Annotation:Father Halpin's Topcoat (1)

Back to Father Halpin's Topcoat (1)

FATHER HALPIN'S TOPCOAT [1]. AKA and see "Shoe the Donkey (2)," "Valse du luthier," "Valse du vieux-Québec (La)." Irish, Varsovienne (3/4 time, "Gaily"). G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. Although included by Roche in a section of "Marches etc.", the tune is the vehicle for a varsovienne dance. "Father Halpin's Top Coat" is also an alternate title to the melody called "Varsovienne (1) (The)" or "Shoe the Donkey (1)/Shoe the Donkey (2)" (see "Father Halpin's Topcoat (2)." The title comes from a nonsense ditty sung to it:

Father Halpin, Father Halpin's,
Father Halpin's Top Coat;
Father Halpin, Father Halpin's,
Father Halpin's Top Coat.

Sometimes it was "Father Murphy's, Father Murphy's..."

Additional notes

Printed sources : - Paul Deloughery (Sliabh Luachra on Parade), 1980; No. 131. Roche (Collection of Traditional Irish Music, vol. 2), 1927; no. 342, p. 60. Batt Scanlon (The Violin Made Easy and Attractive), San Francisco, 1923; p. 34.

Back to Father Halpin's Topcoat (1)

0.00

(0 votes)