The Forty-Two Pound Cheque polka

I’m trying to learn some history of the tune “Four Pound Cheque” that is on the first Planxty album and on “The Planxty Collection” sandwiched between Denis Murphy’s and John Ryans.

What is the origin of this tune? Is it trad. or written by one of the members of Planxty? I haven’t found any other recorded version and I don’t have either of these albums to check myself.

I’m also confused about the correct name. Track listings I’ve found on the WEB often have “Four Pound Cheque” on the Planxty album, but “Forty-Two Pound Cheque” on “The Planxty Collection”. I’ve also seen it called “Forty-Five Pound Check” in some tune collections.

Can somebody that has these two albums please check each one to verify the name and possible author? I’ve been absolutely intrigued with, and have fallen in love with, this as something of an alternate version of Denis Murphy’s.

Mick

The “£42 Pound Cheque” was on Planxty’s 3rd LP, “Cold Blow And A Rainy Night”. I don’t recall any composer being listed on the sleeve notes, and Planxty were never noted for recording their own compositions [apart from some of Andy Irvine’s songs and pseudo-Balkan efforts], but without having the recording at hand, I’m 99% certain it was listed as “trad”.
It would be interesting to know if this tune had a name other than “£42 Cheque” before the Planxty recording. Maybe it’s on some of the older recordings of Kerry musicians? The titles “Four”/Forty Five Pound Cheque“ I would think are examples of the “folk process” at work.

It’s worth noting that this hardly played tune is the best polka out of the three. And yet the other two were done to death years back and have become no nos at any decent session. (What comes around though? I might even give all three an airing tonight, and see if I gert barred)

Agreed Michael. It’s a great tune, much better than “deet deet” which comes after it.

Michael or Conan, can you put up ABC for it?

It’s already there, listed as “The Four Pound Cheque”

https://thesession.org/tunes/786

Okay, I’m an idiot. I see that this discussion is actually taking place on the comments on the tune. Duh.

We learned yesterday at the PLANXTY concert in the Barbican, London, that this polka was written by Johnny Moynihan - Donal himself told us so. They started the set off with this tune played lowly in the key of “G” I think, however suitable for Christy to lilt to it nicely. This was followed by Donal Lunny’s “Tolka Polka” (Liam O’Flynn did a great job on that, vow!) and then - I kind of half expected it, but yet couldn’t believe my ears - by the original third polka tune (dd B/c/d/B/ |AFAF….) which, due to Donal’s frantic bouzouki work got a completely new lease of life and: it sounded great again, if you really tried to listen to it unprejudiced 😉 The set was followed by a mega-storm of applause….
This was one of the major surprises during one of the most incredible & magnificent concerts that I ever remember.

Johannes

As is often the case there are extra twiddles which you can hear Planxty play but aren’t in the notation.

Yep, Johnny Moynihan wrote this one. According to Leagues O Toole’s book, Johnny was on the lock all day with a woman he met and when they ran out of money she discovered a cheque for 42 punt in her bag, which they cashed and then continued drinking.

compare beats 3, 4 and 5 of this tune with
Dennis Murphy’s
https://thesession.org/tunes/357

Cold Blow and the Rainy Night: https://thesession.org/recordings/49
(it is the second tune on the second track though it doesn’t show on the titles list)

X: 1
T: The £4 Cheque
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
R: polka
K: Gmaj
dg eg/e/ | dG Bd | cA eA | d>c BG | dg eg/e/ | dG Bd | cA d>c | BG G2 :|
dg ba/b/ | c’b ag | fd ad | a>g fd | dg ba/b/ | c’b a>g | fd ef | g2 g2:|

Top Polka - This setting is how it’s played at our session.

A version with a couple of twists and frills, courtesy of Walton’s book of “Polkas & Slides.”

This is the version that planxty plays. It’s pretty close to X:4 but has enough differences that I though it was worth posting it.

The low D on the first measure on the b part is changed to an A on the repeat so that the preceding notes lead into the measure better.

From the playing of Poitín.

This polka is The Forty-Two Pound Cheque. So that’s what it’s called above now that I’ve edited the title.
Thanks to HumptyHillHead for the confirmation and the story behind it.