Lyr Add: The Mallard

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Mallard
From: GUEST,John Howard of Crouch, Tom Hall's nephew
Date: 13 Dec 17 - 10:04 AM

Is this the song from the All Souls Oxford mallard-hunt, which Terry Pratchett writes about?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Mallard
From: Stewie
Date: 01 Jun 12 - 09:11 PM

Harvey Andrews wrote a powerful song with this title - a bird of a very different wing. I posted my transcription Here.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Mallard
From: GUEST,Crow
Date: 01 Jun 12 - 08:31 PM

Nice page. I came here looking for mention of meaning of 'debility house' on another page that linked to this, not having answers of its own.
No discussions so far on that here either, so with a bit of speculation mixed with common (rare?) sense I'll have at it:
Four possibles:
Prison (because he poached it).
Hospital (because he overdid the eating of it).
Workhouse (to repay other than by imprisonment for illgetting of it).
Asylum (now that I will leave to the speculations of others as I can't think of anything specific).

My own view is that is IS a silly song, bounded by fact, and is meant to be silly. In hard times, people do not waste. Suppose a man makes virtue of this, and brags. He eats it ALL (so he says), never mind that it makes him ill, earning promotion to 'debility hall' given the final doings... In reality, doctors being more expensive than food, no doubt some self-restraint was exercised, but it makes a better song this way, two nippers and all.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Mallard
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Jun 07 - 02:46 PM

There's a song called 'The Mallard' on Rounder's 'World Library of Folk and Primitive Song - Volume 1 - England' CD1741 by Bunny Palmer.

---

Please remember to use a consistent name when you post. Messages with the "from" space blank, risk being deleted.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Mallard
From: GUEST,Ralphie
Date: 07 Jun 07 - 09:44 AM

Slight thread drift, but just to prove that the Oral tradition is alive and well.
Back in the 1980's (after I'd left) My old band CROWS (UK) used to wile away the long drives home from gigs withthe following parody.

ME BUDGIE. c, Mick Ryan and Jim Younger

I have ate, and what have I ate?
I have ate the wing of me budgie.
Wing Wingy, Beak Beaky
Two Mirrors and all (poss nod to "Debility Hall"?)
And good meat was me budgie.

Other additions included,

Leg Leggy
Shin Shinny
Foot Footy

(May have been more of the normal parts of birds)

Then the less likely

Id, Iddy
Gestalty
and Finally Cojones of me budgie.

Ah what larks...the tradition is safe after all!!

Regards Ralphie

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Mallard
From: Billy Weeks
Date: 07 Jun 07 - 09:36 AM

Bob Arnold recorded his version of the song (see Barrie Roberts, above) in the early 1950s on an HMV 78. The session included 'All Jolly Fellows that Follow the Plough', 'Down by the Riverside', 'Stowe Fair' and 'Turmut Hoeing'

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Mallard
From: Celtaddict
Date: 06 Jun 07 - 06:09 PM

Abby: (Yes, I know this is an old thread) Cliff still does not have any other recordings beyond the one, plus the numerous tracks on collections, such as the Mystic Sea Music Festival CDs.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: THE MALLARD
From: wildlone
Date: 25 Aug 05 - 01:14 PM

BTW,Tim van Eyken first started performing at the Yetties music nights in Sherborne,Dorset.
dave

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: THE MALLARD
From: Abby Sale
Date: 25 Aug 05 - 09:54 AM

Celtaddict,

The place where people with debilities go - the hospital - from over- eating. Or maybe from eating the nippers (or feathers). Gluttony, anyway.

Thanks, too. I should have mentioned the record, myself. It's one of my favorites - partly because it happens to include a bunch of my favorite songs, partly because he's a fine, fine singer. Sooner or later I'll have to break down & toss the LP for the CD.

I don't find his stuff elsewhere except scattered (mostly sea-song) single cuts on theme records. I'll have to ask Camsco when he (Dick) returns.

Mrs Annie: Thanks. I gotta admit I hadn't got around to opening #7 yet. It's a fine rendition (and a fine CD alltogether - the Ancient Spouse got me the whole est from Camsco - a great deal - and I've frankly been overawed by it. I tend to "study" any new record & didn't know how to do the set. "One day at a time," of course. This reminds me how good they all are. I'll get back to them now.)

It all went into the pellagio [stomach]
Oh most beautiful head of the mallard.

