Origins: Easy and Slow

Subject: History of 'Easy and Slow'
From: GUEST,Renata
Date: 04 May 04 - 03:56 PM

I need to know where this song comes from to see if it's eligible to sing at Topanga Banjo Fiddle contest. Song lyrics are : "It was down by Christ Church that I first met with Annie, a gentle young maid, and not a bit shy" I have it from a Brown Sisters tape, it sounds traditional, but one never knows. Can anyone help?
thank you so much!

Subject: RE: History of 'Easy and Slow'
From: Emma B
Date: 04 May 04 - 04:17 PM

Frank Harte in his book "Songs of Dublin" writes that he first heard the song sung by Dominic Behan who, in turn, said he got some of it from Sean O'Casy and the rest of it from a woman in England.
Other singers of the song also give the source as Dominic.

"twas down by Christ-church that I first met with Annie
A neat little girl, and not a bit shy.........."

Subject: RE: History of 'Easy and Slow'
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 04 May 04 - 04:44 PM

Sean O'Casey used a version of it in his play "Red Roses for Me" - whether he wrote it or used it, I don't know. (After all, he's credited with writing the song of the title.)

Subject: RE: History of 'Easy and Slow'
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 05 May 04 - 03:26 AM

The chorus part of which goes,
As I lifted her petticoat easy and slow
And I rolled up me sleeve for to buckle her shoe.
The sleeve is a condom, and buckle her shoe is a euphemism.
John

Subject: RE: History of 'Easy and Slow'
From: Gurney
Date: 05 May 04 - 03:40 AM

The Clancy Brothers recorded it, at least 35 years ago.
I'd doubt that it is much older, as all the versions seem very similar, but what do I know?

Subject: RE: History of 'Easy and Slow'
From: Jim McLean
Date: 05 May 04 - 06:05 AM

Dominic recorded it in 1960 on the Topic LP 'Down by the Liffyside'. His notes say 'Some of it is in O'Casey's Red Roses For Me. The rest of it I got from an old lady with a srting bag and an awful voice in Giggleswick'. By this, I assume, knowing Dominic, that he wrote the parts not appearing in O'Casey's work!

Subject: RE: History of 'Easy and Slow'
From: Flash Company
Date: 05 May 04 - 11:54 AM

Jim McLean's memory of it is the same as mine, I learned it from the same Dominic Behan record
FC

Subject: RE: History of 'Easy and Slow'
From: vectis
Date: 05 May 04 - 12:49 PM

My information is that it is an old Dublin song that Sean O'Casey adapted and re-wrote for 'Red Roses For Me' where it is sung by Brennan on the Moor.

Subject: RE: History of 'Easy and Slow'
From: Joybell
Date: 05 May 04 - 09:03 PM

For what it's worth it was very popular here in Melbourne, Australia during the 1960s. I first heard it sung by the Clancys and I think it was their singing of it that inspired singers here. Joy

Subject: RE: History of 'Easy and Slow'
From: cobber
Date: 06 May 04 - 04:11 AM

I first heard Luke Kelly sing it with the Dubliners. They introduced it as an "Old DESublin Song" which could mean anything couldn't it. Has anyone looked at their records and checked what the copyright details are? If Dominic Behan's record seems to be the earliest mentioned, it should be recorded on it who wrote it or if it is Trad. I can't imagine him giving the copyright as trad if he had a hand in writing it.

Subject: RE: History of 'Easy and Slow'
From: cobber
Date: 06 May 04 - 04:17 AM

I lied ,of course. On reflection that was one of Ronnie Drew's songs not Luke's.

Subject: RE: History of 'Easy and Slow'
From: Dita
Date: 06 May 04 - 04:34 PM

I will have to check when I get home, but I'm certain in one of his song books - ?Songs of Ireland, Dominic credits the chorus to O'Casey, but claims he wrote the verses.

Not an uncommon claim from him - He used to greet me in the Vicky Bar in Glasgow with the words "Your a folksinger, I wrote all the song you sing, you owe me a drink".

I will copy his notes tomorrow.

John

Subject: RE: History of 'Easy and Slow'
From: Jim McLean
Date: 06 May 04 - 04:56 PM

It's not in 'Ireland Sings'. The quote I gave above is from his LP.

Subject: RE: History of 'Easy and Slow'
From: GUEST,Storyteller
Date: 06 May 04 - 07:23 PM

From Red Roses for Me © Sean O'Casey, 1942

Act 3

....Brennan [o' the Moor] sighs; then plays a few preliminary notes on the melodeon to make sure it is in tune. He begins to sing in a voice that was once a mellow baritone, but now is a little husky with age, now and again quavering a little on the higher notes in the song.

(singing)
I stroll'd with a fine maid far out in th' counthry,
Th' blossoms around us all cryin' for dew;
On a violet-clad bench, sure, I sat down beside her,
An' tuck'd up my sleeves for to tie up her shoe.
An' what's that to anyone whether or no
If I came to th' fore when she gave me th' cue?
She closed her eyes tight as she murmur'd full low,
Be good enough, dear, for to tie up my shoe.

