The Drunken Sailor’s hornpipe

Also known as The Drunken Sailor, Tipsy Sailor, The Tipsy Sailor.

There are 14 recordings of this tune.

The Drunken Sailor’s appears in 1 other tune collection.

The Drunken Sailor’s has been added to 34 tune sets.

The Drunken Sailor's has been added to 474 tunebooks.

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Ten settings

1
X: 1
T: The Drunken Sailor's
R: hornpipe
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Gdor
(3DE^F|G3 A GABc|dcBA GFDE|F2FG FGAB|cAFA dcBA|
G3 A GABc|dcBA GFDE|F2f2dcBA|B2G2G2:|
|:GA|B2Bc Bcde|fcAB cAFB|AFcF dFcF|AFcF dcBA|
B2BA Bcde|fcAB cAFA|G2gf dcBA|B2G2G2:|
|:Bd|g3^f ~g2fg|agfe d3 e|fcgc acgc|fcgc agfe|
d2g2~g2^ fg|agfe d2c2|dfeg (3fed cA|B2G2G2:|
|:BF|GBdB GdBd|FcAc FcAc|GBdB GBdB|cBAG FGAF|
GBdB GBdB|FAcA FGAc|dfeg (3fed cA|B2G2G2:|
|:Bd|gd (3gab gd (3gab|fcfa fcfa|gdgb gcgb|fdcA dBcA|
BGBd AFAc|BABd c=Bc_e|dfeg (3fed cA|B2G2G2:|
2
X: 2
T: The Drunken Sailor's
R: hornpipe
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Gmin
GA|B3 c dcdg|{a}g2 dg ga (3bag|fdbg fdcd|BAGA GFD2|
G3 A B3G|FCFG AGF{GF}D|GABc dcBA|(3BcB G2 G3A|
BABc dcdg|{a}g2 dg ga (3bag|fdbg fdcd|BAGA GFD2|
DFGA BABG|FCFG AGF {GF}D|GABc dcBA|(3BcB G2 G3 g||
gfdf gabg|gfde dBGA|BFBc df (3=efg|fcdB AGFA|
BGdB AFcA|BfdB Acfc|dfga bagf|d2 g2 g3 g:|
final ending:|dfga bagf|dcBA G4||
# Added .
3
X: 3
T: The Drunken Sailor's
R: hornpipe
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Ador
|:A|EAAG ABcd|edcB AGEF|G3F GABc|dBGB edcB|
AE E2 ABcd|edcB AGEF|G2 ga gedB|cABG A2:|
|:B|c3B cdef|gdBc dBGc|(3BAG dG eGdG|(3BAG dG edcB|
c3B cdef|gdBc dBGB|A2 c'a gedB|cABG A3:|
|:d|eaag a2 ga|bagf e3d|edad bdad|edad bagf|
eaag a2 ga|bagf e3d|(3efg df gedB|cABG A3:|
|:Acec Acec|GBdB GBdB|Acec Acec|e2 e=f edcB|
Acec Acec|d2 BG dgBd|(3efg df gedB|cABG A4:|
|:(3abc' ae (3abc' ae|(3gab gd (3gab gd|(3abc' ae (3abc' aeef|gedB ecdB|
cBcB BABG|cBce dGBd|(3efg fa gedB|cABG A4:|
|:EAcA EAcA|DGBG DGBG|EAcA EAcd|edcB cBAG|
EAcA EAcA|d2 BG DGBG|(3efg df gedB|cABG A4:|
# Added by JACKB .
4
X: 4
T: The Drunken Sailor's
R: hornpipe
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Gdor
DGGF GABc|dcBA GFDE|F2 FE FGAB|cAFA dcBA|
GDB,D GABc|dcBA GFDE|F2 fe dcBA|ABGG G4:|
ABGA Bcde|fdBd cBAG|F2 cF dFcF|F2 cF dFcF|
ABGA Bcde|fdBd cBAG|G2 gf dcBA|ABGG G4:|
gdg/a/b gdg/a/b|fcf/g/a fcf/g/a|gdg/a/b gdg/a/b|fdcA ddcA|
B4 A4|B4 c4|df (3efg fdcA|ABGG G4:|
DGAd DGAd|DFAc DFAc|DGAd DGAd|c2 AF CFAc|
GBdB GBdB|c2 AF CFAc|df (3efg fdcA|BG (3AGF G4:|
5
X: 5
T: The Drunken Sailor's
R: hornpipe
