Lyr ADD: The Pill (Matt McGinn)^^^

Subject: Lyr Req: Trying to find this song
From: GUEST,Keith
Date: 21 Dec 17 - 11:44 AM

I've tried everywhere I know to find this song with no luck, I learned it back in the late 60's, it's a folk song about waiting on the Popes approval of the birth control pill. Here are a few lyrics I remember.

I wed when I was 17 I hadent many brains,
Says I the very thing to do was fill the house with wanes.
don't remember the next couple lines, then the chorus:
Oh the pill, the pill I'm fine and ferrell the pill,
I won't have any more because they're going to bless the pill.

That's all I remember, any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thank You

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Trying to find this song
From: GUEST,Guest Bob Blair
Date: 21 Dec 17 - 12:14 PM

Song was written by Matt McGinn - it?s called The Pill

Here?s a link to a recording of it from McGinn of the Carlton compiled by Stramash - in this instance sung by Anne Neilson

https://www.mediafire.com/download/elabl3n37fxjibx

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Trying to find this song
From: FreddyHeadey
Date: 21 Dec 17 - 12:30 PM

good old mudcat...
there is a discussion
& a link to the dots and lyrics here

https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=5991#980142

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Trying to find this song
From: GUEST
Date: 21 Dec 17 - 09:07 PM

Thank you so much Bob & Freddy I've been looking for this song forever, greatly appreciated. :)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Trying to find this song- The Pill
From: Jack Campin
Date: 22 Dec 17 - 05:44 PM

Also known as "Bridget and the Pill", I think.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Trying to find this song- The Pill
From: GUEST,bigJ
Date: 22 Dec 17 - 06:50 PM

It was also recorded by Pete Seeger on A LINK IN THE CHAIN Columbia/ Legacy 485110 2 (1996).
bigJ

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Trying to find this song- The Pill
From: Gallus Moll
Date: 22 Dec 17 - 07:47 PM

McGinn of the Calton (not Carlton! - a wee misprint)

There's another song by Judy (Cook??? - someone whose name will come to me- - Australian woman, or lives in Australia) about a male version of the coil/intra-uterine devise, titled I.P.D (intra-penile device - ouch!) It's an amusing song and might be fin to sing in tandem with Matt McGinn's The Pill one?

Now I'll need to go and rummage through my cassettes and songs books to check the composer's name!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Trying to find this song- The Pill
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 22 Dec 17 - 08:01 PM

Judy SMALL for the IUCD or IPD, GM! (Judy Cook is American!)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Trying to find this song- The Pill
From: Gallus Moll
Date: 22 Dec 17 - 08:08 PM

dammit -- got my Judys' surnames confused, shoulda checked first!

Composer of IPD is Judy Small.

She is a great singer songwriter - Mothers, Daughters, Wives / Walls and Windows / Stars of the Southern Cross* / Jaqueline du Pre* and many others.
(*not certain of the titles of the last two I listed)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Trying to find this song- The Pill
From: Gallus Moll
Date: 22 Dec 17 - 08:09 PM

Thanks Tattie- you posted while I was looking for my songbook! Never had time to trawl through the cassettes -- -

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Trying to find this song- The Pill
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Dec 17 - 09:10 PM

The Brothers In Law:

The Pill

Subject: Lyr Add: BRIDGET AND THE PILL (Brian Pearson)
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 23 Dec 17 - 04:01 AM

"Also known as "Bridget and the Pill", I think."
Different Song

BRIDGET AND THE PILL. words by Brian Pearson.
Tune Traditional (Paddy and the Whale)

Bridget O'Reilly was a fine-looking girt,
Her skin was like ivory, her teeth were like pearls,
The fellers all chased her in vain, till one day,
She went and got married to Barney O'Shea.

They'd been married a year when to their pride and joy
Along came a baby, a fine strapping boy,
When three years had passed, they'd two boys and a girl,
How to feed them and clothe them made Bridget's head whirl

Bridget went to the priest, she was near desperation
Because of this process of constant gestation,
Saying,'Father, this business is making me ill,
Would it be a sin if I took to the pill'

The priest heard her story and when he had heard it
To higher authority, perplexed he referred it,
But the Bishops were baffled, the Cardinals too,
Not one could tell Bridget just what she should do;

Two years they debated with holy profundity
What could be done about Bridget's fecundity,
For by now Bridget's children amounted to FIVE,
And she scarcely was able to keep them alive.

They gave due attention to points theological',
Points philosophic and physiological,
Till in desperation, the Pope cried, 'O sod !
There's just one thing to do, I'd best go and ask GOD .

So the POPE sent a letter by five-penny post<
On Papal note-paper, addressed HOLY GHOST
'Please send me an answer in double quick time,
You can reach me at home, just ring VAT 69:

The answer came and the POPE he pronounced it,
Oral contraception, he strongly denounced it,
All chemical means to prevent procreation
Are banned on the pain of Eternal Damnation.

If we were to permit it, unashamed fornication
Would spread like a flash to all parts of the nation,
There'd be plagues, fires and famine and moral pollution,
Atheistical notions and RED Revolution!

But Bridget, my dear, there's no need of frustration,
Because of the banning of this medication,
For the CHURCH she is merciful, holy and gracious;
The old rhythm method you'll find efficacious,

Get away, now says she, I'll have none of your row,
For I've tried it before and just look at me now!
For whatever we did, I continued to BREED.
And she's off to the chemist with MAXIMUM SPEED.

