Origins: Paddy on the Railway

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Paddy on the Railway
From: masato sakurai
Date: 17 Mar 05 - 01:17 PM

At Bodleian Library Broadside Ballads:

paddy on the railway [title]

paddy on the railway! [title]

At The Word on the Street:

Broadside ballad entitled 'Paddy on the Railway'

This is also titled "The Greenock Railway."

Subject: Lyr Add: PADDY WORKS ON THE RAILWAY
From: GUEST,Mr Happy
Date: 17 Mar 05 - 12:47 PM

Maybe it's this one:

[You'll notice there's actually 2 choruses in this version, because the tempo on some verses speeds up, then on others slows down again]


PADDY WORKS ON THE RAILWAY

In eighteen hundred and forty-one
My corduroy breeches I put on
My corduroy breeches I put on
To work upon the railway, the railway
I'm weary of the railway
Poor Paddy works on the railway

I was wearing corduroy britches
Digging ditches, pulling switches
Dodging hitches,
I was working on the railway

In eighteen hundred and forty-two
From Hartlepool, I roved to Crewe
And found meself a job to do working on the railway

I was wearing corduroy britches
Digging ditches, pulling switches
Dodging hitches,
I was working on the railway


In eighteen hundred and forty-three
I broke me shovel across me knee
And I went to work for the company
On the Leeds & Selby railway

I was wearing corduroy britches
Digging ditches, pulling switches
Dodging hitches,
I was working on the railway



In eighteen hundred and forty-four
I landed on the Liverpool shore
Me belly was empty, me 'ands were raw
With working on the railway,the railway
I'm weary of the railway
Poor Paddy works on the railway


In eighteen hundred and forty-five
When Daniel O'Connell he was alive (2x)
And working on the railway

I was wearing corduroy britches
Digging ditches, pulling switches
Dodging hitches,
I was working on the railway


In eighteen hundred and forty-six
I changed my trade from carrying bricks (2x)
To working on the railway

I was wearing corduroy britches
Digging ditches, pulling switches
Dodging hitches,
I was working on the railway


In eighteen hundred and forty-seven
Poor Paddy was thinking of going to Heaven (2x)
To work upon the railway, the railway
I'm weary of the railway
Poor Paddy works on the railway


Cheers,

Mr H

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Paddy on the Railway
From: GUEST,Lighter at work
Date: 17 Mar 05 - 12:20 PM

It's the first version I ever heard, about 1958.

Filly me oorie oorie ay,
Filly me oorie oorie ay,
Filly me oorie oorie ay,
While workin' on the railway !

The verses are pretty much the same as in other versions.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Paddy on the Railway
From: Sorcha
Date: 17 Mar 05 - 12:10 PM

Are you looking for one with or w/o the Fiddle-ay-ree-ay-ree-oh?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Paddy on the Railway
From: thespionage
Date: 17 Mar 05 - 11:41 AM

It's close. But it also doesn't have the chorus I discussed above. Thanks! I don't know why it didn't show up when I did a search before creating the thread.

Russ

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Paddy on the Railway
From: Sorcha
Date: 17 Mar 05 - 11:30 AM

Could it be this one?

---

Digital Tradition Lyrics:

PADDY WORKS ON THE RAILWAY (4)

In eighteen hundred and forty-one
My corduroy breeches I put on
My corduroy breeches I put on

To work upon the railway, the railway
I'm weary of the railway
Poor Paddy works on the railway

In eighteen hundred and forty-two
I didn't know what I should do (2x)

In eighteen hundred and forty-three
I sailed away across the sea (2x)

In eighteen hundred and forty-four
I landed on Columbia's shore (2x)

In eighteen hundred and forty-five
When Daniel O'Connell he was alive (2x)

In eighteen hundred and forty-six
I made my trade to carrying bricks (2x)

In eighteen hundred and forty-seven
Poor Paddy was thinking of going to Heaven (2x)

In eighteen hundred and forty-eight
I learned to drink my whiskey straight (2x)

printed in Bill Meek Songs of the Irish in America
@train @work
filename[ PADRAIL4
TUNE FILE: PADRAIL3
CLICK TO PLAY
SOF

Subject: Lyr Req: Paddy on the Railway
From: thespionage
Date: 17 Mar 05 - 11:25 AM

I heard a version of this song, forgive me, on Shining Time Station. The other renditions I have heard did not include a chorus of "Fiddle-ay-ree-ay-ree-oh." Do you know such a version?

Thanks,
Russ