Annotation:Joy of My Life (The)
Tune properties and standard notation
JOY(S) OF MY LIFE, THE (Lutgair Mo Beata). AKA and see "Boys from the Lough (The)," "Corovoth Jig," "Donnybrook Fair (1)," "Humors of Donnybrook," "Joys of Life (The)," "Joys of Youth (2) (The)," "Oh! Irishmen Never Forget," "Our Own Little Isle." Irish, Double Jig. G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AAB (O'Neill/1915, Taylor): AABB (O'Neill/Krassen): AABB' (O'Neill/1850 & 1001). O'Neill found this as an unnamed and unpublished tune, and said it was a favorite with his contemporary Chicago musicians Delaney, Early and McFadden. In Irish Folk Music he says: "A German bandmaster from Troy, New York, ws so pleased with its rhythm that it fills a favorite place in his repertoire. To impress a German leader favorably is high honor indeed for an Irish jig." David Taylor (1992) notes that his is the modern version of the tune, and that other printed sources have a different variation of the final four bars.
Source for notated version:
Printed sources: Mulvihill (1st Collection), 1987; No. 21, p. 123 (appears as "The Joys of Youth"). O'Neill (O'Neill's Irish Music), 1915; No. 138, p. 80. O'Neill (Krassen), 1976; p. 26. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903; No. 808, p. 150. O'Neill (Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems), 1907; No. 79, p. 29. Taylor (Through the Half-door), 1992; No. 51, p. 36.
Recorded sources: Shaskeen - "The Joys of Life." John Vesey - "Sligo Fiddler" (1958). Wild Asparagus WA 003, Wild Asparagus - "Tone Roads" (1990).