Great version. I'll stick with the one I know, of course.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: THE MALLARD
From: Mrs_Annie
Date: 25 Aug 05 - 09:02 AM

Here is the track listing of the Topic CD

http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=1196039&style=music&cart=266814253

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: THE MALLARD
From: Mrs_Annie
Date: 25 Aug 05 - 08:46 AM

The song is on The Voice Of The People volume 7, and that's where Tim van Eyken got his version from. As far as I know he hasn't recorded it yet, I would love him to.

That volume is really good, loads of songs remembered from youth including The Old Sow with accomanying animal noises which my husband remembers his Dad singing to him.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: THE MALLARD
From: MMario
Date: 25 Aug 05 - 08:39 AM

Well, Masato beat me to it!

Subject: Tune Add: THE MALLARD
From: masato sakurai
Date: 25 Aug 05 - 07:12 AM

X:1
T:THE MALLARD
M:6/8
L:1/8
K:G
B:Kenneth Peacock, Songs of the Newfoundland Outports,vol. 1, 1965, p. 16
D|G2 G G A B|A A F D2 A| B2 A B A G|
w:Oh, I have eat-en him, what did I eat? I ate the head of the
F A2-A2 A|:A F A:|A F A A B c|d3 c2 A|
w:mal-lard._ Head head and two two's and two non-nicks I know, I have
B G G G E C|D2 D|(DF) G F2 D|C D2-D z||
w:been to the Fin-ne-gan's ball, And good_ meat was the mal-lard._

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: THE MALLARD
From: Celtaddict
Date: 25 Aug 05 - 01:38 AM

And what or where is Debility Hall?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: THE MALLARD
From: Celtaddict
Date: 25 Aug 05 - 01:32 AM

Abby: His name is Cliff Haslam, and the album is The Old Clock-Winder, from Folk-Legacy (Sandy & Caroline Paton). Seriously weird, I have the LP from the 80s, had not heard it for years, recently replaced it with the CD and heard it in the car today, and did not recall ever hearing it before! I see Cliff around, can ask if he has any further information. He is from Manchester area originally.

Subject: Lyr Add: THE MALLARD
From: GUEST,Mr Happy
Date: 24 Aug 05 - 09:08 PM

Abby Sale,


the version I have is almost identical with yours, but with these variations:

The Mallard

I have et, and what have I et?
I have etten the leg of a mallard.

Leg, legy,
Thigh, thighy,
Shin, shiny,
Foot, footy,
Web, weby,
Heel, heely,
Toe, toey,
With feathers and all.
And good a-meat was the mallard

But now I am in Debility Hall
And good a-meat was the mallard

I have et, and what have I et,
I have etten the wing of a mallard.
Wing, wingy,
Leg, legy
etc

I have et, and what have I et,
I have etten the rump of a mallard.
Rump, rumpy
Wing, wingy,
Leg, legy
etc

Then:       Neck, necky,
       Head, heady,
       Bill, billy,
       Tongue, tonguey.
And good a-meat was the mallard

But now I am in Debility Hall
And good a-meat was the mallard!

Subject: Lyr Add: THE MALLARD
From: Abby Sale
Date: 24 Aug 05 - 08:58 PM

I learned the following from Cyril Tawney in concert. It's not on any of the records I have of him (including Children's songs of Devon) but Devon isn't unlikely. Chris Haslem sings the same set but just gives that he learned it from The Yetties of Dorset. "Rollicking nursery rhyme" is correct. I love it and sing it especially when kids are in the audience and I'm not allowed to sing bawdy material. Kids love it too and get an enormous kick out of it and sing along with gusto. All the more when I explain that this is a song only sung by children and drunken men in bars. Their parents, I say, won't be able to pick up on it. And, of course, their parents can't manage to sing along..

Ask me for it in the (unlikely, I guess) event we meet in a Mudcat Chat thingy

It seems upside down from the above versions.

The Mallard

I have et, and what have I et?
I have et the leg of a mallard.

Leg, legy,
Thigh, thighy,
Shin, shiny,
Foot, footy,
Web, weby,
Heel, heely,
Toe, toey,
Two nippers and all.
And good a-meat was the mallard

But now I am in Debility House
And good a-meat was the mallard

I have et, and what have I et,
I have et the wing of a mallard.
Wing, wingy,
Leg, legy
etc

I have et, and what have I et,
I have et the rump of a mallard.
Rump, rumpy
Wing, wingy,
Leg, legy
etc

Then:        Neck, necky,
        Head, heady,
        Bill, billy,
        Tongue, tonguey.
And good a-meat was the mallard

But now I am in Debility House
And good a-meat was the mallard!

