Where is 'Laugh and Half-Daft' (Wales)?

Subject: WHERE IS 'LAUGH AND HALF-DAFT' (Wales)?
From: GUEST,cheese
Date: 16 Dec 00 - 12:36 PM

There is a wonderful trad. song performed by Cran (at least, that's where I know it from) called 'Laugh And Half-Daft'. I remember hearing that this is a joke mispronunciation of the name of a village, but can't remember where. The song says it is in the Welsh mountains. Any clues, anyone?

Subject: RE: WHERE IS 'LAUGH AND HALF-DAFT' (Wales)?
From: Llanfair
Date: 16 Dec 00 - 04:14 PM

There are ever so many Welsh mountains, cheese, north or south?
Could they have made it up?
Cheers, Bron.

Subject: RE: WHERE IS 'LAUGH AND HALF-DAFT' (Wales)?
From: GUEST,cheese
Date: 17 Dec 00 - 07:27 PM

No, it wasn't made up, I distinctly remember them saying which town/village in Wales it was, but now can't remember the name. Any help, anyone?

Subject: RE: WHERE IS 'LAUGH AND HALF-DAFT' (Wales)?
From: Ella who is Sooze
Date: 17 Dec 00 - 07:38 PM

Have heard this song... but as I live in the Marches of Wales... I don't know where the song was on about... actually... that doesnt have anything to do with it... When I heard it I was a bit Pi eyed and can't actaully remember where it was....

will have a think....

Ella

Subject: RE: WHERE IS 'LAUGH AND HALF-DAFT' (Wales)?
From: John Moulden
Date: 18 Dec 00 - 06:15 PM

No they didn't make it up. They learned it from Brian Mullen who learned scraps of it while at University in Bangor. He later put "his" version together from several sources and maybe he made bits of it up; doesn't everybody?

Subject: RE: WHERE IS 'LAUGH AND HALF-DAFT' (Wales)?
From: GUEST,visitor
Date: 19 Dec 00 - 02:58 PM

I presume Llandaff is too simple to be the answer?

Subject: RE: WHERE IS 'LAUGH AND HALF-DAFT' (Wales)?
From: MARINER
Date: 19 Dec 00 - 03:06 PM

I think it might be somewhere near Aberwristwatch!.

Subject: RE: WHERE IS 'LAUGH AND HALF-DAFT' (Wales)?
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 19 Dec 00 - 03:39 PM

I would guess at Llanwnda which is between Caernarfon and Bangor.

Jon

Subject: RE: WHERE IS 'LAUGH AND HALF-DAFT' (Wales)?
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 19 Dec 00 - 03:42 PM

Incidentally, there used to be (and may still be) a regular Thursday night folk singing session in the Mount at Llanwnda.

Jon

Subject: RE: WHERE IS 'LAUGH AND HALF-DAFT' (Wales)?
From: GUEST,Kees
Date: 08 Jan 04 - 05:55 PM

I'd like to have the exact lyrics. Can someone help me please

Subject: RE: WHERE IS 'LAUGH AND HALF-DAFT' (Wales)?
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 09 Jan 04 - 05:32 AM

From the title, more likely a mispronunciation of something like:Llanfihangel ar Arth which would seem to translate:
Llanfihangel a'r arth = Church of St Michael & the bear, or
Llanfihanger ar (y) (g)arth = Church of St Michael on the hill

I prefer the former, but the latter seems more likely

CHEERS

Nigel

Subject: RE: WHERE IS 'LAUGH AND HALF-DAFT' (Wales)?
From: Trevor
Date: 09 Jan 04 - 06:26 AM

Where are you Ella?

Subject: RE: WHERE IS 'LAUGH AND HALF-DAFT' (Wales)?
From: stevethesqueeze
Date: 09 Jan 04 - 08:00 AM

I know its on this album...CRAN "The Crooked Stair" CBM CBMCD 002, I thought it was an irish village myself

stevethesqueeze

Subject: RE: WHERE IS 'LAUGH AND HALF-DAFT' (Wales)?
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Jan 04 - 05:58 PM

Somewhere near llareggub?

Subject: RE: WHERE IS 'LAUGH AND HALF-DAFT' (Wales)?
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 10 Jan 04 - 03:08 PM

It's well west of Kraehwinkel and many miles west of Mount Idy.

