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Johnny Cope polka

Also known as Hey Johnnie Cope, Hey Johnny Cope, Hey, Johnny Cope, Hey, Johnny Cope!, Hey, Johnny Cope! - The March, Johnnie Cope, Johnny Cope’s, Jonny Cope.

There are 53 recordings of this tune.

This tune has been recorded together with The Atholl Highlanders (a few times), Din Tarrant’s (a few times), The East Neuk O’ Fife (a few times), Paddy On The Turnpike (a few times) and Paresis (a few times).

Johnny Cope appears in 3 other tune collections.

Johnny Cope has been added to 4 tune sets.

Johnny Cope has been added to 189 tunebooks.

Download ABC

Five settings

1
X: 1
T: Johnny Cope
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Bmin
|:BB B/c/d/e/|fBB c/B/|AA A/B/c/d/|eaec|
dc/d/ ed/e/|fac B/A/|Bb f/e/d/c/|B2B2:|
d>d dA|d/e/f/g/ a/f/e/d/|cA eA|c/d/e/f/ ed/c/|
dc/d/ ed/e/|fac B/A/|Bb f/e/d/c/|B2B2:|
2
X: 2
T: Johnny Cope
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Emin
B,2E2 EFGA | B2E2 E2FE | D2D2 DEFG | A2D2 F2ED | B,2E2 EFGA | B2E2 E2FE | D2d2 BAGF | E6 E2 :||
G3A G2F2 | GFGA B2AG | F2D2 A2D2 | FGAB A2GF | GFGA B2e2 | dBAB d2FE | D2d2 BAGF | E6 E2 :||
E2e2 e2de | f2e2 e2Bc | dc^de fgfe | dBAB d2A2 | B2e2 e2de | f2e2 egfe | d2A2 BAGF | E6 E2 :||
# Added by hetty .
3
X: 3
T: Johnny Cope
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Amin
"Am" AA AB/d/ | eA AB/A/ | "G" GG G/A/B/c/ | d/e/d/c/ BA/G/ |
"C" cB/c/ "G" dc/d/ | "Em" eg "G" BA/G/ | Eg "E7" e/d/c/B/ | "Am" A2 A :|
"C" cc c/G/E/G/ | c/d/e/f/ gc | "G" BG dG | B/c/d/e/ dc/B/ |
"C" cB/c/ "G" dc/d/ | "Em" eg "G" BA/G/ | "E7" Eg e/d/c/B/ | "Am" A2 A :|
4
X: 4
T: Johnny Cope
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Fmaj
|:G4G3/2A/2 B/2c3/2|d2G2A3/2G/2 F/2D3/2|
|:B3c B2B,2|B3/2c/2 d/2e3/2 f4|A2G3/2F/2 F2G3/2c/2|
|:G2D2G3/2A/2 =B/2c3/2|d3/2c/2 B/2A3/2 c3/2B/2 A/2G3/2|
|:g4g2f/2g3/2|a2g2a3/2g/2 f/2d3/2|f4f2f3/2g/2|a2f2f/2a3/2|
g4g2f/2g3/2|a2f2g2d2|f2c2d3/2c/2 B/2A3/2|G4G,4:|
|:G3/2^F/2 G/2A3/2 G3/2A/2 B/2c3/2|d3/2_e/2 d/2c3/2 B3/2A/2 B/2G3/2|
|:d3/2B/2 G/2B3/2 d3/2B/2 G/2B3/2|G3/2B/2 d/2g3/2 b3/2g/2 d/2B3/2|
# Added by fiel .
5
X: 5
T: Johnny Cope
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Bmin
|:fB B/c/d/e/|fBB c/B/|AA A/B/c/d/|eaec|
dc/d/ ed/e/|fac B/A/|Ba f/e/d/c/|B2B2:|
Ad dA|d/e/f/g/ a/f/e/d/|cA eA|c/d/e/f/ ed/c/|
dc/d/ ed/e/|fac B/A/|Ba f/e/d/c/|B2B2:|

Sixteen comments

Johnny Cope

From Kerr’s Merry Melodies.

American (distant) cousin

There’s an American tune called Johnny Cope that bears some faint genetic resemblence to this one. I’ve heard it played as a hornpipe and as a reel. I learned it from the fiddling of Grey Larsen, with Malcolm Dalglish on hammered dew climber. It’s also on an album by the Critten Hollow String Band with Joe Herrman on fiddle.

Maybe I’ll notate it after I do everything else on my “to (never) do” list.

I was given this 3 part version sometime ago. The ABC is as follows:
T: Johnny Cope
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: Reel
K: Em
B,2E2 EFGA | B2E2 E2FE | D2D2 DEFG | A2D2 F2ED | B,2E2 EFGA | B2E2 E2FE | D2d2 BAGF | E6 E2 :||
G3A G2F2 | GFGA B2AG | F2D2 A2D2 | FGAB A2GF | GFGA B2e2 | dBAB d2FE | D2d2 BAGF | E6 E2 :||
E2e2 e2de | f2e2 e2Bc | dc^de fgfe | dBAB d2A2 | B2e2 e2de | f2e2 egfe | d2A2 BAGF | E6 E2 :||
Herewith the link to the most recent submission of Johnny Cope:
www.thesession.org/tunes/4953

Posted by .

can any one tell me how to get this link printed in red to be an auto matic link?

