Reelin' Reel

Subject: Reelin' Reel
From: GUEST,BabbP
Date: 20 Aug 18 - 09:42 PM

Larry Kirwan of Celtic Crush sent me here to pose this question since it stumped him so here goes:

Years ago on the radio I heard a traditional Irish reel which I immediately recognized as the exact guitar bridge (not the solo) from Steely Dan's 'Reelin' in the Years' ("duh na nuh nuh / duh na nuh nuh / duh na nuh nuh na nuh nuh na nuh nuh na nuh nuh na ..")

What is the name of the traditional reel that this riff comes from?

Thanks in advance from Texas ~

PB

Subject: RE: Reelin' Reel
From: michaelr
Date: 20 Aug 18 - 10:10 PM

The riff in question comes in at 1:59.

Subject: RE: Reelin' Reel
From: Gordon Jackson
Date: 21 Aug 18 - 04:39 AM

Well, it's clearly not a reel.

It's mainly in 6/8, so more like a jig, but it doesn't really sound like a jig, melodically, to my ears. Rhythmically, the opening few bars are heavily syncopated, and this extremely rare in Irish music.

Of course, someone else might come along and say, 'Oh yes, that's called The Old Man's Plums', or something, but I'd be very surprised.

Subject: RE: Reelin' Reel
From: leeneia
Date: 21 Aug 18 - 11:58 AM

Gordon is right. That bridge is in 6/8 time. I don't recognize it, but that doesn't mean it didn't come from a traditional tune. Good luck, Bapp.