Lyr Req: Working for Old King Henry

Subject: Working for Old King Henry
From: GUEST,Tchael
Date: 28 Sep 01 - 11:28 PM

Hello Mudcatters,

You all have been so helpful in the past....I've been attending the PA Renaissance Faire this season and in the Finale they sing a song called Work for Old King Henry....any way only the chorus is printed in the faire program and I am looking for the verses...could you all help?

Thanks,

Linda

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Working for Old King Henry
From: Sorcha
Date: 29 Sep 01 - 10:17 AM

I didn't find anything under either "work" or "working", but I did find some stuff under "old henry". Could you post the chorus so we know what we are looking for? Thanks!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Working for Old King Henry
From: MMario
Date: 29 Sep 01 - 01:45 PM

dang! I threw my program out last week (which had the chorus on it)- this song was also sung a couple of times during the day at various street concerts. I wonder if the office would be willing to share the lyrics?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Working for Old King Henry
From: Tchael
Date: 29 Sep 01 - 11:00 PM

Ok, here is the chorus

Fillimee Or Ri Or Ri Ae Fillimee Or Ri Or Ri Ae Fillimee Or Ri Or Ri Ae Workin' for ol' King Henry...

I know that doesn't help much...and it is very hard to understand the verses cause its a group sing along... There is something I remember in the verses... about the person singing who wife dies goes to heaven and left him 11 children.....

The office at PA Ren Faire has been great about emailing lyrics... 5 years ago they did a song in the opening about Grace O'Malley and they were very happy to send me the lyrics....unfortunately I have never been able to find a recording of the song.

Thanks again for eveyone's help.

Linda

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Working for Old King Henry
From: Anglo
Date: 29 Sep 01 - 11:25 PM

Well it's fairly obviously a parody of "Paddy Works on the Railway," and I suspect whoever sings it adapted the chorus from that song (just like you have it above, except the last line is replaced) and then wrote a set of verses on an entertaining renfair theme. So in that sense it's not a "genuine" folksong, and while one or more of the Catters may have heard it at the renfair and decided to get the words, it's unlikely anyone outside that little circle of performers would know it.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Working for Old King Henry
From: MMario
Date: 30 Sep 01 - 03:27 PM

Tchael - see here change the years to "fifteen hundred and" and the railway lines to "working for old knig Henry" and you will be very close.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Working for Old King Henry
From: Tchael
Date: 01 Oct 01 - 10:51 AM

Thanks MMario....that sounds like it.

:)

Linda

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Working for Old King Henry
From: RoyH (Burl)
Date: 02 Oct 01 - 09:04 AM

Reminds me somewhat of 'Working On the New Railroad'......"Digging for BIG JOHN HENRY, and He's so hard to please"