Tunes
Originally an Irish Session, the Bear Session is now mainly English Country Tunes with a few others thrown in.
It's what we call "mixed-lumpy" referring to the lumpiness of English Polkas and Reels, and the mixed origins of the tunes.
The session is currently led by Mike and Ruth of the Watershed Band, with a strong contingent of regulars and many a fine guest.
Singing is permitted but only after 10:00!
The design is from the cover of an early printed list of tunes produced by Andy Perkins who led the session in the late '90s.
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Files |
Tablature |
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Tune Title |
Type |
Origin |
abc |
Noteworthy |
GIF |
Note |
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1 |
American Patrol |
Swing |
American |
Alright - it's doctored to 32 bars. Usually follows Redwing |
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2 |
Angeline the Baker |
Old Time |
American |
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3 |
Ashgrove |
Waltz |
Welsh |
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4 |
Atholl Highlanders |
March |
Scottish |
In G for the Box Usually |
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5 |
Balance the Straw |
Morris |
English |
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6 |
Barren Rocks of Aden |
March |
Scottish |
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7 |
Bean Setting |
Morris |
English |
Follows Lillibullero |
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8 |
Bear Dance |
Country Dance |
German |
Well - you have to playing in the Bear! |
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9 |
Belfast Polka |
Polka |
English |
A good rouser. Played with I've a Bonnet |
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10 |
Bill Hart's |
Jig |
Irish |
Set:Bill Hart's / Kesh / Lark in the Morning |
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11 |
Black Joke |
Morris |
English |
Followed by the Upton on Severn Stick Dance |
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12 |
Blackthorn Stick |
Jig |
Irish |
Set:Blackthorn Stick / Rakes of Kildare |
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13 |
Bladon Races |
From a Song |
English |
Curiously now played with Nellie the Elephant |
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14 |
Bodmin Riding |
Mazurka |
English |
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15 |
Bonaparte Crossing the Rhine |
March |
English |
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16 |
Bonny Breastknot |
Reel |
English |
Confusingly played with Fred Pigeon's Polka |
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17 |
Bonny Dundee |
Jig |
Scottish |
With the Mucking of Geordies Byre |
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18 |
Bonny Kate |
Reel |
English |
Set: Harpers Frolic / Bonny Kate |
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19 |
Boys of the Bluehill |
Hornpipe |
Irish |
A common set is Harvest Home, Boys of the Bluehill and Off to California |
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20 |
Breton Mazurka |
March |
Breton |
Often follows Sonny's Mazurka. There's cosmopolitan |
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21 |
Brighton Camp |
Polka |
English |
Set:Jamie Allen / Brighton Camp / Rakes of Mallow |
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22 |
Brimfield Stick Dance |
Morris |
English |
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23 |
Buttered Peas |
Polka |
English |
Good English Tune and Dance. Comes after Kentish Cricketers |
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24 |
Camptown Races |
From a Song |
American |
Oh Susanna / Camptown Races / Marching through Georgia. A Civil War medley - sort of |
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25 |
Canal en Octobre |
Schottische |
French |
Frederic Paris. A favourite. Also known as the Duck (Canal / Canard) |
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26 |
Carnival of Venice |
Jig |
English |
aka When Daylight Shines |
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27 |
Chinese Breakdown |
Breakdown |
American |
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28 |
Chinese Polka |
Polka |
French Canadian |
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29 |
Church Street Polka |
Polka |
Irish |
Church Street Polkas after the Chieftains |
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30 |
Church Street Polka |
Polka |
Irish |
Church Street Polkas after the Chieftains |
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31 |
Clare's Dragoons |
Polka |
Irish |
Also a March |
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32 |
Clogue Waltz |
Waltz |
French Canadian |
After Man in the Moon |
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33 |
Cock of the North |
Jig |
Scottish |
Followed by 100 pipers. Oh the imagery. |
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34 |
College Hornpipe |
Hornpipe |
English |
Real name of the Sailor's Hornpipe |
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35 |
Constant Billy |
Morris |
English |
