Johnny When You Die reel

Also known as The Ballina Lass, The Ballina Lasses, Johnny’s Gone To France, Maids Of Galway, The Mayo Lassies, The Old Maids Of Galway, Paddy Gone To France, Traynor’s Rambles.

There are 28 recordings of a tune by this name.

Johnny When You Die has been added to 69 tunebooks.

Download ABC

Three settings

X: 1
T: Johnny When You Die
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Emin
e2 dB eBdB|A2 GA Bd d2|e2 dB eBdB|A2 GA BGBd|
e2 dB eBdB|A2 GA BAAB|GB B2 GBdB|A2 GA BG G2|
g2 fg egde|g2 fg eaaf|g2 fg egdB|A2 AG BGBd|
g2 fg egde|gbag eaaf|gbag egdB|A2 GA BG G2:|
X: 2
T: Johnny When You Die
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Emin
f|eB~B2 eBdB|A2GA Bddg|eB~B2 eBdB|ABGA BGG2|
eB~B2 eBdB|A2GA BGGF|G2Bd egdB|ABGA BGG||
z|gbag egdg|bgag ea~a2|gbag egdB|ABGA BGG2|
gbag egdg|bgag ea~a2|g2fg egdB|ABGA BGG||
X: 3
T: Johnny When You Die
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Emin
V:RH clef=treble staves=2 brace=2
V:LH clef=treble
[V:RH]|eBdB e2 dB|A2 GA BA A2|[1 eBdB e2dB|A2 GA BGG2:|[2 GB~B2 GBdB|A2 GA BG G2|
[V:LH]|EB,DB, E2 DB,|A,2 G,A, B,A, A,2| [1 EB,DB, E2DB,|A,2 G,A, B,G,G,2:| [2 G,B,~B,2 G,B,DB,|A,2 G,A, B,G, G,2|
[V:RH]g2 fg egd2|g2 fg eaa2|[1 g2 fg e2dB|A2 GA BG G2:|[2 gbag e2dB|A2 GA BG G2|
[V:LH]G2 FG EGD2|G2 FG EAA2| [1 G2 FG E2DB,|A,2 G,A, B,G, G,2:| [2 GBAG E2DB,|A,2 G,A, B,G, G,2|

Twelve comments

Not yet, I hope.

I’ve added this one to my tune book, just in case. :-(

Well this is how I know it and I could not find it by this title or key so I put it up.

Have you read Jack’s comment?

"Johnnie When I Die, Burry Me In Kerry"
I know this tune by this name and in the key of Emin.
# Posted on Thursday, August 18th 2005 by The Phantom Button

Unseen, of course I don’t mean to suggest your post should be deleted, pointing out the tune was posted in a different key with a different title. Different enough to deserve its own entry, perhaps.

No hard feelings slainte. This is a fun tune though.

The Old Maids of Galway

I’ve been playing the tune on the flute like this:

K: Emin
f|eB~B2 eBdB|A2GA Bddg|eB~B2 eBdB|ABGA BGG2|
eB~B2 eBdB|A2GA BGGF|G2Bd egdB|ABGA BGG||
z|gbag egdg|bgag ea~a2|gbag egdB|ABGA BGG2|
gbag egdg|bgag ea~a2|g2fg egdB|ABGA BGG||

I admit it’s *mostly* based on Harry Bradley’s flute setting. Not to be confused with George White’s Favourite: http://www.thesession.org/tunes/718

On Mick O’Brien and Caoimhin O’Raghallaigh’s Kitty Li Over they call this Paddy Gone to France.

Funnily enough, Teada recorded it as "Johnny’s Gone to France."

Another take from Seamus Creagh and Jackie Daly

As best as I can make out tonight from:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5bCOIQd2nk


Closer to the old Murphy et al recordings than what’s posted above.

X: 1
T: Johnny When You Die
S: Seamus Creagh & Jackie Daly
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Gmaj
|eBdB e2 dB|A2 GA BA A2|[1 eBdB e2dB|A2 GA BGG2:|[2 GB~B2 GBdB|A2 GA BG G2|
g2 fg egd2|g2 fg eaa2|[1 g2 fg e2dB|A2 GA BG G2:|[2 gbag e2dB|A2 GA BG G2|