Origins: Happy Family

Subject: Origins: Happy Family
From: Joe Offer
Date: 27 Jul 20 - 05:35 PM

Sadie Damascus sang this at the Mudcat Singaround this week. Lyrics in DT. Anybody know the background?

HAPPY FAMILY

Oh, me father he had a horse
And me mother she had a mare
Sister Susan had a rabbit
And Jonah had a hare

We'd a ride from father's horse
And a ride from mother's mare
A pie from Susan's rabbit
And a race with Jonah's hare

Oh, me father he had a bull
And me mother she had a cow
Sister Susan had a pig
And Jonah had a sow

Oh the beef from father's bull
And the milk from mother's cow
The pork from Susan's pig
And the pigs from Jonah's sow

Oh, the more we have to drink, me boys
The merrier we shall be
For we all belong to one happy family

Oh, me father he had a buck
And me mother she had a doe
Sister Susan had a tup
And Jonah had a ewe

And the horn on father's buck
And the venison from mother's doe
The mutton from Susan's tup
And the lamb from Jonah's ewe

Oh, me father he had a cock
And me mother she had a hen
Sister Susan had a robin
And Jonah had a wren

And the fight in father's cock
And the eggs from mother's hen
The chicks from Susan's robin
And the hunt from Jonah's wren

Oh, me father he had a rat
And me mother she had a mouse
Sister Susan had a flea
And Jonah had a louse

Oh, the rat did eat the corn
And the mouse did nibble the bread
The flea bit poor old Susan's arm
And the louse bit Jonah's head

Oh, the more we have to drink, me boys
The merrier we shall be
For we all belong to one happy family

Oh me father he had a knife
And me mother she had a fork
Sister Susan had a bottle
And Jonah had a cork

We'd a cut from father's knife
And a pick from mother's fork
A drink from Susan's bottle
Jonah bunged it with his cork

@kids @animal @drink
recorded on Folksongs of Britain 10
filename[ HAPFAMLY
SOF

Subject: RE: Origins: Happy Family
From: GUEST,Starship
Date: 27 Jul 20 - 06:29 PM

Harold Colville did it on the record (vinyl).

https://www.discogs.com/fr/Various-The-Folk-Songs-Of-Britain-Volume-10-Songs-Of-Animals-And-Other-Marvels/release/10557930

Subject: RE: Origins: Happy Family
From: Joe Offer
Date: 29 Jul 20 - 02:19 PM

Can anybody find a youtube or spotify link to this song?

Subject: RE: Origins: Happy Family
From: Reinhard
Date: 29 Jul 20 - 02:30 PM

Ian Ó Loingsigh: Father Had a Knife

Subject: RE: Origins: Happy Family
From: Reinhard
Date: 29 Jul 20 - 02:45 PM

From the booklet of Songs of Animals and Other Marvels:

1 THE HAPPY FAMILY, sung by Harold Covill, March, Cambridgeshire; recorded by Peter Kennedy.

Alfred Williams, collector in the Upper Thames area, received a version of this from a singer who called it The Song of the Stock. There is another unpublished version among the Cecil Sharp manuscripts called The Irish Family, noted from John Coles at Hambridge, Somerset. Peter Kennedy also recorded a set from Jim Baldry of Woodbridge, Suffolk. The song has not hitherto appeared in any published collection, though it apparently enjoyed widespread popularity in many parts of England.

The tune of the chorus has been used for some versions of a popular Australian song called The Old Bullock Dray.

The singer, a railway guard, learned his songs from his mother.