Stephen Rapp - Posted - 01/06/2023:  04:40:25

This week’s Tune of the Week is Skunk in the Collard Patch. It’s a delightful tune that tickles those high notes in the beginning phrases. Not at all a stinker as the title implies. It was first recorded by Earl Phelps from Virginia. He was the fiddle player of Norman Phelps' Virginia Rounders. They were brought to New York in the 1930s to perform on radio with Tex Ritter. They later appeared on some Hollywood B-westerns movies with Ritter. When their New York fame began to dwindle, they moved back to Virginia. More historical background can be found here: Tunearch link

Here is a link to Earl Phelps version on Slippery-Hill. 

Phelps Recording

We had just learned this tune, so our version is at a pretty moderate pace. This should make it easy to learn. It’s a pretty cute sounding tune and would likely sound great at a much faster clip. I think what we play is more or less like Phelp’s second time through the tune. He only plays the B part one time through, but we did two.

I first heard this tune on The Young Fogies CD. It had a recording of the Double Decker String Band playing it. Here’s a YouTube video of that: Double Decker String Band

There’s plenty of room for variations on this tune as you can hear from Phelp’s recording as it progresses. Should be fun for both fiddlers and banjo players. I apologize for the random measures I wrote out in the A part in the tabs. I tend to hear the tune in phrases and struggled to divide the notes in neat even measures. I think if you simply follow the notes it should work though. 

Hope you enjoy it. 

Skunk in the Collard Patch

VIDEO: Skunk in the Collard Patch
(click to view)

J-Byrd - Posted - 01/06/2023:  04:58:38

Please Lord carry me home to Tennessee!

dbrooks - Posted - 01/07/2023:  06:28:18

Nice tune and very nice playing, Stephen. The work up the neck and the syncopation will stretch most people's skiolls in a positive way.

I have added my tab to the tab library. It simply tries to even out the measures a bit.

Skunk In The Collard Patch - Jim's Roots & Blues Calendar (jimsrootsandblues.com)

David

Stephen Rapp - Posted - 01/07/2023:  09:07:49

Nice! ...and Thanks!
It is a fun tune. I heard it for years from the Double Decker cut on the Young Fogies CD. I didn't learn it until just a few minutes before Paul recorded this. That happens a lot. Fortunately, this tune was relatively simple to pick up.

JanetB - Posted - 01/08/2023:  18:51:08

A fun tune indeed, Stephen. I'm amazed you can pick it up by ear so quickly and record it as well. That high note in the A part reminded me of a skunk's antics, of which I've experienced too many of lately. To hit that note more easily on the first string, 2nd fret I thought I'd try my Gold Tone Plucky mini-banjo, but kept breaking strings (therefore need to order some). The tuning is equivalent to double C tuning (dGDGA), therefore played in the key of G on a mini- or cello banjo.

Edited by - JanetB on 01/08/2023 18:57:52

VIDEO: Skunk in the Collard Patch
(click to view)

Skunk in the Collard Patch (CH) tab