Lyr Req: The Sicknote

Subject: The Sicknote
From:
Date: 24 Apr 00 - 02:13 PM

Lyrics please for the song known as The Sicknote.

Dear Sir I write this note to you to tell you of me plight For at the time of writing it I am not a pretty sight My boddy is all black and blue me head is dreadful sore And I am sure you will understand why Paddy is not at work today.

Whilst working on the forteenth floor some bricks I had to move etc......

Cheers

Dave

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Click for related thread

Thread #47508   Message #708772
Posted By: GUEST,Pat Cooksey.
11-May-02 - 08:16 AM
Thread Name: the sick note/ murphy and the bricks.
Subject: Origins: the sick note/ murphy and the bricks.

Over a long number of years there has been much speculation concerning this song. I wrote this song under it's original title Paddy and the Barrell in 1969, and first performed it in The Dyers Arms in Coventry at this time, and in 1972 Sean Cannon, later to become a member of the Dubliners began to perform it in the folk clubs under the title The Sick Note. The song was based on Gerard Hoffnung's wonderful address to the Oxford Union, but the story in a more simple form dates back to the English music halls in the 1920's and appeared in the Readers Digest in 1937. I personally gave the words of this song to Noel Murphy in a night club in Coventry in the early seventies and his only contribution to this song was to change the title to Murphy and the Bricks, and when this song was recorded Noel Murphy was obliged to remove his name from the writers credits, I still have a letter from Misty River Music to this effect. The song under more than 20 alternative titles has since been recorded more than 100 times worldwide, and in every version the words are identical. This song under all alternative titles has always been the exclusive copywright of myself, Pat Cooksey, and is registered with The Performing Rights Society in London. This includes Dear Boss by The Clancy brothers, The Bricklayers Song by The Corries and Ray Stevens, The Sick Note by The Dubliners, etc,etc, and also Murphy and the Bricks. No other artist had any input into this song nor is any claim for arrangement valid. Pat Cooksey, Nuremberg, Germany.

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Click for lyrics in the Digital Tradition

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Sicknote
From: MMario
Date: 24 Apr 00 - 02:18 PM

lyrics herehttp://www.mudcat.org/@displaysong.cfm?SongID=7866

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Sicknote
From: SDShad
Date: 24 Apr 00 - 02:20 PM

There's a version of it here, in the Digital Tradition, entitled "Why Paddy's Not At Work (Excuse Note)." The words are a little different from how I learned it out of "Rise Up Singing," which I don't have handy just now.

It's fun, easy, and free to use the DigiTrad Lyrics Search option at the top of this page to do, well, obviously...lyrics searches. Although a search for "sick note" wouldn't have turned it up, in this particular case.

Chris

Lyrics sent by e-mail, but the address was no good.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Sicknote
From: GUEST,JIM VAUVERT
Date: 24 Apr 00 - 05:54 PM

goto http://lpt.fi/~zaphod/lyrics/why paddys not at work excuse note and print it out

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Sicknote
From: GUEST,Rich(stupidbodhranplayerwhodoesn'tknowbetter
Date: 25 Apr 00 - 05:41 PM

The version in the DigiTrad is missing the following:

Now when those bricks had fallen from the barrel to the floor
I then out-weighed the barrel and I started down once more
Still clinging tightly to the rope, my body wracked with pain,
When halfway down, I met the bloody barrel once again.

Now the force of this collision halfway up the office block,
Caused multiple abrasions and a nasty case of shock.
Still clinging tightly to the rope I fell towards the ground
And landed on the broken bricks the barrel scattered round

From the singing of Kevin Burke of all people

Rich

HTML line breaks added, in place of double spacing. --JoeClone, 10-Feb-02.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Sicknote
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 25 Apr 00 - 06:11 PM

There seem to be two versions of this thread going along in parallel universes, one called "The Sicknote" and one called "Sicknote".

Here is the other one - please continue discussion there

(edited slightly by Joe Offer)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Sicknote
From: keltcgrasshoppper
Date: 29 May 00 - 05:32 PM

Just went and got the lyrics.. but would appreciate it if anyone knew the notes to the tune .....KGH

Subject: Duplicate Thread
From: Joe Offer
Date: 29 May 00 - 06:08 PM

Gee, KGH, it's better to have just one thread on this question, and I see you have two going, and that this one was one we asked people to avoid because there was yet another one going. That really makes a confusing mess of things. I'm going to delete the other one you started.
The tune I've usually heard for this song is The Garden Where the Praties Grow (click). For the tune, click on the "click to play" link at the bottom of the lyrics.
Anybody know of other tunes used for "The Sick Note?"
-Joe Offer-

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There seem to be two versions of this thread going along in parallel universes, one called "The Sicknote" and one called "Sicknote".

Here is the other one - please continue discussion there

(Please don't post any more messages in this thread - it gets confusing)