Now, the Church is in ferment and great trepidation
Lest such thoughts should spread to the whole congregation '
And they've issued a record to prevent a schism,
By the Pope and the Hierarchy, called 'I GOT RHYTHM'.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Trying to find this song- The Pill
From: FreddyHeadey
Date: 23 Dec 17 - 06:09 AM

I should have said with my earlier post that the thread "Pill Songs" would be a good place to discuss & check on variations of this and other songs on the subject :


/mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=5991#34782

Maybe a mudelf could shuffle them together sometime.

Subject: Lyr Add: THE PILL (Matt McGinn)
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 23 Dec 17 - 05:21 PM

As asked for by the OP, here are the lyrics to Matt McGinn's song "The Pill": and I think they are still waiting for the Pope to approve it....!

Incidentally, Matt and Pete Seeger were good friends: there is a lovely tribute from Matt to Pete in the foreword to the book, "Matt McGinn at the Calton".


THE PILL
(Matt McGinn)
As recorded by Matt McGinn on "Honesty Is Out of the Fashion" (1968)

CHORUS: The pill, the pill, I'm pining for the pill
I'll never have any more because they're going to bless the pill

I wed when I was seventeen, I hadnae many brains,
Says I “The very thing to do is fill the house with weans”,
But when I got the roomful, I went to see the priest,
To tell him my man Willie was behaving like a beast. CHORUS

He gave me such a terrible row, my eyes were filled with tears
"How long have you been wed?" says he, says I, "This seven years"
Says he, "You'd better give over all your evil, sinful tricks,
You've been married seven years and you've only got the six". CHORUS

Now I'm coming up for forty, in my faith I've aye been true,
The very last time I tallied them, I counted twenty-two,
But now I've lost the notion, for we're running short o' names,
Though Willie he would welcome more, he's fond o' having weans. CHORUS

Now they're talking o' the pill, they've filled my heart wi' hope,
I'm sitting here and waiting on a signal frae the Pope,
I went along to buy some at eight and nine a tin,
I hope we hae the Pope's okay before my man comes in. CHORUS

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Trying to find this song- The Pill
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 23 Dec 17 - 05:24 PM

And if you ever want anything else by or about Matt McGinn, probably the 2 best resources are his own website (needs Flash player):
http://www.mattmcginn.info/

or on YouTube, go to Big DeManio's channel: loads of good stuff there!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Trying to find this song- The Pill
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Dec 17 - 11:16 PM

Judy Small.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Trying to find this song- The Pill
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 24 Dec 17 - 08:08 PM

As I said before.......

Subject: Lyr Add: BRIDGET'S PILL (from Christy Moore)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 19 Dec 19 - 08:30 AM

Christy Moore recorded this under a different title and somewhat different lyrics than those posted by Jim Carroll above:


BRIDGET'S PILL
As recorded by Christy Moore on "The Box Set: 1964-2004" (2004)

Now Bridget O'Reilly was a fine strappin' girl.
Her skin was like ivory; her teeth were like pearls.
All the boys chased her in vain till one day
She went and got married to Barney O'Shea.
To me fall the diddle dare-o tie air-o tie ay. [After each verse.]

And after nine months, to their pride and joy,
Along came a baby, a fine strappin' boy.
After three years, they'd two boys and a girl.
How to clothe them and feed them made Bridget's head whirl.

So she went to the priest, in great desperation
Because of this process of constant gestation.
Sayin': "Father, this business is makin' me ill.
Would it be a sin if I went on the pill?"

Well, the priest heard her story, and when he had heard it,
To higher authority, perplexed, he referred it.
Oh, the bishops were baffled, the cardinals, too.
No one could tell Bridget just what she should do.

Two years they debated with holy profundity
What should be done about Bridget's fecundity,
But by now her family amounted to five.
She scarcely was able to keep them alive.

Well, they gave due attention to points theological,
To points philosophic and physiological,
Till in desperation, the Pope said: "Oh, sod!
There's only one thing to do: I'll have to ask God."

So he sent him a letter in the three-penny post
On papal notepaper, addressed: "Holy Ghost,"
Sayin': "Send me your answer in double-quick time.
You can get me at home; just ring VAT 69."

Well, the answer it came and the Pope he announced it.
Oral contraception, he strongly denounced it.
All medical means to prevent procreation
Were banned under pains of eternal damnation.

Now the church is in ferment, in great trepidation
Lest such thoughts they might spread to the whole congregation.
They've recorded an LP to prevent a schism
By the pope and the hierarchy, called: "I Got Rhythm."

Subject: RE: Songs by Matt McGinn
From: topical tom
Date: 31 Jan 20 - 12:49 AM

Some time ago I heard a song the chorus of which was the following:

they're going to bless the pill

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: they're going to bless the pill
From: Joe Offer
Date: 31 Jan 20 - 01:21 AM

The Pill - this one?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MITFINprRoY
-Joe-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: they're going to bless the pill
From: GUEST,Starship
Date: 31 Jan 20 - 08:23 AM

topical tom: here's the song which starts after the monologue. Between the two links you'll have the whole thing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzrHQKlVuSM
The song kicks in @ 2:15.