Lyr Req: Ricky-do-dum-da / The Overgate

Subject: RE: Lyrics required - Ricky-do-dum-da (The Overgate)
From: Kenny B (inactive)
Date: 06 Nov 11 - 04:23 PM

Sandy Frain Singing " The BeecanClose / Ricky doo Dum Day

Transcribed Words Below

Ricky Dicky Doo Dum day.( The Overgate /Beefcan Close)
Asb Sandy Frain

(G) Oh as I gaed up the Overgate,
I met a bonnie wee (D) lass,
And she (G) winked tae me wi the (D) tail o her ee,
As (G) I gaed a-roving (Em) past.

Chorus   (D7) Ricky (G)doo dum day, doo dum day,
Ricky dicky (D) doo-dum (G) day.

She had twa sheen upon her feet
They nearly were a pair
One was made in Germany
The ither wan , god knows where

Well I asked her what her name micht be,
She said, "Jemima Ross."
And she bided in a ludgin hoose
In the middle o' the Beefcan Close."

I asked wha she bided wi
She said a Mrs Bell
Of course ah goat invited up
Tae meet her fur masel'

Noo as we gaed up the Beefcan Close,
The stairs were fine and dark;
So I slippit ma siller fae ma inside pooch,
And tied it till the tail o my sark.

Noo she gied me pies and porter,
And whisky, rum and beer;
Aye, I swear we ate and drunk as much
As kept an elephant for a year.

We sat up late tellin tales
tae the sma 'oors o' the mornin
When a rat-a tat came at the door
Wi oot a bit o warnin

In then cam twa policemen
Sayin "what is it we have here"
An' ah did hurly burly
Oan Bells loaby flair

I sat there a'dreamin
o' the airms o, Jemima Ross
When I woke up I found masel'
In the middle o the Beefcan Close

When I came oot o the Beefcan close
I jumped intae a caur
A asked the conductor tae punch ma ticket
But he gave ma a punch oan the ja'

Its back hame, Blairgowrie
Nae mair o' this fur me
For they just tak a len ' o' the plooboy laddies
'Roon aboot Dundee

Subject: RE: Lyrics required - Ricky-do-dum-da (The Overgate)
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 06 Nov 11 - 04:33 AM

Remind me when we meet, Matthew.

Subject: RE: Lyrics required - Ricky-do-dum-da
From: Matthew Edwards
Date: 05 Nov 11 - 07:23 PM

Sometimes I feel it would be nice to have a "Like", or a "Thank-You" button to compliment a particular post - but thanks anyway to John MacKenzie for posting the song Sky-High Joe by Thurso Berwick. It is a really great song. I shall look forward to hearing it at Whitby next year. :-)

Matthew

Subject: RE: Lyrics required - Ricky-do-dum-da
From: GUEST,999
Date: 05 Nov 11 - 04:42 PM

That's one of the keys for music they use in the circus for the high-wire acts:

The other is C#.

Subject: RE: Lyrics required - Ricky-do-dum-da
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 05 Nov 11 - 04:11 PM

My favourite key.

Subject: RE: Lyrics required - Ricky-do-dum-da
From: GUEST,999
Date: 05 Nov 11 - 03:21 PM

Do it in Bb and the range is right on, imo.

Subject: RE: Lyrics required - Ricky-do-dum-da
From: Jim McLean
Date: 05 Nov 11 - 02:59 PM

As posted by Matthew Edwards, I think the Annie Watkins version is superb. On the posting by threelegsman, overgate(2) , I think the singer knows the melody but just doesn't have the range for the second part. A great song(s) which I have known in all it's variants for a long time.

Subject: RE: Lyrics required - Ricky-do-dum-da
From: GUEST,999
Date: 05 Nov 11 - 10:06 AM

Just watched it, Tony. Posted a comment. Nice one.

Subject: RE: Lyrics required - Ricky-do-dum-da
From: threelegsoman
Date: 05 Nov 11 - 09:12 AM

Again, thanks for all the information.

Here is a link to the upload I have made this morning.

The Overgate (2)

Subject: RE: Lyrics required - Ricky-do-dum-da
From: Diva
Date: 05 Nov 11 - 08:02 AM

It's Beefcan Close not Buchan's Close...... :-)

Subject: RE: Lyrics required - Ricky-do-dum-da
From: Matthew Edwards
Date: 05 Nov 11 - 07:55 AM

There is a great version of the song as sung by Annie Watkins of Dundee on YouTube The Beefcan Close.

The lyrics are given in Nigel Gatherer's book 'Songs and Ballads of Dundee'. I can post them if you want.

