Lyr Req: Songs about being invincible or mighty

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs about being invincible or mighty
From: GUEST,meself
Date: 20 Apr 07 - 11:43 AM

I haven't the foggiest notion. But it's the way I learned the song as a child from me mudder, and it's the only way I've ever heard it sung. It's the way you'll find it here, for example.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs about being invincible or mighty
From: kendall
Date: 20 Apr 07 - 12:50 PM

So it is. I heard that version many years ago, but I can't stand to sing lyrics that don't make sense. Any sailor knows that it would be impossible to reef the main boom, or any other solid object.
I don't mean to be pedantic, but I have always appreciated being corrected by someone who knows what they are talking about.

Oscar Brand sings a lot of sea songs, and it's apparent that he has never been to sea because he changes words that don't make sense to a land lubber, but the ones he uses are just plain wrong.

I know this guy who insists on singing a wrong word in a certain sea song. I told him what the right word was, but he learned it that way and continues to sing the wrong word.
I enjoy learning something new...some people don't, I guess.
End of sermon.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs about being invincible or mighty
From: GUEST,meself
Date: 20 Apr 07 - 01:24 PM

Well - no doubt I'm a significant presence in that group of "some people [who] don't", and you may rest assured that I feel duly chastened. However, in my very limited experience of this world, I've found that occasionally words and phrases have changes of meaning, and occasionally words and phrases have regional, dialect, jargon or vernacular usages that are not widely familiar outside a certain region or group of people. In this case, I question whether the phrase "reef the main boom" would not only have been composed and published by a Newfoundlander, but repeated by generations of singing Newfoundlanders, if it made no sense to them. These are, after all, people who tend to have some familiarity with things nautical. And while I have heard variations on other bits of the lyrics, I have never, until now, heard any variation on "reef the main boom". So I trust you'll understand if I don't unquestioningly bend to your authority and will, and continue to sing the "wrong" word.

(I'm going to put a question about "reef the main boom" on the Newfoundland songs thread ... ).

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs about being invincible or mighty
From: kendall
Date: 20 Apr 07 - 03:41 PM

the main boom is the long wooden, or aluminum pole that the sails are attached to.There is one for each sail, except in a gaff rigged sail boat.They have two, the top one is called a gaff and the bottom one a boom.
a "reef" refers to making the sail smaller because of strong winds that could make the sail blow out. If it's made smaller there is less pressure on it.
Picture a big square sail full of wind. It is straining under the pressure. Now picture a row of little holes in the sail that runs parallel to the boom. Now picture pieces of small rope which get drawn through the holes and tied down to the boom. That is a reefed sail.

Not being a sailor, you would have no need to know about such things.

My first wife and I were caught in a fierce gale in Penobscot Bay, and it blew so hard that a new jib ripped right up the middle. There were no reef points in the jib, so, no way to make it smaller.
I wish my Mum had taught me songs like yours did. She had very little to sing about.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs about being invincible or mighty
From: GUEST,meself
Date: 20 Apr 07 - 04:43 PM

"Not being a sailor, you would have no need to know about such things."

No pressing need, it's true.

"I wish my Mum had taught me songs like yours did. She had very little to sing about."

I'm sorry to hear that. I was very fortunate in growing up in a home with all kinds of music. I was well into my teen years before I began to realize that that wasn't common ...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs about being invincible or mighty
From: kendall
Date: 20 Apr 07 - 05:24 PM

I hope I didn't embarrass you with that correction. It wasn't my intent. This is a good example of one reason to be a member. I could have sent you a PM, but one must be a member to receive PMs.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs about being invincible or mighty
From: GUEST,meself
Date: 20 Apr 07 - 08:12 PM

Embarrassed? I don't see why I would be embarrassed ... maybe because, sorry, but I still don't take your preferred wording as a "correction"; rather, I still see it as an alternative. I understand your logic, but I can't just dismiss the way the song has been sung for 150 years or so in Newfoundland, and the words chosen by the author/compiler of the Newfoundland lyrics, as "wrong". If someone shows me that the phrase I'm familiar with came about by way of an error on the part of the author or an early printer, and was just blindly repeated by generations of Newfoundlanders, then I might be willing to concede that it is in a sense "wrong" - even if well-established by tradition.   But I'm still not entirely convinced that in the vernacular of Newfoundland seamen of 150 years ago "reef the main boom" didn't have a distinct meaning. For example, I don't know why it couldn't have meant "reef the sail that is fastened to the main boom". You would know better than I if that would be much of an accomplishment on a vessel large enough to be called a "trader" ...

