Sally was one of the most important Australian traditional singers and musicians recorded by John Meredith beginning in 1955, when she was aged in her sixties.  These recordings are online at the National Library of Australia’s Trove website – see the index of her tunes below. A few other recordings of Sally have been included with permission, while another collection held by the NLA has limited access and isn’t available online.

Sally lived in NSW all her life. She was a gifted singer and played the one row button accordion, violin, concertina, piano, guitar and mouth organ.

Sally playing melodeonScreen Shot 2016-05-10 at 7.34.04 pm

A list of Sally’s tunes follows, with links to each original recording. Highlighted titles link to transcriptions of each tune with additional information and notes on her playing style. Website created by Ian Hayden in 2016. Comments and suggestions are welcome.

Tune title Web link Tune type Instrument
Annie Shaw’s tune http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214808558/listen/0-1875~0-2017 waltz melodeon
Blackberry Blossoms http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214819494/listen/0-556~0-622 reel melodeon
Blackberry Blossoms http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214815261/listen/0-331~0-388 reel fiddle
Blackbird, The http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214814898/listen/0-1291~0-1353 set dance / song lilting
Bob’s http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214810659/listen/0-1103~0-1208 polka melodeon
Bold McGuinness //nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214815261/listen/0-657~0-716 song melody fiddle
Bonnie Maggie                 (Highland Laddie) http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214815261/listen/0-1729~0-1821 2/4 march melodeon
Boys of the Dardanelles http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214819494/listen/0-970~0-1079 6/8 march melodeon
Bright Shades of Blue http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214814898/listen/0-1398~0-1444 song melody melodeon
Caroline from Edinburgh Town http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214812725/listen/0-180~0-245 song melody melodeon
Charming Judy Callaghan          (Nora Criona) http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214815261/listen/0-524~0-573 single jig fiddle
Coming Down the Mountain http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214819494/listen/0-623~0-668 hornpipe mouth organ
Coming Down the Mountain http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214815261/listen/0-447~0-523 hornpipe fiddle
The Convict’s Return http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214808558/listen/0-1783~0-1874 waltz melodeon
Devil Among the Tailors http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214815261/listen/0-296~0-330 reel fiddle
Finnegan’s Wake http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214808558/listen/0-1488~0-1550 march melodeon
Flowers of Edinburgh http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214808558/listen/0-1551~0-1649 reel melodeon
Garryowen  (“Rory O’Moore”) http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214802380/listen/0-455~0-538 jig melodeon
Golden Haired Girl http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214808984/listen/0-204~0-304 song melody fiddle
Harvest Home http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214819494/listen/0-888~0-969 “breakdown” or hornpipe melodeon
Haste to the Wedding http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214808558/listen/0-1650~0-1677 jig melodeon
Hiawatha http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214808984/listen/0-640~0-703 reel melodeon
I’ve Got a Bonnet http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214810659/listen/0-1029~0-1102 polka melodeon
Impudent Barney O’Hay http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214815261/listen/0-1500~0-1570 single jig mouth organ
Irish Washerwoman http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214808558/listen/0-1161~0-1274 jig melodeon
Irish Washerwoman Max Crockett’s 1970 tape recording jig melodeon
Jack’s waltz http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214808558/listen/0-1678~0-1782 waltz melodeon
Jack’s waltz Max Crockett’s 1970 tape recording waltz melodeon
Jenny Lind http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214810659/listen/0-946~0-1028 polka melodeon
Kitty Jones  (“Orange and the Green”) http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214808984/listen/0-511~0-580 fling melodeon
Kitty’s Rambles http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214819494/listen/0-1294~0-1393 jig melodeon
Knickerbocker Line http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214814278/listen/0-1603~0-1661 song melody melodeon
Larry Doolin                (Mrs Casey) http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214812725/listen/0-534~0-586 jig melodeon
Learning MacPherson to Waltz http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214808984/listen/0-431~0-510 waltz melodeon
Martin O’Flynn (Father O’Flynn) http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214808984/listen/0-715~0-792 jig melodeon
Martin O’Flynn (Father O’Flynn) Max Crockett’s 1970 tape recording jig melodeon
Miss McLeod’s reel http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214807956/listen/0-906~0-989 reel mouth organ & jaw harp
Miss McLeod’s reel http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214808984/listen/0-1033~0-1131 reel melodeon
Morning Star (“Sally’s reel”) http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214812725/listen/0-409~0-477 reel melodeon
Mountain Belle http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214808558/listen/0-1355~0-1411 schottische melodeon
Mountains of Mourne Warren Fahey’s 1976 interview with Sally waltz melodeon
Mudgee waltz Max Crockett’s 1970 tape recording waltz melodeon
Mum’s mazurka  (Sally Sloane’s mazurka) http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214808984/listen/0-349~0-430 mazurka melodeon