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36 |
Curly Headed Ploughboy |
Polka |
English |
Followed by La Russe |
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37 |
Dan Leno's |
Polka |
English |
*Not* Dan Leno's Boat which has a C part welded on from Oh Joe the Boat is Going Over |
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38 |
Dark Girl Dressed in Blue |
Polka |
English |
The English version |
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39 |
Dark Girl Dressed in Blue 2 |
Polka |
Irish |
The Irish version |
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40 |
Dashing White Sargeant |
Reel |
English |
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41 |
Davy Knick Knack |
Polka |
English |
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42 |
Denis Murphy's Polka |
Polka |
Irish |
Followed by John Ryan's |
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43 |
Denis Murphy's Slide |
Slide |
Irish |
After Star Above the Garter |
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44 |
Dingle Regetta |
Jig |
Irish |
After Sweets of May |
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45 |
Donkey Riding |
Reel |
English |
Nice easy tune. |
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46 |
Dorset Four Hand Reel |
Reel |
English |
Winster,Dorset,Rattling Bog. Nice easy set |
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47 |
Double Figure Eight |
Reel |
English |
Double Figure Eight is a dance rather than a tune. This might have another name |
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48 |
Double Lead Through |
Reel |
English |
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49 |
Down the Road |
Polka |
English |
Played after the Sloe |
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50 |
Drops of Brandy |
Slip Jig |
Irish |
Love it loathe it. Depends on the Key. |
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51 |
Duke of Perth |
Reel |
Scottish |
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52 |
Durham Rangers |
Reel |
English |
Or the Merry Sherwood Rangers. Followed by the Morpeth Rant |
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53 |
F3 Hoedown |
Old Time |
American |
Maybe Original |
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54 |
Fiery Clock Fyece |
Jig |
English |
Following Prior to the Fire. Which means the tune before Fiery ? |
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55 |
Flowers of Edinburgh |
Reel |
Scottish |
Following Staten Island |
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56 |
Foulweather Call |
Polka |
English |
We don't know anything that goes with this. |
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57 |
Foxhunter's Jig |
Slip Jig |
Irish |
A session classic. Speeds up. |
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58 |
Fred Pigeon's Polka |
Polka |
English |
See Bonny Breastknot |
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59 |
French Tune |
Bouree |
French |
Set:French Tune and Swedish Tune |
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60 |
Galopede |
Gallop or Gallopede |
English |
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61 |
George Green's College Hornpipe |
Hornpipe |
English |
Followed by Lemmie Brezil's |
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62 |
Girl with the Blue Dress On |
Polka |
English |
Set:Jenny Lind / Uncle Bernard's / Girl with the Blue Dress On |
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63 |
Going to the Well for Water |
Slide |
Irish |
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64 |
Golden Slippers |
Old Time |
American |
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65 |
Grandfather's Tune |
Polka |
English |
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66 |
Green Willis |
Hornpipe |
Irish |
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67 |
Harper's Frolic |
Polka |
English |
Followed by Bonny Kate |
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68 |
Haste to the Wedding |
Jig |
Irish |
Followed by the Barbara summoning tune - The Irish Washerwoman |
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69 |
Highland Mary |
Morris |
English |
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70 |
Horses Bransle |
Branle |
English |
Usually starts slow with single instruments and more are brought in. And it gets faster. And melodeons don't like the Bb |
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71 |
Hundred Pipers |
Jig |
Scottish |
Follows Cock of the North |
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72 |
Hunting the Hare |
Jig |
Irish |
with The New Rigged Ship. A bizarre thought |
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73 |
In the Toyshop |
Tune |
English |
Set: Shepton Mallet Hornpipe / In the Toyshop / Wistle at Her. Flowers and |Frolics |
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74 |
I've a Bonnet |
Polka |
English |
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75 |
Jack Robinson |
Reel |
English |
After The Three Hand Reel |
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76 |
Jenny Lind |
Polka |
English |
