Tune of the Day: Fasten the Leg in Her
The earliest known appearance of this jig is in Canon James Goodman's 1861 manuscript, under the title “Fasten the Leg in Her”. Many theories have been developed to explain this curious title. It might be a reference to horse racing, urging a horse forward, but it may also be a garbled version of “Fasten the Wig on Her”, or perhaps “Fasten the Legging”, referring to an article of clothing. Some say it could be a maritime reference to wooden “legs” used to keep a boat upright when not afloat. Some others think the title has to do with cattle, as it was not uncommon to tie a cow who kicked during milking.
Whatever the origins of the title, the tune was once very popular. During the 1920s and 1930s, it was recorded by several Irish-American artists, including piper Patsy Tuohey and fiddler Michael Coleman.