(A) GREAT BIG SEA HOVE IN
LONG BEACH
Time signature: 2/4
Tempo: various ~90 bpm (choirs), ~135 (sung quickly), ~175 (instrumental) |
Traditional
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Accordion Notation
Beats per bar = 2
Beat symbol = Two dots ( : ) or equivalent |
Either row (high) = Buttons 5 to 8
Either row (low) = Buttons 2 to 5 |
Intro: Play last two lines of the verse.
Verse 1 (of 6)
.6 | .5 .6 .6 .6 | .6* .7* :5 |
.3 | .2 .3 .3 .3 | .2* .3* :2 |
A great big sea hove in Long Beach, /
.5 .8 ;8 "7 | "8* "7 "7* "6 .6* .5~ | ~: .r
.2 .5 ;5 "4 | "4* "4 "3* "3 .2* .2~ | ~: .r
Right - fol lor - a tid - dle did - dle, di - doh___, /
.5 | .8 .8 .8 .7 | .8* .8* .8*
.2 | .5 .5 .5 .4 | .4* .4* .4*
A great big sea hove in Long Beach, /
.7 | .8* .7 .7* .6 | .6* .7* .5
.4 | .4* .4 .3* .3 | .2* .3* .2
And Gran-ny Snooks she lost her speech. /
"5 "5 | .6 .6 "7* "7* .6* | :6~ ~: |
"2 "2 | .3 .3 "3* "3* .2* | :3~ ~: |
To me right fol - did - y - fol - day____. /
Many performers insert a short Instrumental bridge between verses - sometimes repeating the last line, or part of it:
"5 "5 | .6 .6 "7* "7* .6* | :6~ ~: |
"2 "2 | .3 .3 "3* "3* .2* | :3~ ~: |
Verse 1 (of 6)
.6 | .5 .6 .6 .6 | .6* .7* :5 |
.3 | .2 .3 .3 .3 | .2* .3* :2 |
A great big sea hove in Long Beach, /
.5 .8 ;8 "7 | "8* "7 "7* "6 .6* .5~ | ~: .r
.2 .5 ;5 "4 | "4* "4 "3* "3 .2* .2~ | ~: .r
Right - fol lor - a tid - dle did - dle, di - doh___, /
.5 | .8 .8 .8 .7 | .8* .8* .8*
.2 | .5 .5 .5 .4 | .4* .4* .4*
A great big sea hove in Long Beach, /
.7 | .8* .7 .7* .6 | .6* .7* .5
.4 | .4* .4 .3* .3 | .2* .3* .2
And Gran-ny Snooks she lost her speech. /
"5 "5 | .6 .6 "7* "7* .6* | :6~ ~: |
"2 "2 | .3 .3 "3* "3* .2* | :3~ ~: |
To me right fol - did - y - fol - day____. /
Many performers insert a short Instrumental bridge between verses - sometimes repeating the last line, or part of it:
"5 "5 | .6 .6 "7* "7* .6* | :6~ ~: |
"2 "2 | .3 .3 "3* "3* .2* | :3~ ~: |
Embedded youTube VIDEOS
There is considerable variance in the nonsense refrain lines of the verses.
There is considerable variance in the nonsense refrain lines of the verses.
Key: D from time 0 to 1:11
Tempo: ~140 bpm Singer: Gordon Pinsent Posted by: Felix The Cat |
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Key: G from time 0:51 to 2:40
Tempo: ~130 bpm Group: Shanneyganock On accordion: Mark Hiscock Posted by: townside99 Song begins at time 0:51 A lot of audience noise, but great accordion playing by Mark. |
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Key: G from time 0 to 1:30
Tempo: ~130 bpm Group: Ryan's Fancy Posted by: quickaccent2006 |
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Key: F
Tempo: ? Singer: Keith Murphy Posted by: Keith Murphy Singing begins at time 0:12 |
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Key: A
Tempo: ~185 bpm. Accordionist: Harry Hibbs Posted by: quickaccent2006 |
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Key: G from time 0:52 to 1:44 (end)
Tempo: ~160 bpm Group: Baccalieu Rovers Posted by: Gerard Broderick An instrumental: The Great Big Sea tune begins at time 0:52, at the end of the Golden Jubilee tune. |
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Key: F from time 0 to 0:50
Gb from 0:50 to 1:08 G from 1:09 to 1:47 Ab from 1:47 to end Tempo: ~85 bpm. Choir: Halifax Girls Honour Choir Great singing. Posted by: Martin Hickey |
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Key: F from time 0 to 0:50
Gb from 0:50 to 1:07 G from 1:09 to 1:46 Ab from 1:46 to end Tempo: ~95 bpm Group: Kikimasu Choir Posted by: Kokopelli Choirs Located in Edmonton, Canada. An enthusiastic performance. |
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Background Materials, Information & Links
Lyrics:
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A great big sea hove in Long Beach,
Right fol lor- ah, tid-dle did-dle, di- doh A great big sea hove in Long Beach, And Granny Snooks she lost her speech. To me right fol-did-dy fol-dee. A great big sea hove in the harbour, Right fol lor- ah, tid-dle did-dle, di- doh A great big sea hove in the harbour, And hove right up to Keough's parlour. To me right fol-did-dy fol-dee. Oh, mother dear, I wants a sack, Right fol lor- ah, tid-dle did-dle, di- doh Oh, mother dear, I wants a sack, With beads and buttons down the back. To me right fol-did-dy fol-dee. Me boot is broke, me frock is tore, Right fol lor- ah, tid-dle did-dle, di- doh Me boot is broke, me frock is tore, But Georgie Snooks I do adore. To me right fol-did-dy fol-dee. Oh, fish is low and flour is high, Right fol lor- ah, tid-dle did-dle, di- doh Oh, fish is low and flour is high, So Georgie Snooks he can't have I. To me right fol-did-dy fol-dee. But he will have me in the fall, Right fol lor- ah, tid-dle did-dle, di- doh If he don't I'll hoist my sail, And say goodbye to old Canaille. To me right fol-did-dy fol-dee. A great big sea hove in Long Beach, Right fol lor- ah, tid-dle did-dle, di- doh A great big sea hove in Long Beach, And Granny Snooks she lost her speech. To me right fol-did-dy fol-dee. |
Background Link:
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Click HERE for additional info about this song. A note near the bottom of this linked page seems to confuse the song's "Long Beach", which is near Bonavista, with the community of Long Beach in the South-West Arm of Trinity Bay. The "Canaille" reference connects the song to Bonavista.
The notes give two instances of a "great-big sea" heaving in Long Beach, one a tidal wave in 1755, and the other a storm surge in 1920. While I prefer the former as the source of the song, the latter is the more probable. |