(And yes, I'll probably sign up one of these days ... !)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs about being invincible or mighty
From: kendall
Date: 20 Apr 07 - 10:20 PM

I get where you are coming from, but just because something has been done wrong for 150 years hardly makes it right.
Of course there is always the possibility that the song was written by a land lubber. Many sea songs are. For instance:

Call all hands to man the capstan... if all hands are on the capstan, who is manning the sails and the wheel?

another example:
Stan Roger's Rocks of Baccaloo.. in one verse he refers to the wheel, and in another he refers to the tiller. No boat or ship ever had both.
Some poetic license is ok, but glaring mistakes will be noted and commented upon.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs about being invincible or might
From: Joe_F
Date: 20 Apr 07 - 10:40 PM

Now Clancy was a peaceful man, if you know what I mean.
The cops picked up the pieces after Clancy left the scene.
He never looked for trouble -- that's a fact you may assume --
But nevertheless,
When trouble would press,
Clancy lowered the boom.

One might also mention "Jock o the Side" (Child 187).

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs about being invincible or mighty
From: kendall
Date: 20 Apr 07 - 10:45 PM

That's an interesting saying. To lower the boom means to clobber a guy. If you have ever been hit in the head by a boom, you know what that means. I have a couple of hats at the bottom of Penobscot Bay. If you suffer an uncontrolled jibe, you just don't have time to duck.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs about being invincible or mighty
From: GUEST,meself
Date: 20 Apr 07 - 10:48 PM

The lyrics of The Ryans & the Pittmans, while obviously based on earlier songs, are credited to a guy who was a landlubber at least by profession (a journalist, I believe), although that doesn't necessarily mean he hadn't been to sea, or didn't grow up on fishing boats. It's hard to imagine a Newfoundlander of the time who wouldn't have a workaday familiarity with nautical lingo and practice ... but who knows ...

Re: Cliffs of Baccalieu. While Stan recorded it, he didn't write it. I can't recall anything about who did, but it was composed as the theme for a Newfoundland radio show, so the lyrics may well have come from a 'lubber. I think it's relatively recent, late '50s or early '60s.

"glaring mistakes will be noted and commented upon"

Nothing wrong with that. But whether "corrections" will be undertaken is another matter. There are quite a number of considerations; for example, if in a song like Cliffs of Baccalieu, "tiller" provides an essential rhyme at one point, and "wheel" at another (which I don't think is the case), it may do too much violence to the lyrics to try to make them consistent. Anyway, I'm going to keep the issue of "walking" versus "reefing" in mind, and ask around and nose around as the opportunity arises, and see what comes up ...

Subject: Lyr Add: ANCIENT BRITONS NATIONAL ANTHEM
From: quantock
Date: 03 Nov 07 - 01:35 AM

The Ancient Britons National Anthem - Tune: Men of Harlech

What's the use of wearing braces,
Vest and pants and boots with laces
Spats and hats you buy in places
Down Old Brompton Road

What's the use of shirts of cotton
Studs that always get forgotten
These affairs are simply rotten,
Better Far is Woad!

Woad's the stuff to show men
Woad to scare the foe men
Boil it to a brilliant blue
And rub it on your back and your abdomen
Ancient Britons never hit on
Anything as good as woad to fit on
Neck or knees or where you sit on
Taylors you be blowed!

Romans came across the channel
All wrapped up in tin and flannel
Half a pint of woad per man'll
Dress more than these.

Saxons you can waste your stitches
Building beds for bugs in breeches
We have woad to dress us which is
Not a nest for fleas

Romans keep your armours
Saxons your pajamas
Hairy coats were made for goats
Gorillas, Yaks, Retriever dogs and llamas
Tramp up Sonwdon with your woad on
Never mind if you get rained or blowed on
Never want a button sewed on
Go it ancient B's.


Gosh - amazed I can still remember that. Haven't sung it for years!
Anyone know who wrote it?

Rob Williams

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs about being invincible or might
From: Joe_F
Date: 03 Nov 07 - 08:44 PM

The chorus of "Moskva" goes

Kipuchaya, moguchaya,
Nikem ne povedimaya,
Strana moya, Moskva moya,
Ty samaya lyubimaya.

Boiling, powerful,
Unconqerable by anyone,
My country, my Moscow,
You are the most beloved.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs about being invincible or might
From: LeTenebreux
Date: 04 Nov 07 - 10:02 AM

I really like Don McLean's (yes, he did other songs besides "American Pie") song "Everybody Loves Me Baby".

Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" deals partly with the theme of losing invincibility, with its references to Samson and Delilah:

She tied you to the kitchen chair
She broke your throne and cut your hair
And from your lips she drew the "Hallelujah"....

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs about being invincible or might
From: Fred Maslan
Date: 04 Nov 07 - 01:28 PM

The Cat Came Back

Itsy Bitsy Spider

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs about being invincible or mighty
From: Art Thieme
Date: 04 Nov 07 - 01:44 PM

Go Cubs Go

Art

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs about being invincible or mighty
From: Bert
Date: 04 Nov 07 - 01:54 PM

John Henry
The Frozen Logger
The Wonderful Crocodile

Subject: Lyr Add: JOSHUA FOUGHT THE BATTLE OF JERICHO
From: topical tom
Date: 04 Nov 07 - 04:49 PM

JOSHUA FOUGHT THE BATTLE OF JERICHO

Joshua fought the battle of Jericho
Jericho Jericho
Joshua fought the battle of Jericho
And the walls come tumbling down

God knows that
Joshua fought the battle of Jericho
Jericho Jericho
Joshua fought the battle of Jericho
And the walls come tumbling down

Good morning sister Mary
Good morning brother John
Well I wanna stop and talk with you
Wanna tell you how I come along

I know you've heard about Joshua
He was the son of Nun
He never stopped his work until
Until the work was done

God knows that
Joshua fought the battle of Jericho
Jericho Jericho
Joshua fought the battle of Jericho
And the walls come tumbling down

You may talk about your men of Gideon
You may brag about your men of Saul
There's none like good old Joshua
At the battle of Jericho

Up to the walls of Jericho
He marched with spear in hand
Go blow them ram horns, Joshua cried
'Cause the battle is in my hands

God knows that
Joshua fought the battle of Jericho
Jericho Jericho
Joshua fought the battle of Jericho
And the walls come tumbling down

You may talk about your men of Gideon
You may brag about your king of Saul
There none like Joshua
At the battle of Jericho

They tell me, great God that Joshua's spear
Was well nigh twelve feet long
And upon his hip was a double edged sword
And his mouth was a gospel horn

Yet bold and brave he stood
Salvation in his hand
Go blow them ram horns Joshua cried
'Cause the devil can't do you no harm

Joshua fought the battle of Jericho
Jericho Jericho
Joshua fought the battle of Jericho
And the walls come tumbling down

Up to the walls of Jericho
He marched with spear in hand
Go blow them ram horns, Joshua cried
'Cause the battle is in my hands

Then the lamb ram sheep horns began to blow
The trumpets began to sound
Old Joshua shouted glory
And the walls came tumblin' down

God knows that
Joshua fought the battle of Jericho
Jericho Jericho
Joshua fought the battle of Jericho
And the walls come tumbling down

Down, down, down, down, down
Tumblin' down

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs about being invincible or mighty
From: GUEST,Young Buchan
Date: 05 Nov 07 - 08:17 AM

For Guest meself's benefit: the missing bit of Johnny Cock-

'As I was walking through the woods and down among the scrogs
The finest youth I ever saw lay sleeping tween two dogs.

The shirt that was upon his back was of the holland fine
The doublet that was over that was of the Linncoln twine.

The buttons that were on his sleeves were made of gold so good
And the two dogs he lay between had caked their mouths in blood.'

Up then spoke the head forester that was Johnny's sister's son:
'If that be young Johnny Cock to the greenwood we'll be gone.'

The very first shot that they did shoot hit Johnny in the thigh;
The second shot that they did shoot the tears did blind his eye.

Subject: Lyr Add: LANG JOHNNY MOIR
From: GUEST,Young Buchan
Date: 05 Nov 07 - 08:28 AM

LANG JOHNNY MOIR

There lives a man in Rynie's land,
Anither in Auchindore,
The bravest lad amo them a'
Was lang Johnny Moir.

Young Johnny was an airy blade,
Fu sturdy, stout, and strang;
The sword that hang by Johnny's side
Was just full ten feet lang.

Young Johnny was a clever youth,
Fu sturdy, stout, and wight,
Just full three yards around the waist,
And fourteen feet in hight.

But if a' be true they tell me now,
And a' be true I hear,
Young Johnny's on to Lundan gane,
The king's banner to bear.

He hadna been in fair Lundan
But twalmonths twa or three
Till the fairest lady in a' Lundan
Fell in love wi young Johnny.

