Piper's SongbookHow to play Molly Malone on recorder
Molly Malone uses 6 notes on the soprano recorder: B, A, G, high C, high D and low D. The first line goes D G G G G B G A A A A C′ A. The same tune is used for Cockles and Mussels and In Dublin's Fair City.
- Notes
- 6: B, A, G, high C, high D, low D
- Level
- Both hands
- Time
- 3/4, about 120 beats a minute
- Source
- Song printed in Boston in 1876; credited to James Yorkston of Edinburgh in 1884
Molly Malone recorder notes with letters
Each box is one note, with its fingering underneath: filled holes are covered, a half-filled hole is half covered or pinched. Wider boxes are longer notes. A ′ mark means the higher octave, so D′ is high D. Bar lines are drawn as thin rules.
Line 1
Line 2
Line 3
Line 4
Line 5
Line 6
Letters only, for printing or copying
- D | G G G | G B G | A A A | A C′ A
- B A G | D′ C′ B | B A G | A D D
- G G G | G B G | A A A | A C′ A A
- B D′ C′ | B D′ C′ | B G A | G D
- G G G | G B G | A A A | A C′ A A
- B D′ C′ | B D′ C′ | B G A | G
Sheet music
Written pitch for soprano recorder, which sounds an octave higher. Press play to hear it on a recorder sound; the slow setting plays at 60% speed.
Fingerings for the notes in Molly Malone
Hole 0 is the thumb hole on the back. Holes 1 to 3 are for the left hand, 4 to 7 for the right. These are Baroque (English) fingerings.
How to practise it
"Cockles and mussels" repeats a quick B up to a long high D, then C. For the D, lift the thumb and left index finger and put down the left middle finger in one movement, then cover the thumb again for C.
Learn one line at a time. Play it slowly until every note is clean, then join it to the next line.
About the tune
The earliest known printing is from Boston in 1876, and a London edition of 1884 names James Yorkston of Edinburgh as its writer. There is no evidence that Molly was a real person, but Dublin put up her statue in 1988.
Questions
Is Molly Malone easy on recorder?
It is a good second or third tune. Both hands play, and the low notes need gentle air.
What notes do you need for Molly Malone on recorder?
B, A, G, high C, high D and low D. Tap a note to see its fingering on its own page.
Do these fingerings work on a German recorder?
Yes. Every note in Molly Malone uses the same fingering on Baroque and German recorders.
More recorder songs
Notes checked against Paul Hardy's Songs Tunebook, compared with the settings of Cockles and Mussels on The Session; in G. Last checked 6 October 2026.