Lyr Req: Bog Down in the Valley / Rattlin Bog

Subject: LYRIC:
From: Raven-Skies
Date: 17 Aug 97 - 10:51 PM

I'm looking for the lyrics to an Irish folk song. As far as I know the title goes by "Bog Down in the Valley" but the database isn't turning anything up for that. Anyone heard of this one?

Subject: RE: LYRIC:
From:
Date: 17 Aug 97 - 10:55 PM

It's in the database under The Rattlin' Bog.

Subject: RE: LYRIC:
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 18 Aug 97 - 07:12 AM

While the DT is set up to be an easy-to-use database, it's not psychic. If you can't find a title you're looking for, try a word or phrase in the song. "Bog" will get it for you.

Subject: RE: LYRIC:
From: Wolfgang Hell
Date: 18 Aug 97 - 08:35 AM

It is not always easy to find songs in the DT. Often several different approaches are necessary. Take the "Rattlin' Bog" as an example:

Enter "bog" (without the quotation marks) and you have a hit well hidden among several other songs.
Enter "Bog down", same result
Enter "Bog down in the". It yields no hits
Enter "bog down in" and you get no hits
Enter "bog down valley*" and you hit Enter "[bog down in the]". It gets you two songs with one hit
same results with "[bog down in]"
Enter "bog valley" and you draw a blank
Enter "bog valley*" and you get the song you want and no other
Enter "Rattling bog" and you get "There's a hole in the Bucket"
Enter "Rattlin* bog" and you hit

But if you happen to know other search machines you will admit that this here is quite a good one Wolfgang

Subject: RE: LYRIC:
From: Bert Hansell
Date: 18 Aug 97 - 09:26 AM

Raven-Skies,
I'm glad you didn't find that one in DT at your first attempt.

I remember learning that at school many years ago and I'd forgotten that it existed.

Thanks for reminding me of a good song. Bert

Subject: RE: LYRIC:
From: Alice
Date: 18 Aug 97 - 11:05 AM

There is a fun recording made in an Irish pub with anonymous musicians and customers that includes this song. I found a cassette in a "sale" rack... it's called "All the Best Irish Drinking Songs, 20 Great Favorites". The tape was made in Canada and distributed by L.D.M.I. Includes "Take Her Up To Monto", "Big Strong Man", "Old Maid in the Garret", etc. Alice

Subject: RE: LYRIC:
From: Sharon
Date: 18 Aug 97 - 09:40 PM

Would you believe this is one of the "favorites" of my singin' Kindergarten kids!!

Subject: RE: LYRIC:
From: phinque
Date: 26 Aug 97 - 12:24 PM

Schooner Fare does it on their "Alive" tape.

Subject: RE: LYRIC:
From: Dale Rose
Date: 26 Aug 97 - 12:50 PM

Look for it on the Irish Rovers' first album, too. It is a near relative of the old country song, There's A Hole In The Bottom Of The Sea as well.

Subject: RE: LYRIC:
From: Jon W.
Date: 26 Aug 97 - 01:09 PM

My wife taught a variant to the kids which goes "and the green grass grows all around all around, the green grass grows all around." The tune is different too, but the tree and the branch and the nest and all that is very similar.

Subject: RE: LYRIC:
From: Bert
Date: 26 Aug 97 - 01:20 PM

Jon, We learned that version as well from other kids. I always assumed it was a "Sanitized" version, as the word "Bog" in the UK is a crude euphemism for "Bathroom"

Subject: RE: LYRIC:
From: Laoise
Date: 28 Aug 97 - 11:20 AM

Just to clear this up, the word 'bog' in Irish means wet and is therefore a useful descriptive word for both the wetlands and English toilets. It is also the subject of my current studies at Queen's University, Belfast. No I DONT clean toilets!

This song also reminds me of the Planxty number 'Well Below the Valley-O' which deals with the thorny issue of incest.

Laoise.

Subject: RE: LYRIC:
From:
Date: 31 Aug 97 - 10:27 PM

I have a tape by a group called "Northeast Winds" and they have a version where one of the choruses is yodelled. It makes an interesting variation.

Frank P.

Subject: RE: LYRIC: Bog Down in the Valley - Rattlin Bog
From: GUEST,Rapalje fan
Date: 05 Jun 07 - 05:34 AM

There is a Dutch folk band singing Irish and Dutch tunes. One of them is The bog down in the valley.
More info can be found on www.rapalje.com
They play mostly on private parties and on larger events in Europe: Fantasy fairs, scotland festival, Castle Fest, Midsummer/-winter fairs and many others.

Come and have a look if you'd like.

Subject: RE: LYRIC: Bog Down in the Valley - Rattlin Bog
From: Big Jim from Jackson
Date: 05 Jun 07 - 11:52 AM

Mudcat's own Seamus Kennedy has a version recorded on one of his CD's. I'm sure it is available on CD Baby, or a PM to Seamus would do the trick.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bog Down in the Valley / Rattlin Bog
From: GUEST,Terry
Date: 17 Feb 08 - 03:34 PM

This song varies per person really..add whatever you see fit,it's a fun Irish song. Start off slow and gradually get faster..by the end you should be singing it so quickly that nobody will be able to follow you......

Oh ro the rattlin bog, the bog down in the valley oh
Oh ro the rattlin bog, the bog down in the valley oh
And in that bog there was a hole, a rare hole, a rattlin hole,
There was a hole in the bog, the bog down in the valley oh,
Oh ro the rattlin bog, the bog down in the valley oh
Oh ro the rattlin bog, the bog down in the valley oh
And in that hole there was a tree, a rare tree, a rattlin tree,
There was a tree in the hole, a hole in the bog, the bog down in the valley oh,
Oh ro the rattlin bog, the bog down in the valley oh
Oh ro the rattlin bog, the bog down in the valley oh
And on that tree there was a branch, a rare branch, a rattlin branch,
A branch on the tree, a tree in the hole, a hole in the bog,
In the bog down in the valley oh,
Oh ro the rattlin bog, the bog down in the valley oh
Oh ro the rattlin bog, the bog down in the valley oh

There is no last line...whenever you are about to explode should be a good indication!

My last line is usually...
A wing on the flee, a flee on the feather, a feather on the wing, the wing on a bird, the bird in an egg, an egg in the nest, th nest on a leaf, the leaf on a twig, the twig on a branch, a branch on the tree, the tree in the hole, the hole in the bog...in the bog downnnnn in the valleyyyyyyyyy OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO   

(Read it from the end back and you will get the meaning!It's best to picture the things going on as you sing it.)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bog Down in the Valley / Rattlin Bog
From: GUEST,Jim
Date: 17 Feb 08 - 05:59 PM

Bob Kanefsky has "filked" Rattlin' Bog to be a bit more 21st century: "I.O., the memory bank, The bank in the computer-o." He has the whole thing up on his site, Songworm. Being a programmer, he wrote the lyrics in code. (grin)

Songworm

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bog Down in the Valley / Rattlin Bog
From: GUEST,John B
Date: 02 Nov 08 - 11:39 AM

Also watch the performance on YouTube by the Dutch band Rapalje it's very fast.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bog Down in the Valley / Rattlin Bog
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Feb 09 - 11:25 AM

What does "Rattlin'" mean?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bog Down in the Valley / Rattlin Bog
From: IanC
Date: 20 Feb 09 - 11:34 AM

Rattling = Fine (as in really good / beautiful) East Anglian slang.

:-)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bog Down in the Valley / Rattlin Bog
From: IanC
Date: 20 Feb 09 - 11:35 AM

as in "thassa rattlin' good car, that is".

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bog Down in the Valley / Rattlin Bog
From: Jack Campin
Date: 20 Feb 09 - 11:52 AM

Do we have a definite history for this?

The tune (or a non-cumulative version of it) was known in the early 19th century in Scotland as "The March to the Battlefield" but I've no idea which came first.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bog Down in the Valley / Rattlin Bog
From: GUEST
Date: 29 Apr 09 - 02:13 PM

that is all wrong this is the right one




RATTLIN BOG
[:Chorus:]
Oh ho the rattlin' bog
The bog down in the valley-oh
Oh ho the rattlin' bog
The bog down in the valley-oh

Now, in this bog,
There was a tree,
A rare tree,
A rattlin' tree,
The tree in the bog,
And the bog down in the valley-oh!

[Chorus]

Now, on this tree,
There was a limb,
A rare limb,
A rattlin' limb,
The limb on the tree,
And the tree in the bog,
And the bog down in the valley-oh!

[Chorus]

Now, on this limb,
There was a branch,
A rare branch,
A rattlin' branch,
The branch on the limb,
And the limb on the tree,
And the tree in the bog,
And the bog down in the valley-oh!

[Chorus]

On this branch,
There was a twig,
A rare twig,
A rattlin' twig,
The twig on the branch
And the branch on the limb,
And the limb on the tree,
And the tree in the bog,
And the bog down in the valley-oh!

[Chorus]

On this twig,
There was a nest,
A rare nest,
A rattlin' nest,
The nest on the twig,
And the twig on the branch,
And the branch on the limb,
And the limb on the tree,
And the tree in the bog,
And the bog down in the valley-oh!

[Chorus]

In the nest,
There was an egg,
A rare egg,
A rattlin' egg,
The egg in the nest,
And the nest on the twig,
And the twig on the branch,
And the branch on the limb,
And the limb on the tree,
And the tree in the bog,
And the bog down in the valley-oh!

[Chorus]

On the egg,
There was a bird,
A rare bird,
A rattlin' bird,
The bird on the egg,
And the egg in the nest,
And the nest on the twig,
And the twig on the branch,
And the branch on the limb,
And the limb on the tree,
And the tree in the bog,
And the bog down in the valley-oh!

[Chorus]

On the bird,
There was feather,
A rare feather,
A rattlin' feather,
The feather on the bird,
And the bird on the egg,
And the egg in the nest,
And the nest on the twig,
And the twig on the branch,
And the branch on the limb,
And the limb on the tree,
And the tree in the bog,
And the bog down in the valley-oh!

[Chorus]

On the feather,
There was a flea,
A rare flea,
A rattlin' flea
The flea on the feather,
And the feather on the bird,
And the bird on the egg,
And the egg in the nest,
And the nest on the twig,
And the twig on the branch,
And the branch on the limb,
And the limb on the tree,
And the tree in the bog,
And the bog down in the valley-oh!

[Chorus]

And the bog shall live in the valley-oh!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bog Down in the Valley / Rattlin Bog
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 29 Apr 09 - 05:21 PM

The Irish Descendants made a lot of hay with this song.

Here:

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bog Down in the Valley / Rattlin Bog
From: Effsee
Date: 29 Apr 09 - 11:13 PM

Whatever became of the...feather...mattress...the maid on the mattress... the man on the maid...the seed from the man...and from this seed...?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bog Down in the Valley / Rattlin Bog
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 30 Apr 09 - 06:11 AM

This is the note to the version collected from Irish Traveller, Mileen McCarthy.
Jim Carroll

This cumulative song, sometimes called The Everlasting Circle, occasionally continues beyond where Mikeen's leaves off, adding a bed from the feathers, a lad on the bed, a maid with the lad, a baby from the maid, a boy grown from the baby, an acorn planted by the boy, a tree from the acorn, and so the circle is completed and the cycle starts again. The complete "circle" is not found in print very often, perhaps due to the fact that many of the early collectors found it too dubious a subject; Baring Gould, for instance, omitted it from the second edition of "Songs And Ballads of The West.    It has been suggested that the song is connected to ritual, but there is no firm evidence of this, rather it is more likely to be part of a singing game. Ann Gilchrist in The Journal of The Folk Song Society 1909, mentions variations on the theme having been found in Wales, Brittany, Denmark, Switzerland and France; William Wells Newell suggested that it originally came to America from France, via the children of émigrés, though the text he gives from Savannah, Georgia is very similar to the British and Irish ones.
Reference
The Everlasting Circle                                       James Reeves
Journal of The Folk Song Society 1909
Games And Songs of American Children           William Wells Newell

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bog Down in the Valley / Rattlin Bog
From: GUEST,GEST (without a cookie)
Date: 30 Apr 09 - 09:20 PM

http://wtv-zone.com/phyrst/audio/nfld/03/bog.htm ...

GEST Songs of Newfoundland and Labrador

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bog Down in the Valley / Rattlin Bog
From: GUEST,me
Date: 29 Mar 12 - 06:28 PM

i love it.