Starts the set with Uncle Bernards and Girl with the Blue Dress on |
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77 |
John O'Paris |
Jig |
English |
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78 |
John Ryan's |
Polka |
Irish |
Always with Denis Murphy's Polka |
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79 |
Jour d'Ete |
Unknown |
French |
A Ralphie special |
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80 |
Just as the Tide was Flowing |
Reel |
English |
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81 |
Kentish Cricketers |
Reel |
English |
and Buttered Peas. Tasty. |
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82 |
Kerry Polka |
Polka |
Irish |
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83 |
Kesh Jig |
Jig |
Irish |
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84 |
La Morrisque |
Tune |
Flemish |
Susato, 1500-1561 |
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85 |
La Russe |
Country Dance |
English |
Originally part of a Quadrille Set |
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86 |
La Schottische |
Schottische |
English |
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87 |
Lark in the Morning |
Jig |
Irish |
Last in the Bill Hart's/Kesh/Lark in the Morning set |
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88 |
Leather Away With the Wattle O |
Polka |
Irish |
Follows Spanish Ladies |
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89 |
Lemmie Brezil's |
Hornpipe |
English |
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90 |
Lewis Bridal Song |
Reel |
Scottish |
Hebrides |
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91 |
Lilliebullero |
Jig |
Irish |
Straight from the World Service. Followed by Bean Setting. A controversial song, but the tune is 1660s |
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92 |
Lindisfarne |
Air |
English |
Matt Seattle. Slow and graceful. |
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93 |
Man in the Moon |
Waltz |
unknown |
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94 |
Marching Through Georgia |
March |
American |
Oh Susanna/Camptown Races/Marching through Georgia. |
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95 |
Marie's Wedding |
Reel |
Scottish |
Hebrides. Set: One More Dance / Mairie's Wedding. English Scottish fusion |
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96 |
Mason's Apron |
Reel |
Scottish |
Mike's favourite |
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97 |
Merry Month of May |
Jig |
English |
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98 |
Michael Turner's Waltz |
Waltz |
English |
Tune from a 19th century Sussex Fiddler |
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99 |
Minstrel Boy |
Air |
Irish |
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100 |
Moreen |
Air |
Irish |
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101 |
Morpeth Rant |
Rant |
English |
After Durham Rangers |
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102 |
Mucking of Geordie's Byre |
Jig |
Scottish |
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103 |
My Love is But a Lassie Yet |
Reel |
Scottish |
Followed by the Rose Tree. Alternative name: My Love is But a Yettie Lass |
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104 |
Navvy on the Line |
Hornpipe |
Irish |
Followed by Off She Goes which is a jig (!) |
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105 |
Newcastle |
Hornpipe |
English |
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106 |
Oats and Peas and Barley |
Jig |
English |
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107 |
Off to California |
Hornpipe |
Irish |
Last of the hornpipe trilogy. See Boys of the Bluehill |
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108 |
Oh Susanna |
Old Time |
American |
Oh Susanna / Camptown Races / Marching through Georgia. A Civil War medley - sort of |
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109 |
Old Joe Clark |
Old Time |
American |
After Salmon Tails. |
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110 |
Old Molly Oxford |
Morris |
English |
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111 |
One More Dance and Then |
Polka |
English |
Set: One More Dance and Then / Mairie's Wedding |
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112 |
Orlando's Return |
Reel |
English |
See La Schottische. I think Mike does something with The Swiss Boy |
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113 |
Out on the Ocean |
Jig |
Irish |
Set: Rogues March / Seven Stars / Out on the Ocean (in G) |
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114 |
Oyster Girl |
Jig |
English |
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115 |
Pant Corlan y Wyr |
Air |
Welsh |
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116 |
Percy Brown's Polka |
Polka |
English |
From the great East Anglia tradition and therefore should be played in C |
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117 |
Planxty Irwin |
Air |
Irish |
One of the slow ones |
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118 |
Portsmouth |
Hornpipe |
English |
