Req: Slattery's Light Dragoons/Mounted Fut

Subject: Slattery's light dragoons
From:
Date: 03 Mar 00 - 12:19 AM

Can anyone help me find the lyrics to "Slattery's light Dragoons". Some of the chorus is " Down from the mountains came the squadrons and platoons. Four and twenty fighting men and a couple of stout gasoons. And as we marched behind them sining patriotic tunes, we swore that fame would kill the name of slattery's light dragoons."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Slattery's light dragoons
From: alison
Date: 03 Mar 00 - 01:09 AM

It is one of my Dad's party pieces.

It is actually called "Slattery's Mounted Fut", and was written by Percy French (more famous for "the Mountains of Mourne")....

the database is playing hard to get so I ahven't been able to check if it is in there yet.

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Slattery's light dragoons
From: alison
Date: 03 Mar 00 - 01:15 AM

Nope, not in the database.....

from memory and probably not right, the first verse is roughly,

you'll ahve heard of Julius Caesar and of bold Napoleon too
and how the ?Cork militia beat the ??Turks at Waterloo.........

hope this jogs someones memory.. I'd put good money on Mick Bracken will have the words....

slainte

alison

Subject: Lyr Add: SLATTERY'S MOUNTED FUT (Percy French)
From: Brakn
Date: 03 Mar 00 - 05:34 AM

Alison is usually right!!


SLATTERY'S MOUNTED FUT
(Percy French)

You've heard o' Julius Ceasar, and the great Napolean, too,
An' how the Cork Militia beat the Turks at Waterloo;
But there's a page of glory that, as yet, remains uncut,
An' that's the Martial story o' the Shlathery's Mounted Fut.
This gallant corps was organised by Shlathery's eldest son.
A noble-minded poacher, wid a double- breasted gun;
An' many a head was broken, aye, an' many an eye was shut,
Whin practisin' manoeuvres in the Shlathery's Mounted Fut.

Chorus
An' down from the mountains came the squadrons an' platoons,
Four-an'-twinty fightin' min, an' a couple o' sthout gossoons,
An' whin we marched behind the dhrum to patriotic tunes,
We felt that fame would gild the name o' Shlathery's Light Dragoons.

Well, first we reconnoithered round o' O'Sullivan's Shebeen--
It used to be "The Shop House," but we call it, "The Canteen;"
But there we saw a notice which the bravest heart unnerved--
"All liquor must be settled for before the dhrink is served."
So on we marched, but soon again each warrior's heart grew pale,
For risin' high in front o' us we saw the County Jail;
An' whin the army faced about, 'twas just in time to find,
A couple o' policemin had surrounded us behind.

Chorus
Still, from the mountains came the squadrons and platoons,
Four-an'-twinty fightin' min, an' a couple o' sthout gossoons,
Says Shlathery, "We must circumvent these bludgeonin' bosthoons
Or else it sames they'll take the names o' Shlathery's Light Dragoons."

"We'll cross the ditch," our leader cried, "an' take the foe in flank,"
But yells of consthernation here arose from every rank,
For posted high upon a tree we very plainly saw,
"Threspassers prosecuted, in accordance wid' the law."
"We're foiled!" exclaimed bold Shlathery, "here ends our grand campaign,
'Tis merely throwin' life away to face that mearin' dhrain,
I'm not as bold as lions, but I'm braver nor a hin,
An' he that fights and runs away will live to fight agin."

Chorus
An' back to the mountains went the squadrons an' platoons,
Four-an'-twinty fightin' min, an' a couple o' sthout gossoons,
The band was playin' cautiously their patriotic tunes;
To sing the fame, if rather lame o' Shlathery's Light Dragoons.
^^

Regards Mick Bracken

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Slattery's light dragoons
From: alison
Date: 03 Mar 00 - 07:39 AM

Hahaha.....

I knew my money was in safe hands.... thanks Mick

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Slattery's light dragoons
From: Liam's Brother
Date: 03 Mar 00 - 08:19 AM

Hi Alison!

This looks great! Can you coax your father into singing this into a tape machine? Possibly Max and Bert would play it some Wednesday.

Other than the Irish Mudcatters, most of friends have probably never heard of Percy French. Maybe you can write a few things about him. I used to sing another of his songs, "Larry Mick McGarry"

Larry Mick McGarry was the torment of the town
He was a man a woman's glad of but a man would like it drown
With a smile he would beguile away each girl from her boy
Sure, and when he got a mile away he'd tire of the toy.

All the best,
Dan

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Slattery's light dragoons
From: alison
Date: 03 Mar 00 - 08:29 AM

Dan name your time and I'll sing it to you on hearme

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Slattery's light dragoons
From: alison
Date: 03 Mar 00 - 08:41 AM

Here's a link to The Percy French Society there is some information but not much.. and I can't find a site of lyrics anywhere.

