Sail Away Ladies

Printer Friendly Downloadable Tabs

Level 1 Tab: Simplified bum-ditty tune

Quick History Nugget

Sally Ann and Sail Away Ladies are two closely related Appalachian fiddle songs, often played interchangeably. The tune became a staple of old-time string bands in the early 20th century, especially in North Carolina and Virginia. Fiddler Uncle Bunt Stephens made “Sail Away Ladies” famous in the 1920s, and the driving rhythm has kept it popular at jams and dances ever since.