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Subject: Planxty´s Arthur McBride From: john c Date: 04 Jul 00 - 04:30 PM Anybody got the words to Arthur McBride as sung by Planxty on their first record? Would be appreciated!! J. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Planxty´s Arthur McBride From: Pene Azul Date: 04 Jul 00 - 04:51 PM You can get the lyrics here (click). They differ somewhat from the versions in the DigiTrad. PA |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Planxty´s Arthur McBride From: john c Date: 05 Jul 00 - 01:58 AM Thats the one - Thanks! J. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Planxty´s Arthur McBride From: Liam's Brother Date: 05 Jul 00 - 12:37 PM Glad you've found the words you were looking for, John. You might be interested to hear that for a few months in 1973 or 1974, there were 5 members in Planxty. Paul Brady (incoming) and Christy Moore (outgoing) were both in the group at the same time. At the Haymarket Ice Rink in Edinburgh, Paul sang "Arthur McBride" solo with guitar. He was introduced by Christy, as I recall, who said that when the group heard Paul sing his version they lost interest in doing the original.
All the best, |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Planxty´s Arthur McBride From: john c Date: 05 Jul 00 - 03:28 PM Now theres a coincidence,Dan - the first time I saw Planxty was at the start of the 70,s in Edinburgh, too. At the old Empire Bingo Hall, as it used to be called before it went upmarket. They were support band for somebody (maybe Steeleye Span, cant quite remember) and it was one of their first big gigs. That was with their original line up, and they were magnificent (as well as very nervous). I only saw them once after that, years later, after Id moved to Austria, and they came here and played in a tiny little hall, again with the reformed old band - Christy Moore, Andy Irvine etc. And, again they were fantastic, revelling in playing all the old songs. In these days, when everybody and their mother seems to be getting back together, wouldnt it be great if there could be just one more reunion of the old Planxty band. Ciao for now, John |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Planxty´s Arthur McBride From: Liam's Brother Date: 05 Jul 00 - 11:51 PM I hear you talking, John. One splendid aspect about Planxty was that they played at such lovely, controlled tempos. They were in Edinburgh playing incidental music for a play, Finn MacCool, which was part of the Festival. They performed 4 late night concerts at the Haymarket. I was there as a guest of Paul Brady whom I had met in New York and whom I had helped a few months earlier so I got a little band-talk every now and then. The pipes appeared in the play a little after the other instruments. Liam was driving the others crazy because he would "warm up" in the pub across the street and he had it timed perfectly to enter the stage door, find his seat, strap on the pipes, inflate the bellows and play his first notes with zero time to spare.
All the best, |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Planxty´s Arthur McBride From: Sandy Paton Date: 06 Jul 00 - 12:52 PM Some of you may be interested to know that their version of "Arthur McBride" came from Carrie Grover's wonderful collection of family and regional songs. Brady found the song while looking through Linda Morley's copy of the book. Carrie Grover was from western Maine, and the original book made from her songs was published by the Gould Academy in Bethel, Maine. Caroline and I were given copies of the book when we sang there many years ago. They had just been lying on a shelf in a stock room. We arranged for Ken Goldstein and the Archive of Folk Culture at the Library of Congress to get copies, and Kenny then managed to republish the collection. It's full of great songs! Sandy |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Planxty´s Arthur McBride From: Amos Date: 05 Jul 10 - 01:23 PM Planxty recorded the song more than once, with minor variations in the lyrics. One of their versions, which I favor myself, goes like this: [D]I had a first cousin called Arthur McBride He and[G] I took a[D] stroll down[Em] by the sea[G]side a[D] seeking good fortune and what might be[Bm] tide it was[D] just as the[Em] day was a[G] dawn[A]ing And[D] after restin we[G] both took a[D] tramp we[G] met Seargeant[D] Harper and [Em]Corporal [G]Cramp [D besides the wee drummer who[Bm] beat up for camp with his[A] rowdy dou[G] dou in the mor[D]ning He said my young fellows, if you will enlist a guinea you quickly will get in your fist and besides a crown for to kick up the dust and drink the King's health in the morning For a soldier, he leads a very fine life. He always is blest with a charming young wife And he pays all his debts without sorrow or strife, And always lives happy and charming Ah, no w, me bold sergeant, we are not for sale, We'll nay make such bargain,and your bribe won't avail We're not tired of our country, we don't care to sail. Although that your offer is charming. But