The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #52628   Message #2984742
Posted By: Jim Dixon
11-Sep-10 - 05:45 PM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: Killaloe (nonsense song)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Killaloe (nonsense song)
Here's my translation of some crucial words:

Mossoo = monsieur (mister)
Parley voo = parlez vous (do you speak—?)
Père
= father, but here mistaken for peer or pair?
Bony party = Bonaparte, i.e., Napoleon.
Écarté = a card game
Commong voo portey voo = comment vous portez-vous (how are you?)
Marshall lazy = Marseillaise, the French national anthem
Boolong = Boulon, or possibly Boulogne?
Toulong = Toulon
Continong = continent
Mais oui = why, yes—but here mistaken for "may we?"
Mère = mother—but here mistaken for "mare."
Johnny darmes = gendarmes, police.
Comment? = what?—but here mistaken for "come on."
O. D. V. = a mishearing of eau de vie = (literally) water of life, i.e. whiskey.