back menu
Log in or Sign up

Three Around Three barndance

Also known as 3 Around 3, 3 Round 3, Pleasure Of The Town, Three Round Three.

There are 6 recordings of this tune.

Three Around Three has been added to 9 tune sets.

Three Around Three has been added to 62 tunebooks.

Download ABC

Fourteen settings

1
X: 1
T: Three Around Three
R: barndance
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Amaj
|:f2|e2 cB A2 A2|B2 cB A2 E2|FE FG A2 Bc|d2 c2 c2 B2|
e2 cB A2 A2|B2 cB A2 E2|FE FG A2 Bd|c2 A2 A2:|
|:f2|e2 fg ag fe|f2 f2 fa gf|e2 c2 c2 BA|GA Bc B2 f2|
e2 fg ag fe|f2 f2 f2 e2|fg af ga bg|a2 a2 a2:|
2
X: 2
T: Three Around Three
R: barndance
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
d2BA G2G2|A2BA G2D2|EDEF G2AB|c2B2 B2A2|
d2BA G2G2|A2BA G2D2|EDEF G2Ac|B2A2 G4:|
|:d2ef gfed|e2e2 e4|d2B2 B2AG|FGAB A4|
d2ef gfed|e2e2 e2d2|efg2 fgaf|g4 g4:|
3
X: 3
T: Three Around Three
R: barndance
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Fmaj
|:c2 AG F2 F2|G2 AG F2 C2|DCDE F2 GA|B2 A2 A2 G2|
c2 AG F2 F2|G2 AG F2 C2|DCDE F2 GA|1 G2 F2 F2 A2:|2 G2 F2 F2 z2||
|:c2 de fedc|d2 d2 d2 ed|c2 A2 A2 GF|[EG]FGA G4|
c2 de fedc|d2 d2 d2 c2|de f2 d2 ge|1 f4 c2 d2:|2 f4 f2 d2||
4
X: 4
T: Three Around Three
R: barndance
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
|:d2 BA G2 G2|A2 BA G2 D2|EDEF G2 AB|c2 B2 B2 A2|
d2 BA G2 G2|A2 BA G2 D2|EDEF G2 AB|1 A2 G2 G2 B2:|2 A2 G2 G2 z2||
|:d2 ef gfed|e2 e2 e2 fe|d2 B2 B2 AG|[FA]GAB A4|
d2 ef gfed|e2 e2 e2 d2|ef g2 e2 af|1 g4 d2 e2:|2 g4 g2 e2||
5
X: 5
T: Three Around Three
R: barndance
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
|:B>c|d2 B>A G2 G2|A2 B>A G2 D2|E>DE>F G2 [FA]>B|c2 B2 B2 A2|
d2 B>A G2 G>B|A2 B>A (3GAG D2|1 E>DE>F G2 B>G|A>G F2 G2:|2 E>DE>F G2 B2|A>G F2 G4||
|:d2 e>f g>fe>d|e2 e2 e2 [cg]>e|d2 B2 G2 B2|c>BA>G A4|
[d2g2] e>f g>fe>d|1 e2 e2 e2 g>e|d2 G>B c>BA>F|A2 G2 G4:|2 e2 e2 e2 c>A|B2 G>B F>G (3AFG|A2 G2 G2||
6
X: 6
T: Three Around Three
R: barndance
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
[B2G2]- [B2G2] [G2c2]|:d2 [GB]A G2 G2|A2 BA G2 D2|EDEF G2 AB|c2 B2 B2 A/c/e|
d2 BA G2 G2|A2 BA G2 D2|EDEF G2 c/A/c|1 B2 A2 G2 B2:|2 B2 A2 G2- [G2B2]||
d2 ef gfed|e2 e2 e2 ce|d2 B2 B2 G2|FA-AF A2 ce|
d2 ef gfed|e2 e2 e2 d2|ef g2 fgaf|g2 [B2G2]- [B2G2] [G2c2]|
d2 ef gfed|e2 e2 e2 ce|d2 B2 B2 G<D|FGAB A2 ce|
d2 ef gfed|e2 e2 e2 d2|ef g2 fgaf|g2||
7
X: 7
T: Three Around Three
R: barndance
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Cmaj
gg|:g2 ed c2 c2|d>fed c2 G2|AGAB c2 de|f2 e2 e2 d2|
g2 ed c2 c2|defd c2 G2|AGAB c3 e|1 d2 B2 c2 ze:|2 d2 B2 c2 g2||