had we been such fools as to take the advance, It's right bloody slender would be our poor chance, For the Queen wouldn't scruple for to send us to France Where we would be shot without warning. He says my young fellows if I hear but one word I instantly now will out with my sword and into your bodies as strength might afford so now me gay devils take warning but Arthur and I we soon took the odds and we gave them no chance for to launch out their swords our wacking shillelaghs came over their heads and paid them right smart in the morning As for the wee drummer we rifled his pouch and we made a football of his rowdy dou dou and into the ocean for to rock and to roll And barring its tedious returning As for the ould rapier that hung by his side we flung it as far as we could in the tide To the divil I pitch you says Arthur McBride To temper your steel in the morning. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Planxty´s Arthur McBride From: JohnB Date: 06 Jul 10 - 12:21 AM Can not say anythingabout the originality but I really like Dillons version on his Good as I been to you CD. Yes I have the Planxty version too. JohnB |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Arthur McBride (Planxty) From: GUEST,Jerome Date: 02 Feb 11 - 06:20 PM Well me and me cousin one Arthur McBride He and I took a stroll down by the sea side now mark what followed and what might be tide it was just as the day was a dawning And after restin we both took a tramp we met Seargeant Harper and Corporal Cramp besides the wee drummer who intending to camp with his rowdy dou dou in the morning He said my young fellows, if you will enlist its ten guineas in gold I will slip in your fist and besides a crown for to kick up the dust and drink the King's health in the morning For a soldier, he leads a very fine life. He always is blest with a charming young wife And he pays all his debts without sorrow or strife, And always lives happy and charming And a soldier is always is decent and clean, In the finest of clothes he is constantly seen, While other poor devils go dirty and mean And sup on thin gruel in the morning But says Arthur I wouldn't be proud of your clothes, For you've only the lend of them and I suppose, U dare not change them one night for U know If u do u'll be flogged without warning And we have no desire to take ur advance, all hazards and dangers U bar to run chance For u would have no scruples but to send us to France Where we would be shot without warning. Well now said the sergeant, I'll have no such chat And I neither will take it from spailpin nor brat For if U insult me with 1 other word, I'll cut off ur heads without warning but Arthur and I we soon took the odds and we gave them no chance for to launch out their swords our wacking shillelaghs came over their heads and paid them right smart in the morning As for the wee drummer we rifled his pouch and we made a football of his rowdy dou dou and into the ocean for to rock and to roll And barring its tedious returning As for the ould rapier that hung by his side we flung it as far as we could in the tide To the divil I pitch you says Arthur McBride To temper your steel in the morning. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Arthur McBride (Planxty) From: GUEST Date: 02 Feb 11 - 06:25 PM There is also a verse like; and we take great delight in our own company and we have no desire strange places to see where we would be shot without warning line missing there somewhere ! |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Arthur McBride (Planxty) From: Amos Date: 02 Feb 11 - 07:04 PM And although that we are both single and free, We take great delight in our own company, And we have no desire strange places to see, For all that your offers are charmin' And we have no desire to take your advance For all dangers and hazards we'd barter on chance And ye would have no scruples To send us to France Where we would be shot without warning. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Arthur McBride (Planxty) From: voyager Date: 25 Dec 12 - 04:13 PM .....Albeit on Christmas Morning..... Happy Holidays to the Mudcat voyager |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Arthur McBride (Planxty) From: DonMeixner Date: 25 Dec 12 - 06:16 PM I first heard Arthur Mc Bride 40 years ago. Eric. Frandzen (sp?) Played it ata coffee house I was part of. I still recall his fine guitar work. I looked for the song for years before I heard David Jones's version. That was well before the internet tho. Don |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Arthur McBride (Planxty) From: GUEST Date: 08 Dec 13 - 12:35 PM I recently found a reference to a book titled "Sergeant Kidnapper and Arthur McBride" published in 1820. It is bound with other songs. The only known copy is in the British Library |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Arthur McBride (Planxty) From: RoyH (Burl) Date: 09 Dec 13 - 06:01 AM I first heard this song circa 1970, sung by A.L.Lloyd, who told me it was his favourite song. He sang it unaccompanied and this is the way, with all due respect to guitar players, I like best to hear it. I sing it ocasionally in a manner derived from my memory of Bert's version. