Coaxing elf (from Star of the County Down)

Subject: Coaxing Elf
From: Betsy
Date: 09 Jan 13 - 07:47 PM

I had a Senior moment last Monday and screwed up the words to County Down.
Thought I would refresh my memory and consulted the Digitrad - is it ? Anyhow the place where you find the words.
Apart from anything else - I've been singing for well-over 45 years " the cokes in hell" rather than the "coaking elf" . Can anyone elucidate as to whether a "coaking elf" exists in folklore across the Irish sea ? and whether I might just have been singing the correct words all the time (or not).Cheers Betsy

Subject: RE: Coaxing elf
From: maeve
Date: 09 Jan 13 - 08:06 PM

Betsy, I've only heard and sung it as "Such a coaxing elf..." indicating how charming the colleen was. I don't see how your remembered phrase, "the cokes in hell" could make sense in the song, but it is certainly entertaining to try to make it work. ;)

Subject: RE: Coaxing elf
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 09 Jan 13 - 10:18 PM

Cokes in Hell, Pepsis in Paradise
With Limbo Pizza tastes swell, so have you a healthy slice

Subject: RE: Coaxing elf (from Star of the County Down)
From: GUEST,Scott W.
Date: 12 May 14 - 10:42 AM

This is an old thread, but you might have learned the song using an older spelling of "coaxing." Coax was originally spelled "cokes" rendering the line "cokesing elf."

Subject: RE: Coaxing elf (from Star of the County Down)
From: GUEST,michaelr
Date: 12 May 14 - 06:47 PM

I've always heard her described as a "winsome elf".

Subject: RE: Coaxing elf (from Star of the County Down)
From: Lighter
Date: 12 May 14 - 07:02 PM

Early printings have "coaxing."

Presumably changed to "winsome" for reasons this thread makes clear.

Subject: RE: Coaxing elf (from Star of the County Down)
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 13 May 14 - 12:46 PM

Well, 'winsome' lose some :)

Subject: RE: Coaxing elf (from Star of the County Down)
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 13 May 14 - 01:06 PM

Yay: good 4 yer elf!

Subject: RE: Coaxing elf (from Star of the County Down)
From: Amos
Date: 14 May 14 - 01:54 AM

Odd--I first heard it )and have sung it ever since) as "such a coaxsome elf".


A

Subject: RE: Coaxing elf (from Star of the County Down)
From: Seamus Kennedy
Date: 15 May 14 - 12:35 AM

Heard and sung both "coaxing" and "winsome", but not in the same verse.

Subject: RE: Coaxing elf (from Star of the County Down)
From: GUEST,BigDaddy
Date: 15 May 14 - 08:26 PM

Why on earth you would sing "the cokes in hell" for 45 years? It's always been "coaxing elf" and makes perfect sense. I mean this more politely than it sounds, by the way.