Matthew

Subject: RE: Lyrics required - Ricky-do-dum-da
From: threelegsoman
Date: 05 Nov 11 - 07:06 AM

Thanks again for all the information so kindly shared. I think that is what makes the internet and this site in particular so useful. I have decided to try out Jeannie's version and will upload it later today.

Thanks again for all your help.

Kind regards from the Isle of Man

Tony

Subject: RE: Lyrics required - Ricky-do-dum-da
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 05 Nov 11 - 06:47 AM

"The Overgate", as distinct from "The Overgate 2", in DT is more or less the tune & version I ref'd to above; tho Jeannie & Robin & Jimmy, IIRC, interpolated the "Noo ye jolly plooman lads, when ye gang oot for a lark,slip your money frae your inside pooch and tie it to the tail o your sark" verse as a final caution against being in the state of "Gangin back to Auchtermuchty, contented for to be, for the lossing o me five poond note tae a lassie in Dundee."

~M~

Subject: RE: Lyrics required - Ricky-do-dum-da
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 05 Nov 11 - 06:43 AM

In the mid 1950' letter boxes with the logo E II R started to appear on the streets of Scotland. Scottish Nationalists took exception to them as they pointed out (correctly), that she wasn't the second Queen Elizabeth of Scotland, but the first. So a few boxes were vandalised, and this song was the result. The author Thurso Berwick, was actually Morris Blythman, a French teacher, at an up market Glasgow school called Allan Glen's



SKY-HIGH JOE
( Tune : The Overgate )
Thurso Berwick

O, Sky-High Joe wis on the go, some gelignite tae buy,
So he goes tae the Carron Iron Works tae get a guid supply:

Cho
Ricky doo dum day, doo dum day, Ricky dicky doo dum day.

"O Ah want it for a special job, and Ah want the real Mackay,
Are ye shair yuir gelignite ignites?" - an the foreman says: "Och Ay!"

When the Pillar Box sees Sky-High Joe, it blenches deidly pale;
"Staun back, staun back, wi yuir hair sae black, for Ah dinnae want yer airmail"

But Sky-High Joe wis on the go, he wis oot to mak' some news,
And so he posts his "Coupon", wi' a yaird o' fizzin' fuse:

As he wandered back across the road, he tellt the cops "Good night!
Ah wadna stand sae near the box, for yon wis gelinite."

A minute later aff it went, wi' a flashing an' a thump,
An noo they've carried the bits awa' tae the Corporation Dump:

The bottom bit wis staunin there, aa ragged-edged an sherp,
But the lid wis in St. Peter's hauns - he wis playin it like a herp:

They say that on the followin' day, pit there tae get their rag,
Upon the mound o rubble, wis a wee bit Scottish Flag:

Subject: RE: Lyrics required - Ricky-do-dum-da
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 05 Nov 11 - 06:38 AM

It was Norman Kennedy, as above 4-5 posts, who used the Ricky-doo-dum words and tune to The Overgate. I believe Jeanie Robertson sang both choruses, the "Roving Eye" one I adduce above [also sung by Robin Hall & Jimmy McGregor], & the ricky-doo-dah one; with tunes not identical.
The ricky one is most associated, IMO, with The Keach In The Creel; to a tune sometimes slightly varying from that in DT linked above by Matthew Edwards.

~M~

Subject: RE: Lyrics required - Ricky-do-dum-da
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 05 Nov 11 - 06:31 AM

Jeaannie Robertson actually sang the chorus of that one, IIRC, as

To me roving eye
Fol-a-diddle-die
To me roveing fol-de-daddy
To me roving eye.

But there are, of course, probably variants with the ricky-doo-dum chorus. I recall a sleevenote somewhere ~ in one of MacColl's or Lloyd's records ~ referring to a variant of one of the songs as sung to "the Ricky-doo-dah tune", by which he obviously means The Keach In The Creel, which he expects to be familiar to all his readers/listeners with that chorus.

~Michael~

Subject: RE: Lyrics required - Ricky-do-dum-da
From: GUEST,999
Date: 05 Nov 11 - 06:25 AM

THE KELSO SHEARIN
by Nigel Gatherer

Now as I went doon tae Kelso Mill
I met wi Tam MacNee
An' he looked at me wi ma lang yella hair
Wi a twinkle in his ee

Ricky doo dum day, Doo dum day,
Ricky dicky doo dum day

I asked him whaur he wis gaun the nicht
He said a pairty up Broomlaunds
An' I knew by the way he touched ma hair
That he had dead sexy hauns

Ricky doo dum day, Doo dum day,
Ricky dicky doo dum day

Aff we went through Kelso toon
I had ma new lad on ma airm
Till a gang o slags cam efter us
Intent on daein me hairm

Ricky doo dum day, Doo dum day,
Ricky dicky doo dum day

They dragged me doon a closie
Held me doon, startit tae laugh
Grabbed ma ears, an' took oot some shears
Said "C'mon girls, cut it aff!"