|:g2 ab c'bag|a2 a2 ac'ba|g2 e2 e2 cc|Bcde d4|
g2 ab c'bag|a2 a2 a2 g2|ab c'2 bc'd'b|1 c'4- c'2 gg:|2 c'4- c'2 z2||
8
X: 8
T: Three Around Three
R: barndance
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
dd|:d2 BA G2 G2|A>cBA G2 D2|EDEF G2 AB|c2 B2 B2 A2|
d2 BA G2 G2|ABcA G2 D2|EDEF G3 B|1 A2 F2 G2 zB:|2 A2 F2 G2 d2||
|:d2 ef gfed|e2 e2 egfe|d2 B2 B2 GG|FGAB A4|
d2 ef gfed|e2 e2 e2 d2|ef g2 fgaf|1 g4- g2 dd:|2 g4- g2 z2||
9
X: 9
T: Three Around Three
R: barndance
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
|:B c^c|d2 BA G2 G2|A2 BA G2 D2|EDEF G2 AB|c2 B2 B2 A2|
d2 BA G2 G2|A2 BA G2 D2|EDEF G2 AB|1 AG F2 G:|2 AG F2 G3||
|:d-|dd ef gfed|e2 e2 e2 ge|d2 B2 B2 G2|FGAB A4|
d2 ef gfed|e2 ee e2 d2|ef g2 fgaf|1 g4- g3:|2 g4- g||
10
X: 10
T: Three Around Three
R: barndance
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
A2|:d2 BA G2 G2|A2 B/c/B/A/ G2 D2|EDEF G2 AB|c2 B/c/B B2 A2|
d2 B/c/B/A/ G2 G2|A2 B/c/B/A/ G2 D2|EDEF G2 AB|1 AG F2 GA Bc:|2 AG F2 G2 G2||
|:d2 ef gfed|e2 ee e2 f/g/f/e/|d2 B2 B2 AG|FGAB A2 A2|
d2 ef gfed|e2 e2 e2 d2|efge fgaf|1 g2 g/a/g/f/ g2 e2:|2 g2 g/a/g/f/ g4||
11
X: 11
T: Three Around Three
R: barndance
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
|:Bc|d2 BA G2 G2|A2 BA G2 D2|EDEF G2 AB|c2 B2 B/c/B A2|
d2 BA G2 GG|A2 BA G2 D2|EDEF GcAc|B/c/B A2 G2:|
|:Bc|d2 ef gfed|e2 e2 efge|d2 B2 B2 AG|FGAB A2- A/A/B/c/|
d2 ef gfed|e2 e2 e2 d2|ef g2 fgaf|g2 G2 g2:|
12
X: 12
T: Three Around Three
R: barndance
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
|:B2|d2 BA G2 [D2G2]|AGAF G2 DD|EDEF G2 B2|c/d/c B/c/B B2 Ae|
d2 BA G2 GG|AGAF G2 D2|EDEF GABc|B/c/B A2 G2:|
|:ef|d2 ef gfed|e2 e2 e2 ge|d2 B2 B2 G2|AGAB A2 ce|
d2 ef gfed|e2 e2 e2 d2|ef g2 fgaf|g4- g2:|
13
X: 13
T: Three Around Three
R: barndance
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
B2 c2 ^c2|:d2 BA G2 GG|A2 BA G2 D2|EDEF G2 cc|c2 BB B2 A2|
d2 BA G4|A2 BA G2 F2|EDEF G2 c2|1 B2 A2 G-[GB][ce-][^ce]:|2 B2 A/B/A G2- [G2e2]||
|:d2 d2 gfed|e2 e2 efge|d2 B2 BA G2|FGAB A4|
d4 gfed|e2 ee e2 dd|ef g2 fgaf|g4- g4:|
14
X: 14
T: Three Around Three
R: barndance
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
|:d2 BA G2 G2|A2 BA G2 D2|EDEF G2 AB|c2 B2 B2 A2|
d2 BA G2 GG|A2 BA G2 DD|EDEF G2 Ac|1 B2 G2 G4:|2 B2 G2 G2 Bc||
|:d2 ef gfed|e2 e2 e2 ge|d2 B2 BAGD|FGAB A3 A|
d2 ef gfed|e2 ee e2 d2|efge fgaf|1 g4- g2 fe:|2 g4- g2 BB||
|:d2 BA G2 A2-|A2 BA G2 D/E/D|EDEF GFGA|BABc B/c/B Be|
d2 BA G2 D2|A2 BA G2 D/D/D|EDEF G2 Ac|1 B/c/B G2 GABc:|2 B/c/B G2 G2 ee||
|:d2 ef gfed|e2 ee ef g/f/e|d2 BB BAGD|FGAB A3 A|
d2 ef gfed|e2 ec e2 dd|ef g2 fgaf|1 g4- g2 e/f/e:|2 g4 G4||

