Babes In The Wood polka

Another relaxed Northern polka - approximately 120 bpm…

I’ll be back with at least one or two more variant transcriptions of this particular melody…

The following incorporates a couple of transcriptions and several variations, so it’s not played this way ‘exactly’, just another offering to show ‘ways’ and choices, some you might like, and some you might not like:

|c/B/|AB/A/ FA|de f2|ga/g/ fe|df AF/G/|
AB/A/ FA|de fe/f/|ga/g/ fe|d2 e/d/c/B/|
A2 FA|de f2|g2 f>e|df A2|
AB/A/ F/G/A|de fe/f/|g/a/g/f/ e/d/c|d2 cd|| ef/e/ f/e/d|ce a2|ef/e/ ef|ge cA|
e>e f/e/d/B/|ce a>f|ga/g/ fe|d2 dc/d/|
e>e f>d|ce a2|ef/e/ ef|g/f/e/d/ c/B/A/c/|
ef/e/ f>d/|ce a>f|ga/g/ fe|d3||

Sounds qite a bit like Johnny O’Leary’s Maids of Ardath (see https://thesession.org/tunes/466)

I’d done a fairly thorough search, and not just on site, and there are about half a dozen ‘close’ tunes. The B-parts of this one and ‘The Maids’ are really close, but that particular B-part has gotten around and shows up elsewhere as well, sometimes what some might call ‘wrongly’. I try to be careful not to duplicate things, and if I do to report them when I find out, or if I catch it in time to just add the variant in the comments of whichever tune has the longest history here. I think this one is different enough to stand on its own, and it has some history too…

Thanks for the link and comparison…well caught.

An Pota Stór: Set Dance Music of West Kerry
ed. by Feargal MacAmhlaoibh
Inné, Kerry
ISBN 0-9522090-2-0

The Fiddlecase Book of 101 Polkas
ed. by Jack Perron & Randy Miller
Fiddlecase Books, New Hampshire 1978

Johnny O’Leary of Sliabh Luachra:
Dance Music of the Cork-Kerry Border
ed. by Terry Moylan
The Lilliput Press, Dublin 1994
ISBN 1-874675-42-2

Mally Presents 100 Irish Polkas
ed. by Dave Mallinson
Mallinson Music 1997
ISBN 1-899512-21-7

110 Ireland’s Best Polkas & Slides
ed. by Pat Conway
Walton’s Music 1999
ISBN 1-85720-086-1

https://thesession.org/recordings/1210

Track #15 - polka #2, after “Bridge O‘Leary’s”… The slot for this one went ’poof!’, disappeared…and the attempt to keep three slots opened for track #4 the “Three Highlands” didn’t work either.

This tune was recorded as “Babes in the Wood” by McConnell’s Four Leaf Shamrocks before WWII, and has since been re-released on both Folkways and Topic.
It is a close variant of the Scottish “Liberton Pipe Band”.

“I found this polka in a US internet tunebook (I forgot which one). It has got nothing to do with the waltz of the same title. It´s a rather easy polka, but still has great effect when played in public.”

# Posted on December 14th 2006 by Reelin´ man

K: D Major
|: AB/A/ FA | de f2 | g2 fe | df A2 |
AB/A/ FA | de f2 | g2 fe | d2 d2 :|
|: e2 ed | ce a2 | e2 ef | ge cA |
e2 ed | ce a2 | g2 fe | d2 d2 :|

I don’t know the name of this… This may already be here… I searched and couldn’t find it.

I thought for sure someone would have a name for this tune…?

https://thesession.org/tunes/3631

This version I posted (i think) came from an old cassette of Donegal tunes.

I think there are a couple versions o fthis tune out there--- one with the second part leaning towards A maj and this one--- resolving in D maj.

https://thesession.org/tunes/7280

X: 1
T: Babes In The Woods
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
R: polka
K: Dmaj
|: d>e fg | a2 af | g2 fe | df A2 | d>e fg | a2 af | g2 fe | d2 d2 :|
|: e>e fd | eg fd | e>g fe | dB BA | e>e fd | eg fd | g2 fe | d2 d2 :|

X: ~
T: Babes In The Wood
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
R: polka
K: D Major
|: F>G |
A/B/A/G/ FA | de f2 | ga/g/ fe | df A2 |
A/B/A/G/ FA | de f2 | ga/g/ fe | d2 :|
|: cd |
e>f ed | ce a2 | e>^d ef | ge cA |
e>f ed | c/d/e ab/a/ | ga/g/ fe | d2 :|

as submitted by tracywag this 3rd February 2008
X: 1
T: Ballydehob, The
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
R: polka
K: Dmaj
|:F/2G/2 AB A|de f2|f e/2f/2 gc|ed BA|
F/2G/2 AB A|de f2| f e/2f/2 gc|edd2:|
|:e f/2e/2 ce|fea2|e f/2e/2 ce|fe c/2B/2 A|
e f/2e/2 ce|fea2|e f/2e/2 dB|BAA2:|

Contributed, instead of ‘gan ainm’, as “The Ballydehob Polka”
Key signature: D Major
Submitted on February 3rd 2008 by tracywag.
~ /tunes/8212

Please, don’t circulate it with yet another new tag ~ not ‘The Ballydehob’ - pleeaasse!