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Arthur McBride (Planxty) From: GUEST,Peter Laban Date: 09 Dec 13 - 06:16 AM The Planxty version follows closely the one published in P.W. Joyce's Old Irish Folkmusic and Songs. I would assume it safe to think they found it there. Joyce says he remembered the song from boyhood and although he vaguely recalls he might have seen them on a balladsheet, he asserts the words had not been published before (this in the 1909 edition). |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Arthur McBride (Planxty) From: MartinRyan Date: 09 Dec 13 - 06:52 AM Hmmm… Wonder if it started as "Sergeant Kidnapper and Corporal Crimp…". Regards |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Arthur McBride (Planxty) From: AmyLove Date: 03 Apr 16 - 03:56 AM In this version by Galway Ramblers, there is a word different from spailpín used in the line: And I neither will take it from spailpín or brat It sounds like "slighty." I don't know - maybe the word "sly" with the suffix "ty" added. Any idea what the word is? There's also a difference in the line: But says he, "My fine fellows if you will enlist ..." It sounds like "Might my fellows ..." Please let me know if you solve either or both of these lyrics mysteries. Thanks so much. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Arthur McBride (Planxty) From: MartinRyan Date: 03 Apr 16 - 06:31 AM Can't access that version here (Ireland) ... Regards |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Arthur McBride (Planxty) From: GUEST,DaveRo Date: 03 Apr 16 - 07:33 AM Nor for me, in England. Is it a geographical problem? I sometimes get "This video is not available in your country". This one was uploaded by Tunecore, who seem to be a US company. Maybe it is only for their subscribers. I'm just come to accept that about a third of the youtube links that get posted just don't work for me and I've no idea why. I often get "This video is not available, sorry about that." Googling revealed many theories but no answers. I could probably play this if I installed spotify: Galway Ramblers, Arthur McBride |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Arthur McBride (Planxty) From: AmyLove Date: 03 Apr 16 - 08:55 AM Thanks for your efforts, both of you. Usually I can put together the correct lyrics for a particular version of a song by looking at a variety of sources, but in this case, it seems that Galway Ramblers chose a few variations in the lyrics particular to them and them alone. I know these variations are minor, but I like to get lyrics as close to 100% correct as I can. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Arthur McBride (Planxty) From: michaelr Date: 03 Apr 16 - 12:27 PM The problem with that, Amy, is that for most traditional songs there is no "100% correct" lyric to be found, as they have been folk-processed and mondegreened to varying degrees. Not to mention regional variations, floating verses, and the like. The words given above in this thread purport to be the Planxty version. I don't have the record on hand to check, but I know there are differences to the Paul Brady version I'm very familiar with. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Arthur McBride (Planxty) From: MartinRyan Date: 03 Apr 16 - 01:48 PM I agree with michaelr. By all means start from your transcription of a particular singer, or a set found in a book but... as you get used to the song, you'll find you start to 'inhabit" it and change a word here and there, alter the rhythm of a phrase here and there etc. etc. Some of this is unconscious, some may be quite deliberate as you find YOUR way of telling the story. Indeed the "problem" with songs like "Arthur McBride" is that people grow so used to one version/set of words that it is difficult to tell the story! Ultimately such songs become "anthems" in the sense that everyone wants to sing along in strict lock-step! Nothing wrong with that - but it's not really what traditional singing is about. Regards |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Arthur McBride (Planxty) From: AmyLove Date: 28 Apr 16 - 11:03 PM I appreciate the wisdom in both your comments. When I become familiar enough with these songs to sing them on my own rather than sing along with particular recordings, I'll probably go wild with my own variations on the lyrics. My perfectionistic self still craves getting the lyrics to a particular recording correct as a starting point. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Arthur McBride (Planxty) From: voyager Date: 29 Apr 16 - 09:49 AM Very appreciative of Bob Dylan's 1992 version of Arthur McBride Arthur McBride - Good as I've Been to You (1992) To get into this song, Dylan's track pointed me to 'Rise Up Singing' songbook. Good performance index for AMcB over here at Folk Index - Arthur McBride on Folk Index voyager |
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