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She Said She Couldn’t Dance polka

Also known as In The Town Of Ballybay, Limerick Races, The Limerick Races, Paddy Bought A Pig, Ringle Dingle Daddy, Running The Goat #3.

There are 9 recordings of this tune.

She Said She Couldn’t Dance has been added to 1 tune set.

She Said She Couldn't Dance has been added to 53 tunebooks.

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Four settings

1
X: 1
T: She Said She Couldn't Dance
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
|:dB GA|B2 Bc|dB GA|BA A2|
dB GA|B2 Bc|de dB|AG G2:|
|:dd ef|g2g2|dd ef|ed d2|
dd ef|g2 g2|dedB|AG G2:|
2
X: 2
T: She Said She Couldn't Dance
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
|:Bc|dB GA|B3c|dB GA|BA A2|
dB GA|B3c|de dB|AG G2:||
|:g3e|f3 de|g3e|fd de|
g3e|d2 de|de dB|AG G2:||
# Added by JACKB .
3
X: 3
T: She Said She Couldn't Dance
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
|:dB GA|B2 Bc|dB GA|BA A2|
dB GA|B2 Bc|d>e dB|AG G2:|
|:dd ef|g2g2|d2 e>f|ed dB|
dd ef|g2 ge|d>e dB|AG G2:|
4
X: 4
T: She Said She Couldn't Dance
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
|:AF DE|F2 FG|AF DE|FE E2|
AF DE|F2 FG|A>B AF|ED D2:|
|:AA Bc|d2d2|A2 B>c|BA AF|
AA Bc|d2 dB|A>B AF|ED D2:|

Nine comments

Another fun and easy polka from Paddy Keenan’s album. He pairs it with Herb Reid’s and the shift from D to G on two quickly played tunes sounds very nice.

Oh, yeah,

It’s also called "Running the Goat #3" and "Ringle Dingle Daddy"

Another hidden away Donegal HIGHLAND FLING - - -

This air is also played as a Highland Fling, Highland, Fing, 4/4 with the skip rhythm as for hornpipes. The A part is just about note for note…

This is the Tune for the Song "In the Town of Ballybay" sung by the Liam Clancy and Tommy Makem. The second verse actually starts with the Word "She said she could`nt dance.." and the chorus has the Ringle Dingle Daddy in it.

Posted by .

"In The Town of Ballybay"

In the town of Ballybay, there was a lassie dwelling
I knew her very well and her story’s well worth telling
Her father kept a still and he was a good distiller
But when she took to the drink, well the devil wouldn’t fill her

CHORUS:
Ring-a-ding-a-dong, ring-a-ding-a-daddy-o
Ring-a-ding-a-dong, whack fol the daddy o

She had a wooden leg that was hollow down the middle
She used to tie a string on it and play it like a fiddle
She fiddled in the hall and she fiddled in the alleyway
She didn’t give a damn, for she had to fiddle anyway
~ Chorus ~
She said she couldn’t dance, unless she had her wellie on
But when she had it on, she could dance as well as anyone
She wouldn’t go to bed, unless she had her shimmy on
But when she had it on, she would go as quick as anyone
~ Chorus ~
She had lovers by the score, every Tom and Dick and Harry
She was courted night and day, but still she wouldn’t marry
But then she fell in love with a fellow with a stammer
When he tried to run away, well she hit him with a hammer
~ Chorus ~
She had children up the stairs, she had children by the byre
And another ten or twelve, sitting roaring by the fire
She fed them on potatoes and on soup she made with nettles
And lumps of hairy bacon that she boiled up in the kettle
~ Chorus ~
She led a sheltered life, eating porridge and black pudding
And she terrorized her man, until he died quite sudden
And when her husband died, well she wasn’t very sorry
She rolled him in a bag and she threw him in a quarry
~ Chorus ~

So, anyone up for giving the lyrics to "The Limerick Races"?

She Said She Couldn’t Dance, X:3

A few variations from The STEP Fiddlers.

In Newfoundland, they’ll sometimes pause and sing, or play and sing,

"She said she couldn’t dance, unless she had her wellie on
But when she had it on, she could dance as well as anyone
She wouldn’t go to bed, unless she had her shimmy on
But when she had it on, she would go as quick as anyone"

But not the rest of The Town of Ballybay song.