To Thread - Forum Home

The Mudcat Café TM
https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=1346
13 messages

Lyr Req: Killegrew Soiree? (Burl Ives version)

11 Apr 97 - 08:41 PM (#4485)
Subject: Regarding Burl Ives' song
From: Wyatt

I am trying to locate the complete lyrics of a song recorded by Burl Ives entitled "The Killygrew Soiree" (I'm not sure of the spelling.) My father remembers hearing it on a live recording, but only remembers about 75% of the words. I have not been able to locate either the song or any recording history. Can anyone please help me?

12 Apr 97 - 01:30 AM (#4500)
Subject: RE: Regarding Burl Ives' song
From: Yann

Wyatt,

I cannot believe you just posted that message! Just last night I phoned my mother asking her if she knew where I could find the lyrics to, as she spelled it, "Killegrew Soiree!" I've been searching the web high and low looking for it, but to no avail. And now I just came across this discussion group here, or whatever this is, to post the same question you posted! My mom used to sing us kids that years ago and I couldn't remember all the words. Ironically, she has the old Burl Ives LP that your refering to! She told me that when she learned the song, she just kept playing the song over and over while writing the words on paper! The reason why I'm still looking for more lyrics is because my mother told me that several years back she attended some folk camp deal where some people sang KS yet there were dozens more verses than what Burl Ives had sung. She said it was amazing! At any rate, she's gonna fax me over the lyrics as Burl Ives had sung, and I'd be happy to forward them to you.

yann....

12 Apr 97 - 08:59 PM (#4536)
Subject: Lyrics? Killegrew Soiree?
From: Yann (ydebonne@earthlink.net)

Does anyone have the lyrics to a song that I know is on an old Burl Ives Live LP, named Killegrew Soiree?(SP?)

Thanks,

Yann

12 Apr 97 - 10:00 PM (#4540)
Subject: Lyr Add: KILLIGREW'S SOIREE (John Burke)
From: ron k

I came across that song recently in an old songbook and decided I wanted to add it to my own songbook. Thanks for giving me a reminder. It is an old Newfoundland song written by the late John Burke.

The Killigrew’s Soiree by John Burke

You may talk of Clara Nolan’s ball or anything you choose
But it could not hold a snuffbox to the spree at Kelligrews
If you want your eyeballs straightened just come out next week with me
And you’ll have to wear your glasses at the Kelligrew’s Soiree

There was birch rine, tar twine, cherry wine and turpentine
Jowls and cavalances, ginger beer and tea
Pig’s feet, cat’s meat, dumplings boiled in a sheet
Dandelion and crackies teeth at the Kelligrews Soiree
Oh I borrowed Cluney’s beaver as I squared my yards to sail
And a swallow tail from Hogan that was foxy on the tail
Billie Cuddahie’s old working pants and Patsy Nolan’s shoes
And an old white vest from Fogarty to sport at Kelligrews
There was Dan Milley, Joe Lilly, Tantan and Mrs. Tilley
Dancin’ like a little filly, ‘twould raise your heart to see
Jim Brine, Din Ryan, Flipper Smith and Caroline
I tell you boys we had a time at the Kelligrews Soiree
Oh when I arrived at Betsy Snooks’ that night at half past eight
The place was blocked with carriages stood waiting at the gate
With Cluney’s funnel on my plate the first words Betsy said
Here comes the local preacher with the pulpit on his head
There was Bill Mews, Dan Hughes, Wilson, Wilson, Taft and Teddy Roose
While Bryant he sat in the blues and looking hard at me
Jim Fling, Ton King, and Johnson, champion of the ring
And all the boxers I could bring at the Kelligrews soiree
The Saritoga Lancers first, Miss Betsy kindly said
Sure, I danced with Nancy Cronan and her Granny on the Head
And Hogan danced with Betsy, oh you should have seen his shoes
As he lashed old muskets from the rack that night at Kelligrews
There was boiled guineas, cold guineas, bullocks’ heads and picaninies
And everything to catch the pennies, you’d break your sides to see
Boiled duff, cold duff, apple jam was in a cuff
I tell you boys we had enough at the Kelligrews soiree
Crooked Flavin struck the fiddler and a hand I then took in
You should see George Cluney’s beaver and it flattened to the rim
And Hogan’s coat was like a vest, the tails were gone you see
Oh says I the devil haul ye and your Kelligrews soiree

12 Apr 97 - 10:03 PM (#4541)
Subject: Lyr Add: KELLIGREW'S SOIREE (John Burke)
From: ron k

Let me try this again!

