You know, I was just thinking of that song as I read about misheard lyrics, since I learned it by rote from a friend who had learned it off of a tape (it was a long evening, let me tell, you -- it's not an easy one to memorize -- she refused to write it down on principle) There were some words that she would just slur and admitted that she had no idea what they meant.

The line I was curious about you have exactly as I sing it "Then Johnny McEldoo turned as blue as the dew" whatever that means -- I guess that he sure was hungry.

But are you sure that line a bit further down isn't "He nearly _supped_ a trough full of broth..."?

That's the only discreppancy I saw that in my version actually made more sense

And Thanks -- I've befcome famous for that song among my friends, and have always wondered about some of those words...Of course there's no guarantee any of us is correct, as folk songs go, as was amply illustrated by that other posting.

Alison