Lyr Req: Many's the Pint I Had with Pope John Paul

Subject: Manys the pint I had with Pope John Paul
From: Mikey joe
Date: 12 Jan 01 - 07:01 AM

Hi Catters,

This is probably directed more at Irish Catters but obviously help from anyone is very much appreciated. I'm looking for the lyrics of a song. It is a parody of 'The Craic Was 90 in the Isle of Man' And is titled Manys the pint I had with Pope John Paul (I think). The first two lines are.

Weren't we the rare auld stock
We spent the weekend on the lock
We went there for the craic
Cos we knew the pope was coming

Each verse ends with the lines
Oh tis manys the pint I had with the Pope John Paul

It's all abpout the popes visit to Ireland in 1979. And of how he meets up with three lads and they go on the tear for the weekend. It finishes up with the pope being deported. I think it's a parody anyway

Thanks in advance

Mj

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Manys the pint I had with Pope John
From: paddymac
Date: 12 Jan 01 - 02:19 PM

I've never heard it, but it sounds like a hoot. I hope somebody can provide the lyrics.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Manys the pint I had with Pope John
From: chordstrangler
Date: 12 Jan 01 - 06:13 PM

Don't know that one, but there is another floating around that I could get my hands on in a day or two if you are interested.....Slan.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Manys the pint I had with Pope John
From: Zebedee
Date: 12 Jan 01 - 07:09 PM

I searched the web for ages on this one, using every varition I could think of, but found nothing. Sorry.

Ed

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Manys the pint I had with Pope John
From: GUEST,Mikey Joe
Date: 13 Jan 01 - 07:47 AM

Thanks everyone although no luck yet I hope someone has them, I'll try to piece together what I remember of it.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Manys the pint I had with Pope John
From: GUEST,Mikey Joe
Date: 14 Jan 01 - 07:37 AM

If it's any help

another verse begins with

The Holy Mass was quickly said For the Pope he had a sickly head We jumped into a big black car And sped off for the nearest bar

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Manys the pint I had with Pope John
From: Mikey joe
Date: 15 Jan 01 - 07:36 AM

I have been looking for this song for about five years now. A man in Cork where I'm from is the only guy I've ever heard sing it. He never would say where he got from.

I have maybe 50% of the words and like an archaeologist may attempt to reconstruct it rather than let it die. I could ask Mudcatters to help fill in the missing words in keeping with the song as it was. I'll give it another day or so. It sould be quite an intersting project to have a song reconsrtucted by many people all over the world.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Manys the pint I had with Pope John
From: MartinRyan
Date: 15 Jan 01 - 08:41 AM

There's another version about three Irish soccer fans on the tear in Amsterdam! They end up in a transvestite brothel and life gets complicted.

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Manys the pint I had with Pope John
From: Mikey joe
Date: 15 Jan 01 - 08:49 AM

Sounds good Martin? Do yo have it??

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Manys the pint I had with Pope John
From: GUEST,clancy
Date: 15 Jan 01 - 02:12 PM

Mickey Joe:

If you find the words to this, please post them...I'm a pub singer and would love to get my hands on this one..

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Manys the pint I had with Pope John
From: MartinRyan
Date: 15 Jan 01 - 02:45 PM

Even after hearing it many times, I still end up in tears of laughter at this one - which is not the best way to learn a song! I'll get hold of it at some stage.

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Manys the pint I had with Pope John
From: Mikey joe
Date: 16 Jan 01 - 11:19 AM

Try and find it. I have most of the popes song and i'll post it soon

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Manys the pint I had with Pope John
From: Alice
Date: 16 Jan 01 - 11:46 AM

Looking forward to this. Is it sung to a well known melody? Can anyone provide the tune?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Manys the pint I had with Pope John
From: GUEST,clancy
Date: 16 Jan 01 - 11:51 AM

Alice - as above, yes, the song is sung to "The Craic Was Ninety in the Isle of Man".

Subject: Lyr Add: THE CRAIC WAS NINETY IN THE ISLE OF MAN
From: Joe Offer
Date: 16 Jan 01 - 06:23 PM

Well, Clancy, I think you raised more questions than you answered (which is often a good thing). I found the lyrics, but not the tune.
-Joe Offer-

---

THE CRAIC WAS NINETY IN THE ISLE OF MAN

Well, weren't we the rare old stock?
Spent the evening getting locked
Up in the Ace Of Hearts
where the high stools were engagin'
Over the Butt Bridge, down by the dock,
The boat she sailed at five o'clock
"Hurry boys now!" said Whack,
"Or before we're there, we'll all be back!"
Carry him if you can!
The craic was 90 in the Isle of Man!

Before we reached the Alexander base
The ding-dong we did surely raise
In the bar of the ship we had great sport
as the boat she sailed out of the port
Landed up in the Douglas head
Inquirin' for a vacant bed
The dinin' room we soon got shown
by a decent woman up the road
"Lads, at it if you can!"
The craic was 90 in the Isle of Man!

Next mornin' we went for a ramble round
Viewed the sights of Douglas town
Then we went for a nightly session
in a pub they call Dick Darbie's
We must have been drunk by half past three
To sober up we went swimmin' in the sea
Back to the digs for a spruce up
and while waitin' for the fry
We all drew up our plan
The craic was 90 in the Isle of Man!

That night we went to the Texas Bar
Came back down by horse and car
Met Big Jim and all went in
to drink some wine at Yate's
The Liverpool judies it was said
Were all to be found in the Douglas Head
McShane was there in his suit and shirt
them foreign girls he was tryin' to flirt
Sayin' "Here, girls, I'm your man!"
The craic was 90 in the Isle of Man!

Whacker fancied his good looks
On an Isle of Man woman he was struck
But a Liverpool lad was by her side
and he was throwin' the jar into her
Whacker thought he'd take a chance
Asked the quare one out to dance
Around the floor they stepped it out
and to Whack it was no bother
Everything was goin' to plan
The craic was 90 in the Isle of Man!

The Isle of Man woman fancied Whack
Your man stood there till his mates came back
Whack! They all whacked into Whack
and Whack was whacked out on his back
The police force arrived as well
Banjoed a couple of them as well
Landed up in the Douglas jail
until the Dublin boat did sail
Deported every man!
The craic was 90 in the Isle of Man!

Copied from The Arizona Music Society (click).

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Manys the pint I had with Pope John
From: Snuffy
Date: 16 Jan 01 - 08:39 PM

Don't go blaming Clancy, Joe. Mikey Joe told us that in his original posting asking for the words:

It is a parody of 'The Craic Was 90 in the Isle of Man' And is titled Manys the pint I had with Pope John Paul (I think).

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Manys the pint I had with Pope John
From: Alice
Date: 16 Jan 01 - 09:46 PM

I guess what I mean is... I've never heard THE CRAIC WAS NINETY IN THE ISLE OF MAN, either, so if there is any way to give us the tune, that would be great. I'm sure it is a well known song somewhere, (like in the Isle of Man?), but not in Montana. Thanks.... Eagerly awaiting the "pope" lyrics.

Alice

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Manys the pint I had with Pope John
From: Sorcha
Date: 16 Jan 01 - 11:35 PM

Speaking of popes, has anybody read "The Accidental Pope" by Ray Flynn? Strange read, and pure fantasy as far as I am concerned, but I have never been a Catholic.....

An American fisherman accidentally gets elected Pope on an "honorary" vote, because the Holy Spirit was guiding the Papal Conclave........I do believe in the Holy Spirit, but this book is just weird.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Manys the pint I had with Pope John
From: Alice
Date: 17 Jan 01 - 12:35 AM

I just found it (the original, not the parody) on CDNow, recorded by the Dubliners and Christy Moore, but although I typed in Craic Was Ninety, it came up listed as "Crack was ninety...." No sound file, though.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Manys the pint I had with Pope John
From: Joe Offer
Date: 17 Jan 01 - 03:41 AM

Well, I found a Windows Media sound file of a song called "The "Craic Was 90" from an album called Dublin's Fair City. The tune is "The Girl I Left Behind Me," but the lyrics are different from what I found and posted above.
-Joe Offer, frustrated-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Manys the pint I had with Pope John
From: Mikey joe
Date: 17 Jan 01 - 04:14 AM

Pope song is under a new thread. Entitled 'Drinking with the Pope'

Hope you like now after all this

Mj

---

lyrics moved to this thread

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Manys the pint I had with Pope John
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 17 Jan 01 - 04:14 AM

You know - I alway thought it was the "The crack (Craic - sp?) was mighty in the Isle of Man". Just shows - if you start trying to make sense of song lyrics you just bugger things up:-)

Cheers

Dave the Gnome

Subject: Lyr Add: MANY'S THE PINT I HAD WITH THE POPE JOHN
From: Mikey joe
Date: 17 Jan 01 - 04:35 AM

A few things first
1. This is not the song as I heard sung by Ricky in inniscarra many years ago. After many years of searching and cute hooring by the man himself I've found noone who knows the song or has even heard of it.

2. With this in mind I tried a mudcat search. Again no luck
3. So, as a last resort rather then let a good song die, I patched it up. Some of the words are the same, some were put in by myself to patch up holes. I did not write the song that credit goes to someone else. I do admit to filling in a lot of whats written below. but this is preferable then letting the song die.

Anyway here it is

MANY'S THE PINT I HAD WITH THE POPE JOHN PAUL

Well, weren't we the rare auld stock?
Spent the weekend up in Knock
We went there for the craic
'Cos we knew the Pope was coming
At half past three the plane touched down
He disembarked then kissed the ground
And turning to the lads he tipped a wink
Saying "Where's the bar? I'd murder a drink"
As he left the arrivals hall
Oh 'tis manys the pint I had with the Pope John Paul

Well the holy mass was quickly said
For the pope he had a sickly head
He picked us up in this big black car
And we all sped off to the nearest bar
As we settled into those pints of plain
Auld JP rose into 'Nancy Spain'
Then grabbed the fiddle from o'er the door
And the two hand reel filled up the floor
Christ 'twas worse then Lannigans Ball
Oh 'tis manys the pint I had with the Pope John Paul

A ferocious crowd had all turned out
To hear the Pope sing of poor Seán Sabhat
And then downing his pint he addressed them all
Saying "A round for the house, for it is my call"
In Latin & Greek the roar did deafen
All the angels up in heaven
There was porter flowing left and right
And then the Pope got stuck in a fight
While playing pool with Peter & Paul
Oh 'tis manys the pint I had with the Pope John Paul

Things swiftly went from bad to worse
And JP began to swear & curse
The barman said "Clear out ye're barred
Ye've drank too much ye're manky jarred"
We wandered about trying to find a pub
'Till Mick & the Pope they spied a club
Sure all we wanted was a bit of a dance
But we could get in for the Pope had no pants
So he kicked a bouncer in the balls
Oh 'tis manys the pint I had with the Pope John Paul

Well there followed a mighty altercation
As the Pope doled out excommunication
On anyone who laid a hand
On himself or a member of his band
We spent two hours racing up & down
As the bouncers searched all over town
'Til the knock gardaí locked us up in jail
Until the Vatican boat did sail
Deported one and all
Oh 'tis manys the pint I had with the Pope John Paul
Mj

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Drinking with the Pope
From: Joe Offer
Date: 17 Jan 01 - 04:52 AM

Ah, we finally got the song. Thank you very much, Mikey Joe. I fixed the HTML on your posting. You didn't need to start a new thread, though - I moved it over to the existing thread on the subject.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Manys the pint I had with Pope John
From: MartinRyan
Date: 17 Jan 01 - 05:15 AM

I'll make a determined effort to get the "Amsterdam" version this weekend...promise!

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Manys the pint I had with Pope John
From: Wolfgang
Date: 17 Jan 01 - 07:03 AM

Mikey Joe,
I've read your very creative response to your own question. Very good job. It makes me wonder whether the original was better or not.

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Manys the pint I had with Pope John
From: Mikey joe
Date: 17 Jan 01 - 07:25 AM

I'm afraid it looks like we'll never know. I doubt it though. Every time I heard that song I cried my eyes out laughing

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Manys the pint I had with Pope John
From: Alice
Date: 17 Jan 01 - 09:07 AM

Thanks for finding the tune, Joe. The Girl I Left Behind Me, I -do- know.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Manys the pint I had with Pope John
From: GUEST,ducksy
Date: 17 Jan 01 - 05:54 PM

the song was written by a guy from Cork named Dorgan and recorded by Jimmy Crowley on his own Free State Records label.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Manys the pint I had with Pope John
From: Joe Offer
Date: 17 Jan 01 - 06:54 PM

Well, Alice, I'm not sure it's the right tune - There's apparently a different song called "The Craic Was 90" that's better-known, and that's the one with the tune "The Girl I Left Behind Me." You who know the "Isle of Man" craic - is it the same tune? It doesn't seem to scan right.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Manys the pint I had with Pope John
From: MartinRyan
Date: 17 Jan 01 - 07:53 PM

I certainly can't fit "The crack was ninety" to what I think of as the "Girl I left behind me" tune.

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Manys the pint I had with Pope John
From: Alice
Date: 17 Jan 01 - 07:55 PM

My thoughts exactly. The words don't fit the Girl Left Behind Me.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Manys the pint I had with Pope John
From: Mikey joe
Date: 18 Jan 01 - 04:22 AM

Thank you ducksy

It is a very jimmy Crowley song. Do you know what album it's on????

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Manys the pint I had with Pope John
From: late 'n short
Date: 18 Jan 01 - 10:15 AM

"The Craic was 90..." never fails to lift my spirits and it's definitely not the same tune as "The Girl..." But,sorry for my ignorance, what does it mean? Is it a reference to proof?

Dan

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Manys the pint I had with Pope John
From: Mikey joe
Date: 18 Jan 01 - 10:18 AM

it is an Irish expression. Not as common now as it was. It was originally "And the craic was up to 90" 90 being 90 miles an hour, as in fast. no time to stop. keep going. It shortened quickly to The Craic was 90.

Mj

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Manys the pint I had with Pope John
From: GUEST,ducksy
Date: 18 Jan 01 - 12:41 PM

Packie Dorgan from cork wrote the song and the only recording is by a guy giging in the Boston area named Finbarre Doyle who is from Kildare and a big Christy Moore fan .take care

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Manys the pint I had with Pope John
From: GUEST,clancy
Date: 28 Jan 01 - 01:48 PM

Just checked and see Mikey Joe came thru with some lyrics, thank you MJ!!! Nice Job.

this tune is absolutely NOT The Girl I Left Behind Me (which is the same tune as the Waxie's Dargle).

Craic is Irish for "fun or good times", and the Craic being 90 says it was a whole lot of fun, or as already said, some very fast fun.

Craic Was 90 recorded by Christy Moore, Paddy Reilly, and a whole lot more including myself.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Many's the Pint I Had with Pope John Paul
From: GUEST,Max
Date: 26 Apr 11 - 03:36 AM

Anyone find this lyric over the years

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Many's the Pint I Had with Pope John Paul
From: Joe Offer
Date: 26 Apr 11 - 02:49 PM

Yes, the lyrics were posted in another thread. I combined the two threads, so now the lyrics are above. Note that the person who posted the lyrics, made up some words to fill in spots where he had forgotten the lyrics. So....we still need a definitive version of these lyrics.
When he was first elected Pope, there were photos like this (click) that indicated that Bavarian Benedict might have a preference for beer, but I never heard talk of John Paul liking a pint here and there. He was strictly a wine man, as far as I know.

-Joe-

---

This page has a recording of the song, as sung by Finbar Doyle. Anybody have time to transcribe it? It's quite different from the lyrics posted above.

Subject: RE: Req/ADD: Many's the Pint I Had with Pope John Paul
From: Richard from Liverpool
Date: 30 May 11 - 11:57 AM

I do like Mikey Joe's reconstruction of the words above from 2001, which has some great little touches. But I've now also listened to Finbar Doyle's recording via the link a couple of times and attempted a very rough transcription, I have to head out in a moment so I can't really listen through it again to fill in the gaps, but if someone wants to have a go and tidy it up, feel free. The last verse is the one where I get completely lost. I've put ******** next to the lines where I need particular help.



O weren't we the rare old stock
Spent the weekend up in Knock
Up we went there for the craic
Cos we'd heard the Pope was coming
And the altar boys just stood around
The Bishop kissed the holy ground
Then Pope John Paul he finally came
He staggered off the Dublin train
Singing God save yiz one and all
Well many's the pint I had with the Pope John Paul

O the Holy Mass was quickly read
No joke for a Pope with a sickie head
He wasn't over a day
Before he spent in Dublin boozing
Behind the wheel of the Popemobile
To secure the cure of the rotten reel(?)   **********
For me and Packie and the boys were found
The Pope insisted on buying a round
He said "well boys, it's my call"
Well many's the pint I had with the Pope John Paul

Well the Pope was good, the Porter flowed
The barman reckoned what we owed
Tony Kinell(???) was there with his banjoline
And he set the whole place singing
Well we didn't have to wait to long
Called John Paul over for a song
Well he lifted his legs and he danced the reel
You could see Riverdance come from his heels
And we joined him one and all
Well many's the pint I had with the Pope John Paul

O the boys they all got mighty jarred
The barman said "clear out, you're barred"
So out we went so chewed and spent
But the Pope he kept on singing
(COUPLE OF LINES MISSING HERE - can't really make it out, can hear something about the Gardai, presumably everyone gets arrested)      ************
Until the Vatican boat did sail
And deported one and all
Well many's the pint I had with the Pope John Paul



Anyone have further confirmation that Packie Dorgan was the original author? (e.g. is there any information attached to Finbar Doyle's recording?)

Subject: RE: Req/ADD: Many's the Pint I Had with Pope John Paul
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Jun 11 - 01:24 PM

Hello to all,Jimmy Crowley kindly passed this classic onto to myself back in 98-99,while performing in New York.Jimmy is one of the best singer songwriters in Ireland (My love is a tall ship),He stayed with my wife and I on Staten Island,for a night.The song was written by Packie Dorgan I believe a fellow cork man.I returned back home and recorded my first album,this was one song on that album(Tribal Ways),The air is the crack was ninthy in the isle of man.Now of to mass I go for I have sinned
Keep it up, Take care Finbar Doyle (Boston)

Subject: RE: Req/ADD: Many's the Pint I Had with Pope John Paul
From: Noreen
Date: 22 Jun 11 - 04:06 PM

From YouTube- the tune.

The Craic Was Ninety In The Isle Of Man - The Dubliners

Subject: RE: Req/ADD: Many's the Pint I Had with Pope John Paul
From: JHW
Date: 23 Jun 11 - 06:33 AM

I never quite had a pint with John Paul but I still use a bottle opener with his picture on bought from a nun at St. Peter's

Subject: Lyr Add: MANY'S THE PINT I HAD WITH THE POPE JOHN
From: GUEST,KenDuffy
Date: 03 Mar 14 - 06:42 AM

My da sings this song and i got him to write down the words. He got it from Noel Murphy.

Manys the pint i had with pope John Paul

Well, weren't we the rare auld stock?
Spent the weekend up in Knock
We went there for the craic
'Cos we knew the Pope was coming
At half past three the plane touched down
He disembarked then kissed the ground
And turning to the lads he tipped a wink
Saying "Where's the bar? I'd murder a drink"
As he left the arrivals hall
Oh 'tis manys the pint I had with the Pope John Paul

Well the holy mass was quickly said
For the pope he had a sickly head
He picked us up in this big black car
And we all sped off to the nearest bar
As we settled into those pints of plain
Auld JP rose into 'Nancy Spain'
Then grabbed the fiddle from o'er the door
And the two hand reel filled up the floor
Christ 'twas worse then Lannigans Ball
Oh 'tis manys the pint I had with the Pope John Paul

A ferocious crowd had all turned out
To hear the Pope sing of poor Seán Sabhat
And then downing his pint he addressed them all
Saying "A round for the house, for it is my call"
In Latin & Greek the roar did deafen
All the angels up in heaven
There was porter flowing left and right
And then the Pope got stuck in a fight
While playing pool with Peter & Paul
Oh 'tis manys the pint I had with the Pope John Paul

Things swiftly went from bad to worse
And JP began to swear & curse
The barman said "Clear out ye're barred
Ye've drank too much ye're manky jarred"
We wandered about trying to find a pub
'Till Mick & the Pope they spied a club
Sure all we wanted was a bit of a dance
But we could get in for the Pope had no pants
So he kicked a bouncer in the balls
Oh 'tis manys the pint I had with the Pope John Paul

Well there followed a mighty altercation
As the Pope doled out excommunication
On anyone who laid a hand
On himself or a member of his band
We spent two hours racing up & down
As the bouncers searched all over town
'Til the knock gardaí locked us up in jail
Until the Vatican boat did sail
Deported one and all
Oh 'tis manys the pint I had with the Pope John Paul

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Many's the Pint I Had with Pope John Paul
From: GUEST,KenDuffy
Date: 03 Mar 14 - 07:29 AM

actually, thats Mikey Joe's version. my bad

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Many's the Pint I Had with Pope John Paul
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Mar 14 - 08:28 PM

Anything to do with England's watering-hole Pope's Grotto before a 6-Nations game?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Many's the Pint I Had with Pope John Paul
From: MartinRyan
Date: 01 Oct 14 - 09:33 AM

Finally..... The Amsterdam song mentioned earlier in this thread, recorded live at the Goilin Singers Club some years ago:

Click here

Regards

p.s That's "the real Gerry O'Reilly", by the way!