DINGLE REGATTA. AKA and see "Jazzing with Meaig Leary," "Tom Billy's Favourite." English, Jig; Irish, Slide (12/8 time). Ireland, West Kerry. G Major. Standard. AABB (Cranitch, Mac Amhlaoibh & Durham): AABBCC (Kuntz, McNulty, Tubridy). The "Dingle Regatta" name comes from Seán Ó Riada, according to guitarist Paul de Grae, who used it as part of the score for his film The Playboy of the Western World. It was the signature tune for Ó Riada's band, Ceoltóirí Cualann, from which developed Ireland's most famous traditional band, the Chieftains, for their first radio appearances on Radio Éireann in the early 1960's (Glatt, The Chieftains, 1997). Unfortunately, the tune as played by the group was 'totally inaccurate':
***
Paddy Moloney smiles at the memory. 'I gave that tune to Seán
spontaneously at one of the rehearsals but unfortunately I mixed
up two tunes and got the second part of it wrong. It didn't matter
though because it blended beautifully and become our theme tune
that was played at the beginning of every show Ceoltóirí Cualann
ever did. (pg. 47).
***
"Dingle Regatta" has become a 'pub tune' if ever there was; one hearing and you think you've known it all your life. A pub session tradition has grown up around the tune in which the third part is sometimes sung with out words, though in many circles the 'ya-da-duh-da-da-da' singing is by now considered a hackneyed bore. Kevin Finnegan, formerly of the Liverpool Céilí Band has recently remarked that this 'dittying' to the melody originated as a joke. He says:
***
The members of the band got along famously and when playing at ceili's
etc. and did many strange things to enjoy the 'craic'. For example, it was
not unusual for us to suddenly start changing seats while in the middle of
a tune. It brought a great response from dancers when they'd look up to the
stage and see Eamon Coyne (fiddle) walking around to change chairs with
Frank Horan(button box) who was sitting behind him. Or to see Charlie
Lennon (fiddle) switching places with Sean Murphy(banjo). It brought a
great sense of camaraderie and fun to the group. Another favourite activity
of each of the players was to suddenly stand up and straight back down
again in sequence across the stage. This might be condemned by some
'purists' but it always added to the 'craic' and certainly didn't hurt the
musical ability of the band - we still won two All-Irelands and countless
other honours. As part of the craic the "hi-ho" stuff started in the early sixties
as just another part of the fun we had playing together. It was not confined to
the "Dingle Regatta" - as you will hear if you listen to the two LP's we made
in the mid-sixties with Decca Records. In fact, like changing chairs, we did
it fairly regularly with a number of tunes but I never heard another band
do it until after our records came out. When we were in London recording
the Lp's we started the Hi-Ho as a laugh during the recording session and
never intended for it to come out on the final record - but the producer
loved it and asked us to leave it on that particular track. That's the
story of the Hi-ho sound. Of course it was always enhanced by the fact
that most of us did partake of a few sups of the 'black milkshake'
throughout the night so I'm sure that the bobbing up and down, the
chair switching and the hi-ho were somewhat as a result of our love
of the 'porter' !!!
***
An untitled quadrille (no. 45b) in John Moore's c. 1837-1840 MS (Ashman, 1991) resembles parts of this tune. Cranitch (Irish Fiddle Book), 1996; No. 21, pg. 133. Kuntz, Private Collection. Mac Amhlaoibh & Durham (An Pota Stóir: Ceol Seite Corca Duibne/The Set Dance Music of West Kerry), No. 68, pg. 40. McNulty (Dance Music of Ireland), 1965; pg. 18. Tubridy (Irish Traditional Music, Vol. 1), 1999; pg. 28. Topic, - "Kerry Fiddles" (appears as a two-part tune called "Tom Billy's Favourite").