Follows Newcastle |
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119 |
Princess Royal |
Morris |
English |
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120 |
Pugwash |
Hornpipe |
Irish |
Usually follows Steamboat |
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121 |
Rakes of Kildare |
Jig |
Irish |
Set:Blackthorn Stick / Rakes of Kildare |
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122 |
Rakes of Mallow |
Polka |
Irish |
Set:Jamie Allen/Brighton Camp/Rakes of Mallow. So that's Scottish, English & Irish in one set. |
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123 |
Rattling Bog |
Polka |
Irish |
Winster,Dorset,Rattling Bog. Nice easy set |
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124 |
Redowa Polka |
Polka |
English |
Set: Sultan's Polka / Redowa. Two good 48 bar polkas |
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125 |
Redwing |
Old Time |
American |
See American Patrol. Avoid lyrics to Nelly Cartwright |
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126 |
Rigs o' Marlow |
Morris |
English |
Set:Jamie Allen/Brighton Camp/Rakes of Mallow. |
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127 |
Rogues March |
Jig |
English |
Set: Rogues March / Seven Stars / Out on the Ocean (in G) |
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128 |
Rose Tree |
Polka |
English |
Set: My Love is but a Lassie Yet/Rose Tree |
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129 |
Roxborough Castle |
Hornpipe |
Scottish |
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130 |
Sailor's Hornpipe |
Hornpipe |
English |
A Mike & Ruth party piece |
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131 |
Salmon Tails up the Water |
Polka |
English |
The rouser par excellence. Goes into Old Joe Clark |
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132 |
Seven Stars |
Jig |
English |
Set: Rogues March / Seven Stars / Out on the Ocean (in G) |
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133 |
Shepton Mallet Hornpipe |
Hornpipe |
English |
Set: Shepton / In the Toyshop / Whistle at her (from Flowers & Frolics) |
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134 |
Sir Roger de Coverly |
Jig |
English |
A very old dance and recorded in Playford 1690. We play a 4 part version |
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135 |
Sloe |
Polka |
English |
Set:The Sloe / Down the Road. |
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136 |
Soldier's Joy |
Reel |
English |
Followed by the Fairy Dance. Just for Robbie. |
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137 |
Spanish Ladies |
Polka |
Irish |
Set:Spanish Ladies / Leather Away the Wattle O. One of Barbara's |
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138 |
Speed the Plough |
Reel |
English |
Set:Speed the Plough / Little Davy Knick Knack |
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139 |
St Mary's Polka |
Polka |
Irish |
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140 |
Star Above the Garter |
Slip Jig |
Irish |
Played before Denis Murphy's Slide |
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141 |
Star of the County Down |
From a Song |
Irish |
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142 |
Staten Island |
Hornpipe |
English |
Usually played before Flowers of Edinburgh |
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143 |
Steamboat |
Hornpipe |
English |
Played before Trumpet Horpipe |
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144 |
Sultan's Polka |
Polka |
American |
And then the Redowa. |
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145 |
Swedish Masquerade |
Country Dance |
English |
A party dance. Three dances in one. |
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146 |
Swedish Mazurka |
Mazurka |
Welsh |
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147 |
Swedish Tune |
Unknown |
Swedish |
Set:French Tune and Swedish Tune |
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148 |
Swiss Boy |
Polka |
English |
See Orlando |
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149 |
Tempest |
Reel |
English |
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150 |
Three Around Three |
Polka |
English |
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151 |
Three Hand Reel |
Reel |
English |
Followed by Jack Robinson |
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152 |
Trumpet Hornpipe |
Hornpipe |
Irish |
Usually follows Steamboat |
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153 |
Turkey in the Straw |
Old Time |
American |
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154 |
Uncle Bernard's |
Polka |
English |
After Jenny Lind |
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155 |
Upton on Severn Stick Dance |
Morris |
English |
After Black Joke |
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156 |
Vandalls of Hammerwich |
Morris |
English |
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157 |
Walter Bulwer's Number 1 |
Polka |
English |
Walter & Daisy. No. 1 is always played second |
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158 |
Walter Bulwer's Number 2 |
Polka </ | ||||||