Lyr Req: Weela Wallia: 'stuck the penknife in his.

Subject: Lyr req: 'stuck the penknife in his head
From: Rosebrook
Date: 06 Sep 99 - 08:18 PM

Am looking for lyrics for that song, you know, it starts "There was an old woman who lives in the woods"
Then those 3 words that I can't spell, which unfortunately are the name of the song. Like Weila, Walla something like that. I was surprised I couldn't find this in the DT, but would appreciate any help in locating the lyrics.

Thanks,

Rose

Subject: Lyr Add: WEELIA WALLIA
From: Lorne Brown
Date: 06 Sep 99 - 09:09 PM

The song is "WEELIA WALLIA", a kids' version of Child Ballad 20 The Cruel Mother.

There was an old woman who lived in the wood,
Weelia weelia wallia,
There was an old woman who lived in the wood,
Down by the river Sallia.

She had a baby six months old. (2x)

She had a penknife three foot long. (2x)

She stuck that knife in baby's head,
The more she stabbed the more it bled.

Three big knocks came a-knockin' at the door.
Two policeman and a man.

"Are you the woman what killed the child?" (2x)

"I am the woman what killed the child." (2x)

The rope got chucked and she got hung. (2x)

The moral of this story is,
Weelia weelia wallia,
Don't stick knives in babies' heads.
Down by the river Sallia.

Subject: RE: Lyr req: 'stuck the penknife in his head
From: DonMeixner
Date: 06 Sep 99 - 10:36 PM

Rose,

The very mentionof this song and my wife is ready to kill me. The Clancy Brothers are famous for this song and its on at least three albums and in their first song book.

I sing it about the house frequently.

Don

Subject: RE: Lyr req: 'stuck the penknife in his head
From: Helen
Date: 07 Sep 99 - 01:40 AM

Hi all,

It is in the DT but I can never find it. It doesn't show up under Welia, or Cruel Mother, or baby's head, or...or.. but I know it is in there because there was a thread on it at least a year ago and we finally found it in there. It all depends on how you spell Welia, Weila, or walia, Walla etc etc

Helen

Subject: Weela Wallia
From: Joe Offer
Date: 07 Sep 99 - 06:33 AM

I think the Clancy Brothers spell it Weela Wallia. I couldn't find it in the database, but a search for penknife and [pen knife] comes up with some nice, gory stuff. The tune and lyrics are in this thread (click).
-Joe Offer-

Subject: Lyr Add: WEILIA WALIA
From: Den
Date: 07 Sep 99 - 09:47 AM

Hi Rosebrook I sing a slight variation on the lyric posted by Lorne, so for what its worth here it is:

There was an old woman and she lived in the wood weilia weilia walia

There was an old woman and she lived in the woods down by the river saulia

She had a baby six months old (2x)

She had a penknife long and sharp (2x)

She stuck the penknife in the baby's head (2x)

There were three loud knocks came a knockin' on the door (2x)

It was two policmen and a special branch man (2x)

Well they put a rope around her neck (2x)

Well they pulled the rope and she got hung (2x)

And that was the end of the woman in the woods weilia weilia walia

And that was the end of the baby too down by the river saulia

Cheers Den

Subject: RE: Lyr req: 'stuck the penknife in his head
From: GUEST,#1
Date: 05 Apr 01 - 12:22 AM

Had a hard time getting across the Columbia river to vist my sister in Oregon. We asked about how to get to Walula, and kept getting directed to what turned out to be Walla Walla.

Subject: RE: Lyr req: 'stuck the penknife in his head
From: LR Mole
Date: 05 Apr 01 - 09:38 AM

and called it macaroni.

Subject: RE: Lyr req: 'stuck the penknife in his head
From: Morticia
Date: 05 Apr 01 - 02:07 PM

My dad used to sing this to me as a lullaby....I loved it.Hmmm, that may explain much.

Subject: RE: Lyr req: 'stuck the penknife in his head
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 05 Apr 01 - 03:22 PM

/Explains why you keep singing it to the bratling too!!

I prefer the Tom Lehrer version, Rickity tickity tin. Same sort of story, but a bit bloodier....

LTS

Subject: RE: Lyr req: 'stuck the penknife in his head
From: Snuffy
Date: 05 Apr 01 - 03:43 PM

I always thought she stuck the knife in the baby's heart, not head. Much easier to penetrate, and just as fatal.

Subject: Lyr Add: ALL ROUND THE LONEY OH
From: Jimmy C
Date: 05 Apr 01 - 05:35 PM

Another version "ALL ROUND THE LONEY OH" is a variation of Child Ballad # 20 The Cruel Mother. In this one both perish but it's not as gory as Wella Waile.

The Loney refers to The Pound Loney, an area of Belfast

ALL ROUND THE LONEY OH

There were 2 sisters going to school,
All round the Loney Oh
They spied a woman at the pool
Down by the greenwood sidey Oh.

She held a baby on her knee
All Round the Loney Oh
, A Cruel Penknife they could see
. Down by the greenwood sidey Oh.

She held the baby to her heart,
All round the Loney Oh
She said " My Dear, we both must part"
Down by the greenwood sidey Oh.

She held a baby to her breast
All Round the Loney Oh
, She said " My Dear, we'll both find rest
. Down by the greenwood sidey Oh.

There is a river running deep
All Round the Loney Oh
, It's there both babe and mother sleep
. Down by the greenwood sidey Oh.

Subject: RE: Lyr req: 'stuck the penknife in his head
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 05 Apr 01 - 10:14 PM

Do you have a source, and a tune, for that one?  The "loney" bit is older than any Belfast reference, of course, but localisation is always interesting and well worth tracking down.  There are links to (so far as I could tell last year) all the useful references to versions of this song here and on other reliable sites at:

The Cruel Mother

Malcolm

Subject: RE: Lyr req: 'stuck the penknife in his head
From: Jimmy C
Date: 06 Apr 01 - 01:42 PM

Malcolm,

Sorry I don't have a date nor a source. I heard it often as a child. It's on David Hammond's Album " Belfast Street Songs" RCA Victor RLP 8059 - the liner notes describe it as a local version of a classical ballad" The Cruel Mother". unfortunately that's all I can find. I don't know the origin of "The Pound Loney" but I know the area well. I will be there in about 4 weeks, if I have enough time I will try to find out more. I am only guessing when I say that it may derive from a laneway(Lonan) where stray dogs were locked up ?.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Weela Wallia: 'stuck the penknife in his.
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Nov 15 - 02:35 PM

Welia walia? Dubliners?