The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #54733   Message #848585
Posted By: Joe Offer
16-Dec-02 - 10:39 PM
Thread Name: Origins: Jolly Beggarman (Irish)
Subject: ADD Version: The Little Beggarman
Here's the version from Peter Kennedy's Folksongs of Britain and Ireland.
-Joe Offer-


THE LITTLE BEGGARMAN

1. Well, I am a little beggarman an' beggin' I have been
Threescore years and more in this little Isle of Green
I'm known from the Liffey, way down to Killaloe
And the name that I'm known by is Old Johnny Dhu
Of all the trades an' callin's, sure, beggin' is the best
For when a man is weary, he can aye sit down and rest
He can beg for his dinner, he has nothing else to do
Only toddle around the corner with his old rigadoo
(Chorus: Mouth music improvised to tune of verse)
Dal-di-diddle-towdie-tiddle-rowdie-diddly-idle-dum (etc.)

2. Well, I slept in a barn way down by Killavone
On a dark and stormy night and sleepin' all alone
With holes in the roof and the rain a-comin' through
And the rats and mice they were playin' at peek-a-boo
O then, who did waken but the woman of the house
With her white spotty apron and her calico blouse
She began to cry and when I said: Boo
O now don't you be afraid o' me, 'tis only Johnny Dhu

3. Well, I met a little flaxen-haired girl the other day
Good morning to you, flaxen-haired girl, I did say
Good morning, Johnny Beggarman, there's how do ye do?
With your rags and your bags and your old rigadoo
Well, I'll buy ye a pair o' trousers, a collar and a tie
And a nice little lassie then I'll fetch her by an' by
I'll buy a pair of goggles and I'll paint them up so blue
And that nice little lassie, I'll be her lover too

4. Well, it's over the road, wi' me bag upon me back
It's over the fields wi' me big haver-sack
With holes in me shoes and me toes peepin' through
Singing: Tithery-ump-a-daddy, sure, I'm old Johnny Dhu
So now my song is ended and I'll bid you's all good night
The fires are all raked and it's out with the light
And now you've heard the story of the old rigadoo
It's good luck and God be wid you's and to old Johnny too



Not much to the notes on this one. Kennedy recorded it in 1952 from the singing of Paddy Doran and others in Northern Ireland. He says this ballad is sung to the tune of the Gaelic song "The Red-Haired boy," which is also played as an instrumental in reel-time. The tune is not unlike that of the Scots ballad "Gilderoy."