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Edor
|:ED|B,EED EFGA|BAGF EDB,C|D2DC DEED|AFFA BAGF|
EB,G,B, EFGA|BAGF EDB,C|Ddce dBAF|G2E2E2:|
|:zF|G2GF GABc|dAFG AFD2|FDAD BDAG|(3FED DA BDAF|
G2GF GABc|dAFG AFDF|E2 ed BAFA|G2E2E2:|
|:FA|Beed eBde|fedc BBBd|cAeA fAed|cAAe fAeA|
Beed eBde|fedc BGDG|(3Bcd ce dBAF|G2E2E2:|
|:zD|B,EGB B,EGB|B,DFA B,DFA|B,EGB B,EGB|
B2BA FBDF|(3EEE GB B,EGB|AD (3FED ADFA|(3Bcd ce dBAF|G2E2E2:|
|:gf|eB (3efg eBeg|dA (3def dAdf|eBeg eBeg|dBAF BAAF|
GEB,G FEDF|GDGB ADFA|(3Bcd ce dBAF|G2E2E2:|
6
X: 6
T: The Drunken Sailor's
R: hornpipe
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Gdor
D|G2 GF GABc|dcBA GFDE|F2FE FGAB|
cAFA dcBA|GD[BB,]D GABc|dcBA GFDE|F2gf dcBA|B2G2G3:|
|:A|B2BA Bcde|fcAB cAFG|A/G/F cF dFcF|A/G/F cF dFcA|
B2BA Bcde|fcAB cAFA|G2gf dcBA|B2G2G3:|
|:c|dgg^f gabg|agfe d3e|fcgc acgc|fcgc agfe|
d2g2 ~g2 bg & x4 gdx2|agfe d3c|dfeg fdcA|B2G2G3:|
|:F|DGBG DGBG|CFAF CFAF|DGBG DGBG|d^cd_e d=cBA|
GBdB GBdB|c2 AF CFAc|d/e/f eg fd cA|B2G2G3:|
|:z|gd g/a/b gd g/a/b|fc f/g/a fc f/g/a|gd g/a/b gd g/a/b|fdcA dBcA|
BGBd AFAc|BABd c=Bc_e|dfeg fdcA|B2G2G3:|
7
X: 7
T: The Drunken Sailor's
R: hornpipe
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Edor
|:A|BEED EFGA|BAGF edBc|d3c defg|afdf bagf|
eB B2 efga|bagf edBc|d2 de dBAF|GEFD E2:|
|:F|G3F GABc|dAFG AFDG|(3FED AD BDAD|(3FED AD BAGF|
G3F GABc|dAFG AFDF|E2 ge dBAF|GEFD E3:|
|:A|Beed e2 de|fedc B3A|BAeA fAeA|BAeA fedc|
Beed e2 de|fedc B3A|(3Bcd Ac dBAF|GEFD E3:|
|:EGBG EGBG|DFAF DFAF|EGBG EGBG|B2 B=c BAGF|
EGBG EGBG|A2 FD ADFA|(3Bcd Ac dBAF|GEFD E4|
EG G2 EG G2|DF F2 DF F2|EG G2 EGGA|B2 B=c BAGF|
EGBG EGBG|A2 FD ADFA|(3Bcd Ac dBAF|GEFD E4||
|:(3efg eB (3efg eB|(3def dA (3def dA|(3efg eB (3efg eBBc|dBAF BGAF|
GFGE FEFD|GFGB ADFA|(3Bcd ce dBAF|GEFD E4:|
|:BEGE BEGE|ADFD ADFD|BEGE BEGA|BAGF GFED|
BEGE BEGE|A2 FD ADFD|(3Bcd Ac dBAF|GEFD E4:|
# Added by JACKB .
8
X: 8
T: The Drunken Sailor's
R: hornpipe
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Ador
|:A|EAAG ABcd|edcB AGEF|G3F GABc|dBGB edcB|
AE E2 ABcd|edcB AGEF|G2 ga gedB|cABG A3:|
|:B|c3B cdef|gdBc dBGc|(3BAG dG eGdG|(3BAG dG edcB|
c3B cdef|gdBc dBGB|A2 ea gedB|cABG A3:|
|:EAAG A2 GA|BAGF E3D|EDAD BDAD|EDAD BAGF|
EAAG A2 GA|BAGF E3D|(3EFG DF GEDB|cABG A4:|
|:Acec Acec|GBdB GBdB|Acec Acec|e2 e=f edcB|
Acec Acec|d2 BG DGBd|(3efg df gedB|cABG A4:|
(3ABc AE (3ABc AE|(3GAB GD (3GAB GD|(3ABc AE (3ABc A/E/E/F/|gedB eBdB|
cBcA BABG|cBce dGBd|(3efg fa gedB|cABG A4:|
|:EAcA EAcA|DGBG DGBG|EAcA EAcd|edcB cBAG|
EAcA EAcA|d2 BG DGBG|(3efg df gedB|cABG A4|
Ac c2 Ac c2|GB B2 GB B2|Ac c2 Accd|e2 e=f edcB|
