Lyr Req: McSherry Had a Monkey on His Back

Subject: Lyr Req: McSherry Had a Monkey on His Back
From: Celtaddict
Date: 01 Jul 07 - 10:47 PM

I have heard an off-the-wall song involving a man seeking husbands for his daughters Mary and Kerry, and the two men are Mickey and Crack (McCracken?), one of those tongue-tanglers, and the chorus has something along the lines of
Will Mary marry Mickey and will Kerry marry Crack
. . . . .
. . . . .
And McSherry had a monkey on his back.
Does this ring any bells?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: McSherry Had a Monkey on His Back
From: Celtaddict
Date: 08 Jul 07 - 06:11 PM

No luck yet?
The second line of the chorus, I believe, is
Or will Kerry marry Mickey for the crack? (craic)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: McSherry Had a Monkey on His Back
From: Peace
Date: 08 Jul 07 - 06:34 PM

I have tried everywhich way but loose and I keep comin' up with squat. Sorry, Celtaddict. No combinations turn anything up.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: McSherry Had a Monkey on His Back
From: Celtaddict
Date: 08 Jul 07 - 06:50 PM

No luck on searching either, but thanks for the efforts. I am hoping some person can come up with it. It is too ridiculous to have rattling around the skull.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: McSherry Had a Monkey on His Back
From: Scorpio
Date: 08 Jul 07 - 09:24 PM

I think the song you are looking for is 'Mary Mack' (in the digitrad). Funnily enough, I know it from the singing of a man called McSherry, but there is no McSherry in this version.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: McSherry Had a Monkey on His Back
From: Peace
Date: 08 Jul 07 - 09:41 PM

Great find, Scorpio.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: McSherry Had a Monkey on His Back
From: Celtaddict
Date: 09 Jul 07 - 02:40 PM

Thanks, Scorpio. I know and enjoy Mary Mack (and did not know Tommy Makem had written it), but it is not the same song. (Funny coincidence about McSherry though!)
Melody is different, though I can't put it online, and the chorus is

Will Mary marry Mickey and will Kerry marry Crack,
Or will Kerry marry Mickey for the craic?
[something something something something something] Mickey Mack
And McSherry had a monkey on his back.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: McSherry Had a Monkey on His Back
From: GUEST,CelticWoman'sHusband
Date: 16 Dec 11 - 07:50 AM

I heard the song performed once, and I've been looking for it for ages myself.

"Mary Mack" is a completely different song, but is the one every musician comes up with when I ask about it. ("...Mary Mack's mother's making Mary Mack marry me...")

I can't remember the lines, either, that come between
Or will Kerry marry Mickey for the crack? (crack meaning fun)
and
McSherry's got a monkey on his back.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: McSherry Had a Monkey on His Back
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 17 Dec 11 - 01:25 PM

I've found a Paul McSherry and a John McSherry who are musicians. I don't know if they're related.

If I were really desperate to find this song, I'd ask someone named McSherry.

Even if they didn't write the song, and don't sing it, they're likely to remember it if they ever heard it.