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User Name Thread Name Subject Posted
Charley Noble Origins: Spanish Lady (19) RE: Origins: Spanish Lady 28 Jul 21


In Maine a Civil War major John Mead Gould composed a ditty inspired by Spanish Lady/Dublin City which celebrates a lady who ran a grog shop/brothel on the Portland waterfront in the 1860s. She called herself Kitty Kentuck but her legal name was Margaret Landrigan (1810 to 1866).

I only have access to a portion of the ditty. The bawdy verses may still be out there somewhere:

New words by Civil War Major John Mead Gould, circa 1863
Tune: traditional “Spanish Lady/Dublin City”
A bit of rewording by Charlie Ipcar, 7/28/21

Kitty Kentuck

If you goes down to Portland City
At the hour of twelve at night,
There you’ll see my charming Kitty,
Washin’ her feet by candlelight.

Chorus:

Kitty, won’t you larrow, laddy,
Kitty, won’t you larrow-lee;
Kitty don’t be lazy or I’ll go crazy,
Come to the railway and have a spree.

I went down to Kitty Kentuck’s,
I gets my whack* three times a day;
Lay my digbats** on the table
Four and six the bummers pay. (CHO)

Four and six for a pound of ‘bacca;
Two and six for a pound of tea;
How can we poor railroad racks***,
E’r come to the bush and have a spree? (CHO)

* Whack is sailor slang for ration of rum
** Dingbats is also 19th century slang for money
*** Racks may be slang for workers similar to referring to them as "stiffs"

Cheerily,
Charlie Ipcar


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