Subject: DT Correction: Mountains of Mourne (Percy French)
From:
McGrath of Harlow
Date: 25 Oct 99 - 08:47 PM
The original Percy French Mountains of Mourne is on the Digital Tradition all right.
But I once heard someone sing a version of it that was a sequel rather than a parody. It was Mary's letter back to her young man in exile.
The theme was basically that she was being a bit suspicious about all the time he seemed to be spending looking disapprovingly at these half naked ladies in the big city.
She ends up, I seem to remember, warning him that he might not be so welcome back in the Mountains of Mourne if he didn't watch his step.
If anybody has the words, I'd like to have them. I was told they were actually by Percy French himself, and the singer sang them back to back.
\But while we're about it, any other versions of the song or parodies from it would be interesting. And if there's anybody with anything about Percy French and his songs they'd like to say, lets be having you.
Digital Tradition lyrics are on the right. On the left are my corrections, from The Songs of Percy French, by James N. Healy. -Joe Offer-
MOUNTAINS OF MOURNE (corrected DT Lyrics)
(Words by Percy French, ca 1900. Melody trad.)
Oh Mary, this London's a wonderful sight,
Wid the people here workin' by day and by night.
They don't sow potatoes, nor barley nor wheat,
But there's gangs of them diggin' for gold in the street.
At least, when I axed them that's what I was told
So I just took a hand at this diggin' for gold;
But for all that I found there, I might as well be
Where the Mountains o' Mourne sweep down to the sea.
I believe that when writin' a wish you expressed
As to how the fine ladies of London were dressed.
Well if you believe me, when axed to a ball
They don't wear a top to their dresses at all!
Oh, I've seen them meself and you could not, in thrath
(truth)
Say if they were bound for a ball, or a bath —
Don't be startin' them fashions now, Mary Machree,
Where the Mountains of Mourne sweep down to the sea.
I seen England's king from the top of a bus —
I never knew him, though he means to know us:
And though by the Saxon we once were oppressed,
Still I cheered — God forgive me — I cheered with the rest.
And now that he's visited Erin's green shore
We'll be much better friends than we've been heretofore
When we've got all we want, we're as quiet as can be
Where the Mountains of Mourne sweep down to the sea.
You remember young Peter O'Loughlin of course —
Well here he is now at the head o' the Force.
I met him today, I was crossing the Strand,
And he stopped the whole street wid wan wave of his hand.
And there we stood talking of days that are gone
While the whole population of London looked on;
But for all these great powers, he's wishful like me
To be back where the dark Mourne sweeps down to the sea.
There's beautiful girls here — Oh, never you mind —
With beautiful shapes Nature never designed.
And lovely complexions, all roses and crame,
But O'Loughlin remarked wid regard to the same
'That if at those roses you venture to sip
The colour might all come away on your lip'
So I'll wait for the wild rose that's waitin' for me —
Where the Mountains of Mourne sweep down to the sea.
| MOUNTAINS OF MOURNE (DT Lyrics)
(Words by Percy French, ca 1900. Melody trad.)
Oh Mary, this London's a wonderful sight,
With people here working by day and by night.
They don't sow potatoes nor barley nor wheat
But there's gangs of them diggin' for gold in the street.
At least, when I asked them that's what I was told
So I just took a hand at this diggin' for gold;
But for all that I've found there, I might as well be
Where the Mountains of Mourne sweep down to the sea.
I believe that when writin' a wish you expressed
As to how the fine lAdies of London are dressed.
Well if you believe me, when asked to a ball
They don't wear no tops to their dresses at all.
Oh, I've seen them myself and you could not, in thrath
(truth)
Say if they were bound for a ball, or a bath,
Don't be startin' them fashions now, Mary Machree,
Where the etc.
I've seen England's king from the top of a bus
And I've never known him, but he means to know us.
And tho' by the Saxon we once were oppressed,
Still I cheered, God forgive me, I cheered with the rest.
And now that he's visited Erin's green shore
We'll be much better friends than we've been heretofore
When we've got all we want, we're as quiet as can be
Where the etc.
You remember young Peter O'Loughlin of course
Well now he is here at the head of the Force.
I met him today, I was crossing the Strand
And he stopped the whole street with a wave of his hand.
And there we stood talking of days that are gone
While the whole population of London looked on;
But for all these great powers, he's wishful, like me
To be back where the dark Mourne sweeps down to the sea.
There's beautiful girls here --- Oh, never you mind ---
With beautiful shapes nature never designed.
And lovely complexions all roses and cream,
But O'Loughlin remarked with regard to the same
That if at those roses you venture to sip
The colors might all come away on your lip
So I'll wait for the wild rose that's waitin' for me
Where the etc. |
@love @immigrant
recorded by Kendall Morse
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TUNE FILE: MTMOURNE
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