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You are here: Home / Fiddling / Fiddle Tune a Day / Bill Sullivan’s Polka – Fiddle Tune a Day – Day 77

March 18, 2012

Bill Sullivan’s Polka – Fiddle Tune a Day – Day 77

Bill Sullivan’s Polka (AKA Dennis Murphy’s Polka) is a tune I learned from Eric LeVine a long long time ago, but I hadn’t played it probably since junior high when Steve Eulberg reintroduced me to it. The A Part of Bill Sullivan’s Polka is pretty distinctive melodically, and the B Part reminds me of Boil the Cabbage Down.

Bill Sullivan’s Polka according to the Fiddler’s Companion

BILL SULLIVAN’S. AKA and see “Denis Murphy’s (Polka),” “Micky chewing bubblegum.” Irish, Polka. A Major (Mallinson, Taylor): G Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Composed by Terry “Cuz” Teahan as a youngster prior to leaving Ireland for America. Philippe Varlet says that Teahan composed the tune while still taking lessons with the great Sliabh Luachra fiddler Padraig O’Keeffe.  O’Keeffe liked the composition and continued to teach it after Teahan’s departure, and it eventually circulated among local musicians; hence the name “Bill Sullivan’s,” for a local player who popularized it. Teahan’s tune originally had a third part, but it was dropped in popular playing in Ireland. Some have noticed similarities with the Scottish tune “Stumpie/Stumpey.”

 

Article by Vi Wickam / Fiddle Tune a Day, Fiddling, Videos / cabbage down, Companion, Day, denis murphy, fiddle, fiddle tune, irish polka, Keeffe, leaving ireland, Standard, Teahan 11 Comments

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Comments

  1. Steve Eulberg says

    March 19, 2012 at 3:19 pm

    hmmm, the tune doesn't show up yet.

    Reply
  2. Michael Friedman says

    February 28, 2014 at 5:14 pm

    Lovely musical performance !

    Reply
  3. Norma Trewhella says

    April 17, 2014 at 5:03 pm

    Love this tune. Very well done.

    Reply
  4. Vi Wickam says

    April 21, 2014 at 6:09 pm

    Thanks, Michael. It's always fun when I get to make music with Steve Eulberg.

    Reply
  5. Vi Wickam says

    April 21, 2014 at 6:09 pm

    Thanks, Michael. It's always fun when I get to make music with Steve Eulberg.

    Reply
  6. Vi Wickam says

    April 21, 2014 at 6:09 pm

    Thanks, Norma. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

    Reply
  7. Vi Wickam says

    April 21, 2014 at 6:09 pm

    Thanks, Norma. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

    Reply
  8. Janice Kibbe says

    May 4, 2015 at 6:06 am

    WOW! That was awesome! My favorite so far. Keep them coming!

    Reply
    • Vi Wickam says

      May 12, 2015 at 10:26 am

      I’m glad you liked it! 🙂

      Reply
  9. Raymond says

    August 21, 2019 at 6:42 pm

    that’s a good tune

    Reply
    • Vi Wickam says

      August 21, 2019 at 8:41 pm

      Thanks, Raymond.

      Reply

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