Lyr Add: Mary's Ass (bawdy)

Subject: Lyr Add: Mary's Ass (bawdy)
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 13 Sep 03 - 03:18 PM

I transcribed this for a friend, so may as well post it.

~ Becky in Tucson

MARY'S ASS
As sung by Bill Boundy of Lithgow, New South Wales, Australia. Recorded in Meredith, John and Hugh Anderson, Folk Songs of Australia (Ure Smith, Sydney,1968)

You've asked for a story – I'll sing, I will tell,
about a young lady I knew very well;
her name it was Mary, a beautiful lass,
and the song I will sing is about Mary's ass.

A present to Mary her uncle did make
that whenever she went to some exercise take
this donkey, or mule, he said "sure, take your choice,
one that's gay and so frisky with beautiful voice."

Now early next morning young Mary was out,
and all round the town was seen riding about.
'Twas the talk of the town, north, east, west and south,
in fact, Mary's ass was in everyone's mouth.
When tired of this, she would gallop back home,
he ass would be covered with sweat and with foam;
she'd cry out to the groom, "Grab a handful of grass,
come down to the stable and wipe down my ass."

Now old Joe, who sells greeens, has a moke very old,
it is bony and lean from starvation and cold.
And when'er he meets Mary, which often occurs,
how he wishes his ass was as handsome as hers.
Now early one morning as Mary did pass,
a lad with a straw slyly tickled her ass;
the mule gave a bolt, down a hole it did go,
and over its shoulder poor Mary did throw.

They carried her home – she recovered next day;
but her ass it was left in the hole where it lay.
Its poor neck was broken - Och! Bless me soul!
And the people all round call it Mary's Ass Hole.
And Mary regretted the loss of her ass,
and oft of an evening by there she would pass,
and lately I've noteiced as by there I stroll
there's some very bad smells come from Mary's Ass Hole.

T: Mary's Ass
S: As sung by Bill Boundy of Lithgow, New South Wales, Australia. Recorded in Meredith, John and Hugh Anderson, Folk Songs of Australia (Ure Smith, Sydney,1968)
K: G
M: 3/4
L: 1/8
D2 | D2 B3 B | B2 A2 A2 | A2 G2 G2 | G4 F E |
E2 D3 D | D2 E2 F2 | A2 G2 G2 | G4 D2 :|
D2 c2 c2 | c2 d2 c2 | c2 B2 A2 | B4 D D|
D2 G2 B2 | d2 c2 B2 | B2 A2 G2| A4 D |
D2 B2 B2 | B2 A2 A2 | A2 G2 G2 |
G4 F E | E2 D3 D | D2 E2 F2 | A2 G2 G2 | G4 ||

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Mary's Ass (bawdy)
From: Forsh
Date: 13 Sep 03 - 03:35 PM

Noce one, That takes me back a bit, me old man did a similat version:
Come all gather round me a story I'll tell
about a young lady I knew very well
her name it was Mary a beautifull lass
and the song I shall sing you concerns Mary's Ass.

She first sied this ass where it stood in a field,
She pleaded to have it, her farther did yield
he bought her the donkey the very next day
and a dsaddle & bridle & fresh bale of hay.

also one or two words differ in the verses (the mule gave a buck ..)

But hey! yhanks for the memory jog!

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Mary's Ass (bawdy)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 13 Sep 03 - 03:56 PM

Forsh - Is that "first spied this ass"?
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Mary's Ass (bawdy)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 13 Sep 03 - 03:59 PM

Reminiscent of "The Queen's Ass," by H. Howard, 1762, about the ass that belonged to Charlotte Sophia, Queen, Consort of George III.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Mary's Ass (bawdy)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 13 Sep 03 - 04:08 PM

Do tell, Q. I wanna hear about the Queen.
Have you lyrics to post for us?
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Mary's Ass (bawdy)
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 14 Sep 03 - 12:57 AM

The Queen's Ass is now posted in this thread.

The version above was collected in the mid-1950s, when the singer, Bill Boundy, was in his 40s.

~ Becky in Tucson

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Mary's Ass (bawdy)
From: GUEST,Martin Ryan
Date: 14 Sep 03 - 04:33 AM

I think I've heard "Mary's Ass" in a localised, Irish (Kerry?) version, occasionally.

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Mary's Ass (bawdy)
From: Charley Noble
Date: 14 Sep 03 - 09:10 AM

Then there's the limmerick version:

There was a young maid from Madras
Who had a most remarkable ass;
Not rounded and pink,
As you might think,
But was gray, had long ears, and ate grass.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Mary's Ass (bawdy)
From: Brían
Date: 14 Sep 03 - 10:41 AM

I have heard this song to the tune of THE OLD ORANGE FLUTE with the added chorus:

Too-ra loo, too-ra lay
Kick(skip?) me ass into Erin some thundering day.

