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MORRISSEY AND THE BLACK Come all you true Irish boys, please listen to me. I will sing you the praises of John Morrissey, Who has lately been challenged for ten thousand pounds For to fight Ned the black of Mulberry town. At six in the morning the fight to behold There were thousands assembled with silver and gold. 'Twas fourteen to one was the cry on black Ned, That Morrissey the Irishman he would be killed dead. At six in the morning this fight to begin, Stripped off to the buff and jumped into the ring. "Come lay your belt down," the black he did say, "Or your life I will have in the ring on this day." Then Morrissey bold in the ring like a bear, Saying, "Here stands the bones of an Irish hero Who has never been conquered by black, white, or brown, While known to his country and Irish all round!" The first round being over, the second did say, "Success to the country that raised you, my boy. It's never for bribery your country disown, For all we are worth we will bet on your bones." The third, fourth, and fifth round, and up to the tenth, When Morrissey received seven blows on the belt; From that till the fourteenth severely knocked down; He bled at the ears as he lay on the ground. Refreshed by his second, John Hanan so prime, And Morrissey into the ring like a lion, And as they fought up to the twenty-fourth round, And every blow the black came to the ground. The twenty-fifth round being fought in grand style, Morrissey turned to the Irish and smiled; Coming down on the black with a mightiful stroke, He left him for dead with three ribs of him broke. Here's a health to John Morrissey, that hero of fame, Who has conquered their bruisers from over the main. He's a true Irish hero and was never put down; He belongs to Tipperary and Templemore town. From From Ballads and Sea Songs from Nova Scotia, Mackenzie From the singing and recitation of Harry Sutherland, Picto County. @Irish @fight DT #706 Laws H19 filename[ MORRBLCK RG oct96 |
Morrissey and the Black (The DT text was taken from MacKenzie's Ballads and Sea Songs from Nova Scotia, where no tune was given. Midi made from notation in Edward Ives' Folksongs of New Brunswick (1989); that example came from Spurgeon Allaby, and is a variant of Villikins and His Dinah. Obviously, we don't know whether or not Harry Sutherland used that tune or one like it.) |
