The Tenpenny Bit

'The Tenpenny Bit' is a traditional tune played primarily as a jig. It appears in several collections of traditional music.

Origins and Titles: The tune has a complicated history with multiple names. It is also known as "The Three Little Drummers," "The Humours of Ballinamuck," and “Billy’s Awake”. Josephine Keegan uses the title "Billy's Awake." The name "The Tenpenny Bit" is intriguing, as a coin by that name never existed in Britain. It may relate to a proposed decimal currency system from the mid-1800s, or possibly to a slang term – though some speculate it might refer to a prostitute, this remains unconfirmed.

Musical Characteristics:

• The tune is typically played in the key of Ador, but versions exist in Em.
• It’s considered technically easy for beginners, which is why it is sometimes used to teach new players.
• Many players enjoy adding triplets and rolls to the melody.
• Some versions have different endings or harmonies.
• Some players use an “attack” or strong initial note to emphasize the tune's character. It is common to double the E notes with the open A string for a more powerful sound.
• It is sometimes considered similar to "The Lilting Banshee."
• Some online versions are considered to be different tunes entirely.

Recordings and Versions:

• It can be found in O’Neill’s collections (No. 969), the Gunn Book (1865), and in a recording by Dervish.
• A version of the tune, played slightly differently, appears on the album “Within a Mile of Kilty” by Lennons and Friends, and is called "The Tenpenny Bit."
• Accordion player Pádraig O’Keeffe plays it and calls it “Coffee and Tea.”

Note: There are multiple, different versions of this tune, and the origin and meaning of the title are not definitively known.