Lyr Req: Piper played before Moses (Wolfe Tones)

Subject: Piper played before Moses/Wolfe Tones
From: Mrrzy
Date: 11 Jun 01 - 10:18 AM

There is a similar song in the DT, but it isn't the one I'm seeking. I've looked through the forum too, and not found anything, even though I think I asked this before. Anyway...

Am looking for the holes in the lyrics I hear in the Wolfe Tones' version of this liar's ballad. (It's also a metasong, like Kissed Her While The Fiddles Played the Bonaparte's Retreat" or "Did the band play The Last Post in chorus), that is, a song which mentions another. But here is what I know, can anyone fill in what's missing; what is in doubt is in parens, but if I'm wrong elsewhere, let me know:

THE PIPER WHO PLAYED BEFORE MOSES

Wolfe Tones, remembered by Mrrzy

O come boys and I'll tell you a story
Of a piper who lived long ago
And he played all sorts of music
For friends and relations and foes
At hoolies (sp?) and weddings and parties
Me lads, he was always the same
For he'd dance and he'd sing
(And all sorts of things??)
(Of occasions??) and musical games
Chorus:
We invited him down to the party
He brought his old pipes just by chance
We asked him to play a bit of a tune
He said NO! I'll give you a bit of a dance
So we gave him a noggin of whisky
And poured out a bottle of stout
And we cut a great hole in the back of his pipes
And this is the tune that came out
(Wild music)
He had all sorts of (foreign relations??)
Who traveled from way overseas
With (…??)
Sure you'd (merely? Really?) get weak at the knees
We'd pull back the tables and dressers
When his cousin from Russia came in
And (…?dance?)
They all took a chance
And kicked up their heels to begin
(Chorus)
Then there is also a verse about bellers and chanters, with ribbons and pipes hanging out… but it's not coming up right now. Buggers, last night I had it… oh well, any help will be appreciated…

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Piper played before Moses/Wolfe Tone
From: Mrrzy
Date: 11 Jun 01 - 02:09 PM

O the Piper that played before Moses
Was a comical bit of a tout
He'd all sorts of (bellers and chanters?)
With ribbons and pipes hanging out
And when he'd go for to squeeze them
He'd huff and he'd puff and he'd blow
He'd scream and he'd shout
Till the music came out
And away to the races he'd go!

Chorus

I knew I remembered it! Thanks, right hemisphere! Besides, if he's the piper, why go off to the races as soon as your pipes begin to play? I could understand it from the audience... maybe... (actually, I like the pipes, but I do know that there are some who don't appreciate them.)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Piper played before Moses/Wolfe Tone
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 11 Jun 01 - 06:16 PM

Mrrzy, its on the Wolfe Tones 25th Anniversary Album, cd 1, which I don't have. See www.wolfetonesofficialsite.com. Did you see my note on Broad Black Brimmer? I couldn't fill in the last line to my satisfaction, but I posted all the rest.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Piper played before Moses/Wolfe Tone
From: Mrrzy
Date: 11 Jun 01 - 06:39 PM

Yes indeed, you were very helpful! I do have that album, just not the lyrics...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Piper played before Moses/Wolfe Tone
From: Big Mick
Date: 12 Jun 01 - 12:15 AM

Can't do it tonight, but I will post the corrections to this and Broad Black Brimmer tomorrow night. I have both in the Wolfies 25th anniversary booklet.

Mick

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Piper played before Moses/Wolfe Tone
From: Mrrzy
Date: 12 Jun 01 - 09:29 AM

YAY, thanks! I noticed for instance that I hear "many's the mountain breeze" and the lyrics in the Trad say "manny's mountain breeze" - also I hear "thought" (pronounced "taught") where the lyrics in the trad say Fought... this is in the line When you t'ought him well and truly persecuted... will also check out said Official Website.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Piper played before Moses/Wolfe Tone
From: Mrrzy
Date: 12 Jun 01 - 09:33 AM

OK, have gone to site. Link to lyrics only goes to the store, there is no way to get to the lyrics, I tried. I'm contacting their webmaster about that, I think the link is incorrect since both lyrics and purchase buttons go to the same place.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Piper played before Moses/Wolfe Tone
From: Mrrzy
Date: 12 Jun 01 - 01:14 PM

Oops, well and truly persecuted is from Come Out Ye Black and Tans, sorry!

Subject: Lyr Add: THE PIPER THAT PLAYED BEFORE MOSES
From: Big Mick
Date: 12 Jun 01 - 09:56 PM

OK Lads and Lasses, I am going to post the complete lyrics here in this thread for "Piper..." and will start a separate thread for "Broad, Black..." so it will be easier to find for harvesting. This is taken directly form The Wolfe Tones 25th Anniversary Commemorative booklet.

THE PIPER THAT PLAYED BEFORE MOSES

Oh, come boys and I'll tell you a story
Of a piper who lived long ago;
And he played all sorts of music
For friends and relations and foe.
At hoolies and weddings and parties,
Me lads, he was always the same;
For he'd dance and he'd sing and all sorts of things,
Recitations and musical games.

CHORUS: We invited him down to the party.
He brought his old pipes just by chance.
And we asked him to play a bit of a tune.
He said, "No, I'll give you a bit of a dance."
We gave him a noggin of whiskey,
And poured out a bottle of stout,
And we cut a great hole in the bag of pipes,
And this was the tune that came out.

Oh, the piper that played before Moses
Was a comical bit of a tout.
He'd all sorts of bellows and chanters
And ribbons and pipes hanging out;
And when he'd go for to squeeze them,
He'd huff and he'd puff and he'd blow.
He'd scream and he'd shout till the music came out
And away to the races he'd go. CHORUS

He'd all sorts of friends and relations
Who travelled from way overseas
With all sorts of grandeur and splendour.
You'd get nearly weak at the knees.
We cleared back the tables and dressers
When his cousins from Russia came in.
On their hunkers they'd dance. They all took a chance,
And kicked their heels to begin. CHORUS

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Piper played before Moses/Wolfe Tone
From: Big Mick
Date: 12 Jun 01 - 10:03 PM

I did a search on the word and found that these lyrics have already been posted, by our own Mick Lowe. Just go to the Forum Home and type the word Brimmer into the search engine. I checked the lyrics and they are the same. In the interest of saving bandwidth I won't repost them.

Mick

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Piper played before Moses/Wolfe Tone
From: Mrrzy
Date: 12 Jun 01 - 11:09 PM

Thanks, BigM! Bellows, of course! Recitations! Aha!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Piper played before Moses/Wolfe Tone
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 09 Apr 02 - 12:24 AM

A song with the same chorus but different verses is also in DT as The Hole in the Piper's Bag.