Lyr Req: A Man You Don't Meet Every Day (Pogues)

Subject: man you don't meet every day
From:
Date: 23 Jan 98 - 10:23 PM

I'm looking for the lyrics to I'm A Man You Don't meet Every Day by The Pogues.

Subject: RE: man you don't meet every day
From: John Nolan
Date: 23 Jan 98 - 10:35 PM

Might be in the database under My Name is Jock Stewart

Subject: RE: man you don't meet every day
From: Bruce O.
Date: 24 Jan 98 - 01:25 PM

That seems to be an old Irish song that the Irish forgot. A contributor to Robert Gordon sent him a few verses (now in the Gordon MSS in the Library of Congress Folklore Archive) in the 1920's and said it was a song they were all singing in around 1889. I lost my notes to that copy, but there's one in Gordon MS XI, p. 323. Another version is in Randolph's 'Ozark Folksongs', and another in John Wade's Collection of Irish Songs, Oak Park, Ill., 1947. It was clearly not written by Jock Stewart of Blair, Scotland, who sang it on phono records, and whose heirs claimed was written by him.

Subject: RE: man you don't meet every day
From: erika
Date: 24 Jan 98 - 01:54 PM

Thanks, John Nolan, for the tip. It is indeed in the data base under Jock Stewart.

Subject: RE: man you don't meet every day
From: Bruce O.
Date: 24 Jan 98 - 04:18 PM

In Randolph's 'Ozark Folksongs' song is in vol. 3, p. 239 (#476).

Gordon MS, XI, 323 text starts:

I've a nate little cot that is built out of mud
In the beautiful county Kildare,
I've an acre of land, and I grow my own spuds,
And I've always a shilling to spare.

Subject: RE: man you don't meet every day
From: Barry
Date: 24 Jan 98 - 08:08 PM

Also was taken & used (chorus) for the sea song/shanty Bound For Australia/ First Of The Emigrants (see Hugill or Doerflinger). Both claim it to be used durning the Australian gold rush days (1851-1854), but don't really put any dates to it. Barry

Subject: RE: man you don't meet every day
From: Bruce O.
Date: 25 Jan 98 - 12:11 PM

Ford, 'Traditional Music in America' also has the chorus of it tacked onto the first of his "Seamus O'Brien" songs, as I recall Randolph also pointed out. What is the Doerflinger or Hugill reference? I have those, but apparently missed reference to this song in them.

Subject: RE: man you don't meet every day
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 25 Jan 98 - 12:44 PM

First of the Emigrants is also in the DT.

Subject: RE: man you don't meet every day
From: Bruce O.
Date: 25 Jan 98 - 01:57 PM

Thanks Dick

Subject: RE: man you don't meet every day
From: Barry
Date: 25 Jan 98 - 02:21 PM

Bruce O, From Hugill's Shanties Of The Seven Seas, he has it as a capstan shanty on Doeflinger's word (who has it as The First Of The Emigrants, in his Shantymen & Shantyboys) who has it reported to him from Captain Tayleur. A few things very singular about this song are the place names are not ment to assist the memory in navational aids as in other sea songs (say Whip Jamboree or Spanish Ladies), for use in the piloting or costal navagating of a vessel, & it was usually sung outward bound, the sailors singing it to comfort the departing emigrant, an unusal expression, towards the passangers, in songs sung by sailors. Barry

Subject: RE: man you don't meet every day
From: Martin Ryan
Date: 25 Jan 98 - 02:32 PM

Bruce,

I recall coming across "A man you ...." in Harding's Dublin Songster wihich is about 1850 or so.

Regards

Subject: RE: man you don't meet every day
From: Bruce O.
Date: 25 Jan 98 - 02:51 PM

Thank you, Barry and Martin.

Subject: Lyr Add: I'M A MAN YOU DON'T MEET EVERY DAY
From: Bruce O.
Date: 25 Jan 98 - 03:50 PM

I'M A MAN YOU DON'T MEET EVERY DAY.

'Collected by John Ward.'

I've a neat little cabin that's built out of mud,
Not far from the county kildare,
I've an acre or two where I grow my own spuds,
I've enough and a litle to spare.
Sure I've not come over here seeking your jobs,
But a short little visit to pay,
So be aisy and free while you're drinking with me,
I'm a man you don't meet every day.

[Chorus:]
Come fill up your glasses, And drink what you will,
And what ever the damage I'll pay,
So be aisy and free while you're drinking with me,
I'm a man you don't meet every day.

I've a neat little colleen that dwells in my cot,
Oh, happy, contented is she,
I've a thumping big lad that will say to his dad,
There's a man you won't meet every day.
And when for my leisure I'm out for a walk,
Theboys they all stop and they stare,
And they say to each other as I'm passing by,
There's a man you don't meet every day.

Obviously 'Americanized' to some extent, as are the other American versions. This has music, but alas, I discovered I missed the top line of the melody on the second page in my xerox. The music for the 2nd 4 lines of each verse isn't exactly the same as for the 1st 4, so I can't fake it. John Ward's 'Collection of Irish Songs', is in the Library of Congress, Folklore Archive, if anyone wants to track it down.

Correction to my notes above. Song copy in Gordon MSS in Library of Congress, Folklore Archive, is Gordon MSS, XI, p. 3223. [Numbering start in vol. 1.]

Subject: RE: man you don't meet every day
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 26 Jan 98 - 11:32 AM

From personal experience, this was current enough to be sung in Irish bars as recently as 1950 or so.

Subject: RE: man you don't meet every day
From:
Date: 26 Jan 98 - 05:31 PM

Archie Fisher sings a nice version on The Man With A Rhyme.

Subject: RE: man you don't meet every day
From: Dan Mulligan
Date: 26 Jan 98 - 07:13 PM

if it is Jock Stewart, check out the version by the Tannahill Weavers. Best version I've heard. Dan Mulligan