It was about the devil and this widow and the devil was trying to get the widow into hell. The widow was lonely and she wanted a bit of fun first so she seduced the devil and they started to have sex. The premise of the song was the widow was insatiable and she wore the devil out through the night. The chorus of the song started out "after nine times" and proceeded to "after 22 times" and "after 99 times the devil knew what killed the husband!"

It was a grand laugh. Is anyone familiar with this song? I look forward to any help I can get!

By the way the band were from County Mayo if that may narrow it down!

DEVIL VERSUS THE WIDOW
by Mick Ryan

Up high upon a lonely moor
a widow lived alone
In an inn she kept and while she slept
the pillows heard her moan
For many's the time a traveler
has spent the night with me
But there's not a man in all creation
gives content to me

For some can manage once or twice
some make three or four
What seems to be a rarity
is the man who can do more
I'd give anything to find him
in heaven or in hell
And while the words were spoken then
she heard the front door bell

Chorus:
And the wind blew cold and lonely
all across that widow's moor
And she never ever turned away
a traveler from her door

Then boldly the widow she went downstairs
and the door she opened wide
And as she did a tall and handsome
stranger stepped inside
She gave him bread and brandy
and after he was fed
He said My dear, well have no fear
it's time to go to bed

For I heard you call way down below
and I've come to see you right
But you must come to hell with me
if I can last the night
She said You randy devil!
to this bargain I'm agreed
For hell on earth or hell in hell
it's all the same to me

Chorus

Then the devil and the widow they jumped in bed
and the devil was working well
And he thought before this night was through
she'd be his in hell
But when they got to number nine
the widow cried Encore!
And when the twelfth time came around
she still called out for more

At twenty-five the devil thought
he had to take a rest
But the widow still said Come raise yer head
and put me to the test
At sixty-nine the widow laughed
again, again she cried
And the devil declared Well I can see
just how your husband died

Chorus

At niney-nine the devil he
began to cry and weep
Oh I will give you anything
just let me go to sleep
Before the morning light was on
the devil hobbled home
And the widow still unsatisfied
once more was left alone

She lay there and she grumbled
and she thought of niney-nine
If only that old devil could
have made it one more time
I'll call him up again tonight
and see what can be done
With a bit of application we
could make it to the ton

Chorus

But when she called him up that night
no devil he did appear
For the first time in eternity
the old devil he shook with fear
Of all the pain and torment
I've witnessed here in hell
I never knew what pain was
'till I rang your front doorbell

Chorus
^^
--- as sung by Chris Roe, Seattle

G.

Incidentally Marion was that pub in Ottawa the Heart and Crown? Becuase that is where I heard it!!

Cheers A

And I learned it from Chris Roe, too, who sings it in the Seattle area.
Blessings,
BArbara

Do you live in Ottawa? If so, are you part of the "organized" folkie culture at all? I go to the Irish Society's ceilidhs and dance lessons, and also the contra dances at All Saint's church. In the past I have played occasionally at Rasputin's and at the Glebe Centre slow jam, but right now I can't do anything with my instruments because of tendonitis.

Maybe I'll see you around sometime if you go to any of these things.

Slainte,

Marion

I first encountered him with "Crows", in company with Ralph Jordan - sound engineer and concertina player extra-ordindinary and later good friend. If you find their vinyl in any discount bins then grab it! A good few years (and two children) later we went to see a performance of Mick's "Tolpuddle Man" - a sort of Folk oratorio - in Dorchester (another good friend was playing in it) and were bowled over by it; I suspect that was only released on tape but again it's well worth looking out for. That was 8 or 9 years ago, and the tape remains one of our daughter's favourites (she's now 18) - strangely enough only last evening she was discussing building up a song repetoire and was saying she wanted to learn some songs from that show. (One song from that show is quite widely sung; e.g. by Roy Bailey; I THINK that's "The Road to Dorchester"). Then most recently Mick was performing at this year's Sidmouth Festival - and did a great set on the main stage. Including songs from his latest 'show' which I've not seen and can't recall the name of.

If you want more info. let me know and I'll see what I can find out.

G.

If you are a Ralph Jordan fan, look out for another of his incarnations as one of the Hackney Martians. They do the best ever version of the 'Radetski March'& 'Delilah' I have ever heard.

Dorchester was my home town until 9 years ago, and I miss it dreadfully, terrible homesick feelings, because there was a thread about Portland earlier - it turned out to be Portland Oregon, but still it make me go all gooey....

LTS

Chorus goes something like

You can break down our (spirits??) And tear down our ...... But you can't break the heart of a Tolpuddle man.

Does that sound familiar?

Will get back to you hopefully later (tomorrow for want of a better phrase, it is still dark here) when I should have found the wretched CD. Ah, the return of audio typing..... AAAAAGH Nurse the screeens!!!!!!!

LTS

LTS