Bobby Shaftoe polka

There are 2 recordings of a tune by this name.

Bobby Shaftoe has been added to 19 tunebooks.

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One setting

X: 1
T: Bobby Shaftoe
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
GG Gc| Bd (BG)| DD DG| FA (FD)|
GG Gc| Bd (BG)| Ac AF| G2 G2||
Bd BG| Bd e2| Ac AF| Ac c2|
Bd BG| Bd d2| Ac AF| G2 G2||

Five comments

Bobby Shaftoe

An old tune I learnt while I was learning the Northumbrian small pipes. Don’t know who the author is, or who credit goes to, or even if anyone is there to claim credit, but if it’s yours, then all credit to you.

a tune if played almost everyone recognises!

A love song

age old story of sailor away at sea expected to marry ‘the girl he left behind him’ on his return.
The author would have to rise up from the grave to claim this one.

# Posted by hetty .

would be tempted to put this little melody with such tunes as ‘This old man’, ‘sur la ponte D’avignon’, ‘Little brown jug’, and use it for a dance called "patter cake polka". favoured as a suitable dance to offer children.

# Posted by hetty .

I learned this song when I was at primary school in the North East of England. The Wikipedia article about it is quite interesting.