Ricky doo dum day, Doo dum day,
Ricky dicky doo dum day

By the time these hags were finished
I wis shocked an' feart an' stunned
As I staggered oot I wis as bald as a coot
An my hair wis on the grund

Ricky doo dum day, Doo dum day,
Ricky dicky doo dum day

Noo a' ye Edinburgh lassies
Wha come doon fer a jig
Dinna pit on airs, dinna flash yer hair
Wear a hat or e'en a wig

Ricky doo dum day, Doo dum day,
Ricky dicky doo dum day

Subject: RE: Lyrics required - Ricky-do-dum-da
From: threelegsoman
Date: 05 Nov 11 - 06:22 AM

Having corrected the spelling I have found a site with the lyrics, so thanks to those who have been kind enough to try to help, but I would still like to see if anyone has more lyrics than the ones I have found

The Overgate (2)

For as I gaed doon the Overgate I met a bonny wee lass
For she winked tae me with the tail o'her e'e as I went walking past
Ricky doo dum day, doo dum day, ricky ricky doo dum day

I asked her what her name might be, she said: "Jemima Rose
And I live in Blaeberry Lane at the foot o'the Buchan Close."

I asked her what was her landlady's name, she said it was Mrs. Bruce
And with that she invited me to come awa' to the hoose

As we went up the windin' stair, them bein'long and dark
For I slipped my money from my inside pooch and I tied it to the tail o' my
sark

We scarcely had got in the hoose when she took me tae a room
It was there we pulled a bottle oot, and then we baith sat down

But a' nicht long I dreamed I was lying in the airms o' Jemima Rose
But when I wokened I was lying on my back at the foot o' the Buchan Close

Come a' ye jolly ploo men lads that gang oot for a walk
Just slip your money frae your inside pooch and tie it to the tail o' your
    sark.

From Jeannie Robertson

Subject: RE: Lyrics required - Ricky-do-dum-da
From: threelegsoman
Date: 05 Nov 11 - 06:15 AM

A slight error in spelling may have misled. The song I am talking about is Ricky doo dum day a link to which is below
Ricky do dum day

Subject: RE: Lyrics required - Ricky-do-dum-da
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 05 Nov 11 - 05:55 AM

There is a song that Jon Loomes does with this chorus. It's on his excellent Fearful Symmetry album - on which pretty well every word is clear. Recommend!

Subject: RE: Lyrics required - Ricky-do-dum-da
From: MartinRyan
Date: 05 Nov 11 - 05:42 AM

This the one?.

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyrics required - Ricky-do-dum-da
From: Matthew Edwards
Date: 05 Nov 11 - 05:40 AM

Are you looking for The Keach in the Creel? There are several threads about this song, under various titles, which should give you a few examples of lyrics as well as a variety of ways of pronouncing the refrains.

Matthew

Subject: RE: Lyrics required - Ricky-do-dum-da
From: Barb'ry
Date: 05 Nov 11 - 05:30 AM

I think I know what you mean... I think it's one of the versions of Johnny's gone for a soldier - the one that has something like 'left his two fine legs behind' in it. Chorus is something like 'ricky do dum dah, fol da diddle da, right fol diddle to me to rum dah'

I can't find it in the digitrad, though and can't remember the lyrics off the top of my head - and I could be wrong...

Subject: RE: Lyrics required
From: GUEST,999
Date: 05 Nov 11 - 05:11 AM

Tony, do you have any of the lyrics at all? Even a few lines?

Subject: RE: Lyrics required - Ricky-do-dum-da
From: Joe Offer
Date: 05 Nov 11 - 05:11 AM

Hi, Tony -
Can you give us a few snippets of what you've been able to make out from the lyrics? A link to one of those YouTube videos would help a lot.

-Joe-

Subject: Lyrics required for Ricky-do-dum-da
From: threelegsoman
Date: 05 Nov 11 - 04:55 AM

There are versions of Ricky-do-dum-da on YouTube, but as is often the case, picking out the lyrics from these is next to impossible, so I would be grateful if anyone can furnish me with the lyrics as I have had a request to sing the song for one of my subscribers.
Thanks in anticipation.

Kind regards from the Isle of Man

Tony

threelegsoman

threelegsoman