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Johnny Spillane’s Favourite polka

Also known as Jimmy Meehan’s, Johnny Spillane’s Favorite, Julia Clifford’s, Julia’s Norwegian.

There are 6 recordings of this tune.

Johnny Spillane's Favourite has been added to 57 tunebooks.

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Five settings

1
X: 1
T: Johnny Spillane's Favourite
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
|:Ad f/e/d/c/|dF Ad|cE G>B|AD FG|
Ad f/e/d/c/|dF Ad|cB GE|1 {G}ED DB:|2 {G}ED Dg||
|:af d>d|cb b^a|bB c>B|Aa ag|
af d>d|cb b^a|bB c>d|ed d2:||
# Added .
2
X: 2
T: Johnny Spillane's Favourite
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
|:Ad f/e/d/c/|dF A>d|cE G/B/G/B/|AD DF|
|Ad f/e/d/c/|dF A>d|cA GE|ED D2:|
|:ad d/e/d/B/|cb b>c'|bc c/B/c/B/|Aa a/b/a/f/|
|ad d/e/d/B/|cb b>c'|bc cB/c/|1 ed /e/f/g/:|2 ed d>B||
# Added .
3
X: 3
T: Johnny Spillane's Favourite
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
|: F/ |\
Ad f/e/d/c/ | dF A>d | cE GB | AD FG |
Ad f/e/d/c/ | dF Ad | cB GE | ED D3/ :|
|: f |\
ad de/d/ | cb b>^a | be ef/e/ | da a>^g |
ad de/d/ | cb b>^a | bg ec/d/ | ed d3/ :|
4
X: 4
T: Johnny Spillane's Favourite
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
|: Ad f/e/d/c/ | dF A>B | cB G>B | AD FG |
Ad f/e/d/c/ | dF A>d | cB GE | ED D2 :|
|: ad de/d/ | cb b^a | bB c>B | Aa a/b/a/^g/ |
ad de/d/ | cb b^a | bB cB/c/ | ed d2 :|
5
X: 5
T: Johnny Spillane's Favourite
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
|: B/ |\
Ad f/e/d/c/ | dF A>d | cE G>B | AD F>G |
Ad f/e/d/c/ | dF A>d | cB GE | ED D3/ :|
|: ^g/ |\
af de/d/ | cb b(3c/b/^a/ | bB c(3d/c/B/ | Aa a>^g |
af de/d/ | cb bb/^a/ | bB cd | ed d3/ :|

Six comments

Julia Clifford’s Polka

I’ve posted this tune is response to a request for it, and I’ll admit up front that I haven’t played this polka much. But it is a nice little tune. I enjoy finding tunes associated (or compsed by) a particular player, especially when a pattern forms—e.g., every "Julia Clifford" tune I’ve come across is a keeper.

This setting is based on a version found at mandolin cafe, which in turn is based on a cd, The Temple House Ceili Band, Music for the Sets, Vol. 2.

JC’s tune finder gives a slightly different setting, based on the playing of Mary Bergin on Feadoga Stain 2, as follows:

X:1
T:Julia Clifford’s #1
M:2/4
L:1/8
K:D
|:Ad f/e/d/c/|dF A>d|cE G/B/G/B/|AD DF|
|Ad f/e/d/c/|dF A>d|cA GE|ED D2:|
|:ad d/e/d/B/|cb b>c’|bc c/B/c/B/|Aa a/b/a/f/|
|ad d/e/d/B/|cb b>c’|bc cB/c/|1 ed /e/f/g/:|2 ed d>B||

Posted .

Seems Julia Clifford herself called this Johnny Spilane’s Favorite, as it stands on her record with her son…

—DtM

X: 4 ~ "Johnny Spillane’s Favourite Polka" ~ S: Julia Clifford

A transcription of her take on this, and as she named it…

X: 5 ~ "Julia Clifford’s Polka" / “Johnny Spillane’s Favourite Polka”

S: Brendan Begley / Breanndán Ó Beaglaoich