Acec Acec|d2 BG DG B2|(3efg df gedB|cABG A4:|
# Added by JACKB .
9
X: 9
T: The Drunken Sailor's
R: hornpipe
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Gmin
GF|"1"DG{A}GF GABc|dg{a}g^f gabg|fdbg f=edc|BGEC G,B,EF|
G2 {A}GF GABG|D=E{G}FE FB,DF|GABc dcAc|{Bc}B2 G2 G2 (3DEF||"2"~G3 A ~B3 c|
dg ~g2 dgbg|fdbg f=edc|BcAF GFDC|DG (3GGG cGBG|DF{G}F=E FGAF|
GABc dcAc|(3BdB G2 G2 z2||"3"gfdf gabg|gfdc GF D2|~B3 c ~d3 =e|
fcdB AGFD|G,CDG G,CDG|G,B,DG FAGD|GABG EFGE|CDEC A,D G,2-||
"4"G,A,B,D GABc|dg{a}gf gabg|fdbg f=edc|~B3 A GFDC|DG (3GGG cGBG|
DF{G}F=E FGA^F|GABc dcAc|(3BdB G2 G2 (3DEF||"5"G3 A B3 c|dg g2 dgbg|
fdbg f=edc|BGEC G,B,EF|(G2 {A}G)F GABG|D=E{G}FE FB,DF|GABc dcAc|
(3BcB G2 G2 z2||"6"gfdf gabg|gfdc GF D2|~B3 c ~d3 =e|fcdB AGFD|
G,2 GF GABG|D=EFE FB,DF|GABG EFGE|CDEC A,D G,2||"7"G2 GF GABc|
dcBA GFD=E|F2 F=E FGAB|cAFA dcBA|GDB,D GABc|dcBA GFD=E|
FGgf dcBA|(3BcB G2 G2 z2||"8"{A}B2 BA Bcd=e|fcAB cAFG|AFcF dFcF|
AFcF dcBA|B2 BA Bcd=e|fcAB cAFA|GAgf dcBA|(3BcB G2 G2 z2||
"9"B2 BA Bcd=e|fcAB cAFA|AFcF dFcF|AFcF dcBA|B2 BA Bcd=e|
fcAB cAFA|GAgf dcBA|(3BcB G2 G2 Bd||"1
"gfga g2 fg|agf=e d2 de|
fcgc acgc|fcgc agf=e|dg (3gfg dgbg|agf=e dFAc|df=eg fdcA|
(3BcB G2 GABd||"11"g2 gf g2 {a}gf|gabg gfd=e|fcgc acgc|fcgc agf=e|
dg ~g2 dgbg|agf=e dFAc|df=eg fdcA|(3BcB G2 GDEF||"12"GBdB GBdB|
FAcA FAcD|(3FGA Bc dcAA|cBGD C^FAF|GBdB GBdB|(3cdc A^F DA,B,D|
df=eg fdcA|(3BdB G2 GDEF||"13"GBdB GBdB|FAcA FAcd|(3FGA Bc dcAD|
cBGD C^FAF|GBdB GBdB|(3cdc A^F DA,B,D|df=eg fdcA|(3BdB G2 G2 g/a/g/f/||
"14"gdgb gdgb|fcfa fcfa|gdgb gdbg|fdcA BGEC|G,B,DG B,DGF|
DGBG FAcA|df=eg fdcA|G2 DB, G,2 z2||"15"gdgb gdgb|fcfa fcfa|
gdga b2 ag|fdcA dBcA|BGDG AFDA|BDGD EAcA|(3Bcd =eg fdcA|
G2 DB, G,2 D/D/D/D/||"16"DGAd DGAd|DFAd DFAd|DGBd DGBd|dedc ADFA|
GBdB GBdB|(3cdc AF DA,B,D|df=eg fdcA|(3BcB G2 G3 D||
"17"DGBd DGBd|DFAc DFAc|DGBd DGBd|dedc ADFA|
GBdB GBdB|(3cdc AF DA,B,D|df=eg fdcA|G2 DB, HG,4||
# Added by Bazza .
10
X: 10
T: The Drunken Sailor's
R: hornpipe
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Edor
|:(3EF^G|AA AB AB cd|ed cB AG EF|~G3A GA Bc|dB GB ed cB|
A3B AB cd|ed cB AG EF|G2 (3fga ge (3dcB|c2 A2 A2:|
|:AB|~c3B cd ef|gd Bc dB Gc|BG dG eG dG|BG dG ed cB|
~c3B cd ef|gd Bc dB GB|A2 (3fga ge (3dcB|c2 A2 A2:|
|:ce|~a3^g ~a2 ga|ba gf e3d|ed ad bd ad|gd ad ba gf|
e2 a2 a2 ga|ba gf e3d|eg fa ge (3dcB|c2 A2 A2:|
|:AG|Ac ec Ac ec|GB dB GB dB|Ac ec Ac ec|e2 e=f ed cB|
Ac ec Acec|GB dB GB dB|eg fa ge (3dcB|c2 A2 A2:|
|:ce|ae (3abc' ae (3abc'|gd (3gab gd (3gab|ae (3abc' ae ef|ge dB ec dB|
cB cA BA BG|cB ce dG Bd|eg fa ge (3dcB|c2 A2 A2:|

