Lyr Req: Waterford Boys (Harry Clifton)

Subject: Words please: rats & Waterford
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 25 Nov 98 - 08:03 AM

Sean Cannon used to sing this (and may do still). It's about a lodging house which only has dry bread & cheese for supper, is plagued with rats, and costs 5/-, or 25p if you like.

The chorus ends: For ructions, destructions, and all kinds of divilment Who's to compare to the Waterford boys?

It ends: Never mind if they're willing, just charge them five shilling, And divil a rat will you ever see more.

Steve

Subject: Lyr Add: THE WATERFORD BOYS
From:
Date: 25 Nov 98 - 08:17 AM

The Waterford Boys

For Fun and Diversion we have met together,
I tell you from Waterford hither we came,
We crossed the Big Ocean in dark stormy weather,
our pockets were light and our Hearts were the same,
Sad at leaving Old Ireland we're once more on dry land,
by the roadside a tavern I chanced for to spy,
And as I was melting my pockets I felt in,
for the price of a drink I was mortally dry.

For we are the boys of such Fun and such Eloquence,
Drinking and Dancing and all other Joys,
for Ructions Destructions Diversions an Devilment,
who's to compare with The Waterford Boys.

In the tavern I rolled in the landlord he strolled,
And good morrow says he and says I if you please,
Will you give me a bed and then bring me some bread,
And a bottle of porter and a small piece of cheese,
My bread and cheese ended I then condescended,
to take my repose sure I bad them good-night,
When under the clothes I was trying to doze,
first I stuck in my toes and then popped out the light.

Well I wasn't long sleeping when I heard something creeping,
and knawing and chawing around the bed post,
My breath I suspended but the noise never ended,
Thinks I you have damnable claws for a ghost,
Now to make myself easy for I felt rather lazy,
well over my head I again pulled the clothes,
When Moses what's that, sure a great big jack-rat,
with one leap from the floor jumped right up to my nose.

Well I reached for a hobnail and made up a bobtail,
and wrestled with rats to the clear light of day,
When the landlord came in and he said with a grin,
for your supper and bed you've five shillings to pay,
Five shillings for what, now don't be disgracing yourself,
Says I to the rogue if you please,
When I can sleep with these rats you've the devils own face on you,
to charge me five shillings for dry bread and cheese.

Oh the landlord went raring and lifting and tearing,
He jumped through the window and he kicked in the door,
When he could go no further he wrote me a murder,
these rats they are eating me up by the store,
Sure they sleep in my stable they eat from my table,
They've wrestled my dogs and they've killed all my cats,
Truth then says I just give me those five shillings,
And I'll tell you a way to get rid of the rats.

I will then said he well invite them to supper,
And dry bread and cheese lay before them for sure,
Never mind if they're willing, but charge them five shilling,
And devil the rat will you ever see more.

AndyG

(From my personal collection).

Subject: RE: Words please: rats & Waterford
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 25 Nov 98 - 01:27 PM

To {Name omitted because I don't know who posted the words}-

Thanx. Does this have its own tune? (It will sing well to most standard single jigs, such as Father O'Flynn or Larry O'Gaff). ALSO, if you become a member (which costs nothing), you don't have to remember to identify the source of your postings; it becomes automatic.

Subject: RE: Words please: rats & Waterford
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 26 Nov 98 - 03:35 AM

Thanks a lot, Andy!

Dick, I can whistle you the tune, which is no help to you. I don't have the wherewithal to send in the notes, though.

Steve

Subject: RE: Words please: rats & Waterford
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 26 Nov 98 - 03:37 AM

Thanks a lot, Andy! I've had a very brief look at your site (so far, I'll be back PDQ). I've got an alternative third verse for Billy Bennett's "Nell", but I can't find you email address to pass it on. He was a bit of a bugger for changing the words!

Dick, I can whistle you the tune, which is no help to you. I don't have the wherewithal to send in the notes, though.

Steve

Subject: RE: Words please: rats & Waterford
From: AndyG
Date: 26 Nov 98 - 04:34 AM

Oh dear, well you see Dick, if I join, I did start to once, I can't have my own name! and I'm too old a dog for that new trick.

Not a complaint, just a fact.

AndyG

Subject: RE: Words please: rats & Waterford
From: Pete M
Date: 26 Nov 98 - 02:30 PM

Fear not Andy, assuming that you would like to have a mudcat moniker of AndyG and the existing AndyG is not you - gasp, pause for breath - why not use Andy G ie with a space between the y and G? Alternatively just include your full surname.

