ADD: The Foreman O'Rourke (Matt McGinn)

Subject: where is mcginns foreman orourke
From: GUEST,jon bartlett in india
Date: 19 Feb 25 - 10:51 PM

see title. i cant find it in dt. goddamn this laptop

Subject: ADD: The Foreman O'Rourke (Matt McGinn)
From: GUEST,Phil d'Conch
Date: 20 Feb 25 - 12:51 AM

Dunno about DT but:

Songs about capital punishment: The Foreman O'Rourke

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? Thread #8178   Message #995224
Posted By: GUEST,Mary Ann
01-Aug-03 - 03:51 PM
Thread Name: Songs about capital punishment.
Subject: Lyr Add: FOREMAN O'ROURKE (Matt McGinn)

THE FOREMAN O'ROURKE
As recorded by Matt McGinn on “The Return of the Two Heided Man” (Relrecords, 2001)

CHORUS: Hooch aye, hooch till a fa'.
Hooch aye, hooch till a dae.

Maybe I’m right; maybe I’m wrong.
Maybe I shouldnae go singing this song,
But the jury decided—you may as well—
That a fella like me should be roastin in hell. CHORUS

I had a gaffer; his name was O'Rourke.
He had a terrible passion for work.
In miles and in turns, he took all he could see,
Though he never was greedy; he gied it tae me. CHORUS

One day in ma work, I went roon for a smoke.
The door it burst open; there stood O'Rourke.
He startit tae swear and he gied me his curse.
He insulted ma mother, and that was far worse. CHORUS

He jumped for my throat and it gied me a fright.
I was quick on ma feet and I stepped tae ma right.
There was nothing could stop him, this terrible man,
Till he landed feet up, wi' his heid in the pan. CHORUS

I was tremblin wi fear as his heid gave a thud,
And I looked doon and saw that his claes were all mud.
Yet it wasnae his claes was the worst o' his plight,
For his heid was jammed in there; a sorrowful sight. CHORUS

In Barlinnie I wait for the man tae come roon
That will open the door and let me drap doon,
And I'll pray for O'Rourke as they gie me the tug,
For they hang me the morra, for pullin the plug. CHORUS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ooSDU8W8Ok

Subject: RE: where is mcginns foreman orourke
From: GUEST,jon bartlett
Date: 20 Feb 25 - 10:54 AM

many thanks phil. could some helpful elve enter it to dt looking at you mr offer
jon

Subject: RE: where is McGinn's Foreman O'Rourke
From: Joe Offer
Date: 20 Feb 25 - 06:14 PM

Hi, Jon - Dick Greenhaus, editor of the Digital Tradition, died in 2009. We decided to preserve the Digital Tradition as he left it. The Forum is now our master database for songs.

Subject: RE: ADD: The Foreman O'Rourke (Matt McGinn)
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Jul 25 - 02:26 AM

The recording I have of Matt McGuinn singing this song, on Topic's The Iron Muse (Vinyl 1963) has the first verse:-

Maybe I'm right or maybe I'm wrong
Maybe I shouldn't be singing this song
Maybe I shouldn't be telling this tale
But I'll tell it to you just the same.

Just a slight difference, but fairly significant.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2xxlbk358Q