Hi,

I'm wondering about he source of the Irish song, "The Spanish Lady." Here's a standard set of text:

Spanish Lady

As I went down to Dublin city,
at the hour of twelve at night,
Who should I see but a Spanish lady,
washing her feet by candlelight.
First she washed them,
then she dried them over a fire of amber coal,
In all my life I ne'er did see
a maid so sweet about the soul

CHORUS:
Whack fol the toora, toora laddy
Whack fol the foora loora lay

As I came back through Dublin city
at the hour of half past eight
Who should I spy but the Spanish lady
brushing her hair in the broad daylight.
First she tossed it, then she brushed it,
on her lap was a silver comb
In all my life I ne'er did see
a maid so fair since I did roam. CHORUS

As I went back through Dublin city
as the sun began to set
Who should I spy but the Spanish lady
catching a moth in a golden net.
When she saw me then she fled me
lifting her petticoat over her knee
In all my life I ne'er did see
a maid so shy as the Spanish lady. CHORUS

I've wandered north and I've wandered south
through Stonybatter and Patrick's Close
Up and around the Gloucester Diamond
and back by Napper Tandy's house.
Old age has laid her hand on me
cold as a fire of ashy coals
In all my life I ne'er did see
a maid so sweet as the Spanish lady. CHORUS

I can't see any relationship with this and the courting song, "Madam" or the "No Sir" or "Oh No" versions that have Spanish Captain stanza. Is there any relationship?

Obviously the "counting chorus" or "Twenty, Eighteen" has been added (see Frank Harte's version) and sometimes the Wheel of Fortune stanza is added after (see the Scottish "Wheel of Fortune" above) to extend the chorus.

In this Scottish version the beginning of the Irish "Spanish Lady" is used:   

Spanish Lady - sung by Mary Cruickshank of Aberdeenshire; collectd Greig, published in 1910.

As I went up thro' Edinburgh city, half-past twelve o'clock at night,
There I spied a Spanish lady dressing herself with candle light.

She had a basin full of water and a towel into her hand.
Five gold rings on every finger, like an angel she did stand.

Oh she was a charming creature, what she is I do not know.
But I'll go court her for her beauty, whether she be high or low.

"Madam, I am come to court you, if your favour I could gain.
If you gently entertain me maybe I'll come back again."

"Sit ye doon, ye're harty welcome, whether ye come back or no.
All I want is a handsome young man whether he be high or low."

"Madam, ye talk much of beauty, that's a flower will soon decay.
The fairest flower in all the summer, when winter comes it doth fade away."

* * * *

Joseph Campbell included two stanzas of The Spanish Lady that he took down in Donegal in 1911 in his play:

Judgment: A Play in Two Acts
By Joseph Campbell, 1912

The Stranger breaks into a verse of a song.

As I walked down thro' Dublin City
At the hour of twelve in the night,
Who should I see but a Spanish lady
Washing her feet by candlelight.

First she washed them, and then she dried them
Over a fire of amber coal:
Never in all my life did I see
A maid. . .

John (endeavouring to talk the song down). When'll the coffin be here, Owen?
Stranger. Can't you listen? It's a good song.

Never in all my life did I see
A maid so neat about the sole!


* * * *

So what is the earliest source of this Irish "Spanish Lady" text?

Richie