Thirty-five comments

The Drunken Sailor

What a delight it is to find this tune posted here. It is a great great tune, one that i’ve only heard once started in a session (by Seamus Connoly no less). I have never started this tune myself given it’s length and the fact that no one I know has mastered it. There is a great recording of The Drunken Sailor on Larry Nugent’s first CD, the details of which I have posted already on this site. However, the cross reference hasn’t registered because of the incidentally differenct listing of the tune’s name. (Jeremy, can this be fixed? Thanks!)

Whistle players should note that this tune is usually played on a C whistle.

Cross reference fixed

hey, i just figured out how to fix the cross reference by subitting submitting the alternate name in response to the “Do you know the tune by another name” question. (I know, they call my sherlock.) And lo and behold, there is another recording of The Drunken Sailor on ‘The Fire Aflame’ by Keane, Molloy, O’Flynn. This site is *so* awesome.

What a Great Tune

This is one of my current favorites. This is the only place I have been able to fine it. Noel Hill has a GREAT recording of it on his CD The Irish Concertina. He plays it with a concertina that is piched differently so you have to transpose to get his tuning. Anyhow, its wonderful to have found it here.

Sometimes played with a 6th part

Also played on one of Tommy Peoples’ earlier albums (can’t remember the name, sorry). Sixth part goes

DGAd DGAd| DFAc DFAc| DGAd DGAd| cBAG E/2F/2GAG…
Then repeat and end w/the same ending as the fifth part.

Kane Sisters version

Here’s how Yvonne and Liz Kane play it on their cd, the Well Tempered Bow.

X:1
T:Galway Bay
S: Kane Sisters, The Well Tempered Bow
M:4/4
L:1/8
K:G minor
GA | B3 c dcdg | {a}g2 dg ga (3bag | fdbg fdcd | BAGA GFD2 |
| G3 A B3G | FCFG AGF{GF}D | GABc dcBA | (3BcB G2 G3A |
| BABc dcdg | {a}g2 dg ga (3bag | fdbg fdcd | BAGA GFD2 |
| DFGA BABG | FCFG AGF {GF}D | GABc dcBA | (3BcB G2 G3 g ||
| gfdf gabg | gfde dBGA | BFBc df (3=efg | fcdB AGFA |
| BGdB AFcA | BfdB Acfc | dfga bagf | d2 g2 g3 g :||
final ending: | dfga bagf | dcBA G4 ||

Posted .

