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THE  OLD  POLINA

Time signature:  2/4
Tempo: ~ 125 bpm.
Traditional
UNDER DEVELOPMENT:  Notation, youTube keys and tempo all need to be checked.

Accordion Notation
Beats per bar = 2
Beat symbol = 2 Dots ( : ) or equivalent
Either row:  Buttons 2 - 5*
This tune is in 2/4 time, so there are two beat intervals per bar (or measure), in-stead of four.  If using left buttons, play "bass - chord" for the "1-2" count of each bar (or measure).

Verse 1 (of 5)


   "5     "5   |   .3   .3    .3    .4   |    .5    :5    .5   |   .5*  .5*     .5*   .5*   |   ::5*   |
There’s a      no- ble fleet  of       whal-ers   a  -   sail- ing  from Dun  -   dee,/

      .6*    .6*    .6*  .6*   |   .6*   :6*   .6*   |   .5*   .5      .5   .4*   |   .:4             
Manned by    Brit- ish      sail- ors    to      take them o’er the      sea.  /

"5  "5   |    .3   .3     .3  .4    |   .5    :5    .5   |   .5*  .5*     .5*   .5*   |  .:5*      
On  a       wes-tern  o-cean   pas-sage we    start-ed     on   the       trip. /


 .5*   |   .6*   .6*   .6*    .6*   |   .5*   .5   .4    "4  "4*   |   .5   .4*   .4   .3*   |  :3       
We     flew    a - long  just      like   a  song  in  our     gal-lant whal-ing ship.
 /


Chorus:
​

 ;5   "5   |   ;3    "3   .3   .4   |   .5   :5   "5   "5   |   .5*   .5*      .5*   .5*   |   .:5* 
For the    wind was on her    quart-er and  the      en-gine’s work-ing     free.  /

    .5*    |   ;6*   "6*   .6*   .6*   |   .6*   :6*   .6*   |   ;5*  "5    .5   .4*   |   .:4          
There’s   not      a-noth - er      whal - er  that     sails the  Arc- tic      Sea  /

  .5   |   ;3   "3    .3   .4    |   .5  :5   .5   |   .5*   .5*    .5*   .5*   |   .:5* 
Can   beat the  Old  Po  -  lin - a, you   need not    try,  my     sons,  /

"5*  "5*  |   ;6*   "6*     .6*  .6*   |   .5*   .5      .4    .4    |   .5   .4*  .4  .3*   |    .:3  
For  we    chal-lenged all both    great and small from  Dun-dee to  St.     John’s. 
/


Embedded youTube VIDEOS

Key:  Eb

Tempo:  ~130 bpm

Group:  Great Big Sea

​Posted by:  lovethemack

Key:  D

Tempo:  ~120 bpm

Group:  Shanneyganock
Accordionist:  Mark Hiscock
Singers:  Mark Hiscock and Chris Andrews

​Posted by:  Don Shorock's Channel

Performed at Folk Alliance in Memphis, Tennessee, February, 2009.

Key:  G 

Tempo: ~105 bpm

Singer:  Dick Nolan

Posted by:  quickaccent2006

Key:  F?
​
Tempo:  ~150 bpm

Group:   Miller's Jug

Posted by: quickaccent2006
​

Key:  G

Tempo:  ~105 bpm.

Singer:  Paddy Gearin

Posted by: gdgest



Key:  G

Tempo:  ~130 bpm

Musician:  Robert Benoit

​Posted by:  Robert Benoit

Mr. Benoit plays and overlays tracks for the accordion, guitars, bass, drums, etc.

Key:  E 
​
Tempo:  ~130 bpm.

Singer: Fergus O'Byrne 

Posted by: quickaccent2006


Key:  C

Tempo:  ~125 bpm

Group:  Sons of Malarkey  

​Posted by:  sonsof malarkey

​Performance at the 2012 Celtic Music Festival, Newport, Oregon, USA.

Key:  C

Tempo:  ~105 bpm

Group:  Keel Haul

Posted by: Various Artists - Topic

Key:  C​
​

Tempo:  ~130 bpm

Singer:  Rik Marron:  

Posted by: Rik Barron - Topic

Key:  D

Tempo:  ~130 bpm

Group:  Andrew Bemister and
      Curtis Gillingham (singing)


​Posted by:  Curtis Gillingham

The boys are from Noggin Cove & Musgrave Harbour.

Key: D
​

Tempo:  ~105 bpm

Group:  Paddy Doyles Retro  

Posted by: Lone Lambert Jenses

BACKGROUND MATERIALS, INFORMATION & LINKS

​Lyrics:           
​
Verse 1:




Chorus:




Verse 2:




Verse 3:




Verse 4:




Verse 5:
​​

​There’s a noble fleet of whalers a-sailing from Dundee,
Manned by British sailors to take them o’er the sea.
On a western ocean passage we started on the trip.
We flew along just like a song in our gallant whaling ship.

For the wind was on her quarter and the engine’s working free.
There’s not another whaler that sails the Arctic Sea
Can beat the Old Polina, you need not try, my sons,
For we challenged all both great and small from Dundee to St. John’s.


‘Twas the second Sunday morning, just after leaving port,
We met a heavy Sou’west gale that washed away our boat.
It washed away our quarterdeck, our stanchions just as well,
And so we sent the whole shebang a-floating in the gale.

Art Jackman set his canvas, Fairweather got up steam,
But Captain Guy, the daring boy, came plunging through the stream.
And Mullins in the Husky tried to beat the blooming lot,
But to beat the Old Polina was something he could not.

There’s the noble Terra Nova, a model without doubt.
The Arctic and Aurora they talk so much about.
Art Jackman’s model mailboat, the terror of the sea,
Tried to beat the Old Polina on a passage from Dundee.

And now we’re back in old St. John’s where rum is very cheap.
So we’ll drink a health to Captain Guy who brought us o’er the deep.
A health to all our sweethearts and to our wives so fair.
Not another ship could make the trip with the Polina I declare.

Background Links:
Click HERE for additional info about this song.

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This site has been tested on the 2020 Chrome, Edge and Brave browsers without problem.  However my current (January 2021) Firefox browser does not always properly align the button notes with its corresponding lyrics.

DISCLAIMER 2 - Errors & Omissions:
Many of these tune pages are still in early stages of development, probably with many errors and omissions.  Make corrections as needed.

Copyright © 2015