Mum’s mazurka no.2   (Mum’s mazurka) http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214808984/listen/0-793~0-872 mazurka melodeon
Mum’s reel Warren Fahey’s 1976 interview with Sally reel lilting
My Father Was A Dutchman                    (Spanish waltz) http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214810034/listen/0-436~0-535 waltz mazurka melodeon
Nicky Nick-Nack (The Chandler’s Wife) http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214815261/listen/0-1289~0-1363 jig fiddle
The Old Clay Pipe http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214812725/listen/0-1327~0-1373 jig mouth organ
Old Dan Tucker (“Sally’s reel no.2”) http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214812725/listen/0-478~0-533 reel melodeon
Over the Waves Max Crockett’s 1970 tape recording waltz melodeon
Paddy Casey http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214808984/listen/0-970~0-1032 song melody melodeon
Paddy Fagan http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214808984/listen/0-1496~0-1557 song melody melodeon
Paddy Couldn’t Dance (“Rosin the bow”) http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214810659/listen/0-1209~0-1279 song melody melodeon
Phil the Fluter’s Ball http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214808984/listen/0-1630~0-1705 reel mouth organ
Pop Goes the Weasel Warren Fahey’s 1976 interview with Sally jig melodeon
Quaker’s Wife http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214808984/listen/0-581~0-639 jig melodeon
Rakes of Mallow http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214802380/listen/0-400~0-454 polka melodeon
Rickett’s horpipe http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214819494/listen/0-486~0-555 hornpipe melodeon
Rocky Road to Dublin (by Mrs Gibbons) http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214810034/listen/0-1702~0-1797 slip jig melodeon
Rocky Road to Dublin http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214808984/listen/0-1412~0-1495 slip jig melodeon
Rose Tree  (“Sweet Paddy’s Land”) http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214810659/listen/0-680~0-757 polka melodeon
Sally Sloane’s Jig http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214815261/listen/0-825~0-861 jig lilting
Sally Sloane’s polka http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214815261/listen/0-1426~0-1499 polka melodeon
Sally Sloane’s three-part jig http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214810659/listen/0-510~0-600 jig melodeon
Sally’s Rambles              (Connaughtman’s Rambles) http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214814278/listen/0-1707~0-1753 jig lilting
Set tune        (Gulgong set tune) http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214802380/listen/0-96~0-179 march melodeon
‘First set’ tune (Gulgong set tune) http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214808984/listen/0-1558~0-1629 march mouth organ
Shamus O’Brien http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214808558/listen/0-1412~0-1487 waltz melodeon
Soldier’s Joy http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214808984/listen/0-1132~0-1187 reel melodeon
Sporting Paddy   (Old Wheels of the World) http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214815261/listen/0-389~0-446 reel fiddle
St Patrick’s Day in the Morning http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214802380/listen/0-180~0-231 jig melodeon
A Starry Night for a Ramble http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214808984/listen/0-873~0-969 waltz melodeon
Step dance tune http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214802380/listen/0-0~0-95 reel melodeon
Stockyards set tune   (Dandy Jim) http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214814898/listen/0-1068~0-1120 march melodeon
Stockyards set tune (by Sally’s twin sister, Mrs Gibbons) http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214814898/listen/0-38~0-101 jig melodeon
Tatter Jack Welsh http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214814278/listen/0-1205~0-1241 jig lilting
Tenpenny Bit http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214810659/listen/0-601~0-679 jig melodeon
The Unfortunate Rake  (Up Sligo) http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214823752/listen/0-348~0-427 jig melodeon
Unknown http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214815261/listen/0-1590~0-1655 6/8 march mouth organ
Unknown set tune http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214810034/listen/0-324~0-435 6/8 march melodeon
Unknown song melody http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214812725/listen/0-246~0-316 song melody melodeon
Up in a Balloon http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214814278/listen/0-1912~0-1935 song melody lilting
Up with the Orange, the Purple and Blue http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214815261/listen/0-574~0-656 jig fiddle
Up Sligo http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214810659/listen/0-601~0-679 jig melodeon
Varsovienna http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214808558/listen/0-1275~0-1354 varsovienna melodeon
Varsovienna variant Warren Fahey’s 1976 interview with Sally varsovienna melodeon
Varsovienna (by Mrs Gibbons) http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214802380/listen/0-312~0-360 varsovienna melodeon
Wexford Murder http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214812725/listen/0-0~0-67 song melody melodeon
What Would you do if the Billy Boiled Over http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214815261/listen/0-774~0-824 jig fiddle
When Irish Eyes Are Smiling Warren Fahey’s 1976 interview with Sally waltz mouth organ
Wind That Shakes the Barley http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214802380/listen/0-539~0-600 reel melodeon
With My Shillelagh Under My Arm Max Crockett’s 1970 tape recording song melody in 6/8 melodeon

 

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