But I doubt this is a McGlinchey tune. It’s in O’Neill’s, predating Mr. McGlinchey by a few decades.

Posted .

McGlinchey & The Sailor

Right, Will - it’s much a much older than McGlinchey, but he did record it on an LP for the Belfast Outlet label, sometime in the 70s.
A testing piece on any instrument.

Posted by .

Hmm (…he interjected almost exactly 2 years later) I don’t see the similarity with the tune you posted Will, apart from maybe the key and genre of tune.

Cathal Hayden

Cathal Hayden’s version on Handed Down is banjo playing at its best. My favourite banjo piece.

Pipes/Whistle Friendly Version

X: 1
T: The Drunken Sailor
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Ador
|:A|EAAG ABcd|edcB AGEF|G3F GABc|dBGB edcB|
AE E2 ABcd|edcB AGEF|G2 ga gedB|cABG A2 :|
|:B|c3B cdef|gdBc dBGc|(3BAG dG eGdG|(3BAG dG edcB|
c3B cdef|gdBc dBGB|A2 c’a gedB|cABG A3 :|
|:d|eaag a2 ga|bagf e3d|edad bdad|edad bagf|
eaag a2 ga|bagf e3d|(3efg df gedB|cABG A3 :|
|:Acec Acec|GBdB GBdB|Acec Acec|e2 e=f edcB|
Acec Acec|d2 BG dgBd|(3efg df gedB|cABG A4 :|
|: (3abc‘ ae (3abc’ ae|(3gab gd (3gab gd| (3abc‘ ae (3abc’ aeef|gedB ecdB|
cBcB BABG|cBce dGBd|(3efg fa gedB|cABG A4 :|
|:EAcA EAcA|DGBG DGBG|EAcA EAcd|edcB cBAG|
EAcA EAcA|d2 BG DGBG|(3efg df gedB|cABG A4 :|

Posted by .

Tipsy Sailor (reel/hornpipe)

A Great Tune….
I first found this on Alistair Andersons LP/book tutor for the English Concertina. The notes say that AA learnt it from Nic Jones who had it from an Irish button box player in a London Pub.
AA plays it as a reel. I later found it on a vinyl from a group called Patti O‘Doors (!) who say that they learnt it from Jim O’ Doyle of Durham who learnt it from AA who learnt it from etc…. as above!
AA’s tutor has now been re-issued on CD (hurrah!) by Free Reed. I’ll try and get round to putting it in the recordings database. Meanwhile, here’s a vanilla rendering of the AA reel version (ie minus ornaments).
(ps AA puts this in the tutor book with a 2 flat key sig resolving to G, whatever that is, but that’s not what he plays - so I think that’s a typo)

X:1
T:The Tipsy Sailor (Alistair Anderson EC tutor)
M:4/4
R:Reel
K:Gdor
DGGF GABc | dcBA GFDE | F2 FE FGAB | cAFA dcBA |
GDB,D GABc |dcBA GFDE | F2 fe dcBA | ABGG G4 :|
ABGA Bcde | fdBd cBAG | F2 cF dFcF | F2 cF dFcF |
ABGA Bcde | fdBd cBAG | G2 gf dcBA | ABGG G4 :|
gdg/a/b gdg/a/b | fcf/g/a fcf/g/a | gdg/a/b gdg/a/b | fdcA ddcA |
B4 A4 | B4 c4 | df (3efg fdcA | ABGG G4 :|
DGAd DGAd |DFAc DFAc |DGAd DGAd | c2 AF CFAc |
GBdB GBdB |c2 AF CFAc | df (3efg fdcA | BG (3AGF G4 :|

DrunkenSailor

Heard Liz Carroll play this last night in Manchester - magic (but I wish the audience had been quieter!)
It’s on her Lost in the Loop Album.

The Tipsy Sailor

Brendan Keenan does a lovely version of this tune on his solo album Brendan Keenan with a nice arrangement I think done by Donal Lunny.