Posted by .

Thanks Jeremy, I thought of that after the event.

Posted by .

Bloody Harmonium

Whose idea was it to put in a harmonium on this track? It completely ruins the beauty of what Noel Hill is doing…

Ulf Habermas

"Johnny Cope" ~ rescued duplication

Key signature: a minor
Submitted on February 19th 2008 by breqwas.
~ /tunes/8276

X: 3
T: Johnny Cope
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
R: polka
K: a minor
|: E/G/ |\
"Am" AA AB/d/ | eA AB/A/ | "G" GG G/A/B/c/ | d/e/d/c/ BA/G/ |
"C" cB/c/ "G" dc/d/ | "Em" eg "G" BA/G/ | Eg "E7" e/d/c/B/ | "Am" A2 A :|
|: B |\
"C" cc c/G/E/G/ | c/d/e/f/ gc | "G" BG dG | B/c/d/e/ dc/B/ |
"C" cB/c/ "G" dc/d/ | "Em" eg "G" BA/G/ | "E7" Eg e/d/c/B/ | "Am" A2 A :|


This comes from some Scottish Country Dance CD, in a set with "Saltire Society Reel".

# Posted on February 19th 2008 by breqwas

As I heard it on Natalie McMasters MY ROOTS ARE SHOWING

X:1
T:Johnny Cope
L:1/8
K:F
|:G4G3/2A/2 B/2c3/2|d2G2A3/2G/2 F/2D3/2|
F4F3/2G/2 A/2B3/2|c2F2A3/2G/2 F/2D3/2|
G4G3/2A/2 B/2c3/2|d2G2B3/2A/2 G/2A3/2|
[1F2f3/2e/2 d/2c3/2 B3/2A/2|G4G,4:|
[2F2f3/2e/2 d/2c3/2 B3/2A/2|G4D2G3/2A/2
|:B3c B2B,2|B3/2c/2 d/2e3/2 f4|A2G3/2F/2 F2G3/2c/2|
A3/2B/2 c/2B3/2 A2F2|G2A3/2B/2 A2B3/2c/2|
B2c3/2d/2 A2G3/2F/2|D2f3/2e/2 d/2c3/2 B3/2A/2|
[1G4G2G3/2A/2:|[2G4G3/2c/2 =B/2A3/2
|:G2D2G3/2A/2 =B/2c3/2|d3/2c/2 B/2A3/2 c3/2B/2 A/2G3/2|
F4F3/2G/2 A/2B3/2|c3/2A/2 f/2c3/2 B3/2A/2 G/2F3/2|
G2F3/2E/2 D/2C3/2 =B,3/2A,/2|G,/2A,3/2 B,3/2C/2 D2C3/2=B,/2|
C2D/2G3/2 D3/2C/2 B,/2A,3/2|[1G,4G3/2c/2 =B/2A3/2:|
C2D/2G3/2 D3/2C/2 B,/2A,3/2[2|G,8|
|:g4g2f/2g3/2|a2g2a3/2g/2 f/2d3/2|f4f2f3/2g/2|a2f2f/2a3/2|
g4g2f/2g3/2|a2f2g2d2|f2c2d3/2c/2 B/2A3/2|G4G,4:|
|:G3/2^F/2 G/2A3/2 G3/2A/2 B/2c3/2|d3/2_e/2 d/2c3/2 B3/2A/2 B/2G3/2|
A/2F3/2 c/2F3/2 d/2F3/2 c/2F3/2|A3/2c/2 f/2c3/2 B3/2A/2 G/2F3/2|
B3/2c/2 B/2A3/2 G3/2^F/2 G/2D3/2|G3/2A/2 B/2c3/2 d3/2c/2 d/2B3/2|
c3/2d/2 f/2g3/2 f3/2d/2 c/2A3/2|G4G,4:|
|:d3/2B/2 G/2B3/2 d3/2B/2 G/2B3/2|G3/2B/2 d/2g3/2 b3/2g/2 d/2B3/2|
c3/2A/2 F/2A3/2 c3/2A/2 F/2A3/2|F3/2A/2 c/2f3/2 a3/2f/2 c/2A3/2|
d3/2B/2 d/2f3/2 c3/2A/2 c/2f3/2|B3/2G/2 B/2d3/2 A3/2F/2 A/2c3/2|
(3dcB (3cBA (3BAG (3AG^F|G4G,4:|

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Seamus Ennis Big Book version

