Cucanandy

Irish baby dandling tune (dandling is playfully bouncing a baby on one’s knee)
https://tunearch.org/wiki/Annotation:Cucanandy

Roud Index 5301: https://archives.vwml.org/search/all:combined/0_50/all/score_desc/extended-roudNo_tr:5301

Zip File

Cucanandy ZIP 9-1-25Download

Sheet Music

Tim: There’s no sheet music and that’s on purpose! This is a simple Irish song melody, and we’re going to try doing this as an “ear” tune. The recordings are nice and long for that reason.

NEW 9-29-25: We’re playing it in the key of G, starting on a B.

Lyrics

Lyrics courtesy of Marina Khananayev from Liam Cantor of Village Harmony in Western Massachusetts learned in Ireland (listen to concert recording below)

A.
He didn’t dance n dance, He didn’t dance today

He didn’t dance n dance, And no nor yesterday

He didn’t dance n dance, He didn’t dance today

He didn’t dance n dance, He won’t till after tea (pronounced tay)

B.
Throw him up and up, Throw him up high

Throw him up and up, He’ll come down by and by

Throw him up and up, Throw him up high

Throw him up and up, He’ll come down by and by

Recordings

Cucanandy Slow Key of G 9-29-25 (m4a) NOT IN ZIP FILEDownload
Cucanandy Key of G 9-29-25 (m4a) NOT IN ZIP FILEDownload
Cucanandy Tim singing 10-1-25 (m4a) NOT IN ZIP FILEDownload
OLD Key of D cucanandy 9-1-25 (m4a)Download
OLD Key of D cucanandy slow 9-1-25 (m4a)Download
Cucanandy Village Harmony concert performance (mp3)Download

More Recordings

Dana Lynn & Kyle Sanna (in D): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGdmiGvqtQM

Drank the Gold (in G): https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=G3KzFoMXrLw

The Gloaming (in Db, with singing and arrangement): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGzOhaoAUKU