Bricklayer's Song, The

Subject: Bricklayer's Song, The
From:
Date: 19 Dec 97 - 11:30 PM

I was surprised to find that Digital Tradition didn't have any information about the above song. I have the words, but would like to find a version with guitar chords, but more especially, I would like to get some information as to its origin, composer, etc.

Jack Hickman

Subject: Bricklayer's Song, The
From:
Date: 19 Dec 97 - 11:34 PM

I was surprised to find that Digital Tradition didn't have any information about the above song. I have the words, but would like to find a version with guitar chords, but more especially, I would like to get some information as to its origin, composer, etc.

Jack Hickman

Subject: RE: Bricklayer's Song, The
From: Joe Offer
Date: 19 Dec 97 - 11:37 PM

Tell us more about the song, Jack. Could you be referring to this one, known as "Why Paddy's Not at Work Today"?
-Joe-

Subject: RE: Bricklayer's Song, The
From: GUEST,Nic
Date: 01 Mar 05 - 07:19 AM

The two are the same song, the Bricklayer's Song being the Corries' title if I am not mistaken. I am also looking for guitar chords and am, as of yet, unsuccessful.

Subject: RE: Bricklayer's Song, The
From: GUEST,SND (At Work)
Date: 01 Mar 05 - 10:44 AM

GUEST, Nic,

The original title of the song by its creator, Pat Cooksey is "The Sick Note." He set the lyrics to the tune of "The Garden Where the Praties Grow." The link below may be helpful. The song is also known by numerous other titles, including the two previously mentioned.

Cheers

SND

http://sniff.numachi.com/~rickheit/dtrad/pages/tiPRATIGRO;ttPRATIGRO.html

Subject: RE: Bricklayer's Song, The
From:
Date: 01 Mar 05 - 02:55 PM

Guest Nic, if you look at some of the other threads, Joe is referring to the correct song but it had been discussed in many other threads. It's an OLD thread, from way back in '97.

Subject: RE: Bricklayer's Song, The
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 01 Mar 05 - 03:05 PM

And guitar chords would depend on what key you want to sing it in....

Subject: RE: Bricklayer's Song, The
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 01 Mar 05 - 03:09 PM

Go to this site:
http://www.patcooksey.com/lyr_eng.htm
Find The Sick Note and click on "entire lyric". Then click on "hear it".
Pat has been so goods as to allow us to hear him playing the entire song.
       Sandy
P.S.
Joe, perhaps these threads should be combined.
       Slainte,
            Sandy

Subject: RE: Bricklayer's Song, The
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 01 Mar 05 - 03:10 PM

It'd be nice if the "Create New Thread" could be locked for certain keywords as well....

:-)

Subject: RE: Bricklayer's Song, The
From: michaelr
Date: 01 Mar 05 - 10:39 PM

Seems like we have a request for this song twice a month. I don't know how our latest Guest searched for it, but it should be possible to have the lyrics turn up by all the different titles, no?

Cheers,
Michael

Subject: RE: Bricklayer's Song, The
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 01 Mar 05 - 11:36 PM

should... easily...

Subject: RE: Bricklayer's Song, The
From: GUEST,Hilary
Date: 11 Apr 05 - 04:51 PM

My dad has talked about The Bricklayer's Song for years ever since he heard it on the JP McCarthy Show in Detroit. I would love to get a copy of it for him. Is there any place to buy it?
Thanks!

Subject: RE: Bricklayer's Song, The
From: Jimmy C
Date: 11 Apr 05 - 05:09 PM

I usually do this one depending on whether I think the audience has heard it before. I find it a lot better to do acappella.

Subject: RE: Bricklayer's Song, The
From: Jos
Date: 11 Apr 05 - 06:33 PM

I first heard it not as a song but as a story, recounted by Gerard Hoffnung, recorded addressing the Oxford Union in December 1958. According to the BBC CD: 'The speech contained the now-famous Bricklayer story, which can be traced back to the 1920s and is probably much older.'
No song could match the timing in that performance.

Subject: RE: Bricklayer's Song, The
From: Peace
Date: 11 Apr 05 - 07:01 PM

http://66.102

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000000D6L/104-3391180-5747108?v=glance

Subject: RE: Bricklayer's Song, The
From: Jos
Date: 11 Apr 05 - 07:34 PM

I've just read through the related links and found I wasn't telling you anything new. All I can add is that the Hoffnung recording used to be played on the Home Service on a programme called 'Monday Night at Home', along with other amusing items including poems etc. by Ivor Cutler.

Subject: RE: Bricklayer's Song, The
From: alanabit
Date: 12 Apr 05 - 02:46 AM

Hilary, I should PM Pat Cooksey and get it from the horse's mouth, as it were. He is a friendly bloke and I am sure will get back to you as soon as he is at home again. There is a sturdio verion of the song on his "Words" album and another on his "Live in Franken" CD. There are plenty of other enjoyable songs on those records and he is a fine traditional singer.

Subject: RE: Bricklayer's Song, The
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Oct 06 - 05:33 PM

The sad tales of the bricklayer are in a song recorded by the Scottish group The Corries on an album entitled "The Comedy Collection". The name of the song, the 9th cut on the album, is "The Bricklayer's Song." To get a copy, available by ordering on the internet, go to the Corries website, www.corries.com and then use the "search" box looking for the word "comedy". The 2006 price, in US dollars, is $23.46. [Be sure to change the currency from British pounds to US Dollars, in the box in the right bottom corner on the home page.]

Subject: RE: Bricklayer's Song, The
From: oldhippie
Date: 24 Oct 06 - 06:10 PM

According to "Rise Up Singing", recordings include the Fureys (on album & in songbook), and on the Dubliners 25th anniversary album.

Subject: RE: Bricklayer's Song, The
From: Scrump
Date: 24 Oct 06 - 06:12 PM

You're not one of the Corries, GUEST 24 Oct 06 - 05:33, by any chance?

Subject: RE: Bricklayer's Song, The
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Oct 06 - 06:14 PM

I doubt if the one remaining Corrie needs to be doing that Scrump!

Subject: RE: Bricklayer's Song, The
From: GUEST,HughM
Date: 25 Oct 06 - 08:03 AM

I thought it was by Noel Murphy. I once met someone who said they had been with him when he wrote it and that it was inspired by an actual accident which occurred on a building site in Glasgow.

Subject: RE: Bricklayer's Song, The
From: Scrump
Date: 25 Oct 06 - 08:37 AM

Noel Murphy recorded a couple of different versions - his were called "Murphy and the Bricks" (it was issued on a small label 45 rpm as well as on an RCA vinyl LP).

HTH

Subject: RE: Bricklayer's Song, The
From: Tom Hamilton frae Saltcoats Scotland
Date: 25 Oct 06 - 09:21 AM

this is the website it is based on a story.

http://paul.merton.ox.ac.uk/work/bricklayer-song.html

Subject: RE: Bricklayer's Song, The
From: Tom Hamilton frae Saltcoats Scotland
Date: 25 Oct 06 - 09:22 AM

The Bricklayer's Song
The Bricklayer's Lament was told by Gerard Hoffnung at the Oxford Union, December 4th, 1958. More recently it was converted into a song, which The Corries sang. The song is attributed to "Cooksey/Hoffnung/Murphy-Cop Con".
Dear sir I write this note to you to tell you of my plight,
For at the time of writing it, I'm not a pretty sight,
My body is all black & blue, my face a deathly grey,
And I write this note to say why I am not at work today.


While working on the 14th floor some bricks I had to clear,
But tossing them down from such a height, was not a good idea,
The foreman wasn't very pleased, he is an awkward sod,
and he said I had to cart them down the ladders in me hod.


Well clearing all these bricks by hand, it was so very slow,
So I hoisted up a barrel and secured a rope below.
But in me haste to do the job, I was too blind to see,
That a barrel full of building bricks was heavier than me.


And so when I untied the rope, the barrel fell like lead,
And clinging tightly to the rope, I started up instead.
I shot up like a rocket, and to my dismay I found
That halfway up I met the bloody barrel coming down.


Well, the barrel broke me shoulder as to the ground it sped,
And when I reached the top, I banged the pulley with me head.
But I clung on tightly, numb with shock, from this almighty blow,
While the barrel spilled out half its bricks some fourteen floors below.


Now when these bricks had fallen from the barrel to the floor,
I then outweighed the barrel & so started down once more.
But I clung on tightly to the rope, me body wracked with pain,
And halfway down I met the bloody barrel once again.


The force of this collision halfway down the office block,
Caused multiple abrasions and a nasty case of shock,
But I clung on tightly to the rope as I fell towards the ground,
And I landed on the broken bricks the barrel had scattered round.


Well as I lay there on the floor I thought I'd passed the worst,
But the barrel hit the pulley wheel & then the bottom burst.
A shower of bricks rained down on me; I didn't have a hope.
As I lay there bleeding on the ground I let go the bloody rope.


The barrel now being heavier, it started down once more.
It landed right across me as I lay there on the floor.
It broke three ribs and my left arm, and I can only say,
"I hope you'll understand why I am not at work today."


I hope this is want you want.

Tom

Subject: RE: Bricklayer's Song, The
From: NH Dave
Date: 25 Oct 06 - 01:16 PM

The Bricklayer's Song is available here, with tune, lyrics, and explanatory notes tracing it back into the late 30's.

Dave

Subject: RE: Bricklayer's Song, The
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 25 Oct 06 - 03:52 PM

A better mp3 by none other than Pat Cookey himself:

http://www.patcooksey.com/mp3s/sicknote.mp3

Subject: RE: Bricklayer's Song, The
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Oct 06 - 06:21 PM

no one did it better than the corries....ever

Subject: RE: Bricklayer's Song, The
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Oct 06 - 07:45 AM

It's on two of Ronnie Drew's solo C.D.s, I like this one the best.