The title says it all, a book crammed with juicy polkas to get your teeth into. A must for polka lovers as well as any other musician who is perhaps looking for easier Irish repertoire. Why not give yourself a break from the reels and jigs occasionally?
"The lowly, oft scorned polka": take no notice, don't believe a word. In this book you'll find 100 really smashing tunes, some familiar, many not so familiar; play some slow, play some fast, play some very fast. With good phrasing and rhythm these tunes will stand their ground against reels and jigs any day.
100 tunes (100 polkas) with chords, classified and alphabetical (with alternative titles) indexes. The book also contains a comprehensive bibliography and discography listing every single book and recording referred to whilst researching the tunes.
Important note from Mally
The tune settings in this book are all 'session friendly', i.e. you can learn them exactly as written and know that you will have a perfectly acceptable version. However, I consider it unwise to learn a tune from only one source and I would suggest strongly that, when learning a new tune, you pay heed to settings in other books, on recordings and what you hear down the pub. It is important to note that the settings in this book are greatly influenced by the instrument I play, the D/G melodeon. I've made a conscious effort to allow this to happen in order to give the book its own unique character. The list below would constitute an excellent nucleus towards forming a valuable Irish music library, many of them are available from mally.com. When choosing books, take care not to be put off by the title; some of the best sources of tunes are from tuition books. Just because the book cover says 'Learn to Play the Banjo', don't think it's of no use if you play the tin whistle.
Books will only help you to learn the notes of a tune. To pick up the rhythm of Irish music you must devote a large amount of time listening to both recordings and live musicians. Of greatest importance, you must practise; the value of these books is directly proportional to the number of hours a day you spend practising.
 
Contents
 
All the Way to Galway 
As I went Out upon Ice 
Ballydesmond no. 1 
Ballydesmond no. 2 
Ballydesmond no. 3 
Ballynahulla no. 1 
Ballynahulla no. 2 
Ballyvournie 
Battle of Aughrim 
Belles of Ballinderry 
Biddy Martin's 
Bill Sullivan's 
Camptown Races 
Captain Byng 
Captain Maguire 
Carroll's 
Church Street 
Clare Dragoons 
Cousins' Delight 
Dalaigh's 
Dan Coakley's 
Dan Mac's 
Dark Girl 
Denis Doody's 
Denis Murphy's Din Tarrant's 
Din Tarrant's no. 3 
Doyle's 
Farewell to Whiskey 
Finnegan's Wake 
First of May 
Forty-two Pound Cheque 
Four Shoves no. 1 
Four Shoves no. 2
An Gallope 
Girl with the Blue Dress 
Glen Cottage no. 1 
Glen Cottage no. 2 
Gneevgullia 
Gullane 
High Caul'd Cap 
I have a Bonnet 
Bonnet Trimmed with Blue 
Jack Reedy's 
Jer the Rigger 
Jim Keeffe's 
Jim Keeffe's no. 1 
Jimmy Doyle's Favourite 
John Egan's 
John McGovern's Johnny Ghabba 
Johnny, I Do Miss You! 
Johnny Leary's
Johnny Mickey Barry's 
John Walsh's 
Julia Clifford's 
Kerry no. 1 
Kerry no. 2 
Knocknaboul no. 1 
Knocknaboul no. 2 
Lackagh Cross 
Lakes of Sligo 
Lisdoonvarna 
Little Diamond 
Mack's Rambles 
Magic Slipper 
Mary Girl 
Matt Hayes' no. 1
Matt Hayes' no. 2 
Mike Coen's 
Mrs Crowley's 
Mrs Ryan's 
Munster Bank 
Murroe 
Newmarket O'Connor's 
O'Keeffe's 
O'Sullivan's Fancy 
Britches full of Stitches 
Paddy Kenny's 
Patsy Baker 
Rose Tree 
Saint Mary's 
Séamus Cussen's 
Sliabh Luachra 
Spanish Lady 
Sprig of Shillelagh 
Sweeney's 
Terry Teahan's 
Tom Sullivan's 
Top of Maol 
Tuar Mór no. 1 
Tuar Mór no. 2 
Tuar Mór no. 3 
Tureengarbh Glen 
Up and Away 
Up on the Waggon 
Upperchurch no. 1 
Upperchurch no. 2 
Walsh's