T:Dingle Regatta, The
L:1/8
M:6/8
K:G
dBd e2d|BAB d2B|A2A AGA|B2A G2B|dBd e2d|BAB d2B|AGA B2A|G3 G2B:|
|:d2 d def|g3 gfg|a2a aga|b2a gfe|d2d def|g2g gab|a2g f2e|1 def g2e:|2 def g2d||
|:g3 ded|BdB G3|FGA DEF|G2B def|g3 ded|BdB G3|FGA DEF|1 G3 G2d:|2 G3 G2B||
FLOWER OF THE FLOCK, THE ("Blat Na Treada" or "Scot an Pobuil"). AKA - "Flowers of the Flock." AKA and see "The Fairhaired Boy" (An Buachaillin Fionn), "My Love is Such a Fair One." Irish, Reel. G Major (Mulvihill, O'Neill): A Major (Roche). Standard. AAB. Taylor (1992) believes O'Neill's version and his, from the playing of the band Shaskeen, are, "strictly speaking," incompatible, but this statement is curious, for the two versions are clearly closely related. Other related tunes are "The Rose in the Garden" and "My Love is Such a Fair One," found in Breathnach's Ceol Rince na hÉireann, Vol. 2, No. 150 and Vol. IV, No. 176, respectively. Souces for notated versions: Tony Smith (County Cavan & Dublin) [Mulvihill]; Francis O'Neill learned the tune from a young Limerick man named James Moore during the winter of 1875. Moore, a flute player without an instrument, lived in a cold boarding-house across the street from O'Neill and often availed himself of O'Neill's hospitality ensconcing himself on a "cozy seat on the woodbox back of our kitchen stove" while borrowing O'Neill's flute to play on. Moore, complained a frustrated O'Neill, often did not remember the names of the tunes he played ("a very common failing") and was lost track of when he moved to New York in the spring [O'Neill, Irish Folk Music]. Mulvihill (1st Collection), 1986; No. 55, pg. 14. O'Neill (1915 ed.), 1987; No. 260, pg. 134. O'Neill (Krassen), 1976; pg. 102. O'Neill (1850), 1903/1979; No. 1238, pg. 233. O'Neill (1001 Gems), 1907/1986; No. 512, pg. 96. Roche Collection, 1982, Vol. 1; No. 184, pg. 71. Taylor (Through the Half-door), 1992; No. 30, pg. 22. Shaskeen - "Atlantic Breeze." Green Linnet SIF3011, Bothy Band - "1975." Nimbus NI5415, Martin O'Connor - "Across the Waters." Philo FI 22018, "Jean Carignan Plays the Music of Coleman, Morrison & Skinner" (Carignan learned the tune from a 1907 or 1908 recording by accordionist Joe Derrane).
T:Flower of the Flock
M:C|
L:1/8
K:G Major
DEGA BG~G2 | cABG AGEG | DEGA ~B3 e | dBAc BGG2 :||
~g3 e d2Bd | cABG AGEG | ~g3 e d2Bd | eaag agef |
~g3 e d2Bd | cABG AGEG | DEGA ~B3 e | dBAc BGG2 ||
GREENCASTLE (HORNPIPE), THE (Crannciuil Caislean-Glais/Glas). AKA and see "Limerick Hornpipe." Irish, Hornpipe. G Major (Allan, O'Neill): D Major (Roche). Standard. AB (Moylan): AA'B (Moylan): AABB (Allan, O'Neill, Roche). Sources for notated versions: accordion player Johnny O'Leary (Sliabh Luachra region of the Cork-Kerry border) [Moylan]; Francis O'Neill learned the tune from a young Limerick man named James Moore in Chicago during the winter of 1875. Moore, a flute player without an instrument, lived in a cold boarding-house across the street from O'Neill and often availed himself of O'Neill's hospitality, ensconcing himself on a "cozy seat on the woodbox back of our kitchen stove" while borrowing O'Neill's flute to play on. Moore, complained a frustrated O'Neill, often did not remember the names of the tunes he played ("a very common failing") and was lost track of when he moved to New York in the spring [O'Neill, Irish Folk Music]. Allan's Irish Fiddler, No. 75, pg. 19. Moylan (Johnny O'Leary), 1994; No. 288, pgs. 166-167 & No. 305, pgs. 175-176. O'Neill (1915 ed.), 1987; No. 338, pg. 166. O'Neill (1001 Gems), 1907/1986; No. 807, pg. 140. O'Neill (1850), 1903/1979; No. 1557, pg. 288. O'Neill (Krassen), 1976; pg. 164 (appears in all editions as "The Greencastle Hornpipe"). Roche Collection, 1983, Vol. 2; No. 235, pg. 18.
