Lyr Req: bachelor from 'Midnight Court'

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: bachelor from 'Midnight Court'
From: Ernest
Date: 30 May 07 - 01:54 PM

Norbert, why don`t you contact them?

The website is here:

http://www.midnightcourt.com/

Grat Band!

Best
Ernest

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: bachelor from 'Midnight Court'
From: MartinRyan
Date: 30 May 07 - 03:17 AM

Bonnie

Thanks for that.

Midnight Court or Midnight Well? My memory is getting blurred!

Mind you, I DO remember hearing the Battlefield Band a couple of times in the Athlone Folk club, back in the mid-70's. I used to love the way they would do smart-assed, self-deprecating intros to what turned out to be pretty undiluted Scots ballads, delivered with a fair emotional charge.

Regards
p.s. I'm fascinated by the current Google-delivered ads with this thread. Offers of Chinese wives for the eponymous bachelor!

Subject: Lyr Add: WHEN I WAS A BACHELOR and THE BACHELOR
From: Bonnie Shaljean
Date: 29 May 07 - 09:09 PM

The earlier thread (titled Lyr Req: The Bachelor) was started by Laurent on 27 Oct 02 and has some links at the top. The words you want are probably those posted by Stewie in that previous thread. It makes sense because Midnight Court and the highly talented Thom Moore were resident in Ireland at the time though I believe he's moved on now. Stewie wrote:

The Battlefield Band learned it from Jimmy Crowley who in turn had it from Len Graham. The Graham text, titled 'When I Was a Bachelor, is in the booklet to his 'Ye Lovers All' and his source was Joe McKeever of Brockaghbuoy, Co Derry, and he follows it with a reel called 'Mary McMahon from Drummuck'. The Battlefield version has some textual variations from Graham's.

Here is the Graham text, followed by the Battlefield text. I am not certain of the two words I have put within square brackets in the latter. It is a bit muffled; he could be singing something else, but not 'hag' or 'coat'.

WHEN I WAS A BACHELOR

Ah, when I was a bachelor young and airy, ah, but my mind was content
I married a wife for to lie by me causes me for to lament
And when I came home both wet and weary, wet and weary do I come
My wife's in bed 'til after eleven, the longest day in the month of June

And the first half year that we were married I never could get one wink of sleep
She scratched my shins 'til the blood did trickle, 'Husband dear stretch down your feet'
Aye, but when I asked her that question, it's 'Husband dear oh, come, come, come'
Young women, you know, they must have pleasure, a poor man's labour is never done

And the second half year that we were married, she bore to me a loving son
And she sat me down for to rock the cradle and gave me kisses when I'd done
If he cries, she beats and scolds me and, if he squeals, I'm the first to run
I'm away from the hag with my coat and britches, a poor man's labour is never done

So come all ye young men, I pray take warning, be sure you choose a loving wife
Aye, and ne'er take home my wife's sister or she'll plague you all your life
Aye, and ne'er take home my wife's mother or she'll plague you even more
Here take from me my wife and a welcome, then my trouble and care is o'er

Source: copied from transcription in booklet accompanying Len Graham 'Ye Lovers All' Claddagh CC41CD.


THE BACHELOR

Ah, when I was a bachelor young and airy, hearty was I and content
I married a wife for to lie by me which causes me for to lament
When I come home both wet and weary, wet and weary do I come
Me wife's in bed 'til after eleven and the longest day in the month of June

Well, the very first year me wife I married, scarce could I get one wink of sleep
For she rubbed me shins 'til the blood did trickle, saying, 'Husband dear put down your feet'
But when that I asked her that question, it's 'Husband dear, now come, come, come'
Young women, you know, they must have pleasure, and a poor man's labour is never done

Well, the very next year me wife I married, she bore to me a loving son
And she sends me down for to rock the cradle and she gives me kisses when I'm done
If he cries, she beats and bangs me and, if he roars, I'm the first for to run
I'm away from the [hearth ?] with me [brogues ?] and me britches, a poor man's labour is never done

Well, come all ye young men, I pray take warning, be sure you choose a loving wife
Aye, and don't take home my wife's mother or she'll plague you all your life
And don't take home my wife's sister or she'll plague you even more
Ah, come and take me wife with a welcome and then me troubles will be o'er

Source: transcription from The Battlefield Band 'At the Front' Topic LP 12T381.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: bachelor from 'Midnight Court'
From: MartinRyan
Date: 29 May 07 - 02:41 PM

In fact, of course, thanks to our JoeClones, the version above gives you links to some relevant threads.

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: bachelor from 'Midnight Court'
From: MartinRyan
Date: 29 May 07 - 02:40 PM

There are lots of versions of this one. Here's one - and there's at least one earlier thread about the song.

Regards

Subject: Lyr Req: bachelor from 'Midnight Court'
From: GUEST,Norbert
Date: 29 May 07 - 02:14 PM

I heard a song called "bachelor" sung by the band "Midnigt Court",
and now I´m searching for the lyrics.
The first line of this song goes :"I was a bachelor wild and airy, hearty was I and contend......"

Can anybody help me with the lyrics?

Thanks
Norbert