Subject: RE: WHERE IS 'LAUGH AND HALF-DAFT' (Wales)?
From: RiGGy
Date: 10 Jan 04 - 06:51 PM

There was a recitation/poem that Jack White used to perform in Boston
years ago about Jezebel, who while leaning out of the window
"titivating her painted hair, laft like one haft daft" !!!
I thought it was Yeats, but not apparently....
Riggy

Subject: Lyric Req: 'LAUGH AND HALF-DAFT'
From: Stewie
Date: 29 Jul 07 - 09:16 AM

A mate of mine in Perth WA is seeking the lyrics for 'Laugh and Half Daft' as performed by the group Cran. Can any 'Catter supply these or suggest where they may be found. Google and other searches on the Net have been fruitless. Any help at all would be greatly appreciated.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Where is 'Laugh and Half-Daft' (Wales)?
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Jul 07 - 06:02 AM

Refresh for one last throw at the stumps. Hopefully, someone can help.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Where is 'Laugh and Half-Daft' (Wales)?
From: Stewie
Date: 30 Jul 07 - 06:05 AM

Jeez, I forgot again that Norton's weekly clean-up eats my cookie.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Where is 'Laugh and Half-Daft' (Wales)?
From: Geoff Wallis
Date: 30 Jul 07 - 01:38 PM

Here you go.

Cran's Seán Corcoran learnt the song from one of his two great mentors, Mary Ann Carolan from County Louth, and definitely reckons that its title is a 'surreal and mischievous re-working' of Llandaff.


I've come from Laugh-an-Half-Daft and half o'er the Welsh mountains
Where the leeks and the violets and the nanny-goats dwell.
I've come here in search of a lovely young maiden
And where she has gone to I'm sure I can't tell.

She's the pride of her gender, her waist small and slender,
Her hair is magenta and she squints with one eye.
She talks like a parson, she sings like a nightingale,
And if I don't find her I'm sure I will die.

Chorus (i.e. the next four lines)

So, I'll weep and I'll wander o'rer hills and o'er mountains
In search of my Jinny - O, where can she be?
I'll weep and I'll wander o'rer hills and o'er mountains
In search of my Jinny - O, where can she be?

Her home and her family are highly respected,
Her mother milks cows on a three-legged stool.
Her father's a farmer, her aunt is a lady,
Her uncle's a rogue and her brother's a fool.

I courted sweet Jenny, I told her I loved her,
We were to be married upon a May morn,
But there came a young soldier from the Royal Artillery
And on the next morning my Jenny was gone.

Chorus

O, say have you seen her? To you I'll describe her:
She wears a red petticoat and a hat on her head,
She moves when she's walking, she speaks when she's talking,
Her handkerchief's lettered O, P, X, Y, Z.

I searched through the mountains, I searched the valleys,
I climbed Carrauntoohill, I looked up in the air,
I searched holes and corners, I read through the papers,
I looked up the chimney, but found her nowhere.

So, farewell to you Jenny, you've gone with your soldier,
I never will find you wherever you be.
No more will I wander o'er hills and o'er mountains,
Farewell to you Jenny wherever you be.

Chorus

Subject: RE: Where is 'Laugh and Half-Daft' (Wales)?
From: Stewie
Date: 30 Jul 07 - 09:02 PM

Geoff,

Thank you very much for taking the trouble to post the lyrics. I appreciate it very much. I thank you also on behalf of my friends, Colin Smiley and Paddy Connelly, who will be delighted as they want to add it to their performance repertoire. Thanks also for Cran's source. I have heard a couple of recordings by Mary Ann Carolan in the Topic series - good stuff.

I have enjoyed reading your excellent reviewa in Musical Traditions, particularly the one for Dessie O'Halloran.   I have not heard Cran but, when searching for this song, I noted that they are still active and some of their earlier material is being reissued. I shall certainly seek out a couple of albums.

Thanks again.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Where is 'Laugh and Half-Daft' (Wales)?
From: Mick Tems
Date: 31 Jul 07 - 05:43 AM

It's Llandaff, three miles north of Cardiff and famous for Llandaff Cathedral. Cardiff has a strong Irish influence, hence its very own ambassador and singer, guitarist and songwriter with The Hennessys, Frank Hennessy - and the Irish built Cardiff Docks.

