Rabbit in the Log

"Rabbit in the Log" is the album's opening track, credited by Nonesuch as traditional, though Relix calls it Bill Monroe's. Relix says Thile's mandolin drives it, along with "Roll in My Sweet Baby's Arms", and No Depression says Thile's frenzied precision and Daves's fast flatpicking make traditional tracks like it exciting. It was recorded in January 2011 at Third Man Studios with only the two of them.

Tunearch traces the tune to the Monroe Brothers' recording of about 1935, "Feast Here Tonight", probably learned from the Prairie Ramblers, and says it is essentially the Carter Family's "Gospel Ship"; Monroe later played it with Doc Watson. That account came from a search result and the page itself was not read. Which of the duo's setlists include it was not found.