**********************************************

Th' hawthorn shook all her perfume upon us,
Red poppies saluted, wherever they grew,
Th' joyous exertion that flaunted before me,
When I tuck'd up my sleeves for to fasten her shoe.
An' what's it to anyone, whether or no
I learn'd in that moment far more than I knew,
As she lifted her petticoat, shyly and slow,
An' I tuck'd up my sleeves for to fasten her shoe.

The heathery hills were all dancin' around us,
False things in th' world turn'd out to be thrue,
When she put her arms round me, an' kiss'd me an' murmur'd,
You've neatly an' tenderly tied up my shoe.
An' what's that to anyone whether or no,
I ventur'd quite gamely to see th' thing through,
When she lifted her petticoat, silent and slow,
An' I tuck'd up my sleeves for to tie up her shoe.

It would seem that the world owes the Old Lady From Giggleswick a vote of thanks for her transformation of this song.

Subject: RE: History of 'Easy and Slow'
From: Joybell
Date: 06 May 04 - 07:55 PM

Thank you Old Lady from Giggleswick. It's wonderful to meet you. Joy

Subject: RE: History of 'Easy and Slow'
From: GUEST,Bill Kennedy
Date: 07 May 04 - 08:23 AM

for my money it was best left as O'Casey wrote it. On the other thread I mention a recording by Paul Brady and James Kavanagh, 'Green Crow Caws' music of Sean O'Casey. give it a listen, he calls it 'I'Tuck'd Up My Sleeve' and I find it more enjoyable than any version of 'Easy and Slow' I've ever heard.

Subject: RE: History of 'Easy and Slow'
From: Dita
Date: 08 May 04 - 12:41 PM

The book of Dominic's I was remembering was "The Singing Irish" published by Scott Solomon Productions Ltd, London, 1967.
It is a cloth covered book of 136 pages.

An Anthology of Irish Songs Ancient and Modern edited by Dominic Behan.

It contains 100 songs, over half of which were written by or arranged and adapted by Dominic. Fintan Connolly and Wolf Stevens provide almost all of the rest of the songs.

Easy and Slow is song 26 in this alphabetical collection.

Dominic's notes in full read -

"In Sean O'Casey's play you will find the chorus of the song printed here, nothing more (last two words underlined). I wrote all the verses".

It was not unlike Dominic to tell you differing stories depending on the situation.

I'm with Jim on this one, Dominic is the 'old lady with a string bag and an awful voice in Giggleswick'.

John

Subject: RE: History of 'Easy and Slow'
From: Big Tim
Date: 11 Dec 04 - 11:15 AM

Fintan Connolly and Wolf Stephens were both pseudomyns for Dominic, isn't that right Jim?

Subject: RE: History of 'Easy and Slow'
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 11 Dec 04 - 12:52 PM

Previous discussion here, text in the DT here.

The "Borderlands" cited in the DT as one of the recordings is an album by Chris Caswell and Danny Carnahan (1982). They cited "trad." for the song, as it happens (albeit incorrectly).

~ Becky in Tucson

Subject: RE: History of 'Easy and Slow'
From: beetle cat
Date: 11 Dec 04 - 05:27 PM

HAH! my innocence is lost...
darn metaphors.

Subject: RE: History of 'Easy and Slow'
From: Jim McLean
Date: 11 Dec 04 - 06:48 PM

Big Tim us correct, both names are pseudonyms for Dominic .. he has two sons, Finton and Stephen and uses a mixture of them both!

Subject: RE: Origins: Easy and Slow
From: GUEST,acoustic archive
Date: 24 Jun 11 - 09:19 AM

"Easy and Slow'" Performed by Mick Mulgrew

Subject: RE: Origins: Easy and Slow
From: GUEST,dwmitch
Date: 03 Jan 14 - 06:08 PM

I have this song on a compilation set, I don't remember what the title is and The Dubliners are the only names I recognized, but I never realized how dirty this song was until now.

I thought at first that "buckle her shoe" was a euphemism but I was still a teenager at that time and hormones caused me to read everything as potentially dirty, but if "tied up me sleeves" means what was posted earlier then I'm ashamed of singing this song around my 11 year old nephew now.

Subject: RE: Origins: Easy and Slow
From: Elmore
Date: 03 Jan 14 - 07:34 PM

Whatever its origin, my favorite version is by a guy named David Jones, born on the Isle of Dogs, a fine solo artist who also played with the groups, Bermuda Quadrangle, and Poor old Horse. Nothing to do with the Monkees.

Subject: RE: Origins: Easy and Slow
From: GUEST,Brendan
Date: 23 Mar 16 - 06:57 AM

I disagree about the metaphor... It's too obvious today, but if you think about the time the song was written and more so when it took place. I think the excitement from the song comes from her"lifting her petticoat" so he can see her ankles. It's about courtship, not sex.

Subject: RE: Origins: Easy and Slow
From: mayomick
Date: 23 Mar 16 - 02:14 PM

I agree. It's quite suitable for singing in front of nephews . Whoever wrote it may have had a bit of a foot fetish, that's all.

Subject: RE: Origins: Easy and Slow
From: mayomick
Date: 23 Mar 16 - 03:30 PM

don't sing it after the other famous Dublin foot fetish folk song or people might get the wrong idea.

Subject: RE: Origins: Easy and Slow
From: Joe Offer
Date: 17 Oct 22 - 04:54 PM

Joe - clean up and consolidate