The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #1954   Message #451913
Posted By: GUEST,Bruce O.
30-Apr-01 - 01:37 AM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: The Gabalundi(?) Man / Gaberlunzie Man
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Gaberlunzie man
'Gaberlunzie' is a corruption of 'ghiberlaun', Scots Gaelic for 'beggar'. The Irish used to have it, but since almost all Irish beggars were lame they just use 'bacah' = lame = beggar, now. [See tune "Maureen na ghiberlaun" on my website. We've been through this on an old thread, but I don't remember what it was called.

Child put the ballad in an appendix to #279, so it isn't a Child ballad (i.e., not "The Jolly Begar"). A. Ramsay printed it without music in 'Tea Table Miscallany', 1724, and W. Thomson gave it with music in 'Orpheus Caledonius', 1725 and 1733. It also appeared with music in John Walsh's 'The British Musical Miscellany', I, p. 50, 1734, with the note (apparently first found there) that 'tune by James V of Scotland'. In 'The Scots Musical Museum' it's song #226 (vol. 3). John Glen, 'Early Scottish Melodies', p. 134, was of the opinion that the tune was no older than the beginning of the 18th century.