This transcription is Malaika's. There are lots of recordings of this on youtube. I liked this one because of the low whistle.
This transcription is Malaika's. There are lots of recordings of this on youtube. I liked this one because of the low whistle.
The first tune is a well known Swedish polska, by Vikste-Lasse (Johan Leonard Larsson 1897 − 1983) a fiddler from Eklunda in Uppland, Sweden. Here's some info about rhythm and chord variation for the B part : http://www.folkwiki.se/Musik/96
The second is a Finnish polska, written by Andy May. He's a Northumbrian piper in a band called Baltic Crossing, where some of the member are Finns. He wrote a 3/2 tune, and then was told by his band mates that it was a Finnish polska.
I'm sure I've heard both tunes before but this video from Sidmouth Folk Festival put them in my consciousness. The friend who hipped me to it said "it is worth the listen for the sheer, infectious joy of it," and she was spot on.
Apparently the meowing or other vocalizations may be part of the tune as it happens in this video: