Lyr Req: Mary Mack or Mari-Mac

Subject: Lyric request: Mary Mack or Mari-Mac
From:
Date: 25 Aug 97 - 09:17 AM

I'd love to get different versions of lyrics to Mari-Mac or Marry Mack or however it is spelled.

Subject: RE: Lyric request: Mary Mack or Mari-Mac
From:
Date: 25 Aug 97 - 06:05 PM

As indicated earlier, its in the database under Mary Mack.

However, as indicated by me earlier, it is usually the mothers who are insisting on the wedding. That way you get all "m's".

Subject: RE: Lyric request: Mary Mack or Mari-Mac
From: RS
Date: 26 Aug 97 - 03:58 AM

There are also a couple of threads with different versions of this song - use the "Forum Search" capability, enter "Mary Mack" on the Subject line, and you will find the relevant entries.

Subject: ADD: Mari-Mac / Mary Mack / Marimac(Great Big Sea)
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Jun 02 - 02:17 PM

MARI-MAC
(Trad. Arr. Great Big Sea)
Lead vocal: Séan McCann

There's a neat little lass and her name is Mari Mac
Make no mistake, she's the girl I'm gonna track
Lot of other fellas try to get her on her back
But I'm thinking that they'll have to get up early.

CHORUS: Mari Mac's mother's making Mari Mac marry me.
My mother's making me marry Mari Mac.
Well, I'm going to marry Mari for my Mari's taking care of me.
We'll all be feeling merry when I marry Mari Mac.

Now Mari and her mother are an awful lot together.
In fact you hardly see the one without the other.
And people often wonder if it's Mari or her mother
Or both of them together I am courting. CHORUS

Well up among the heather in the hills of Benifee
Well I had a bonnie lass sitting on me knee
A bumble bee stung me right above me knee
Up among the heather in the hills of Benifee. CHORUS

Well a certain bonnie lass and me, we're going to spend the day
Sittin' among the heather in the hills of Benifee
Where all the boys and girls are making out so free
Up among the heather in the hills of Benifee. CHORUS

The wedding's on Wednesday, everything's arranged
Soon her name will be changed to mine unless her mind be changed
And making the arrangements, I feel I must arrange
Marriage is an awful undertaking. CHORUS

Sure to be a grand affair, grander than a fair
Going to be a fork and plate for every man that's there
And I'll be a bugger if I don't get my share
If I don't we'll be very much mistaken. CHORUS

There's a neat little lass and her name is Mari Mac
Make no mistake, she's the girl I'm gonna track
Lot of other fellas try to get up on her back
I'm thinking that they'll have to get up early. CHORUS

Subject: Lyr Add: MARY MAC
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 24 Jun 02 - 02:49 PM

Mary Mac

Chorus:
Mary Mac's mother's makin' Mary Mac marry me
And my mother's makin me marry Mary Mac
When I marry Mary Mac she'll take care of me
And we'll all be makin' merry when I marry Mary Mac

(There's) A bonnie wee lass and her name is Mary Mac
Make no mistake she's the lass I'm gonna take
A lot of other lads would like to have her on her back
But I'm thinkin' that they'll have to get up early

Mary and her mother go an awful lot together
In fact you never ever see the one without the other
The lads are all askin' if it's Mary or her mother
Or the both of them together that I'm courtin'

Mary made her sister May the merry maid of honour
May she made a face so gay the day it fell upon her
She's standing up with Connor who'll bestow his honour on her
And I'm thinkin' he'll bestow her plenty more

The weddin's on a Wednesday and everythings arranged
Her name will soon be changed to mine unless her mind be changed
With makin' the arrangements I'm just about deranged
For marraige is an awful undertakin'

It's sure to be a fair affair and fairer than a fair
There's goin' to be a coach and pair for every pair that's there
We'll feast upon the finest fare I'm sure to get me share
If I don't I'll be very much mistaken

Her little brother Seamus was a bugger of a lad
We never thought he's shame us but the little bugger had
For Seamus he is shameless - Seamus he is bad
And he threw a bloody tantrum in the church

Up amoung the heather in the hills of Bellathee
Sittin' with a wee girl rollin' on me knee
A bumble bee stung me well above the knee
Up amoung the heather in the hills of Bellathee

.-)

Subject: RE: Lyric request: Mary Mack or Mari-Mac
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 24 Jun 02 - 03:04 PM

Sorry... I neglected to proofread that before I posted it...

But I'm sure you'll figure it out...