The Kelligrew’s Soiree by John Burke 
You may talk of Clara Nolan’s ball or anything you choose 
  But it could not hold a snuffbox to the spree at Kelligrews 
  If you want your eyeballs straightened just come out next week with me 
  And you’ll have to wear your glasses at the Kelligrew’s Soiree 
  	There was birch rine, tar twine, cherry wine and turpentine 
  	Jowls and cavalances, ginger beer and tea 
  	Pig’s feet, cat’s meat, dumplings boiled in a sheet 
  	Dandelion and crackies teeth at the Kelligrews Soiree 
   
  Oh I borrowed Cluney’s beaver as I squared my yards to sail 
  And a swallow tail from Hogan that was foxy on the tail 
  Billie Cuddahie’s old working pants and Patsy Nolan’s shoes 
  And an old white vest from Fogarty to sport at Kelligrews 
  	There was Dan Milley, Joe Lilly, Tantan and Mrs. Tilley 
  	Dancin’ like a little filly, ‘twould raise your heart to see 
  	Jim Brine, Din Ryan, Flipper Smith and Caroline 
  	I tell you, boys, we had a time at the Kelligrews Soiree 
   
  Oh when I arrived at Betsy Snooks’ that night at half-past eight 
  The place was blocked with carriages stood waiting at the gate 
  With Cluney’s funnel on my plate, the first words Betsy said 
  Here comes the local preacher with the pulpit on his head 
  	There was Bill Mews, Dan Hughes, Wilson, Wilson, Taft and Teddy Roose 
  	While Bryant he sat in the blues and looking hard at me 
  	Jim Fling, Ton King, and Johnson, champion of the ring 
  	And all the boxers I could bring at the Kelligrews soiree 
   
  The Saratoga Lancers first, Miss Betsy kindly said 
  Sure, I danced with Nancy Cronan and her Granny on the Head 
  And Hogan danced with Betsy, oh you should have seen his shoes 
  As he lashed old muskets from the rack that night at Kelligrews 
  	There was boiled guineas, cold guineas, bullocks’ heads and picaninnies 
  	And everything to catch the pennies, you’d break your sides to see 
  	Boiled duff, cold duff, apple jam was in a cuff 
  	I tell you, boys, we had enough at the Kelligrews soiree 
   
  Crooked Flavin struck the fiddler and a hand I then took in 
  You should see George Clooney's beaver and it flattened to the rim 
  And Hogan’s coat was like a vest, the tails were gone you see 
  Oh, says I, the devil haul ye and your Kelligrew's soiree

Lyrics also posted in Irish Newfoundland Songs

12 Apr 97 - 11:14 PM (#4543)
Subject: RE: Regarding Burl Ives' song
From: Yann (ydebonne@earthlink.net)

Ron,

Thanks for posting the lyrics. It's been driving me crazy, trying to remember that %^@# song! I posted a new thread today with Killiegrew Soiree as the subject since no one had responded to this thread as of then.

Thanks,

Yann....

13 Apr 97 - 12:39 AM (#4548)
Subject: RE: Regarding Burl Ives' song
From: Gene Graham

I saw the request earlier, but after I played the record of Burl Ives singing the song--it didn't take me long to figure out YOU COULD GO CRAZY trying to transcribe the lyrics to that song......

13 Apr 97 - 10:19 AM (#4557)
Subject: RE: Regarding Burl Ives' song
From: bo Vandenberg

thanx for the post.

Are they 4 line verses?

bo

13 Apr 97 - 02:21 PM (#4579)
Subject: RE: Regarding Burl Ives' song
From: ron k

I guess someday I will figure out how to post lyrics that look like something. In the meantime, try to bear with me.

They are indeed 4 line verses, followed by a 4 line bridge, except the last verse, which has no bridge. It seems to me that when I was a kid and my father used to play this song by either Harry Hibbs or Dick Nolan, both from Newfie, they would repeat the first bridge at the end. "There was birch rine..."

16 Apr 97 - 12:56 AM (#4661)
Subject: RE: Lyrics? Killegrew Soiree?
From: bo Vandenberg

check the ives message thread. "Regarding Burl Ives' song"

interesting the way that song has so much interest.

14 Jun 04 - 12:52 AM (#1206618)
Subject: RE: lyrics: Mississippi Mud
From: Stilly River Sage

Looking for someplace to put this comment brings up an old thread.

Did anyone else hear the nice Burl Ives tune as a background on one segment of NPR's Wait Wait Don't Tell Me! this week? There is a BS thread going about duck "accents" and that topic was one in question here. (Seems there are regional differences expressed in vocalizations.) Then came a nice clear recording of Ives singing about the little white duck. So many of my Ives recordings are scratchy old things that this was a nice surprise--a clean version!

SRS

14 Jun 04 - 03:01 PM (#1207112)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Killegrew Soiree? (Burl Ives version)
From: Willie-O

Hmm. That is word for word the way Alan Mills sang it on "Folk Songs From Newfoundland". Bit closer to source than Burl, methinks.


Lyrics to this and some other good Newfoundland songs are here:
blue clickie to Pigeon Inlet

14 Jun 04 - 05:19 PM (#1207196)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Killegrew Soiree? (Burl Ives version)
From: Bill D

SRS...as in
"Little white duck, swimmin' in the water.
Little white duck, doin' what he oughter.
He took a bite from a lily pad
Then he flapped his wings and he "I'm glad
I'm a little white duck..." etc?

from memory! I think there was a frog and a couple other things happy with their place in the food chain, too.....wonder if I still have the record...