This news did sound thro Lundan town,
Till it came to the king
That the muckle Scot had fa'in in love
Wi his daughter, Lady Jean.

Whan the king got word o that,
A solemn oath sware he,
This weighty Scot sall strait a rope,
And hanged he shall be.

When Johnny heard the sentence past,
A light laugh then gae he:
'While I hae strength to wield my blade,
Ye darena a' hang me.'

The English dogs were cunning rogues;
About him they did creep,
And gae him draps o lodomy
That laid him fast asleep.

Whan Johnny wakend frae his sleep
A sorry heart had he;
His jaws and hands in iron bands,
His feet in fetters three.

'O whar will I get a little wee boy
Will work for meat and fee,
That will rin on to my uncle,
At the foot of Benachie?'

'Here am I, a little wee boy
Will work for meat and fee,
That will rin on to your uncle,
At the foot of Benachie.'

'Whan ye come whar grass grows green,
Slack your shoes and rin;
And whan ye come whar water's strong,
Ye'll bend your bow and swim.

'And whan ye come to Benachie
Ye'll neither chap nor ca;
Sae well 's ye'll ken auld Johnny there,
Three feet abeen them a'.

'Ye'll gie to him this braid letter,
Seald wi my faith and troth,
And ye'll bid him bring alang wi him
The body Jock o Noth.'

Whan he came whar grass grew green,
He slackt his shoes and ran;
And whan he came whar water's strong
He bent his bow and swam.

And whan he came to Benachie
Did neither chap nor ca;
Sae well 's he kent auld Johnny there,
Three feet abeen them a'.

'What news, what news, my little wee boy?
Ye never were here before;'
'Nae news, nae news, but a letter from
Your nephew, Johnny Moir.

'Ye'll take here this braid letter,
Seald wi his faith and troth,
And ye're bidden bring along wi you
The body Jock o Noth.'

Benachie lyes very low,
The tap o Noth lyes high;
For a' the distance that's between,
He heard auld Johnny cry.

Whan on the plain these champions met,
Twa grizly ghosts to see,
There were three feet between their brows,
And shoulders were yards three.

These men they ran ower hills and dales,
And ower mountains high,
Till they came on to Lundan town,
At the dawn o the third day.

And whan they came to Lundan town
The yetts were lockit wi bands,
And wha were there but a trumpeter,
Wi trumpet in his hands?

'What is the matter, ye keepers all?
Or what's the matter within
That the drums do beat and bells do ring,
And make sic dolefu din?'

'There's naething the matter,' the keeper said,
'There's naething the matter to thee,
But a weighty Scot to strait the rope,
And the morn he maun die.'

'O open the yetts, ye proud keepers,
Ye'll open without delay;'
The trembling keeper, smiling, said,
'O I hae not the key.'

'Ye'll open the yetts, ye proud keepers,
Ye'll open without dealy,
Or here is a body at my back
Frae Scotland has brought the key.'

'Ye'll open the yetts,' says Jock o Noth,
'Ye'll open them at my call;'
Then wi his foot he has drove in
Three yards braid o the wall.

As they gaed in by Drury Lane,
And down by the town's hall,
And there they saw young Johnny Moir
Stand on their English wall

'Ye're welcome here, my uncle dear,
Ye're welcome unto me;
Ye'll loose the knot, and slack the rope,
And set me frae the tree.'

'Is it for murder, or for theft?
Or is it for rooberie?
If it is for ony heinous crime,
There's nae remeid for thee.'

'It's nae for murder, nor for theft,
Nor yet for robberie;
A' is for loving a gay lady
They're gaun to gar me die.'

'O whar's thy sword,' says Jock o Noth,
Ye brought frae Scotland wi thee?
I never saw a scotsman yet
But coud wield a sword or tree.'

'A pox upo their lodomy,
On me had sic a sway
Four o their men, the bravest four,
They bore my blade away.'

'Bring back his blade,' says Jock o Noth,
'And freely to him it gie,
Or I hae sworn a black Scot's oath
I'll gar five million die.

'Now whar's the lady?' says Jock o' Noth,
'Sae fain I woud her see;'
'She's lockd up in her ain chamber,
The king he keeps the key.'

So they hae gane before the king,
With courage bauld and free;
Their armour bright cast sic a light
That almost dim'd his ee.

'O whar's the lady?' says Jock o Noth,
'Sae fain as I woud her see;
For we are come to her wedding,
Frae the foot o benachie.'