;-)

Subject: RE: Lyric request: Mary Mack or Mari-Mac
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Jun 02 - 06:55 PM

miss mary mack all dressed in black(black, black)
with silver buttons all down her back (back,back)..
guess this is not the one you meant?
something about how she went to see the circus
on the fourth of july to see how high the
elephants could jump???
sort of ajump rope rhyme type tune...

Subject: RE: Lyric request: Mary Mack or Mari-Mac
From: MudWeasel
Date: 25 Jun 02 - 02:45 AM

I'm pretty sure that the Great Big Sea liner notes make metnion of the fact that they lifted 2 verses from "Hills of Benaffee/Bennachie" and added them to their version of Mari-Mac. I've ehard a couple versions but ClintonHammond's posting above ahs all the verses I'm aware of (and a few I wasn't, to boot).

So, huzzah for CH. The trick, of course is to sing those tongue-twisting lyrics at break-neck pace, or much of the charm of the song (in my opinion) is lost.

-MW

Subject: RE: Lyric request: Mary Mack or Mari-Mac
From: GUEST,archivist
Date: 25 Jun 02 - 11:31 AM

other threads
Mary Mack
Mari-Mac little in it but Sue ... does say "Mari-Mac is derived from two songs..."Mary Mack" and "Up Among The Heather"."
Mari Mac somepuns and links
Mari Mac - please lyrics and links to other threads
Merry Maclyrics with the Benachie verses
more verses
lyrics for don't bother unless you are Joe Offer and are going to merge these threads
Great Big Sea don't bother unless you are Joe Offer and are going to merge these

Subject: RE: Lyric request: Mary Mack or Mari-Mac
From: Joe Offer
Date: 25 Jun 02 - 12:46 PM

You know, I was just thinking we needed to index our Marimac threads somehow. With the variety of spellings, I wasn't sure how to do it. Thanks a lot, archivist.
-Joe Offer-

---

...and the Lyrics in the Digital Tradition.

Now, it you want to hear somebody who can actually get through this tongue-twister, try our friend Seamus Kennedy - recording is here (click).

Subject: RE: Lyric request: Mary Mack or Mari-Mac
From: My guru always said
Date: 23 Jul 02 - 09:01 AM

A lass in the Oban Inn had this extra (2nd) verse:

Now this wee lass has got a lot of brass She has a lot of gas & her father thinks I'm class And I'd be a silly ass to let the matter pass And her father thinks she suits me fairly

It fits in OK if you jiggle it a little :-)

Subject: RE: Lyric request: Mary Mack or Mari-Mac
From: My guru always said
Date: 25 Jul 02 - 07:06 AM

Having just 'clicked' on the need for line breaks I thought I'd just pop this in properly (hopefully)!

Now this wee lass has got a lot of brass
She has a lot of gas and her father thinks I'm class
And I'd be a silly ass to let the matter pass
And her father thinks she'd suit me fairly

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mary Mack or Mari-Mac
From: Maija
Date: 02 Dec 04 - 11:27 PM

Knowing perfectly well that this is an old thread, I will still resurrect it (yes, have spent ages reading through the forum today/night). Sorry if that is not proper etiquette around here. I am still confused.

#1 A bit further up there is a link to a recording of Seamus Kennedy's version of Mary Mack, whilst I DO like this recording, I must ask: does it normally go this slow?! The only version of it that I know is by Fiddler's Green, here's a 30 sec recording of the somewhat faster version. If the direct link doesn't work, try this and scroll down.

#2... but she wasn't done. The line

Well, I saw a bonnie lassie
will you go and spend a day
sittin`in the heather in the hills of Bonafy
Where all the boys and girls are making out for free
up among the heather in the hills of Benafy

sort of intrigues me. (Yes, I know this is the fused version.) Don't people normally do that for free, or what was normally going on on the other hills around?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mary Mack or Mari-Mac
From: Blackcatter
Date: 03 Dec 04 - 12:04 AM

#1 I haven't heard Seamus Kennedy's recording, but most people do sing the song quickly as is reasonably possible. Seamus is a member at the Mudcat and you could always PM him for his opinion. The rhythmn of the song is aided by the speed.

#2 I haven't a clue - do people usually charge for making out around your neighborhood?

ta

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mary Mack or Mari-Mac
From: breezy
Date: 03 Dec 04 - 05:20 AM

MGAS has it in her list for Sunday 5th Dec 04 at the Spotlight club in the Legion, St Albans.