Molloy/O’Flynn/Keane setting from "The Fire Aflame

This is a near-enough accurate transcription from the above-mentioned recording. The ABC submitted as the 7th displayed above is a slightly simplified one (The Session’s ABC syntax is out of date!!!!), so here’s my full annotated ABC:
X:1
T:The Drunken Sailor
C:Traditional
D:transcribed from the setting on “The Fire Aflame” - Sean Keane, Matt Molloy, Liam O’Flynn
Z:Jem Hammond 8:9:2014
R:Hornpipe
M:4/4
L:1/8
K:Gdor
“@-8,22 2nd”D|G2 G“@-8,-16(#)”F GABc & “@-26,-16 1st”DG|dcBA GFDE|F2FE FGAB|cAFA dcBA| GD“@-8,9 ( )”[BB,]D GABc|dcBA GFDE|F2 “@-8,-5 ( )”gf dcBA & x2f2|B2G2G3:|
|:A|B2BA Bcde|fcAB cAFG|A/G/F cF dFcF|A/G/F cF dFcA|
B2BA Bcde|fcAB cAFA|G2gf dcBA|B2G2G3:|
|:c|dgg^f gabg|agfe d3e|fcgc acgc|fcgc agfe|
d2g2 ~g2 bg & x4 gdx2|agfe d3c|dfeg fdcA|B2G2G3:|
|:“@-9,-4 ( )”F|DGBG DGBG|CFAF CFAF|DGBG DGBG|d“@-17,-4 ( )”^cd_e d=cBA|
GBdB GBdB & x4 “@-10,-17 ( )”G/A/B|c2 AF CFAc|d/e/f eg fd cA|B2G2G3:|
|:z|gd g/a/b gd g/a/b|fc f/g/a fc f/g/a|gd g/a/b gd g/a/b|fdcA dBcA|
BGBd AFAc & ~B3G ~A3F|BABd c=Bc_e & ~B3G ~c3_e|dfeg fdcA|B2G2G3:|

Copies of this notation with staff notation copy may be previewed and downloaded as a Word.doc from https://app.box.com/s/qh4ucvqvm4km0j2i6jd4

The Drunken Sailor

This is my attempt to transcribe a tune played by Tommy Potts on ‘The Liffey Banks’ LP, and to represent some of his variations and decorations (however imperfectly).

Posted by .

Re: The Drunken Sailor

PS: It’s from the Tune Library pages of the Rude Mechanicals website: www.rudemex.co.uk, rendered into ABC by my colleague, Ray Chandler. There are lots of other tunes there, but not notated in this sort of detail.

Posted by .

Re: The Drunken Sailor

I have to ask whether or not you listened through to this before you posted it, because you’ve got 2 hornpipes there not 1. Up to the number “7” is “Galway Bay”. From “7” on is “The Tipsy Sailor”.

Posted by .

Re: The Drunken Sailor

Mind you, in all fairness, nobody else seems to have noticed this either, including Seamus Ennis, in the sleeve notes.

Posted by .

Re: The Drunken Sailor

I called it ‘The Drunken Sailor’ because that’s the title of the whole track as listed on the LP cover. Do you have the dots (or a link to them) of tunes under the titles you give above? I’ve come across a setting of Nic Jones’s version of ‘Tipsy Sailor’ in Raven’s ‘1,000 English (sic) Country Dance Tunes’ - clearly the same or related tune to T. Potts’s - but I’d like to see the ‘Galway Bay’ that you mention.

You’re right to point out that it’s a hornpipe and not, as I listed it, a reel.

Posted by .

Re: The Drunken Sailor’s

The Drunken or tipsy sailor and Galway bay are two different tunes . Surely?

Re: The Drunken Sailor’s

My band, Celtic Stew, has used Drunken Sailor as our closing tune for 18 years, and it always such a joy to see people of all ages and states of sobriety leaping around and singing along! It such a simple tune but entirely infectious and participatory. Who doesn’t long for the days when you could drink at work and wake up in bed with the boss’s daughter, instead of suspended and going to mandatory counselling?

Re: The Drunken Sailor’s

I think you’re talking about a different tune, possibly “What Shall We Do With The Drunken Sailor”. This multi-part hornpipe, “The Drunken / Tipsy Sailor”, in the key of G minor, is not a “simple” tune.

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Re: The Drunken Sailor’s

I detect elements of something very like “Johnny Cope” in the first two measures: this tune seems to be an elaboration based on an old and quite simple theme. Whoever did it, it’s a lovely piece of work.