Lyr Req: Thank Heavens We Are Living in Rathgar

Subject: Lyr Req: Thank God We Live In Rathgar
From: Curious Clouseau
Date: 06 Mar 08 - 09:13 AM

Im looking for this song parody which I think was recorded by the irish actor Jimmy O'Dee. Any help would be much appreciated.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Thank God We Live In Rathgar
From: Peace
Date: 06 Mar 08 - 09:50 AM

"Thank Heaven we are living in Rathgar...

In looking for something else I came across some hilarious lyrics of "Thank Heavens We Are Living in Rathgar", by Jimmy O'Dea from what must be at least 75 years ago - which someone dug out of the RTE archive and played on a Saturday morning show a couple of weekends back.

You have to read them pretending to hear a crackly recording of O'Dea speaking it in metre, with a very raa-ther posh vaudevillian WestBrit accent. Genius. And frightening how little some things have changed.

NOTE: 17 November 2006 -- About once a month I get an email asking me to send on these lyrics - and that the above, since removed, link to RTE's website now points to a recipe. If you Google Jimmy O'Dea and Rathgar, bizarrely, I come up on top. How to explain? Sources say that the estate of O'Dea is in some sort of legal wrangle including the IPR for the lyrics and songs. (Why is this not in the public domain at this point?) Kind of pathetic that a guy who's so little-known by people currently alive should be destined to fade into oblivion because of some legal fuckup. But that's just me."

That is from

this site

Subject: ADD: Thank Heavens, We Are Living in Rathgar
From: Peace
Date: 06 Mar 08 - 09:54 AM

However, then there is this.

PLEASE NOTICE TITLE--and there were no line breaks on the site:


Thank Heavens, We Are Living in Rathgar

Thank Heavens, We are Living n Rathgar'
In these days of Gougers,
Scum, travellers, dictators and masterbaters,
When one never knows whom one is talking to;
When we've Willy picking winners
And plumbers at golf dinners,
It's so difficult to really say who's who.
Even at our rugby dances
One gets the odd scum glances,
And our finer sensibililities are shocked.
Listen lads im not romancing,
If you want lets all go dancing,
But the scum will come and want to kick you up the bum.
So, thank heavens, we are living in Rathgar.
O the solid, quiet refinement of Rathgar,
Where we have are evening dinners,
Where we never hear of sinners,
And even those who can't afford it have a car.
There are some quite decent places i am sure.
O Blackrock is not bad or Terenure.
O we,ve heard of spots like Dalkey,
But really don't know where they are;
For, thank heavens, we are living in Rathgar.
Someone must live in Kilmainham,
So it's hardly fair to blame 'em
And in Darty they are most civilised.
But in Ballymun, goodness gracious,
They havent even got laces;
Although it's worth relating,
these people are really devastating.
So what with cinemas unsightly.
And the Temple Theatre gone twice nightly,
It's no wonder we are proudly forced to sing ......
That, thank heavens, we are living in Rathgar.
O the solid, quiet refinement of Rathgar.
In Finglas they eat ther chips and burgers
so they can grow big and strong and turn into burglers;

But you've never heard of tripe in Grosvenor Square.
O those accents on the northside do quite appall,
But they never get beyond Rathmines Town Hall.
They've so many kids in kimmage
That they say life's life's just a scrummage.....
(oh I'm knackered - I'm going to Bucks to have some rose..)
So thank heavens, we are living in Rathgar.

from


http://www.bebo.com/Profile.jsp?MemberId=59096402

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Thank God We Live In Rathgar
From: Curious Clouseau
Date: 06 Mar 08 - 10:22 AM

I don't suppose anybody has a recording of it by any chance?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Thank Heavens We Are Living in Rathgar
From: GUEST,Terry Moylan
Date: 23 Oct 19 - 11:50 AM

The lyrics used by Jimmy O'Dea were as follows:

In these days of agitators,
Isms, schisms and dictators,
When one never knows whom one is talking to;
When we've princes picking winners
And we've plumbers at golf dinners,
It's so difficult to really say who's who.
Even at our rugby dances
One's beset by vulgar glances,
And our finer sensibilities are shocked.
'pon my soul I'm not romancing,
We are more danced against than dancing,
And the flappers come and tell you they're half
cocked.

So, thank heavens, we are living in Rathgar.
O the solid, quiet refinement of Rathgar,
Where we have our evening dinners,
Where we never hear of Shinners,
And even those who can't afford it have a car.
There are some quite decent suburbs, I am sure.
O Rathmines is not so bad or Terenure.
O we've heard of spots like Inchicore,
But really don't know where they are;
For, thank heavens, we are living in Rathgar.
Thank Heavens, We are living in Rathgar

Someone must live in Kilmainham,
So it's hardly fair to blame 'em,
And in Dartry they are almost civilised.
But in Fairview, goodness gracious,
Fellows tennis in their braces;
In Drumcondra all their shirts are trubenised.
Although it's worth relating,
It's really devastating,
At Baldoyle I saw my butcher in the ring.
So what with cinemas unsightly,
And the Gaiety gone twice nightly,
It's no wonder that we're proudly forced to sing

That, thank heavens, we are living in Rathgar.
O the solid, quiet refinement of Rathgar.
In Killester they eat cockles
And those fearful things - pigs knuckles;
But you've never heard of tripe in Grosvenor Square.
O those accents on the Northside quite appall,
But they never get beyond Rathmines Town Hall.
They've so many kids in Kimmage
That they say life's just a scrimmage ...
(Oh I'm tired - I'm going to the Buttery to have one ...)
So, thank heavens, we are living in Rathgar.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Thank Heavens We Are Living in Rathgar
From: GUEST,Starship
Date: 23 Oct 19 - 03:19 PM

A recording from the man himself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05az82BAx8w

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Thank Heavens We Are Living in Rathgar
From: GUEST,Martin Ryan
Date: 24 Oct 19 - 06:15 AM

Thanks for that, Terry. I had missed this thread first time round and, as I read it through, the first version jarred at a number of points. Your "original" is much more of the period I remember!

I was brought up in a kind of No Man's Land between Terenure and Kimmage, in the '50's. At that time, if someone came from Rathgar, you could safely assume they were Protestant! Sometime around the '70's or so, the retired PP of Terenure was hesitating about crossing the busy road outside his church. A smartly dressed lady took him by the elbow and escorted him across. As he thanked her, she remarked to hime "Actucally, Father, I'm not one of your flock.". "That's alright, Madam" sez he, "Any port in a storm!"!

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Thank Heavens We Are Living in Rathgar
From: GUEST,Martin Ryan
Date: 24 Oct 19 - 06:19 AM

Apologies for the typos!