'O take the lady,' said the king,
'Ye welcome are for me;
I never thought to see sic men,
Frae the foot o Benachie.'

'If I had kend,' said Jock o Noth,
'Ye'd wonderd sae muckle at me,
I woud hae brought ane larger far
By sizes three times three.

'Likewise if I had thought I'd been
Sic a great fright to thee,
I'd brought Sir John o Erskine Park;
He's thretty feet and three.'

'Wae to the little boy,' said the king,
'Brought tidings unto thee!
Let all England say what they will,
High hang d shall he be.'

'O if you hang the little wee boy
Brought tidings unto me,
We shall attend his burial,
And rewarded ye shall be.'

'O take the lady,' said the king,
'And the boy shall be free;'
'A priest, a priest,' then Johnny cried,
'To join my love and me.'

'A clerk, a clerk,' the king replied,
'To seal her tocher wi thee;'
Out it speaks auld Johnny then,
These words pronounced he:

'I want nae lands and rents at hame,
I'll ask nae gows frae thee;
I am possessd o riches great,
Hae fifty ploughs and three;
Likewise fa's heir to ane estate
At the foot o Benachie.

'Hae ye ony masons in this place,
Or ony at your call,
That ye may now send some o them
To build your broken wall?'

'Yes, there are masons in this place,
And plenty at my call;
But ye may gang frae whence ye came,
Never mind my broken wall.'

They've taen the lady by the hand
And set her prison-free;
Wi drums beating, and fifes playing,
They spent the night wi glee.

Now auld Johnny Moir, and young Johnny Moir,
And Jock o Noth, a' three,
The English lady, and little wee boy,
Went a' to Benachie.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs about being invincible or mighty
From: GUEST,'Ray Bucknell
Date: 05 Nov 07 - 07:05 PM

Woody's "Great Historical Bum", Paxton's "I'm the Man that Built the Bridges", and a song called "Mighty Joe Magarac" (sp?) whose author I do not know but that I learned from an old Phoenix Singers' (anybody remember them?) album I procured from Ebay back when my turntable still worked.

                                        'Ray

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs about being invincible or mighty
From: Mrrzy
Date: 05 Nov 07 - 07:52 PM

And a lot of liar songs...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs about being invincible or might
From: Newport Boy
Date: 06 Nov 07 - 05:57 AM

Mention of "Great Historical Bum" reminds me of a 1960-ish compilation which I found in one of the "Sing Out" annuals. Larry Mohr put a new tune to Woody's song and combined it with the old "Ten Thousand Years Ago". Verses of each were alternated as a sort of competition. He recorded it with Odetta Feilous on a Fantasy disc called "Odetta & Larry".

Phil

Subject: Lyr Add: BIG STRONG MAN / SYLVEST
From: stallion
Date: 06 Nov 07 - 06:11 AM

found this on another thread

Here are the words to 'Sylvest' (a.k.a. 'Big Strong Man') as I know them.

There are a number of audience responses which are typically shouted out between lines. (listed here in parentheses) These are, of course, optional; but, I think they add a lot of fun to the song - especially when performed live.

Enjoy! - Ian

---------------------

BIG STRONG MAN / SYLVEST

Have you heard about the big strong man,
Who lived in a caravan?
Have you heard about the Jeffrey Johnston fight?
Lord, what a hell of a fight!
You can take all the heavyweights you got. (What 'cha got?)
We gotta lad who can beat the whole lot.
He used to ring the bells in the belfry,
Now he's gonna fight Jack Dempsey.

CHORUS:
He was me brother Sylvest (What's he got?)
A row of forty medals on his chest (Big chest!)
He killed fifty bad men in the West; He knows no rest
Think of the man, Hell's fire, Don't push, just shove,
Plenty of room for you and me.
He's got an arm, (Got an arm) Like a leg (Like a leg)
And a punch that would sink a battle ship (Big ship)
It takes all the army and the navy to put the wind up Sylvest.

VERSE 2:
He thought he'd take a trip to Italy;
And he thought that he'd go by sea.
He jumped off the harbour in New York,
And he swam like a great big shark.
He saw the Lusitania in distress (What'd he do?)
Put the Lusitania on his chest, (Big chest)
Drank all the water in the sea
And he walked all the way to Italy.
CHORUS

VERSE 3:
He thought he'd take a trip to old Japan,
So they brought out the big brass band.
He played every every instrument they'd got.
What a lad, he played the whole lot,
The old church bell will ring, (Hell's bells)
The old church choir will sing. (Hell's choir)
They all turned out to say farewell,
To my big brother Sylvest.
CHORUS

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs about being invincible or mighty
From: GUEST,Dean
Date: 19 Jan 08 - 08:33 PM

Ok, just for completeness, I'll add my version of the chorus - slightly differnt to the ones above but it's how i remember it. Audience response in parentheses too.

