Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy - The Case of the Mysterious Squabbyquash

THE CASE OF THE MYSTERIOUS SQUABBYQUASH: (Donnell’s comments)

The Case of the Mysterious Squabbyquash is the tune that has taken the longest to complete, ever!!
Most of my music comes to me naturally; an idea morphs out of messing around on the fiddle, I stay with it and a tune is born. Sometimes Natalie joins me to finish it and we are happy!

But I set out to write this tune with a purpose. I wanted a fast, simple, driving piece to play on stage. So I wrote Squabbyquash and excitedly added it to the show, but the response from audiences was nice or respectful. I wasn’t looking for “nice”! My brothers commented (only after prompting) that it was “ok”. I don’t like ok!
So we worked on it, changed the arrangement , re wrote parts and it still wasn’t right. This happened multiple times. I would phone Elmer and say, “I have an idea for Squabby!” He would laugh hard. Natalie and Elmer started adding words to the title every time I re worked it. It has become The Case of the Mysterious Squabbyquash!

I added one of my earlier compositions to the end to give it an extra bit of energy for a big finish. In this new form, it has not been tested in front of an audience so I really don’t know what people are going to think. I can tell you I like it and Elmer’s guitar solo is great!