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The Flop-Eared Mule polka

Also known as The Donkey, Flop Eared Mule, The Flop Eared Mule.

There are 13 recordings of this tune.

This tune has been recorded together with

The Flop-Eared Mule has been added to 5 tune sets.

The Flop-Eared Mule has been added to 95 tunebooks.

Download ABC

Four settings

1
X: 1
T: The Flop-Eared Mule
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
|:f2f2d2d2|ABAF D2 D2|E2 EF GF E2|1 DEFG A2 A2:|2 D2FD2D2||
|:efec efec|efec A2 A2|B2 Bc dc B2|1 ABcd e2 e2:|2 A2c2A2A2||
2
X: 2
T: The Flop-Eared Mule
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
|:=f2^f2 c2d2|ABAG FED2|E2EF GECE|DEFG A4|
=f2^f2 c2d2|ABAG FED2|E2EF GECE|1 D2F2 D4:|2 D2F2 D2||
|:cd|efed cAcd|efed cBA2|B2Bc d2^G2|ABcd e2cd|
efec efec|efed cBA2|B2Bc dB^GB|A2c2 A2:|
3
X: 3
T: The Flop-Eared Mule
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
|:e2|"D" f2 ff d2 dd|"D" A2 AA F2 FF|"A" E2 EF GF E2|"D" DEFG A2 A2|
"D" f2 ff d2 dd|"D" A2 AA F2 FF|"A" E2 EF GF E2|"D" D2 F2 D2:|
K:A
|:cd|"A" e2 ec e2 ec|"A" efed c2 cc|"E" B2 Bc dc B2|"A" ABcd e2 cd|
"A" e2 ec e2 ec|"A" efed c2 c2|"E" B2 Bc d2 cB|"A" A2 c2 A2:|
4
X: 4
T: The Flop-Eared Mule
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
|:ff dd|A/B/A/F/ DD|EE/F/ G/F/E|D/E/F/G/ AA|
ff dd|A/B/A/F/ DD|EE/F/ G/F/E|D>F DD:|
|:e/f/e/c/ e/f/e/c/|e/f/e/c/ AA|BB/c/ d/c/B|A/B/c/d/ ee:|
e/f/e/c/ e/f/e/c/|e/f/e/c/ AA|BB/c/ d/c/B|Ac AA:|

Fifteen comments

Hee-haw

Not a tune I’m familiar with, I just located the abc elsewhere (I know, I know, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa … I’ll say a couple of decades if it makes people feel better) and posting as a favour to someone who requested it …

Donkey Reel

Cheers. I’ll check it out later (at work, shouldnt even be on tinternet, Damn I’m a rebel!!!). I’m hoping its the one that the dubliners play with the prefix’ C’mon mule, get off the road’ on their live at Albert Hall LP

Donkey reel

Looks like the Dubliners’ one to me . It’s an American "old-timey" tune , I think. Somebody must recognise it.

Posted by .

Well … if anybody does recognise it and the setting’s execrable, please suggest amendments here!

Donkey Reel

Also known as "Flop Eared Mule"

Or…

mop-eared fule

as Molesworth might sa

Donkey reel vintage -71

It

Posted by .

The Donkey

It’s not a Celtic tune,it’s an American sqare dance tune and it usually goes like this
|:f2f2d2d2|ABAF D2 D2|E2 EF GF E2|1DEFG A2 A2:|2D2FD2D2|:efec efec|efec A2 A2|B2 Bc dc B2|1ABcd e2 e2:|2A2c2A2A2|

Donkey Reel

It is played quite a bit in these parts ( Canada, USA) and is generally known as Flop Eared Mule.
The tune can be ornamented a bit by plucking the E string at the start of the B part.
It also can be played as a schottische.

The Flop-Eared Mule

X:3 - As played at my local sessions in Bristol (UK) - where we know it as "The Flop-Eared Mule".

X: 4 "The Flop-Eared Mule"

# Added by Aidan Crossey - November 12th, 2003 ~ 2/4

An American tune that has been ‘borrowed’, and has been adapted and included as on tune in a set of polkas as played played for dance…

Re: The Flop-Eared Mule

X 4: No repeat sign needed at end of 3rd line, methinks!

Re: The Flop-Eared Mule

This tune is a shortened version of "Detroit Schottische" written and published in 1854 by Adam Couse. It was one of the most popular dance tunes in America at that time. From the Traditional Tune Archive here is the original score:
X:1
T:Detroit Schottische
M:4/4
L:1/8
C:Adam Couse
N:AABBACCDDCCAA
S:Original Sheet Music
K:D
A2|.f2.f2.d2.d2|(ABAF) .D2.D2|C>DE>F G>GG>E|D>EF>G A2A2|
.f2.f2.d2.d2|(ABAF) .D2.D2|C>DE>F G>AB>c|d2d2d2:|
|:(cd)|{f}(e^d)ez {f}(e^d)ez|{f}(e^dec) A2A2|^G>AB>c d>cd>B|A>Bc>d e2e2|
{f}(e^d)ez {f}(e^d)ez|{f}(e^dec) A2A2|^G>AB>c d>cd>B|A2A2A2:|
A2|.f2.f2.d2.d2|(ABAF) .D2.D2|C>DE>F G>GG>E|D>EF>G A2A2|
.f2.f2.d2.d2|(ABAF) .D2.D2|C>DE>F G>AB>c|d2d2d2||
K:G
|:(Bc)|d>ed>^c d>ed>c|d>bd>b (d2b2)|c>ac>a (c2a2)|B>gB>g (B2g2)|
d>ed>^c d>ed>c|d>bd>b (d2b2)|c>ac>a (c2a2)|g2g2g2:|
K:C
|:G2|c2c2 (EGce)|(gag^f) (g2e2)|(e2d2) {e}d^c d2|a2g2 {a}gf e2|
c2c2 (EGce)|(gag^f) (g2e’2)|(e’2d’2) d’c’d’c’|c’2c’2c’2:||
K:G
|:(Bc)|d>ed>^c d>ed>c|d>bd>b (d2b2)|c>ac>a (c2a2)|B>gB>g (B2g2)|
d>ed>^c d>ed>c|d>bd>b (d2b2)|c>ac>a (c2a2)|g2g2g2:|
K:D
A2|.f2.f2.d2.d2|(ABAF) .D2.D2|C>DE>F G>GG>E|D>EF>G A2A2|
.f2.f2.d2.d2|(ABAF) .D2.D2|C>DE>F G>AB>c|d2d2d2:|