T:Greencastle Hornpipe, The
L:1/8
M:C|
R:Hornpipe
S:O'Neill - 1001 Gems (807)
K:G
dc|BGDG BGDG|(3gag fg e2 dc|BGDG BGDG|dcBc A2 dc|
BGDG BGDG|(3gag fg e2 dc|Bdfe dcAF|G2 GG G2:|
|:ga|bagf efga|bagf e2 fg|agfe defg|agfe d2 (3def|gfgd e2 d2|
{d}cBAB cdef|gfgd ecAF|G2 GG G2:|
JIM MOORE'S FANCY (Roga Seamuis Ui Morda). AKA and see "Flowers of Michigan." Irish, Reel. A Mixolydian (O'Neill/Krassen): A Dorian (O'Neill/1001): A Major (O'Neill/1850). Standard. AB. Source for notated version: Francis O'Neill learned the tune from a young Limerick man named James Moore in Chicago during the winter of 1875. Moore, a flute player without an instrument, lived in a cold boarding-house across the street from O'Neill and often availed himself of O'Neill's hospitality, ensconcing himself on a "cozy seat on the woodbox back of our kitchen stove" while borrowing O'Neill's flute to play on. Moore, complained a frustrated O'Neill, often did not remember the names of the tunes he played ("a very common failing") and was lost track of when he moved to New York in the spring [O'Neill, Irish Folk Music]. Edward Cronin, a Tipperary fiddler, was the only other man O'Neill once wrote he heard playing a variant of the melody. In Waifs and Strays of Gaelic Melody O'Neill prints a variant called "Morning Cheer," reprinted from the Rice-Walsh manuscript from north Kerry. O'Neill (Krassen), 1976; pg. 102. O'Neill (1850), 1903/1979; No. 1236, pg. 233. O'Neill (1001 Gems), 1907/1986; No. 510, pg. 96.
T:Jim Moore's Fancy
L:1/8
M:C|
R:Reel
S:O'Neill - 1001 Gems (510)
K:A Dorian
ABAG ABcd|efed ef g2|G2 BG dGBG|AcBA GEDG|ABAG ABcd|
efed efg2|afgf egfa|gedB BA A2||a2 bg a2 bg|ac'ba geef|g2 af g2af|
gbaf gfed|agbg agbg|ac'ba geef|gfed (3efg fa|gedB BA A2||
LOST JOHN. AKA and see "Lost Boy Blues." Old-Time, Bluegrass; Breakdown and Song. USA; Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky. G Major. Standard. AB (Phillips): AAB (Brody, Kuntz). Mark Wilson reports that folklorist/musicologist Alan Lomax links these songs (plural, for there are several tunes which use this floating title) to ante-bellum folklore about the character of John the Trickster Slave. Charles Wolfe remarks that the family of songs has several branches, including the old-timey 'hillbilly' song, a blues harmonica solo version by De Ford Bailey (Victor, 1920's), a vaudeville song ("Lost John Dean from Bowling Green"), and a work song "Wake Up, Dead Man"). Tom Rankin (1985) differentiates the different melodies using the title: Enos Canoy, Burnett and Rutherford, Henry Whitter, De Ford Bailey and Oliver Sims' (the latter three are harmonica versions. Enos Canoy originally learned the tune on the harmonica and transferred it to the fiddle). The tune was recorded by the Northwest Alabamian (Fayette) of August 29, 1929, as likely to be played at an upcoming fiddlers' convention (Cauthen, 1990).
***
The funniest man I ever seen
Was Lost John goin' through Bowling Green;
No hat on his head, no shoes on his feet,
Begging the women for something to eat.
***
Refrain
Long gone, long gone.
***
Lost John sittin' on a railroad track,
Waiting for the freight train to come back;
Freight train come, never made no stop,
You ought to seen Lost John gettin' on top.
***
Had an old dog and his name was Will,
Run Lost John to the top of the hill;
Ain't caought Lost John and he never will,
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.
***
John's barefoot when he left his home,
He outrun a message on the telephone;
Along come a passenger a-skippin' and a-flyin',
Missed the cowcatcher but he caught the blind.
