For those who want to dig deeper, here are some other resources.