Nineteen comments

Three Around Three

A tune used for a barn dance of that name. Also commonly played in G-Major.

By tradition, one of a set of two tunes (the other being Highland Mary) used to start the weekly Tuesday sessions at the Naval Volunteer, Bristol UK (except that the “Naval Volunteers” play both tunes in G-Major.)

Three Around Three

Addendum - the version played at the “Naval Volunteer” session (apart from being in G) also differs slightly from the version posted above. Awaiting supplementary posting fom lazyhound?

3 around 3

Also very commonly played in York(shire) sessions, but I’ve only come across it in G

Pleasures of the town

I acquired this tune a very long time ago at a folk music and dance weekend in Somerset in the library of a place called Halsway Manor. As far as I can recall it was, as I understood at that time, the original collected tune but this was over 30 years ago. This has become a very popular tune at English sessions. I have it in G and exactly the same but with the exception of bars 2 & 6. I play: AB/A/ F/E/D so harmonically the chord structure differs in that when playing in the key of G I use | G - D - | whereas in this version the chord remains ‘G’ throughout the bar.

Three around Three

Version of Three Around Three in G as played at the Naval Volunteer 21/10/2008
Here, as requested, is my transcription of the G major version we played at the start of the session on 21 October 2008 at the Naval Volunteer. (1 2-row melodeon, 2 concertinas, 1 fiddle). Other players arrived later.

X: 1
T: Three Around Three
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: barndance
K: Gmaj
d2BA G2G2 | A2BA G2D2 | EDEF G2AB | c2B2 B2A2 |
d2BA G2G2 | A2BA G2D2 | EDEF G2Ac | B2A2 G4 :|
|: d2ef gfed | e2e2 e4 | d2B2 B2AG | FGAB A4 |
d2ef gfed | e2e2 e2d2 |efg2 fgaf | g4 g4 :||

If you do actually play it as a dance, you can liven it up by going into a jig, Off She Goes comes to mind, for the last three times through, to speed up the events on the floor.
Have definitely seen a line of young ladies, the last time through, lap the room instead of just the line of men……..

X: 5 “Three Around Three” - Forrest Crain, alias sqwzbox on YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_DM5m5n150


This is with some selection made from repeats of the tune, and some fudging/approximations on the endings as there seemed to be some confusions of timing…

Here’s more on those approximations and other possibilities:
A-part - - -
- | A2 B>A G2 D2 |[1 E>DE>F G2 B>G | A>G F2 G2 :|[2 E>DE>F G2 B2 | A2 F2 G4 ||
- | A2 B>A (3GAG D2 |[1 E>D E2 G2 B>G | A>G F2 G2 B>c :|[2 E>DE>F G2 B2 | A>G F2 G4 ||
B-part - - -
- | e2 e2 e2 g>e |[1 d2 B>d c>B A2 | E>F G2 G4 :|[2 d2 G>B A>B A2- | A2 G2 G2- G>B |]
- |[1 e2 e2 e2 g>e | d2 G>B c>BA>F | A2 G2 G4 :|[2 e2 e2 e2 c>A | B2 G>B F>G (3AFG | A2 G2 G4 |]

- | G2 B2 G4 :|

- g>e |[1 d2 B>d c>B (3AEF | G2 G2 G4 :|

- g>e | d2 G>d A>G F2- | F2 G2 G2- G>B |]

- g>e |[1 d2 B>d c>B (3AEF | G2 G2 G4 :|[2 d2 B>d c>B A2 | G2 G2 G2 |]

B-part - st 4 measures/bars:

|: d2 e>f g>fe>d | e2 e2 e2 c>e | d2 B2 B4 | c>B A2 A4 | -

|: d2 e>f g>fe>d | e2 e2 e2 g>e | d2 B2 G2 B2 | c>BA>B A4 | -

( > )

Further on X: 5 - This melody seems to show up repeatedly listed as a hornpipe. This previous take, X: 5, was one where the ump-ty-dump-ty ( > ) was clearly present and gave it an added interest and lift…

X: 11 “Three Around Three” - Magpie Lane - correction, as some keys on this laptop are less than responsive -

16. ) Mayer’s Song / The Rochdale Coconut Dance / Three Around Three

Note from recording: “”Three Around Three“ was introduced to the folk scene by Reg Hall, musician for one of the Bampton morris teams, and one of the most important post-war collectors of traditional English and Irish music.”

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Note from “Greenman Rising: Devils and Doxies”: "“Three around three” is named after an English country dance that it is often played for.

The tune’s other name “The Pleasures of the Town” comes from its use in the Henry Fielding play of 1730, “The Author’s Farce and the Pleasures of the Town”. Apparently it was used in the “Pleasures of the town” section of the play."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

While I know the figure “Three Around Three” from various social dances, it shows on YouTube as a handkerchief dance - Guernsey’s Morris-side “The Belles and Broomsticks” performing “Three Around Three”:

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

X: 14 “Three Around Three” - John Spiers & Jon Boden

S: “John Spiers & Jon Boden: Through And Through”, track 11: “Three Around Three”
This transcription is to show some of their variations. Here’s a bit more on that:

A-part ~ more usually, for the first two bars & the 4th:
Bar 1 - - - | d2 BA G2 G2 | ~ | d2 BA G2 GG |
Bar 2 - - - | A2 BA G2 D2 | ~ | A2 BA G2 DD |
Bar 4 - - - | c2 B2 B2 A2 | ~ | c2 BB BA Bc | ~ | c2 B2 B/c/B/A/ Bc |

& the B-part - - - other second endings:
[2 g4- g2 BB |]
[2 g4- g z z2 |]
& concluding ~ [2 g4 G4 |]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_6rDYCKj_8


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiers_and_Boden

Minus that weirdness in the middle… 😛