I'm off to a festival for the weekend.. I'll put a MIDI up when I get back

slainte

alison

Subject: Tune add: Slattery's light dragoons
From: alison
Date: 03 Mar 00 - 09:01 AM

I've put the MIDI on Mudcat MIDIs

I hope it's there.. for some reason I can't see things that I have uploaded even when I refresh the page.......

let me know if it isn't....

slainte

alison

Subject: Lyr Add: O'SLATTERY'S LIGHT DRAGOONS
From: Susan A-R
Date: 03 Mar 00 - 08:51 PM

I just picked up a book entitled My Pious friends and Drunken Companions and More Pious Friends and Drunken Companions, songs and ballads of convivialty, collected by Frank Shay. (Dover Book of Humor, re issued in 1961, originally two books were issued in 1927 and 1928) Shay doesn't credit Percy, but he does have more verses. Here they are.

We reached the mountains safely tho' all stiff and sore with cramp
Each took a neat of whiskey straight to disipate the damp.
And when their pipes were loaded up O'Slattery up and said
Today's immortal fight will be remembered by the dead.

I never wil forget said he while this brave heart shall beat
The eager way ye followed when I headed the retreat.
Ye've heard the soldier's maxim when desisting from the fight
Best be a coward for five minutes than a dead man all your life.

So there in the mountains rest the squadrons and platoons
The four and twenty fighting men and a couple of stout gossoons
They march no more so martially to patriotic tunes
But all the same they sing the fame of O'Slattery's light dragoons.
^^

(line breaks added by a Joe clone)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Slattery's light dragoons
From: alison
Date: 05 Mar 00 - 09:00 AM

Now I know this is no big deal for all you computer literate types... but I have just put my first GIF online.... WOOHOO!!!!!

tune and guitar chords can now be found at Mudcat MIDIs

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Slattery's light dragoons
From: GUEST,Seán
Date: 02 Mar 02 - 09:47 PM

I am sure that the surrounding policemen were stout - at least in Brendan O'Dowd's version

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Slattery's light dragoons
From: GUEST,Des Gleeson
Date: 28 Feb 05 - 02:28 PM

As I'm the one who started this,(...and forgot about it for five years) Thanks to all who spent the time contributing versons of this song
Des G

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Slattery's light dragoons
From: Flash Company
Date: 01 Mar 05 - 07:14 AM

I seem to remember the chorus slightly differently, unfortunately, not clearly:-

-------------------------- we gripped our muskets by the butt,
And sang a song as we marched along wid Slattery's mounted foot!

FC

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Slattery's Light Dragoons
From: GUEST,Lyn
Date: 16 Dec 07 - 10:37 PM

Quote: Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Slattery's light dragoons
From: GUEST,Seán
Date: 02 Mar 02 - 09:47 PM

I am sure that the surrounding policemen were stout - at least in Brendan O'Dowd's version

You're quite right, Sean. In Brendan's version, it runs:

And when the army faced about, 'twas just in time to find
A couple of stout policemen had surrounded us behind.

And just in case people haven't noticed and are searching the internet for information about Brendan, although it seems it's often written O'Dowd, I'm pretty sure that's wrong and there should be an 'a' on the end - O'Dowda. I found more hits with the 'a' than without and our 3-cd set which he is on and a record we have both list him as O'Dowda, so I assume that's correct.

Lyn.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Slattery's Light Dragoons
From: GUEST,Mike O'Leary-Johns
Date: 17 Dec 07 - 11:08 AM

The best"rendition" I ever heard of that was By a Man named JACK KELLY ; in the Green Stars Rugby Club in Port Talbot.
Not a lot of people know that.................. Mike.

Subject: RE: Req: Slattery's Light Dragoons/Mounted Fut
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Nov 11 - 08:58 AM

This song was written by Percy Frzench in 1889. Yes Brendan
O'Dowda recorded it. By the way there were no Turks at Waterloo
                                  Anyone out there care to take a
                                  listen to my "Foggy Dew" The
                                    guitarist is Frenchman,
                                  Daniel Nys
                                          Thank you
                                                      James Molloy

Subject: RE: Req: Slattery's Light Dragoons/Mounted Fut
From: GUEST,oldvet
Date: 19 Oct 19 - 03:33 PM

You might go to: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slattery%27s_Mounted_Foot

as they have the original lyrics and a few alternate verses.

Subject: RE: Req: Slattery's Light Dragoons/Mounted Fut
From: GUEST,akenaton
Date: 19 Oct 19 - 05:28 PM

As a kid I used to listen to a version by "The McPeake Family" on an old think it was "Parlaphone" 78.

Subject: RE: Req: Slattery's Light Dragoons/Mounted Fut
From: GUEST,threelegsoman
Date: 20 Oct 19 - 03:25 AM

I did a version of this song nine years ago which can be viewed at:

Shlathery's Mounted Fut (Including lyrics and chords)