The Moon and Seven Stars

Jig, D Major, English Traditional
TrailJams Tune of the Week for July 29, 2021

The Moon and Seven Stars is a popular jig, played widely for contra dances and in Irish/Celtic tune sessions. It fits nicely in sets with, for example, Out on the Ocean or Kesh Jig. It comes from English tradition, and dates back into the 1700s. The “Seven Stars” likely refers to the Seven Sisters in the Pleiades star cluster.

The Moon and Seven Stars. Traditional Jig, D. TrailJams Tune of the Week. Illustration copyright 2022 Jonathan Lay. trailjams.org
Older than the tune by about three thousand years, the bronze Nebra Sky Disk appears to depict the moon and seven stars.

Recordings

Dots for The Moon and Seven Stars

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 chords for The Moon and Seven Stars. Jig, D.
Play from the Dots
Slow tempo 70bpm
Moderate tempo 90bpm

Suggested Sets

Companion tunes and sequences that work well for this tune.

  • My Darling Asleep (D) / Out on the Ocean (G) / The Moon and Seven Stars (D)

Other Resources

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