I first heard a woman sing Llandaff in the The Ship And Pilot (which used to be known affectionately as The Six Tits, on account of the three sisters who kept the pub.) The Cardiff version was identical to the Irish version, the verses only deviating a tiny bit:

Llandaff

I come down from Llandaff, half o'er the Welsh mountains
Where the leeks and the violets and the nanny goats dwell
I come down in search of a fair gentle maiden
But where she's gone to, I'm sure I can't tell.

CHORUS   I'll weep and I'll wander, o'er hills and o'er mountains
         In search of my Jenny, oh where can she be?
         I'll weep and I'll wander o'er hills and o'er mountains
         In search of my Jenny, oh where can she be?

She's the pride of her gender, her waist it is slender
Her hair is magenta and she squints with one eye
She talks like a parson, she sings like a nightingale
And if I don't find her I'm sure I will die.

The house of her parents is highly respected
Her mother milks cows on the three-legged stool
Her father's a farmer, her aunt is a lady
Her uncle's a rogue and her brother's a fool.

I courted my Jenny, I told her I loved her
We were to be married upon the May morn
But there came a bold soldier from the Royal Artillery
And on the next morning my Jenny was gone.

I searched for my Jenny, I promised I'd find her,
I went though the cupboards, I looked under the stair,
I read through the papers, I looked up the chimney,
But the sorrowful story: I found her nowhere.

Oh say, have you seen her, to you I'll describe her,
She wears a red petticoat and a cap on her head
She moves when she's walking, she speaks when she's talking
And her linen's marked P, Q, R, X, Y and Z.

She's gone with her soldier and I'll never find her,
Farewell to you, Jenny, wherever you be
No more will I wander o'er hills and o'er mountains
Farewell to you, Jenny, now goodbye to thee.

Barbara Berry, from Chirk, sent me a song which was collected by Alfred Williams. Barbara says the song was Oxfordshire/Gloucestershire/Wiltshire/Berkshire:

The Wandering Boy

My name is Dan Largan, Cockloram Cocklane,
I come from Llangartan, a land of great fame,
With my poor heart turned up and my heart full of fear
To seek a Welsh lassie, but I can't find her here.

Chorus:        Her name it is Jinny, so neat and so sharp,
        She comes from North Wales and she plays the Welsh harp.

I courted sweet Jinny six months and three days,
She sat by my side while she played her Welsh lays,   
Till a man with a banjo came strolling that way,
He saw my Welsh lassie and bore her away.

I told her I loved her as true as the stars,
I thought her a Venus but she turned out a Mars.
She shattered my hopes with one single blow,
For she tingles her harp to a nasty banjo.

If ever I meet them, as sure as the dead,
I'll smash his old banjo on the crown of his head,
And as for false Jinny, I'll leave her to die
For deserting Dan Largan, the wandering boy.

Mick Tems

Subject: RE: Where is 'Laugh and Half-Daft' (Wales)?
From: Geoff Wallis
Date: 31 Jul 07 - 03:55 PM

Hi, Stewie,

Thanks for your compliment, but please don't mention my name if you visit Inishbofin.

All of Cran's four albums are currently available - check http://www.cranmusic.com - and there's a new one on the way.

All the best,

Geoff

Subject: RE: Where is 'Laugh and Half-Daft' (Wales)?
From: Stewie
Date: 31 Jul 07 - 09:51 PM

Geoff, thanks again. I will bear your admonition in mind should I visit Ireland. Actually, I must admit to thinking Dessie's 'Say You Love Me' is not without a certain charm.

Mick, many thanks for your complementary posting. I never cease to be amazed at what a wonderful resource the Mudcat is. Because of people's generosity, one is able to tap into the knowledge and personal libraries and record collections of individuals around the globe.

All the best to you both, Stewie.

Subject: RE: Where is 'Laugh and Half-Daft' (Wales)?
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Sep 19 - 08:40 AM

The song was written by Jim McArdle it's on and album call pitcher hill. Jim is from Ireland, maybe Drogheda, not not 100% sure

Subject: RE: Where is 'Laugh and Half-Daft' (Wales)?
From: GUEST,Miryam
Date: 27 Sep 19 - 08:42 AM

https://jimmacardle.bandcamp.com/track/the-laugh-and-half-daft-song

Subject: RE: Where is 'Laugh and Half-Daft' (Wales)?
From: GUEST,John Moulden
Date: 29 Sep 19 - 11:49 AM

GUEST, presumably Miryam, if you read further up the thread you will see that Jim McArdle did not write the song, he like everybody else in Drogheda got it from Mary Ann Carolan.