Annotation:Wallop the Spot

Back to Wallop the Spot

WALLOP THE SPOT (“Buail an Bal{l} Sin” or “Tabhair leadradh don spota”). AKA – “Jackson’s Wallop the Spot,” “Spot the Wallop.” Irish, Double Jig. D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABBCC (Breathnach): AABBCCDD (O’Neill). Bernard Flaherty (1990) sees some resemblance between this tune and his "Larry the Beer Drinker.” Jackie Small, editor of Breathnach’s CRÉ V, remarks that the setting in that volume is closer to the one generally played today than is O’Neill’s version.

Source for notated version: a recording of Paddy Mullin (Longford town) [Breathnach/CRÉ V]; whistler Joe Kilmurry [Breathnach/CICD]; "McFadden" [O'Neill] -- fiddle player biography:John McFadden was originally from near Westport, County Mayo, emigrated to the United States where he settled in Chicago. He was a musician whose skills at playing and improvisation O'Neill admired.

Printed sources: Breathnach (An Cnuasacht Iomlán den Cheol Damhsa), 1977. Breathnach (CRÉ V), 1999; No. 24, p. 14. O'Neill (Krassen), 1976; p. 68. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903; No. 1087, p. 205. O'Neill (Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems), 1907; No. 281, p. 61.

Recorded sources: Cló Iar-Chonnachta CICD 123, Seán Hernon – “An Nóra Beag.” Coleman Heritage Center CD CC 001, Colm O’Donnell, Tommie Finn, Shane McGovern – “The Sound of Coleman Country.” Hook Records, Four Men and a Dog - "Wallop the Spot" (2009). Mulligan LUN CD 052, piper Tommy Keane – “The Piper’s Apron” (appears as “Spot the Wallop”).

See also listing at:
Alan Ng's Irishtune.info [1]
Jane Keefer's Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources [2]
Hear/see the tune played by Stephen & Cathal Hayden on youtube.com [3]