He's my brother; Sylvest.
(What has he got?) He's got a row of forty medals on his chest. (Big chest)(.
Killed a thousand soldiers in the west, he takes no rest.
Strong as an ox, big as a bull, dont push, just shove, plenty of room for me and you.
He's got an arm; like a leg. (Like a leg?)
And a punch that'll sink a battleship; (Big ship).
Takes all the army and the navy, to put the wind up. (Who?)
Sylvest.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs about being invincible or mighty
From: GUEST,Volgadon
Date: 20 Jan 08 - 12:02 PM

Well, there's an old revolutionary song, the title is Red Army, Black Baron, but it's known as the Red Army is Mightier Than Them All.

Red Army, march forward!
The revolution calls us to battle.
From the taiga to the British seas
the Red Army is mightier than them all!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs about being invincible or mighty
From: Genie
Date: 21 Jan 08 - 05:24 AM

Does a natural (weather) phenomenon count as a "character?"   How about
"Wasn't That A Mighty Storm?"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs about being invincible or mighty
From: GUEST,Neil D
Date: 21 Jan 08 - 08:51 AM

You don't tug on Superman's cape
You don't spit into the wind
You don't pull the mask off the old Lone Ranger
And you don't mess around with Jim

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs about being invincible or mighty
From: GUEST,XC MAN
Date: 05 Apr 15 - 06:01 PM

You'd all to well to check out David Bromberg's "I'm The Strongest Man In The World."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs about being invincible or mighty
From: mg
Date: 05 Apr 15 - 06:18 PM

cliffs of baccalieu ?? written in 1934 by Jack Withers.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs about being invincible or mighty
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 06 Apr 15 - 03:43 AM

This was written by a late friend back in the 70s (now deceased) - it is based on the Fenian Legend of Finn and the two-headed giant.
Jim Carroll

O'REILLY AND THE BIG McNEIL      
Donneil Kennedy
tune: based on The Garden where the Praties Grow.

Well, the day I met O'Reilly it was thirty-two below,
The sparks were flying off me pick, I was up to me neck in snow.
His footsteps shook the basement slab, I saw the sky grow black
As he roared out, 'I'm your ganger now, so dig until you crack!'

He was bigger than a dumper truck, with legs like concrete piles,
His face was like a load of bricks, his teeth were six inch files;
His eyes they shone like danger lamps, his hands were tough as steel,
But a man as small as that was never a match for Big McNeil.

When the tea came round at dinner time, He grabbed a gallon tin.
I said 'you'd better drop that fast if you would save your skin,
You may be called O'Reilly, but I will to you reveal
That the cup you've got your hands on, it belongs to big McNeil.

Well, he laughed at me and carried on as if I hadn't spoke,
He said 'A man from Dublin town can always take a joke,'
But when he picked a shovel up, wee Jimmie gave a squeal.
'You'd better drop that teaspoon, it belongs to Big McNeil.'

Well, everything the ganger touched we said to leave alone,
Or else McNeil would grind him up and make plaster of his bones,
As last O'Reilly lost his head and said he'd make a meal
Out of any labourer in the squad, especially Big McNeil.

We said McNeil was home in bed, and told him where to go,
The boys all dropped their tools and went along to watch the show,
And when we got to Renfrew street wee Jimmy danced a reel
To see him thundering at the door, to fight the big McNeil.

When the ganger got inside he saw a monster on the bed,
A mound as big as a stanchion base with a barrel size of head,
He punched it and he thumped it and he hit about with zeal,
Till the missus cried - 'Don't hurt the child, or else I'll tell McNeil.'

He was bigger than a dumper truck, with legs like concrete piles,
His face was like a load of bricks, his teeth were six inch files,
His eyes they shone like danger lamps, his hands were tough as steel,
But a man as small as that was never a match for Big McNeil.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs about being invincible or mighty
From: eftifino
Date: 06 Apr 15 - 09:42 AM

How about '16 Tons' by Tennessee Ernie Ford.

As a bit of a gag, here's Mac Davis' 'Lord, its hard to be humble"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYKWch_MNY0