Lyr Req: Comfort of Man

Subject: Lyr Req: Comfort of Man
From: Joe Offer
Date: 20 Jul 20 - 04:11 PM

Waddon Pete says this song is in Marrow Bones. Would somebody post the lyrics?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Comfort of Man
From: GUEST,Starship
Date: 20 Jul 20 - 04:38 PM

These look like what you're looking for? Steeleye Span also has easy to find lyrics. http://www.traditionalmusic.co.uk/song-midis/Marrow_Bones.htm

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Comfort of Man
From: cnd
Date: 20 Jul 20 - 04:48 PM

From here (also has an example of sheet music):

Hammond D. 119. Henry Adams, Sturminster Newton, Dorset. 1905. and: Gardiner H. 212. Goerge Digweed, Micheldever, Hants. March, 1906.

THE COMFORT OF MAN

When I was young many troubles I got,
I wanted a sommat and didn't know what,
To marry a wife I thought a good plan,
For a woman, they said, was the comfort of man.

Chorus:
Rite-too-diddle-loo, diddle-loo,
Rite-fal-lal-lal-lay.

Miss Betsy, my sweetheart, she lived close by,
I loved her a little and she liked I,
So at length I sent her some sweet, pretty letters,
To tell her as how I could marry her betters.

When Miss Betsy read this she scoffed and she frowned,
She said that her letters were not to be found,
And when she was through a-picking her hops,
She come over the way and she slapped my chops.

I was ready to faint and fit to cry,
When a dab of fresh butter came slap in my eye,
But, says she, believe me, I'll always be true,
So go to the church and I will with you.

We hadn't been married the best part of a week,
And already her tongue begins to speak,
She broke my head with the frying-pan,
And soon I discovered the comfort of man.

Now Betsy she's in the family way,
She does what she likes and I daresn't say Nay!
Late the other night as I wanted to doze,
She bit a piece off the end of my nose.

Oh! Betsy, says I, what are you about?
You've cracked my head and disfigured my snout.
And when that you bring me a son or a daughter,
It'll have a long nose for mine is the shorter.

At night when I goes home sadly tired from my work,
She opens the door and cries out like a Turk,
Take this squalling young brat and get it to sleep,
For all day long no peace would it keep.

I rue the day that I ever married,
I wish that I had longer tarried,
I can never be happy, do all what I can;
Oh', Lord, what a plague is the "comfort of man"!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Comfort of Man
From: GUEST,Starship
Date: 20 Jul 20 - 08:06 PM

Forget my post. It's the wrong everything. Sorry. cnd aced it. Good one :-)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Comfort of Man
From: GUEST,Nick Dow
Date: 21 Jul 20 - 07:36 AM

The tune to Comfort of man is quite common. It crops up in Ireland, and is used for 'The Family Ointment'. You can hear Tim Lyons sing it on his LP 'Easter Snow' if you can find a copy. The tune is (I think) derived from Gee Ho Dobbin, that tune is used by traditional singer Aunt Fanny Rumble, (on topic records?)for 'When will we be Married John?' A 3/4 variant of the tune is used for 'Roger Esquire'   sung by Phil Tanner. These tunes like so many vary to the point of re-composition, however all hold comical stories. Personally I prefer Comfort of man to all of them. Henry Adams of Sturminster was one of the first singers the Hammond Brothers visited in Dorset. I was not able to find anything about him as yet. Later in their collection the Hammonds' abandoned songs like this and concentrated on those they thought would be of interest to Lucy Broadwood and the Folk dance and Song Society. We missed many 'later' gems no doubt that may have originated on street literature, but were less 'poetic' than the Hammonds wished to find. Singers like Charlie Wills and my own collection hopefully made up for it with songs like 'Corduroy 'Houshold Rememdies' and 'The young man from the Country', all in the same mould as 'The Comfort of Man' Hope this is of interest
kind regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Comfort of Man
From: Waddon Pete
Date: 22 Jul 20 - 11:48 AM

This is pretty much how I sing the song with a few differences due to the folk process! I also leave out the penultimate verse. It is a great song to sing with people who are not used to folk music! Thanks for the added information Nick.