Lyr Add: Down-a-Down (Matt McGinn)

Subject: Lyr Add: DOWN-A-DOWN (Matt McGinn)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 23 Sep 14 - 10:42 PM

Here's a song I came across on a Pete Seeger concert album the other day. I think Pete sings one more verse about taking off his clothes real quick, but it's not in the album notes. Anybody know that verse?

DOWN-A-DOWN
(Matt McGinn)

Here's a song for one and all/Down-a-down and down-a-down
Here's a song for one and all/With a down
Here`s a song for one and all About a man just two feet tall
With a down, derry, derry, derry, down, down.

He met a dame on Blythswood Square/Down-a-down and down-a-down
He met a dame on Blythswood Square/With a down
He met a dame on Blythswood Square/and she was forty, fat and fair
With a down, derry, derry, derry, down, down.

She says to him with tender smile/Down-a-?down and down-a-down
She says to him with tender smile/With a down
She says to him with tender smile/"Would you be free for a wee short while?"
With a down, derry, derry, derry, down, down.

His evil mind began to roam/Down-a-?down and down-a-down
His evil mind began to roam/With a down
His evil mind began to roam/When she said, "Dearie, come on home."
With a down, derry, derry, derry, down, down.

She showed him to her room and said/Down-a-down and down-a-down
She showed him to her room and said/With a down
She showed him to her room and said/"Put all your clothes upon that bed."
With a down, derry, derry, derry, down, down.

She said, "I'll be right back in a tick"/Down-a-?down and down-a-down
She said, "I'll be right back in a tick"/With a down
She said, "I'll be right back in a tick"/The wee man threw his clothes off quick
With a down, derry, derry, derry, down, down.

She brought her seven children in/Down-a-down and down-a-down
She brought her seven children in/With a down
She brought her seven children in/Said, "See that ruckle of bone and skin."/
With a down, derry, derry, derry, down, down.

Said she, destroying all his courage/Down-a-down and down-a-down
Said she, destroying all his courage/With a down
Said she, destroying all his courage/"That's what you get when you don't eat porridge!"
With a down, derry, derry. derry, down, down.

As sung by Pete Seeger on "Sing-a-long"

Pete's notes:
Down-a-Down
Matt McGinn's widow sent me the words of the next song, which to a traditional melody. Matt was a wonderful, short, scrawny fellow, always rhyming and joking, like Woody. I sang this in Newcastle-on-Tyne a few months after his death, and a shout came from the audience, "Matt McGinn lives!"

You know there's so many different kinds of songs in the world and we are now mixing them all up and entangling them. We forget that sometimes it's best not to tangle things too much. Heres a song that's not supposed to have any harmony whatsoever. It's actually some words Matt McGinn put together'. A wonderful songwriter who is dead now. An old, old tune.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Down-a-Down (Matt McGinn)
From: GUEST,Big Al
Date: 03 Oct 17 - 03:02 AM

Hi,
The song was recorded by Matt as Two Feet Tall. He kept most of the song, but changed down a down to la ley la ley. If you need any more info let me know.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Down-a-Down (Matt McGinn)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 07 Oct 17 - 06:05 AM

It looks like it would fit the tune (or any of the tunes) associated with TWA CORBIES / THREE RAVENS, etc., complete with all the "derry-downs."

For example, this one: http://mudcat.org/@displaysong.cfm?SongID=7044.

Many versions have been posted at Mudcat.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Down-a-Down (Matt McGinn)
From: Jack Campin
Date: 07 Oct 17 - 11:21 AM

Maybe, but there are at least two "Derry Down" tunes which have been around for 300 years and Matt would have known them.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Down-a-Down (Matt McGinn)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 07 Oct 17 - 04:15 PM

Joe: I listened on Spotify to Pete Seeger singing DOWN-A-DOWN, and the lyrics exactly match what you've posted. There is no missing verse.

By the way, how did "Sing-a-long" get to be an acceptable spelling for "sing along"? (Not your fault, Joe; that's how it's printed on the album cover.)

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Down-a-Down (Matt McGinn)
From: Gallus Moll
Date: 07 Oct 17 - 06:22 PM

Blytheswood Square
(is in Glasgow, a well known pick up a prostitute place)

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Down-a-Down (Matt McGinn)
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 09 Oct 17 - 11:59 AM

We usually do the "Hey Liley" version at our annual Matt McGinn tribute nights: very much in a major key, whereas the Twa Corbies and other derry-down tunes tend to be minor.
So just to confirm that, I'm listening to Pete singing Down-a-Down - yes, very minor, and a totally different tune from the one we sing the "Hey Liley"version to.
Here is the Matt McGinn version:
Two Feet Tall

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Down-a-Down (Matt McGinn)
From: Jack Campin
Date: 09 Oct 17 - 12:33 PM

Blitheswood Square
Blytheswood Square

Blythswood Square

a well known pick up a prostitute place

Not for a very long time. Down the hill between Central Station and Finnieston is where it's at.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Down-a-Down (Matt McGinn)
From: Jack Campin
Date: 09 Oct 17 - 02:05 PM

I just noticed that the calypso tune Tattie Bogle linked to is the same one used for "Pay Me My Money Down". Is that where McGinn got it, or is there a common source?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Down-a-Down (Matt McGinn)
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 09 Oct 17 - 06:25 PM

Aye, quite right, Jack: and here again there's a Pete Seeger connection (Pete and Matt were good friends) but goes back before that - see here: Pay Me My Money Down