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Johnny’s reel

Also known as P. Joe’s Swallow’s Tail.

There are 7 recordings of this tune.

Johnny's has been added to 40 tunebooks.

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Three settings

1
X: 1
T: Johnny's
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Edor
|:B2cA BE~E2|BABc dfec|dBAF ~D3E|FDFA dfed|
B2cA BE~E2|BABc d2Ad|fedf edef|1 dBAF EFGA:|2 dBAF E3z||
|:B2ed Be~e2|BABc dfec|dBAF ~D3E|FDFA dfed|
B2ed Be~e2|BABc d2Ad|fedf edef|1 dBAF E3z:|2 dBAF EFGA||
2
X: 2
T: Johnny's
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Ddor
|:A2BG AD~D2|AGAB cedB|cAGE ~C3D|ECEG cedc|
A2BG AD~D2|AGAB c2Gc|edce dcde|1 cAGE DEFG:|2 cAGE D3z||
|:A2dc Ad~d2|AGAB cedB|cAGE ~C3D|ECEG cedc|
A2dc Ad~d2|AGAB c2Gc|edce dcde|1 cAGE D3z:|2 cAGE DEFG||
K: Ador
|:e2fd eA~A2|edef gbaf|gedB ~G3A|BGBd gbag|
e2fd eA~A2|edef g2dg|bagb agab|1 gedB ABcd:|2 gedB A3z||
|:e2ag ea~a2|edef gbaf|gedB ~G3A|BGBd gbag|
e2ag ea~a2|edef g2dg|bagb agab|1 gedB A3z:|2 gedB ABcd||
3
X: 3
T: Johnny's
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Edor
dc|:B2 Ad BEEE|BABc dedB|A^GAB ADDE|(3FED FA d2 cd|
BB Ad BEEE|BABc dcde|fdde dcBA|(3Bcd AF EFGA:|
|:Beed efed|BABc dedB|A^GAB ADDE|(3FED FA d2 cd|
Beed efed|BABc dcde|fdde dcBA|(3Bcd AF EFGA:|

Ten comments

Johnny’s Reel

This reel comes from Connemara melodeon player Johnny Connolly’s playing. Unfortunately the notes of the recording provide no information on the tune since Johnny Connolly himself doesn’t recall the source. He actually recorded it in D dorian using a C melodeon.

K: Ddor
|:A2BG AD~D2|AGAB cedB|cAGE ~C3D|ECEG cedc|
A2BG AD~D2|AGAB c2Gc|edce dcde|1 cAGE DEFG:|2 cAGE D3z||
|:A2dc Ad~d2|AGAB cedB|cAGE ~C3D|ECEG cedc|
A2dc Ad~d2|AGAB c2Gc|edce dcde|1 cAGE D3z:|2 cAGE DEFG||

The tune can be played in Ador too.

K: Ador
|:e2fd eA~A2|edef gbaf|gedB ~G3A|BGBd gbag|
e2fd eA~A2|edef g2dg|bagb agab|1 gedB ABcd:|2 gedB A3z||
|:e2ag ea~a2|edef gbaf|gedB ~G3A|BGBd gbag|
e2ag ea~a2|edef g2dg|bagb agab|1 gedB A3z:|2 gedB ABcd||

I was reminded of this tune listening to a version of the Swallow’s Tail on Comhaltas Live: http://comhaltas.ie/music/detail/comhaltaslive_285_6_clodagh_holland The travelling pipers’ version of the Swallow’s Tail recorded by Dersih (see: https://thesession.org/tunes/105/comments) is also similar to this tune. But, I think this is different enough from the common version of the Swallow’s Tail, and so deserves a separate post.

I mean "Dervish" of course.

Like it, thanks.

Slainte,
Which recording did you transcribe it from?

From "An Mileoidean Scaoilte," Johnny Connolly’s latest recording.

Conversation at the crosses

You can find this tune onthe CD "Conversation at the crosses" track 6 (Pat O’Connor, Eoghan O’Sullivan). They called it P.Joe’s Swallow’s Tail.

P. Joe’s Swallow’s Tail

Setting 3 is my quick transcription of how Pat O’Connor and Eoghan O’Sullivan play this on Conversation at the Crosses. They play it four times with a fair bit of subtle variation, and this setting probably combines bits and pieces from several of their repetitions. I’m not certain about those G sharps, but they seem to work.