Subject: Lyr req: 'stuck the penknife in his head From: Rosebrook Date: 06 Sep 99 - 08:18 PM Am looking for lyrics for that song, you know, it starts "There was an old woman who lives in the woods" Then those 3 words that I can't spell, which unfortunately are the name of the song. Like Weila, Walla something like that. I was surprised I couldn't find this in the DT, but would appreciate any help in locating the lyrics. Thanks, Rose |
Subject: Lyr Add: WEELIA WALLIA From: Lorne Brown Date: 06 Sep 99 - 09:09 PM The song is "WEELIA WALLIA", a kids' version of Child Ballad 20 The Cruel Mother.
There was an old woman who lived in the wood, She had a baby six months old. (2x) She had a penknife three foot long. (2x)
She stuck that knife in baby's head,
Three big knocks came a-knockin' at the door. "Are you the woman what killed the child?" (2x) "I am the woman what killed the child." (2x) The rope got chucked and she got hung. (2x)
The moral of this story is,
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Subject: RE: Lyr req: 'stuck the penknife in his head From: DonMeixner Date: 06 Sep 99 - 10:36 PM Rose, The very mentionof this song and my wife is ready to kill me. The Clancy Brothers are famous for this song and its on at least three albums and in their first song book. I sing it about the house frequently. Don |
Subject: RE: Lyr req: 'stuck the penknife in his head From: Helen Date: 07 Sep 99 - 01:40 AM Hi all, It is in the DT but I can never find it. It doesn't show up under Welia, or Cruel Mother, or baby's head, or...or.. but I know it is in there because there was a thread on it at least a year ago and we finally found it in there. It all depends on how you spell Welia, Weila, or walia, Walla etc etc Helen |
Subject: Weela Wallia From: Joe Offer Date: 07 Sep 99 - 06:33 AM I think the Clancy Brothers spell it Weela Wallia. I couldn't find it in the database, but a search for penknife and [pen knife] comes up with some nice, gory stuff. The tune and lyrics are in this thread (click). -Joe Offer- |
Subject: Lyr Add: WEILIA WALIA From: Den Date: 07 Sep 99 - 09:47 AM Hi Rosebrook I sing a slight variation on the lyric posted by Lorne, so for what its worth here it is: There was an old woman and she lived in the wood weilia weilia walia There was an old woman and she lived in the woods down by the river saulia She had a baby six months old (2x) She had a penknife long and sharp (2x) She stuck the penknife in the baby's head (2x) There were three loud knocks came a knockin' on the door (2x) It was two policmen and a special branch man (2x) Well they put a rope around her neck (2x) Well they pulled the rope and she got hung (2x) And that was the end of the woman in the woods weilia weilia walia And that was the end of the baby too down by the river saulia Cheers Den |
Subject: RE: Lyr req: 'stuck the penknife in his head From: GUEST,#1 Date: 05 Apr 01 - 12:22 AM Had a hard time getting across the Columbia river to vist my sister in Oregon. We asked about how to get to Walula, and kept getting directed to what turned out to be Walla Walla. |
Subject: RE: Lyr req: 'stuck the penknife in his head From: LR Mole Date: 05 Apr 01 - 09:38 AM and called it macaroni. |
Subject: RE: Lyr req: 'stuck the penknife in his head From: Morticia Date: 05 Apr 01 - 02:07 PM My dad used to sing this to me as a lullaby....I loved it.Hmmm, that may explain much. |
Subject: RE: Lyr req: 'stuck the penknife in his head From: Liz the Squeak Date: 05 Apr 01 - 03:22 PM /Explains why you keep singing it to the bratling too!! I prefer the Tom Lehrer version, Rickity tickity tin. Same sort of story, but a bit bloodier.... LTS |
Subject: RE: Lyr req: 'stuck the penknife in his head From: Snuffy Date: 05 Apr 01 - 03:43 PM I always thought she stuck the knife in the baby's heart, not head. Much easier to penetrate, and just as fatal. |
Subject: Lyr Add: ALL ROUND THE LONEY OH From: Jimmy C Date: 05 Apr 01 - 05:35 PM Another version "ALL ROUND THE LONEY OH" is a variation of Child Ballad # 20 The Cruel Mother. In this one both perish but it's not as gory as Wella Waile.
The Loney refers to The Pound Loney, an area of Belfast
ALL ROUND THE LONEY OH
There were 2 sisters going to school,
She held a baby on her knee
She held the baby to her heart,
She held a baby to her breast
There is a river running deep |
Subject: RE: Lyr req: 'stuck the penknife in his head From: Malcolm Douglas Date: 05 Apr 01 - 10:14 PM Do you have a source, and a tune, for that one? The "loney" bit is older than any Belfast reference, of course, but localisation is always interesting and well worth tracking down. There are links to (so far as I could tell last year) all the useful references to versions of this song here and on other reliable sites at: The Cruel Mother Malcolm |
Subject: RE: Lyr req: 'stuck the penknife in his head From: Jimmy C Date: 06 Apr 01 - 01:42 PM Malcolm, Sorry I don't have a date nor a source. I heard it often as a child. It's on David Hammond's Album " Belfast Street Songs" RCA Victor RLP 8059 - the liner notes describe it as a local version of a classical ballad" The Cruel Mother". unfortunately that's all I can find. I don't know the origin of "The Pound Loney" but I know the area well. I will be there in about 4 weeks, if I have enough time I will try to find out more. I am only guessing when I say that it may derive from a laneway(Lonan) where stray dogs were locked up ?. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Weela Wallia: 'stuck the penknife in his. From: GUEST Date: 05 Nov 15 - 02:35 PM Welia walia? Dubliners? |
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