Wheel of Fortune (Dublin City)

Subject: Wheel of Fortune (Dublin City)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 07 Jun 99 - 08:03 PM

We have this song in the database, but I can't seem to make the words fit the tune. Can anybody provide a version of this song that works a little better? It's the last two verses that give me trouble.
Barring that, if you can parse the lyrics for me to show me how to fit them to the tune....
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Wheel of Fortune (Dublin City)
From: Barbara
Date: 07 Jun 99 - 09:00 PM

Joe, do you have a tune? There's not one posted in the DT. But the way I know it (from Gordon Bok) is:

(bold is downbeat)
As I was a-walking through Dublin City
About the hour of twelve at night
It was there I saw a fair, pretty maiden
Washing her feet by candle light
And that one you know, right? So if my downbeats match yours, then here's the other ones (if I don't run out of angle brackets)

Oh, but tides do be running the whole world over
Why, tis only last June month, I mind that we
Were thinking the call in the breast of the lover
So everlasting as the sea

But there's the same little fishes that swims and spin
And the same old moon on the cold wet sand
And I no more to she, nor she to me
Than the cool wind passing over my hand

see if that helps Joe, and then ship me your tune if it doesnt.
Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: Wheel of Fortune (Dublin City)
From: Barbara
Date: 07 Jun 99 - 09:02 PM

Well, dangola Joe, another golden opportunity to use your View Source key, and find where I forgot to put a close bold HTML. ARGH!
Someplace close to the beginning, obviously.
Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: Wheel of Fortune (Dublin City)
From: Martin _Ryan
Date: 08 Jun 99 - 06:13 AM

Joe:

I heard this song many years ago from Frank Harte, as a variant of "The Spanish Lady". He recorded it on Topic, if I remember. Still sings it regualrly - as do I.The version in the DT looks a bit strange to me. I've never heard the last two verses, in particular. Could Bok have written them himself? They would be very awkward to fit to Frank's tune.

I'll post Frank's set of words when I get a chance. I think I have them on disc somewhere. Tune is more problematical.

Regards

Subject: RE: Wheel of Fortune (Dublin City)
From: Barbara
Date: 08 Jun 99 - 10:15 AM

Alright, let me try that again.

(bold is downbeat)
As I was a-walking through Dublin City
About the hour of twelve at night
It was there I saw a fair, pretty maiden
Washing her feet by candle light

And that one you know, right? So if my downbeats match yours, then here's the other ones (if I don't run out of angle brackets)

Oh, but tides do be running the whole world over
Why, tis only last June month, I mind that we
Were thinking the call in the breast of the lover
So everlasting as the sea

But there's the same little fishes that swims and spin.
And the same old moon on the cold wet sand
And I no more to she, nor she to me
Than the cool wind passing over my hand

The problem comes from the 3 or 4 eighth notes in various places. They all get sung on the same note as a sort of drone, but if you haven't heard Gordon do it, its pretty hard to imagine. So maybe you should buy the tape/record/CD, Joe. Maybe Sandy will give you a break.
Blessings,
Barbara, who hopes she got ALL the close bolds in this time.

Subject: Lyr Add: THE SPANISH LADY
From: Martin _Ryan
Date: 08 Jun 99 - 06:53 PM

Spanish Lady, The

As I was a-walking through Dublin City, now,
In the dark hour late at night
Who should I see but a fair pretty maiden,
Washing her feet by candlelight
First she washed them and then she dried them,
Over her shoulder she pegged the towel
In all my life I never did meet a maid so neat about the sole

And as I came back through Dublin City
As the break of day was o'er
Who should I see but the Spanish Lady
When I was weary and footsore
She had a heart so full of loving
And her love she longed to share
In all me life I never did meet
A maid that had so much to share

I've wandered North and I've wandered South now
From Stoneybatter to Patrick's Close
Up and around by the Gloucester Diamond
Back by Napper Tandy's house
Old age has laid her hands upon me
Cold as a fire of ashy coals
And gone is the lovely Spanish Lady
Neat and sweet about the soles

Round and around goes the wheel of fortune
Where it rests now wearies me
Fair young women are so deceiving
Sad experience teaches me
She had twenty eighteen sixteen fourteen
Twelve ten eight six four two none
She had nineteen seventeen fifteen thirteen
Eleven nine seven five three and one!

Mind you, Frank often treats it as 4-line verses and scatters the counting chorus around like snuff at a wake!

Regards

Subject: RE: Wheel of Fortune (Dublin City)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 08 Jun 99 - 07:52 PM

Thanks, Barbara and Martin - Martin's lyrics fit the tune much better. I'm familiar with the Bok recording, and his is the tune I know. I just can't sing Bok's lyrics with a group. The Denver Public Library doesn't have tune software, so I can't post a tune. I see that there are a few tunes in variations of the song I found by searching for [spanish lady], [wheel of fortune], and [dublin city].
Dick and Susan Alert: I see that there is a Digital Tradition number, #846, assigned to this song, but only one of the songs in the database has the number in the text. One day when one or the other of you has your life in balance, it would be a fine idea to link all the related songs together with this number. Thanks.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Wheel of Fortune (Dublin City)
From: Philippa
Date: 09 Jun 99 - 07:29 AM

Before I heard the Spanish Lady, as Frank Harte sings it, I heard a similar song to the same tune, maybe a parody, sung by the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem. The Dublin lady declines the narrator's proposal saying:

Did you ever see the grass in the morning, all bedecked with jewels rare
Did you ever see a handsome lady, sparking jewels in her hair?
Did you ever see a copper kettle, mended with an old tin can?
Did you ever see a handsome lady married off to an ugly man?

