The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #21527   Message #230707
Posted By: KathWestra
19-May-00 - 04:43 PM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: Pocketful of Broken Tokens
Subject: Lyr Add: JOHN 'BROKEN TOKEN' REILLY (Newcomb/Ajemi
I have a small collection of broken token parodies I'm fond of singing. One is the "Piano Leg" song by Biggs Tinker, and another is "John 'Broken Token' Reilly" by Sarah Newcomb and Shari Ajemian. The latter may be the one McGrath is searching for, and it's not yet on the DT. The final verse involves multiple tokens. The song goes:

John "Broken Token" Reilly
by Sarah Newcomb & Shari Ajemian

Here comes John Reilly along the road
Oh no, say no
Approaches the maid like the wind that blowed,
Oh no, say no.
He says, "pretty maid would you marry me,
For I've just come off of the raving sea,
And I wouldn't mind such a maid as thee."
Oh no, oh no, oh not again!

This maid fix-ed him with a steely eye,
Oh no, say no
Says, "I have a love, if he did not die,
Oh no, say no
And he's been gone for seven long years,
And left me here with naught but tears,
And have you come to found my fears?"
Oh no, oh no, oh not again!

"Well what if your love has been drowned at sea,
Oh no, say no
Or is married, or living in Kentucky?
Oh, no say no
Or what if he's shot, or run over, or maimed,
Or living in France with a different name?
Oh then would you ever be glad that I came!"
Oh no, oh no, oh not again!

"If he's maimed, or in France, or in Kentucky,
Oh no, say no
He still would be able to write to me,
Oh no, say no
But if he's killed, I'm so sorry," she said
" 'Cause he was the guy who I wanted to wed,
In another three weeks he'll be legally dead!"
Oh no, oh no, oh not again!

Then he picked her up in his arms so strong,
Oh no, say no
And she kicked his shins 'cause he done her wrong,
Oh no, say no
He said: "I'm your own, I'm your long-lost John"
She said: "If that's true, you've deceived me, begone!
Besides, you're the seventh to say he's the one!"
Oh no, oh no, oh not again!

Then he took out the ring that he always wore
Oh no, say no
But the lock of her hair didn't match anymore,
Oh no, say no.
Her foot didn't fit in the same old shoe,
So off down the road he went, full of rue,
Singing "They just don't make 'em like they used to,"
Oh no, oh no, not again.