George White’s Favourite reel

I first heard this on a tape of a tape etc of some old 78’s & LP’s that someone had put together in the 60’s or 70’s it had various people on it. I’m 99% that this cut was Paddy Canny, but I could be wrong. There was a piano playing Mixolydian Chords behind him & although they wouldn’t be considered the "right" chords by some of today’s backers the chords the piano choose gave this tune even more of a lift. I had no Idea of the name but a friend just clued me in as of late. It’s a nice reel that goes nice on both the flute & the fiddle.

Actually, George White’s and Carracastle Lass (or Boys of Carrowcastle, as it’s called here) are two entirely different tunes that became confused because they were originally recorded consecutively on an early recording that was reissued on the CD From Galway to Dublin. You can also hear them played consecutively on a more recent recording by Paddy Ryan and Jim Corry on the CD The Mountain Road, track 9.

Here’s a version based in part on the playing of Kevin Burke—just subtly different from Brad’s original.

X: 1
T: George White’s Favorite
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Gmaj
Bd|:e~B3 eBdB|AGAB GEDE|G~B3 GABd|eBdB A2 Bd|
|e~B3 eBdB|AGAB GEDE|GABd gedB|1 AGAB GABd:|2 AGAB G2 de||
|:gede gaba|~g3a gede|dega bgag|eaag a2 ga|
|bgeg d2 de|gede gaba|~g3a gedB|1 AGAB G2 de:|2 AGAB GABd||

Thanks for that, Will. That’s a nice setting. I do love the way Kevin plays this on Portland, and it goes great on the box.

This tune is recorded in D on Molloy & Kaene "Contentment is Wealth" and O’Shaughnessy & Bradley "… born for sport." It’s something like this:

K: Dmaj
dc|BF~F2 BFAF|EDEF DB,A,B,|DF~F2 DEFA|BFAF E2FA|
BF~F2 BFAF|EDEF DB,A,B,|DEFA dBAF|EDEF D2:|
zc|dBAB defe|~d3e dBAB|ABde fded|Beed e2de|
fdBd ~A3B|dBAB defe|d2dA BdAF|EDEF D2:|

Of course, it’s better to slow down a little bit in the key.

According to Paul Brock, George White was a piccolo-playing publican in New York.

I’m enjoying playing a slightly different version of the tune in D at home. You can listen to me play it here: http://slainte.web.infoseek.co.jp/sound_e.html I will probably replace them with better takes in the future.

There’s an excelent version of this song done by Miliosa (McWeeney) Lundy on banjo. It’s a late 1970’s record titled Off To California by local San Francisco bay area musicians.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Iqp4I8bNq54&feature=related

play video

this tune s the second one…starting at about 00:42 on the timer thingy

fan-fooking-tastic

I have some sheet music here with a hornpipe listed as "The Reeler". Melodically it is identical to ‘George White’s’. It’s just written as a hornpipe.

What’s the history behind your transcription? Where’s it from jimod? As a hornpipe, if you’re playing it, why not submit it here. If so, remember to link it back to the reel version…and please, give some background too… It’s a lovely hornpipe…

Second tune nicely played here by Eric, Hugh, Colm Healy, Noel O’Donoghue and Seán McGrath
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWGQ5NNcaCw

play video

The video link above has been removed. Does anyone have it that can repost it?

I’ve checked Karen Tweed’s album, "Drops of Springwater" and can’t find a tune called George White’s Favourite, or any of the other names given here.

This is tune is to be found on Michael O’Raghallaigh’s "The Nervous Man", played along with The Copper Plate.

A tune named "Sweeney’s" - probably the polka - is on Karen’s CD, and someone has listed this tune under that title, hence the [ incorrect ] link.

This is from Ceol Rince na hEireann Volume 1 No.97 where it is called Rogha Sheoirse de Faoite

Which means George White’s Fancy in Irish.

go raibh maith agat

I have added the hornpipe version referred to above by hoopoe at https://thesession.org/tunes/14571

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1DPRfEAUxk

play video

Paul Brock is probably right. I heard a great many years ago that George White did not play any instrument but was a popular bar owner.

Just a little clarification for flute players out there that want to play this one in D. The fourth bar of the first part is what can be heard on the D Flute album.