Pete M

Subject: RE: Words please: rats & Waterford
From: AndyG
Date: 27 Nov 98 - 08:52 AM

No, no, Pete,
It's not just a convenient name, it's my identity. I think of myself as AndyG, one word, no spaces. I've been AndyG for some twenty years now and I don't want to be somebody else.
If it was just a nickname and wasn't tied up with my personal identity, I wouldn't have a problem as it wouldn't be "a new trick to learn".

Andy "Old Dog" G

Subject: Lyr Add: THE WATERFORD BOYS (Harry Clifton)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 06 Jul 06 - 11:02 PM

From The Lester S. Levy Collection of Sheet Music:

THE WATERFORD BOYS
Harry Clifton [no date]

1. Well, boys, for diversion we've all met together,
I'll tell how from Waterford hither I came.
I crossed the big ocean in dark gloomy weather.
My heart it was light and my pockets the same.
Sad at leaving old Ireland, but once more on dry land,
By the roadside's a tavern I happened to spy;
And as I was meltin', my pockets I felt in.
The price of a drink I was mortally dry.

CHORUS: For we are the boys of such fun, wit and element,
Drinking and dancing and all other joys.
For ructions, destruction, diversion and devilment,
Who can compare with the Waterford boys?

2. In the tavern I strolled. Out the master he rolled.
"'Morrow," says he. Says I, "If you please,
Provide me a bed, but first bring me some bread,
A bottle of porter and small piece of cheese;
For times they are queer and provisions are dear.
If you cannot get meat, with cheese be content."
Says the landlord, "You're right," so he brought me the bite.
I rolled up my cuffs and at it I went.

3. My bread and cheese ended, I then condescended
To seek some repose, so I asked for a light,
And soon in a doze, I was under the clothes.
I popped in my toes and I popped out the light.
But wakin' from sleepin', I heard something creepin',
Meanderin' and wanderin' about my bed post,
Squeakin' and scratchin'. Thinks I, 'mid my watchin',
"'Pon my conscience, you've mighty long claws for a ghost."

4. My breath I suspended. the noise it soon ended.
I ventured to peep from beneath the bedclothes.
Meellia murther! What's that? A thumpin' jack-rat,
With a leap from the floor 'lit atop of my nose.
"Thunder sweep (?) ye," says I, "for a schemin' old vagabone (?)!
Take that and that!" as I leaped on the floor,
Shouting, "Murther and fire! Tim, Jerry, Maria!
The rats they are eatin' me up by the score!"

5. The landlord affrighten' come with a light in.
"I'm murdered alive," says I, "so must away."
Says he, "Before goin', I'd have ye be knowin',
For supper and bed you've five shillin's to pay."
"Five shillin's for what? Och! Don't be disgracin'
Yourself for a rogue," says I, "if you please.
When I can't sleep for rats, you've a brazen old face on ye
To charge me five shillin's for plain bread and cheese."

6. Says he, "Perish the rats! I wish they would leave me.
They ruin my trade and I'm not worth a rap."
Says I, "The five shillin's would you forgive me
And I'll tell you how to keep out every rat.
Agreed then," says I, "To supper invite them,
And plain bread and cheese set before them be sure.
Don't mind if they're willin', but charge them five shillin'.
Bad luck to the rat that you'll ever see more."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Waterford Boys (Harry Clifton)
From: Gurney
Date: 07 Jul 06 - 01:50 AM

If you want to sing it like Sean: Bad is the pronunciation, bade is the spelling, and
Sean sang "made up a bobtail" as AndyG says but I've also heard "made HIM a bobtail" which makes more sense.
He CAN'T sleep with the rats in Sean's version. Maybe a typo? And as the verse doesn't scan, he speeded up the delivery of the last bit, sometimes it 'bloody rats' to make the acceleration more obvious, which always got a laugh.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Waterford Boys (Harry Clifton)
From: Big Tim
Date: 07 Jul 06 - 02:53 AM

Great version by Kerry singer Tim Dennehy on his album 'The Blue Green Door' (2002). He uses the title 'Wrestling with Rats'.
(Check his website - he's one of the best songwriters around).

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Waterford Boys (Harry Clifton)
From: Kevin Sheils
Date: 07 Jul 06 - 03:52 AM

I have Paddy Tunney's version on "Hurry the Jug" one of the CDs in the Ron Kavana compiled series on Globestyle CDORBD 090 is the cat number.

It's from his old Topic LP but I don't think it's made it to any of the Topic CDs, not on Voice of the People as far as I can see.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Waterford Boys (Harry Clifton)
From: MartinRyan
Date: 10 Jul 06 - 09:59 AM

Didn't realise it was a Harry Clifton. Wonder how many of his have made it into the traditional subconscious?

Regards