Brían

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Mary's Ass (bawdy)
From: Forsh
Date: 14 Sep 03 - 03:48 PM

Yes, Joe O, spied! LOL :) that posting is full of Typos,aint it? Must wear glasses more often!

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Mary's Ass (bawdy)
From: Joe_F
Date: 14 Sep 03 - 07:40 PM

Mary had a little watch.
She swallowed it one day.
The doctor gave her laxative
To pass the time away.
Mary took the laxative,
But the time, it would not pass.
So, if you want to know the time,
You can look up Mary's aunt, who has a watch too.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Mary's Ass (bawdy)
From: Joe_F
Date: 15 Sep 03 - 06:45 PM

And, as long as we are teasing:

Of all the fishes in the seas,
The strangest is the bass.
It climbs into the tops of trees
And slides down on its hands and knees
To frolic in the grass.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Mary's Ass (bawdy)
From: GUEST,Dave Usher
Date: 11 Jan 25 - 02:06 PM

One of the Kossoy sisters did this at a house party in St. Louis in the 1960s. I have a recording of it somewhere. It is a hilarious dirty ditty.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Mary's Ass (bawdy)
From: and e
Date: 12 Jan 25 - 03:03 AM

The QUEEN's ASS.
A New Humorous Allegorical Song.
Honi soit qui mal y pense.
By H. HOWaRD.
To the Tune of, Stick a Pin there.

I.

Ye Bucks and ye Jemmies who amble the Park,
Whose Hearts and whose Heads are as lightsome as Cork,
Through Buckingham-Gate, as to Chelsea you pass,
Without Fee or Reward, you may see the Q-----'s A----,
        See the Q------'s A--: See the Q-----'s A---,
                Without Fee or Reward, &c.

II.

A Sight such as this surely never was seen;
Who the Deuce would not gaze at the A--- of a Q----n?
What Prospect so charming!-- What Sene can surpass
The delicate Sight of her M------'s A--- ?

III.

Though squeamish old Prudes with Invective and Spleen,
May turn up their Noses, and censure the Q-----n;
Crying out,--" 'Tis a Shame, that her Q-----ship, alas,
"Should take such a Pride--in exposing her A---."

IV.

Let them rail if they will; yet I'll bett Ten to One,
Not a Prude of them all but would alter her Tone,
Provided that Fortune, so kind to each Lass,
Had bestow'd such an A--- as her M------'s A---.

V.

The Fribbles cry out, " 'Tis a Sin and a Shame
" To suffer a Sight with so filthy a Name:"
Though they rail, yet will each take a Peep thro' hi Glass,
For who wou'd not peep at her M-------'s A-- ?

VI.

From M**klb**b St**l**z, a Place of Renown,
This good-natur'd P--n--ss cam her for a Crown ;
And now in Return to the Folks as they pass,
She kindly repays them--by shewing her A---.

VII.

Ye Gods ! I with Pleasure cou'd gaze Day and Night,
At so charming, so pretty, so curious a Sight :
In truch, I must own--nay, I swear by the Mass,
I could kiss (if no Treason)---her M-------'s A---.

VIII.

But this for a Subject, though loyal, I fear
Would be look'd on by some Folks as coming too near ;
Then in Prudence my Passion I'll stifle, alas !
Content but to gaze on her M-------'s A---.

IX.

Resign'd to my Fate, thus to gaze and no more,
In vain for Possession I sigh and implore ;
But Scripture informs us that all Flesh is Grass,
And such, I presume, is her M------'s A---.

X.

Since then there is no mighty Diff'rence between
The A--- of a Subject, and that of a Q----n,
Let each Lad full of glee take his Bottle and Glass,
And drink the Q-------'s Health----not forgetting her A---,
        Not forgetting her A---; Not forgetting her A---,
                And drink the Q-----'s Heath, &C.

Sold by the AUTHOR, opposite the Union Coffee-House, in the Strand, near Temple-Bar; and by all the Print and Pamphlet-sellers.
(PRICE SIXPENCE.)

N.B. In a few Days will be published, A Song on the CHEROKEES with a Head-Piece.

See online: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1868-0808-4198


Dave, are you the Dave Usher that has a youtube channel ? Would you mind sharing the recording on your channel ?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Mary's Ass (bawdy)
From: and e
Date: 12 Jan 25 - 09:25 AM

This song is Roud # 3351. It has 7 references.


See online here: https://archives.vwml.org/search/all:combined/0_50/all/score_desc/extended-roudNo_tr:3351