***
Sources for notated versions: Kenny Baker [Brody], Rutherford and Burnett (Ky) [Kuntz], Ralph Troxell & Kenny Baker [Phillips]. Brody (Fiddler's Fakebook), 1983; pg. 178-179. Kuntz (Ragged but Right), 1987; pg. 269-270. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes), Vol. 2, 1995; pg. 81. Columbia 15103 (78 RPM), Oliver Sims (1926). Columbia 15122-D (78 RPM), Burnett and Rutherford (1926). County 719, Kenny Baker- "Portrait of a Bluegrass Fiddler" (1968. Learned from his father). Mag 1018, Ted Powers- "Old Time Fiddler." Mississippi Department of Archives and History AH-002, Enos Canoy Band - "Great Big Yam Potatoes: Anglo-American Fiddle Music from Mississippi" (1985). Okeh 40391 (78 RPM), Henry Whitter (1928). Rounder 0034, Jim Gaskin. Rounder 1004, "The Songs of Dick Burnett and Leonard Rutherford." Vocalation 5441 (78 RPM), Stripling Brothers (Alabama) {1929}. Vocalation (78 RPM), Southern Moonlight Entertainers (Tenn.) {1930}.
NEW POLICEMAN, THE [3] ("An Garda Nua" or "An Siotmaor Nuad"). AKA and see "Monsignor's Blessing," "Paddy Bolster's Reel," "The Twin Brothers' Reel," "Lady Cork's Reel," "The Tinker's Stick." Irish, Reel. G Major. Standard. AB (Breathnach, Cranitch): AAB (O'Neill). Sources for notated versions: flute player John Keegan/Seán Mac Aodhgain (Ireland) [Breathnach]; Francis O'Neill learned the tune from a young Limerick man named James Moore in Chicago during the winter of 1875. Moore, a flute player without an instrument, lived in a cold boarding-house across the street from O'Neill and often availed himself of O'Neill's hospitality, ensconcing himself on a "cozy seat on the woodbox back of our kitchen stove" while borrowing O'Neill's flute to play on. Moore, complained a frustrated O'Neill, often did not remember the names of the tunes he played ("a very common failing") and was lost track of when he moved to New York in the spring [O'Neill, Irish Folk Music]. The title is perhaps O'Neill's, or named by Moore for O'Neill, who had joined the Chicago police force in 1873 (Breathnach took his name for the tune from O'Neill). Edward Cronin, a Tipperary fiddler, was the only other man O'Neill heard to play a variant of the melody. The alternate title "Lady Cork's Reel" is from the Goodman Manuscripts at the Library of Trinity College, Dublin. Breathnach (CRE I), 1963; No. 99, pg. 42. Cranitch (Irish Fiddle Book), 1996; No. 78, pg. 155. O'Neill (1001 Gems), 1907/1986; No. 511, pg. 96.
T:New Policeman, The [3]
L:1/8
M:C|
R:Reel
S:O'Neill - 1001 Gems (511)
K:G
(3GAB|c2 BG AGEG|DGBG AGEG|BcAB G2 Bc|dBAc BG G2:|
||g2 gf g2 dg|egdg egde|g2 gf g2 d2|ea{b}ag ea{b}a2|dggf g2 dg|
egdg egde|g2 ge a2 ag|b2 ba gfed||
REUBAN('S TRAIN). AKA - "Old Reuban." Old-Time, Song and Breakdown. USA, North Carolina. D Major/Mixolydian. One part. A banjo tune and song which Frank Proffitt pronounced as "one of the oldest simple banjo tunes...it was the first tune generally learned...There are about fifty different verses to this, as everybody added them all along" [Warner]. It was the first tune that Mt. Airy, North Carolina, fiddler and banjo player Tommy Jarrell learned, from a hired-hand named Cockerham on his father's farm. In 1982 he told interviewer Peter Anick that Cockerham played the tune, handed Jarrell the banjo and invited him to play it. Jarrell at first demurred saying he couldn't play the instrument, upon which the hand replied, "Well, it ain't but one string to note and I'll show you that." Jarrell, familiar with the song from the singing of other family members, worked it out in a few minutes. Laurel Bloomery, Tennessee, fiddler Gilliam Banmon Grayson's (1887-1930, originally from Ashe County, North Carolina) 1927 tune "Train 45" derived from "Reuban's Train." The old-timey song "Keep My Skillet Good and Greasy" is also a related tune.
***
Old Reuban's comin' down the track,
He has got the throttle back,
The rails are a-carryin' me from home. (Frank Proffitt)
***
Source for notated version: North Carolina banjoist Frank Proffitt [Warner]. Warner (Traditional American Folk Songs), 1984; pgs. 309-310. Global Village C-302, Chicken Chokers - "New York City's 1st Annual String Band Contest - November 1984." Rounder 0129, Gaither Carlton - "The Watson Family Tradition." Rounder 02327, Osey and Ernest Helton (1941) - "The Library of Congress Banjo Collection."