       As Sung by Chris Haslem & Cyril Tawney

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: THE MALLARD
From: black walnut
Date: 24 Aug 05 - 02:55 PM

Jean Hewson and Christina Smith sing it in concert and on their CD "Like Ducks". Canadian, eh?

~b.w.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: THE MALLARD
From: MMario
Date: 24 Aug 05 - 12:49 PM

sorry - missed that. If you want to CC: me when you send it to Joe - I can post the ABC

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: THE MALLARD
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 24 Aug 05 - 12:47 PM

Thanks for the clarification, Matthew. Sometimes the Trad. ballad Index is a little too cryptic.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: THE MALLARD
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 24 Aug 05 - 12:45 PM

Every song in Peacock has music (as I noted for this one). Music will be scanned to Joe; maybe he will have time to make a midi.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: THE MALLARD
From: Matthew Edwards
Date: 24 Aug 05 - 11:20 AM

The reference to 1889 in the Traditional Ballads Index should be to Baring-Gould's 'Songs of the West' though Baring-Gould felt obliged to write new words as he found the original ones "silly". The Kennedy citation is the much more recent 'Folk Songs of Britain and Ireland, 1975' where it is #299, taken from a 1954 recording by Peter Kennedy of Harry Holland from Exeter.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: THE MALLARD
From: Matthew Edwards
Date: 24 Aug 05 - 10:39 AM

There is a wonderful recording of this sung by Henry Mitchemore on the Topic LP Devon Tradition, An anthology from Traditional Singers 12TS349, Topic, 1979, recorded by Sam Richards, Paul Wilson and Tish Stubbs. The recording has been reissued in the Topic Voice of the People anthology as Most Beautiful Leg of the Mallard" on Vol. 7 'First I'm Going to Sing you a Ditty: Rural Fun and Frolics' TSCD 657.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: THE MALLARD
From: Cod Fiddler
Date: 24 Aug 05 - 10:26 AM

I heard Tim Van Eyken sing this at "Not the White Horse Folk Club" in Beverley.

http://www.timvaneyken.co.uk/

His was a mixture of the two versions above which went something like this:

1. Oh, I have eaten him, what did I eat?
I ate the head of the mallard.
Head head and toe and toe, toe nibbins'n all,
It all went into the pellagio [stomach]
Oh most beautiful head of the mallard.

You may find the song on one of his recordings if you want the tune.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: THE MALLARD
From: GUEST,Barrie Roberts
Date: 24 Aug 05 - 10:16 AM

Bob Arnold (Best known as 'Tom Forrest' for many years in BBC Radio's 'The Archers') recorded a 78 of a Cotswold 'Mallard' back in the 40s and (I believe) reprised it many years later on a vinyl album.

His lyric went something like:

Oh why have I yet?
What have I yet?
I've yet the toe of me mallard,
Nib-a-toe, toe nibbins'n all,
Oh why have I yet of me mallard-e-o,
So good it was, me mallard.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: THE MALLARD
From: MMario
Date: 24 Aug 05 - 10:03 AM

LF - do you have it written down? If you can scan, I can convert.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: THE MALLARD
From: Leadfingers
Date: 24 Aug 05 - 10:00 AM

And have a slightly different (English) version - Wish I could do the ABC bit for the music ! -

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: THE MALLARD
From: MMario
Date: 24 Aug 05 - 09:56 AM

Q! Is there a tune with this?

Subject: Lyr Add: THE MALLARD
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 24 Aug 05 - 12:03 AM

Lyr. Add: THE MALLARD

1. Oh, I have eaten him, what did I eat?
I ate the head of the mallard.
Head head and two two's and two nonnicks I know,
I have been to the Finnegan's ball,
And good meat was the mallard.

2. Oh, I have eaten him, what did I eat"
I ate the neck of the mallard.
Neck neck and head head and two two's and two nonnicks, I know,
I have been to the Finnegan's ball,
And good meat was the mallard.

3. Oh, I have eaten him, what did I eat?
I ate the back of the mallard.
Back back and neck neck and head head and two two's and
   two nonnicks I know,
I have been to Finnegan's ball,
And good meat was the mallard.

4. wing
5. side
6. breast
7. tail
8. leg
9. foot
10. toe

Sung by Mrs. Mary Ann Gulpin, Codroy, NFLD., 1961. With music.
Kenneth Peacock, 1965, "Songs of the Newfoundland Outports," vol. 1, pp. 16-17.
"This rollicking nursery rhyme may be regarded as the Engish equivalent of "Alouette,..." ""The Mallard" is of English origin."
The Traditional Ballad Index says this was first published by Kennedy, 1889 (not seen).