"Soldier's Joy" was, and remains, one of the most popular fiddle tunes on both sides of the Atlantic. It is a standard in almost every tradition and has been gifted with unending variations of lyrics. It was originally known in England and the colonies as "The King's Head," though it had adopted its current name by the late 18th century. The origin of "Liberty" is somewhat obscure. The same tune is called "The Tipsy Parson" in England, and in parts of New England and French-Canada, it is called "Reel de Ti-Jean." We refer to it by its American name when performing at Mount Vernon we like to tell the tourists that it was named for George Washington's cat.
