The Little Diamond

polka

Key signature: Dmajor

Submitted on March 21st 2002 by B Rad .

This tune has been added to 84 tunebooks.

Also known as The Girl From Lettermore, Little Diamond, The Littler Diamond, Magic Slipper, Mister Ed, Strathnairn.

Recordings of a tune by this name:

• An Toilean Aerach by Johnny Connolly
• As It Happened by Danny O'Mahony, Micheal O'Raghalleigh
• Dance Music Of Ireland: Volume 8 by Matt Cunningham
• éirí Go Lá by Seamus Begley And Jim Murray
• Foinn Seisiun 1 by Ceoltóirí Cultúrlainne
• Irish Dances by Various Artists
• Midnight On The Water by The Kings River Band
• Russell's House by Russell's House
• Sceal Eile by Gerry Harrington And Eoghan O'Sullivan
• The Heather Breeze by Heathery Breeze Ceili Band
• The Moneymusk by Hammy Hamilton
• The Mouse Behind The Dresser by Shaskeen
• The Professor by James Morrison

X: 1
T: Little Diamond, The
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
R: polka
K: Dmaj
B2 | A>B AF | DE FD | A>B AF | GF EF | DE FG | AB cd | ed ce | d2 :||!
e2 | f2 ge | fd cB | Ad cd | fe e2 | f2 ge | fd cB | Ag ec | d2 :||!

The Magic Slipper

Some people call this the "Magic Slipper" which James Morrison & Tom Carmondy recorded as a set preceding "The Little Diamond". Since they just listed the Set as "The Magic Slipper" the title of the two polka's are often confused.

There was a concertina album (I forget who or which one) where they listed this as the "Girl from Lettermore" so I listed that alternate title as well.

But you know what they say about polka titles ...

# Posted on March 21st 2002 by B Rad

T:Little Diamond, The
M:2/4
L:1/8
S:Hammy Hamilton - "The Moneymusk"
R:polka
Z:gm
K:Dmaj
| A>B AF | DF Ad | A2 AF | GF EF | D>E FG | AB cd | e>d ce | d2 d2 :||!
| f2 g>e | fd cB | Ad cd | fe e2 | f2 g>e | fd cB | ag ec | d2 d2:||!

# Posted on December 27th 2004 by gian marco

The Magic Slipper / Little Diamond

When played on the fiddle I believe this tune is at its best in the key of G, so here is a G-major version:

T:Little Diamond
R:polka
M:2/4
L:1/8
K:G
d>e dB | G>F GB | d>e d>B | cB A2 | GA Bc | de fg | ag fa | g2 g2 :|
|: g2g>a | bg c'a | bg fg | ba a2 | bg c'a | bg fe | dc' af | g2 g2 :||

The B-part involves some slightly tricky fingering and position shifting, so for those who would like to enjoy playing this polka until they've sorted out the aforesaid tricky bits, I offer this simpler version of the B-part:
|: g2 g>a | bg fa | bg fg | ba a2 | bg fa | bgfe | dg af |g2 g2 :||

# Posted on June 30th 2007 by Trevor Jennings

As Henrik Norbeck got it:

X:76
T:Little Diamond, The
T:Girl from Lettermore, The
R:polka
H:On the Begley & Cooney recording it is called "The Magic Slipper",
H:which is actually the name of another polka which was recorded in the
H:same medley as this polka in 1936 by James Morrison and Tom Carmody.
D:Begley & Cooney: Meitheal
Z:id:hn-polka-76
M:2/4
L:1/8
K:D
A>B AF|DF Ad|A>B AF|GF EF/E/|DE FG|AB cd|e>d ce|1 d2 dB:|2 d2 de||
fd ge|fd cB|Ad cd|fe ed/e/|fd ge|fd cB|Ag ec|d2 d>e|
fa ge|fd cB|Ad cd|fe ed/e/|fd ge|fd cB|Ag ec|d2 dB||

# Posted on September 23rd 2008 by brotherstorm