X:8168
T:Johnnie Cope
R:hornpipe
D:Seamus Ennis
M:4/4
L:1/8
K:Ador
G3|:A2A3/B/A2Bd|efed B2AG|EGGE G3A|BAGB dBGA|BAAB A2Bd|efed B3d|(3efg fa gedB| BAAB A3G:|
|:cBcd c2G2|cdef gedB|cBA^c e2e2|cdec dBGB|cBcd c2G2|cdef gedg|eaag (3efg ed|BAAG A3B:|
|:cBcB ABAG|ABcd (3efg dc|BG~G2 dG~G2|cdec dBGB|cBcB ABAG|ABcd (3efg dg|eaag (3efg ed|BAAB A3B:|
|:e2a2a2 ga | b2a2g2ed|efgf gaba|gaba aged|e3/g/a2 a2(3fga|b2 a3/f/ g2ge|d2ef gedB| BAAG A2 ^cd:|
|:e2 e2(3gfe ed|e3 f (3gfe dB|d3^d=d dBAB|d2 fd edBd|^de e2 (3gfe =dB|eaae (3gfe dB| ABdg egdB| BAAB A3d:|
|:a2e2 efge|a2e efag|f2^d =d^cde|f2d^d =d2 eg|a2e2 efge|a2e2 efdB|ABdf efdB|BAAB A2 EG:|

Re: Johnny Cope

Johnny Cope is also a song so here are the words and a little history:- (from contemplator.com)

According to Wikipedia, a tune to Johnnie Cope was written in 1745 by Adam Skirving (1719-1803), a tenant farmer in East Lothian. Robert Burns also wrote a set of lyrics to the tune. The song is an account of the Battle of Prestonpans (from the Jacobite perspective) at which Sir John Cope was defeated.


Cope sent a challenge frae Dunbar,
Sayin "Charlie meet me an’ ye daur;
An’ I’ll learn ye the airt o’ war,
If ye’ll meet me in the morning."
O Hey! Johnnie Cope are ye waukin’ yet?
Or are your drums a-beating yet?
If ye were waukin’ I wad wait,
Tae gang tae the coals in the morning. *

When Charlie looked the letter upon,
He drew his sword and scabbard from,
Come, follow me, my merry men,
And we’ll meet Johnnie Cope in the morning.
O Hey! Johnnie Cope are ye waukin’ yet?
Or are your drums a-beating yet?
If ye were waukin’ I wad wait,
Tae gang tae the coals in the morning. *

Now Johnnie, be as good as your word,
Come, let us try baith fire and sword,
And dinna flee like a frichted bird,
That’s chased frae its nest i’ the morning.
O Hey! Johnnie Cope are ye waukin’ yet?
Or are your drums a-beating yet?
If ye were waukin’ I wad wait,
Tae gang tae the coals in the morning. *

When Johnnie Cope he heard o’ this,
He thocht it wouldna be amiss,
Tae hae a horse in readiness,
Tae flee awa in the morning.
O Hey! Johnnie Cope are ye waukin’ yet?
Or are your drums a-beating yet?
If ye were waukin’ I wad wait,
Tae gang tae the coals in the morning. *

Fye now, Johnnie, get up an’ rin,
The Highland bagpipes mak’ a din,
It’s better tae sleep in a hale skin,
For it will be a bluidie morning.
O Hey! Johnnie Cope are ye waukin’ yet?
Or are your drums a-beating yet?
If ye were waukin’ I wad wait,
Tae gang tae the coals in the morning. *

When Johnnie Cope tae Dunbar cam,
They speired at him, "Where’s a’ your men"
"The de’il confound me gin I ken,
For I left them a’ in the morning."
O Hey! Johnnie Cope are ye waukin’ yet?
Or are your drums a-beating yet?
If ye were waukin’ I wad wait,
Tae gang tae the coals in the morning. *

Now Johnnie, troth ye werena blate,
Tae come wi’ news o’ your ain defeat,
And leave your men in sic a strait,
Sae early in the morning.
O Hey! Johnnie Cope are ye waukin’ yet?
Or are your drums a-beating yet?
If ye were waukin’ I wad wait,
Tae gang tae the coals in the morning. *

In faith, quo Johnnie, I got sic flegs
Wi’ their claymores an’ philabegs,
Gin I face them again, de’il brak my legs,
So I wish you a’ good morning.
O Hey! Johnnie Cope are ye waukin’ yet?
Or are your drums a-beating yet?
If ye were waukin’ I wad wait,
Tae gang tae the coals in the morning. *

*Prestonpans had been the location of coal fields.

Re: Johnny Cope

Put another way, the Jacobites won this one! (If not Culloden!)
The late lamented Davy Steele (who came from Prestonpans) sang it to a different tune, when he was in the band, Ceolbeg. The first half is maybe a variation on the usual tune, but the second half is quite different.
https://youtu.be/_-9XekiWHeY

YouTube
play video

Re: Johnny Cope

I think the first part is O’Keeffe’s first part and the second part follows O’Keeffe’s fourth part - it seems like Davy Steele was influenced by Planxty’s song version, to me.

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