Most-Recorded Tunes of the 1990s

Of related interest:
  • Top Ten Tunes of the
  • Top 100 Tunes of the Century.
  • Top Ten
    of the Century.
  • Recordings by Decade: A graph of the historical distribution of my recorded tune sources.

This list ranks the top 10 most-recorded tunes during the 1990s. By carefully comparing the 4,255 individual tune recordings dated as from the 1990s which appear on the indexed recordings, I identified a total of 2,485 musically distinct tunes. The top ten of those tunes are listed below, in order of how many albums they appear on. When tunes have the same number of recordings, tunes having the oldest recordings appear first. Note that reuses of a particular cut in other anthologies are counted, which is fair, since the popularity of a recording is a good indicator both of the popularity of the tune and of the likelihood that musicians will learn the tune from that recording.

Click Tune Info below to see tune details and sources.

RankNumber of
Recordings		Explanation
Rhythm		Explanation
Titles used for this tune (and other notes)
112 – Tune
Info		ReelTranscription of first 2 bars of Miss McLeodMiss McLeod / Miss Mc Leod / Miss McLeod's / Miss MacLeod's / Miss McLeod's Reel / Miss McCleod's Reel / Miss McCloud's Reel / Miss McCloud's / Mrs. McLeod / Mrs. MacLeod's Reel / Mrs. McCloud's Reel / Mrs McLeod's Reel / Mrs McLeod's / Misses McLoud's Reel / Miss Macleod of Raasay / Mrs McLeod of Rasay / Ríl Iníon Mhic Leod / Iníon Mhic Leóid / Ríl Mhic Leoid / McLeod's Reel / Macleod's Reel / The Other McCleods / Hop High Ladies / Hop Light Ladies / Hop Up Ladies / The Enterprising Boxer / Did You Ever See the Devil, Uncle Joe? / May Day (2nd in set Jig Selection on MR 2; 1st in set Miss McClouds Reels on ESL 1, which in turn is mislabeled there as The Belburry Hills) (also in A or D or F, also with parts reversed in American music) (compare #2693)
211 – Tune
Info		ReelTranscription of first 2 bars of Wise MaidWise Maid, The / An Cailín Siosmaideach / Wise Maid / The Mistress / All Around the World / All Around the World for Sport / Turas na Cruinne ag Toraícht Cuideachta / An Stuaire Stuama / Johnny Doherty's Reel / Doherty's Reel / John Doughtery's / Cooley's / Matt Molloy's / Mot Malloy / The Jolly Beggar (in set The Jolly Beggar on Plx 1 and Plx 4) (also in C) (composed by Johnny Doherty?)
310 – Tune
Info		ReelTranscription of first 2 bars of Craig's PipesCraig's Pipes / Creig's Pipes / Cregg's Pipes / Creg's Pipes / Creggs Pipes / Kregg's Pipes / Gregg's Pipes / Greig's Pipes / Grieg's Pipes / Píopaí Greig / Connolly's Reel / Kerry Huntsman / The Kerry Huntsman / The Manchester (3rd in set Cape Clear on McP BHB) (also with 4 or 5 parts, also 1st part doubled)
410 – Tune
Info		ReelTranscription of first 2 bars of Silver SpearSilver Spear, The / Old Silver Spear / The Silver Tip / Sliabh Bána / The Top of the Cliff / Miss Lane's Fancy / The New Mown Meadows / New Mown Meadows / Anderson's (2nd in set Miss McClouds Reels on ESL 1, which in turn is mislabeled as The Belburry Hills; 3rd in set The Silver Spire on ADB) (also in G) (compare The New-Mown Meadows #1409)
59 – Tune
Info		ReelTranscription of first 2 bars of Tear the CalicoTear the Calico / Rip the Calico / The Fair Wind / A Fair Wind / Fair Wind / The Blue Meadow / Burren Reel / West Clare Reel / Tommy Glenny's Reel (3rd in set Kilfenora Reels on KCB 3; 3rd in set West Clare Reels on Chlr; mislabeled as I Have No Money on CTL 3; as untitled Reel on Dnu 1; 3rd in set Out on the Road on Drv 5) (also in G, also with parts doubled, also with 1st part last, also with 2nd part last) (compare Tear the Calico #2106)
68 – Tune
Info		ReelTranscription of first 2 bars of Galway RamblerGalway Rambler, The / Galway Rambler / Siúlóir na Gaillimhe / The Sligo Rambler / Lord Wellington / Wellington's / Wellington's No. 1 / Paddy Finley's Fancy / Paddy Finlay's Favourite / Bainis an Phíobaire / The Piper's Wedding / Manchester Reel / The Manchester / Carton's No. 2 Reel / Cathcart's Favourite / Walsh's Favorite / Walsh's Favourite / The Fairy Hurlers (2nd in set The Galway Rambler on TCB 4) (compare 1st part with 1st part of Lord Wellington #4522)
78 – Tune
Info		ReelTranscription of first 2 bars of Seán sa Cheo Seán sa Cheo / Seán sa Chéo / Seán sa Céo / Sean sa Cheo / Sean sa Ceo / Sean sa Céo / Seán in the Fog / Sean in the Fog / John in the Fog / Seán is Sinéad / Jack and Jill / The Tullaghan Lassies / Lough Isle Castle (also in D or G; also with a 4th part) (compare 1st 2 parts with New Lough Isle Castle #1408) (composed by Neillidh Boyle?)
88 – Tune
Info		ReelTranscription of first 2 bars of Trim the VelvetTrim the Velvet / Geehan's Reel / The Grazier / The Green Garters / The Humours of Flip / Kiss the Maid behind the Barrel / The Maid behind the Bar / The Railroad / Sally Kelly / The Potlick (also in D or C) (compare Potlick #3426 and quite distantly Kiss the Maid behind the Barrel #1050)
98 – Tune
Info		ReelTranscription of first 2 bars of Rolling in the BarrelRolling in the Barrel / Roll out the Barrel / Roll in the Barrel
108 – Tune
Info		ReelTranscription of first 2 bars of Bucks of OranmoreBucks of Oranmore, The / Bucks of Oranmore / Bocannaí Uaráin Mhóir / Bocanna Óráin Mhóir / The Bucks of Carranmore / The Bucks of Cranmore / The Hearty Bucks / The Bucks (2nd in set Miss Monaghan on McP BHB) (also with fewer parts and in different order) (compare The Leitrim Bucks included here; compare Killavil Bucks #4886 and compare 1st part with 1st part of Fermanagh Highland #2110)
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This page was updated on 16 July 2008.
© 2006–2008 Alan Ng, agng@facstaff.wisc.edu. Questions? Comments? Please use the easy Feedback Form. Thank you!
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