This and its family members are already on site at least three times and the tune has been recontributed half a dozen times more. The previous is just another such ‘repeat’, but it is good to get versions. There are problems with the ABCs, as shown in the cut-and-paste previous that hetty has offered up. Here it is cleaned up and with the ‘Comments’ added. It had also been added in the ‘Comments’ for “The Maids of Ardagh” ~

X: 2
T: Maids of Ardagh, The
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
R: polka
K: Dmaj
|: F/G/A BA | de f2 | fe/f/ gc | ed BA |
F/G/A BA | de f2 | fe/f/ gc | ed d2 :|
|: ef/e/ ce | fe a2 | ef/e/ ce | fe c/B/A |
ef/e/ ce | fe a2 | ef/e/ dB | BA A2 :|

Anyone know a name for this?

I learned it at a workshop last summer taught by Kathy Selby. She learned it in a pub session in Ballydehob, hence the (re-)name.

# Posted on February 3rd 2008 by tracywag

As said, this transcription had already been moved to the ‘Comments’ for “The Maids of Ardagh”, the earlier contribution, 2001, with ‘corrections’ made to the transcript, as repeated here. I hadn’t repeated the name “Ballydehob” because it was an obvoius case of not bothering to check for pre-existing titles and just grabbing the first thing that came to mind ~ “I can’t remember the title for this. We’re in Ballydehob. I’ll call it ‘The Ballydehob Polka’…” ~ ‘gan ainm’ would have been truer and more considerate…

Submitted on February 3rd 2008 by tracywag.
https://thesession.org/tunes/8212

X: 5
T: Babes In The Wood
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
R: polka
K: Dmaj
|: B |\
AB/A/ FA | de f2 | ga/g/ fe | df A2 |
AB/A/ FA | de fe/f/ | ga/g/ fe |[1 d2 d :|[2 d2 ||
|: cd |\
e2 ed | ce a2 | e2 ef | ge c/B/A |
e2 ed | ce ab/a/ | ga/g/ fe |[1 d2 :|[2 d2- d |]

X: 2
T: Babes In The Wood
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
R: polka
K: Dmaj
c/B/ |\
AB/A/ FA | de f2 | ga/g/ fe|df AF/G/ |
AB/A/ FA | de fe/f/ | ga/g/ fe | d2 e/d/c/B/ |
A2 FA | de f2 | g2 f>e | df A2 |
AB/A/ F/G/A | de fe/f/ | g/a/g/f/ e/d/c | d2 ||
cd |\
ef/e/ f/e/d | ce a2 | ef/e/ ef | ge cA |
e>e f/e/d/B/ | ce a>f | ga/g/ fe | d2 dc/d/ |
e>e f>d | ce a2 | ef/e/ ef | g/f/e/d/ c/B/A/c/ |
ef/e/ f>d/ | ce a>f | ga/g/ fe | d3 |]

78 RPM recording, October 25, 1924: http://victor.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/talent/detail/13906/McConnells_Four_Leaf_Shamrocks_Musical_group Rereleased on Topic’s Irish Dance Music CD.

Simplest setting yet? Lots of whole notes, no filigrees. Get a load of this lineup: 2 violins, piano, piccolo, bagpipe, cornet, and traps. Just a wonderful record.

X:5
T: Babes In The Wood
S: McConnell’s Four Leaf Shamrocks
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
R: polka
K:Dmaj
|: A/B/A/G/ FA | de f2 | ga/g/ fe | df A2 |
A/B/A/G/ FA | de f2 | ga/g/ fe | d4:|
|: ef/e/ ed | ce a2 |ee/e/ ef | ge cA |
ef/e/ ed | ce a2 | e/f/e/d/ cB |A4:|

Thanks Kevin…

X:7
T: Babes In The Wood
S: Tom Doherty
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
R: polka
K:Dmaj
|: A/B/A/G/ FA | de f2 | g2 fe | df A2 |
A/B/A/G/ FA | de f2 | gg fe | d2 d2 :|
K: DMaj
|: e>f ed | ce a2 | e>f ef | ge/d/ c/B/A |
e>f ed | ce a>f | ed cB | A2 A2 :|

In the book ‘Johnny O’Leary of Sliabh Luachra‘ this can also be found as “Dan O’Leary’s No.2”.

“Johnny O’Leary of Sliabh Luachra: Dance Music from the Cork-Kerry Border”
Collected and edited by Terry Moylan
The Lilliput Press, Dublin, 1994
ISBN: 1-874675-42-2

Page 82, Tune 140 - “Dan O’Leary’s (2)”
Polka: 1/4 = 113 bpm
“Johnny was playing jigs for hours while Dan O‘Connell taught us the ’Jenny Lind’ set. During one of the pauses in the dancing he played this lovely polka to himself while Dan was explaining some point. The pace is slow because he was playing it quietly to himself.”

Johnny O‘Leary: “You know who I heard playing that fits now, Dan Leary my uncle. I’d swear Denis Murphy hadn’t it at all. Oh ’tis a lovely polka. Dan learned from Tom Billy Murphy. ’Tisn’t from Pádraig he learned at all. Tom Billy as coming to the house to him for years. Tom had tunes that Pádraig never had, you know, I know that well, from my experience with the two of them. But sure he had thousands of them. He was as well known as Denis Murphy here that time.”

Setting as played at the Golden Guinea pub session, Bristol, UK.

From the playing of Beginish.