Subject: RE: Wheel of Fortune (Dublin City)
From: Martin _Ryan
Date: 09 Jun 99 - 08:53 AM

Phillipa

They sound like verses from "Chester City" or "Madam I'm a Darling" as it is sometimes known. Try HERE for example.

regards

Subject: RE: Wheel of Fortune (Dublin City)
From: Alice
Date: 09 Jun 99 - 09:04 AM

Martin, thanks for the link. Chester City/Madam I'm a Darling, is one I hadn't heard, but well worth learning.

Subject: RE: Wheel of Fortune (Dublin City)
From: DonMeixner
Date: 09 Jun 99 - 10:58 PM

Joe,

The Corries do a version called "Ettrick Valley" which mays as well be The Spainish Lady. The Dubliners also have a version I quite like because of the verse:

I've been East and I've been west...

The Wheel of Fortune is a beautiful variation but tough to sing with a group. I have a recording of Cilla Fisher and Artie Tresize doing The Wheel of Fortune in Finnish. A little bizarre.

Don

Subject: RE: Wheel of Fortune (Dublin City)
From: bseed(charleskratz)
Date: 10 Jun 99 - 12:38 AM

and here it's I refreshing threads just to get them together (but I'll let someone else discover them--otherwise it would be cheating). --seed

Subject: Lyr Add: WHEEL OF FORTUNE (John Doyle)
From: GUEST,Karen Reid
Date: 15 May 19 - 07:43 PM

This is a completely different song by the same title, as sung by the Irish singer and guitarist, John Doyle. Absolutely beautiful song.

Lyrics to Wheel of Fortune (as sung by John Doyle)


The snow falls hard in Dawson City
I’ve a pick and shovel, and a pack on hand.
I think on you, but it turns to grievin’
Six thousand miles from my native land.

When first I saw you, my heart surrendered
No lass in Erin could wound me so,
Your flowing hair, like as the raven
And your lips were red as blood in snow.

I saw you walking, so slight and graceful
Gathering lilies in the market square.
And I called to you, and you turned smiling.
And I thought my heart would break right there.

All summer long, while we played and courted
Through Lissalough and Caroleen.
We swore that we’d be bound together
An let no other part the seam.

Chorus:
Turn around now, you wheel of fortune
You bind together, you tear apart.
We place our bets, and set you spinning
To bring us joy or break our heart.

While I roamed to Scotland, all as a spalpeen
To dig potatoes and thresh the wheat,
And I bought a ring for to fit your finger,
For to give to you when next we’d meet.

With a joyous heart, I opened the door, love
That dreadful evening as I returned.
For there I found you in the arms of another,
Oh, how my heart, it did ache and burn.

Chorus

I roamed the world all to forget you,
To blench the taste that was once so sweet:
The burning heat of Arizona
To the Rockies high and looming peaks.

Not riches bright, but rock and fool’s gold
The Yukon’s treasures yield to me.
I dug the dirt and panned the streams love
In hopes that one day I’d be free.

Here I sit in Dawson City
The Whitehouse ferry has brought me o’er.
There’s many a man in search of riches
Who sold his soul for less, not more.

Chorus

Subject: RE: Wheel of Fortune (Dublin City)
From: Mrrzy
Date: 17 May 19 - 10:16 AM

We had this by Theo Bikel, with a counting chorus (she had 20 18 16 14, 12 10 8 6 4 2 none, she had 19 17 15 13, 11 9 7 5 3 and 1. Round and round the wheel of fortune...)

Subject: RE: Wheel of Fortune (Dublin City)
From: rich-joy
Date: 17 May 19 - 06:01 PM

Much like this version then, Mrrzy??

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kGADIvdG_c

at 8:53 in, by Paul Lawler of Darwin.


Cheers,
R-J

Subject: RE: Wheel of Fortune (Dublin City)
From: Mrrzy
Date: 18 May 19 - 12:43 PM

Yes, very like.

Subject: RE: Wheel of Fortune (Dublin City)
From: GUEST
Date: 11 Feb 20 - 11:58 PM

I've heard two other verses in which the narrator went out to or came home from Dublin City variously as the sun began to set and at the hour of half past eight.
The hair verse had her catching a moth in a golden net - i believe this refers to the Spanish Lady (prostitute) catching a male passer-by, but I can't remember the rest. In the other verse, I'm sure she was washing her hair, but I can't remember any more.
The Wheel verse as I recall went:
20, 18, 16, 14,   12, 10, 8, 6, 4 and none,
19, 17, 15, 13,   11, 9, 7, 5, 3 and one,
Round and round goes the wheel of fortune,
Where it stops I cannot see,
Pretty girls are all deceiving
Sad misfortune teaches me.

Subject: RE: Wheel of Fortune (Dublin City)
From: Richard Mellish
Date: 12 Feb 20 - 10:55 AM

Then there's Christy Moore's version which starts out the same but tells a totally different story.