Key signature: Dmajor
Submitted on November 18th 2008 by deeor.
This tune has been added to 2 tunebooks.
X: 1
T: Ring The Banjo
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
R: polka
K: Dmaj
|: A2 dd |c/B/A dd | c/B/A dB/d | ed c2 | BA B/c/d | ed cd | ed cA |Bc d2 :|
|: df a2 | gg f2 | df aa | gf e2| cA B/c/d |ed cd | ed cA | Bc d2 :||
Gan Ainm Polka
This wee tune popped into a friend's head last week. We think he learned it from the County Down fiddler Jackie Donnan (dec'd).
Does anyone recognise it?
# Posted on November 18th 2008 by deeor
"Ring the Banjo" is its name
A friend who has a great memory for tunes and names has now told me that the tune is called ‘Ring the Banjo’.
It’s a Quadrille tune played for the 1st figure of the Lancers.
The version I have posted may not be quite accurate so I may amend it once I hear the "correct" version.
Should it remain classified as a polka or should it be put into another category?
# Posted on November 20th 2008 by deeor
2/4 seems right fight for it...
# Posted on November 20th 2008 by ceolachan
Any more information on the tune is always welcome. What's your source for the information about 'The Lancers' connection?
# Posted on November 20th 2008 by ceolachan
Lyrics
deeor - I seem to recall that there is an old song with that name. Don't know whether your tune is the one that goes with it, though...
http://www.ezfolk.com/lyrics/qrst/r/ring-ring-de-banjo/ring-ring-de-banjo.html
# Posted on November 20th 2008 by Mix O'Lydian
That makes sense, they did use popular song airs, appropriate ones, for accompanying the sets of quadrilles, which includes 'The Lancers'... Sometimes they'd create a whole set of tunes for the dance figures. The consequence of this was "The Dublin Set", which was the same old dance, but with songs with a Dublin connection, including "Molly Malone". There was a similar Belfast set, of tunes, and sets connected to things like opera airs and famous celebrities ~ "Jenny Lind"... I even remember one where the cover illustration was of people in black face and the airs were all accordingly associated, along the lines of "Ring De Banjo"...
# Posted on November 20th 2008 by ceolachan
Stephen Foster
Just clicked the link ~ ABSOLUTELY! ~ there were Stephen Foster sets, his tunes arranged for the sets of quadrilles (which as said, includes 'The Lancers'). Chances are, deeor, if you're interested, you'll find them in the library system in Belfast, or at Queens University. There are quite a few in Dublin in the National Library, a favourite haunt of ours...
# Posted on November 20th 2008 by ceolachan
The Lancers Connection
"What's your source for the information about 'The Lancers' connection?"
A friend and her husband who play for dancers. Next time I see her I'll ask if the tune is used currently. Jackie Donnan from whence the tune came, played for dancers, (and danced himself) almost all his life. He would have been playing when Stephen Foster material would have been more in vogue.
I must say I found the title a bit incongruous but the Stephen Foster angle would explain it.
# Posted on November 20th 2008 by deeor
Ring the Banjo
I have now modified the original ABC's so that the tune is now correct according the recollections of my friends who play it. I don't think Jeremy modifies the midi file so anyone interested should download the ABC's to hear the "proper" version.
# Posted on December 14th 2008 by deeor