Lyr Req: Delaney's Donkey (William Hargreaves)

Subject: Lyr/Tune Add: DELANEY'S DONKEY (William Hargreaves
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 24 Sep 17 - 01:33 PM

Thanks, Jim Dixon.
It is indeed in: Francis & Day's album of famous Irish Songs.
So herewith, the lyrics as they show them. Cheekily copied from Alison's post above, then compared/corrected.


DELANEY'S DONKEY
Words & music by William Hargreaves

Delaney had a donkey ev'ryone admired,
Tempo'rily lazy permanently tired;
A leg at ev'ry corner, balancing its head,
And a tail to let you know which end it wanted to be fed
Riley slyly said "We've underrated it,
Why not train it?" then he took a rag,
Rubbed it, scrubbed it, oiled and embrocated it
Got it to the post and when the starter dropped the flag

There was Riley pushing it, shoving it, and shushing it,
Hogan, Logan ev'ryone in town,
Lined up attacking it, shoving it and smacking it;
They might as well have tried to push the town hall down.
The donkey was eyeing them, openly defying them,
Winking, blinking, twisting out of place,
Riley reversing it, ev'rybody cursing it
The day Delaney's donkey ran the half-mile race .

The muscles of the mighty, never known to flinch,
Didn't move the donkey quarter of an inch
Delaney lay exhausted, hanging round its throat
With a grip just like a Scotchman on a twenty shilling note.
Starter, Carter, lined up all the rest of 'em;
When it saw them, it was willing then.
Raced up, braced up, ready for the best of 'em
They started off to cheer it but it changed its mind again

There was Riley pushing it, shoving it, and shushing it
Hogan Logan, Mary Ann MacGraw,
She started poking it, grabbing it and choking it;
It kicked her in the bustle and it laughed "Hee-Haw!"
The whigs and conservatives, radical superlatives
Lib'rals tories, hurried to the place,
Stood there in unity, helping the community
To push Delaney's donkey in the half-mile race.

The crowd began to cheer it. Rafferty, the judge,
Came up to assist them, still it wouldn't budge.
The jockey who was riding, little John McGee,
Was so thoroughly disgusted he went home to get his tea
Hagan, Fagan, students of psychology,
Swore they'd shift it with some dynamite.
Bought it, brought it, then without apology
The donkey gave a sneeze and blew the darn stuff out of sight

There was Riley pushing it, shoving it, and shushing it,
Hogan Logan all the bally crew,
P'lice and auxil'ary, the Garrison Artillery,
The Second Inniskillings, and the Life Guards, too,
They seized it and harried it, picked it up and carried it,
Cheered it, steered it, to the winning place,
Bookies all drew aside and committed suicide
Because Delaney's donkey won the half-mile race.

X: 1
T: Delaney's Donkey
M: 4/4
L: 1/4
Z: NP 24/09/2017
K: C
G/| C3/4 C/4 C3/4 C/4 cc| A3/4 G// A3/4 B// c z| C3/4 C// C3/4 C// cc| G3/4A//G3/4E//D z/ G/| C3/4 C// C3/4 C// cc| A3/4 G// A3/4 B// c A3/4 B//| c3/4 E// E3/4 E// F3/4 G// A3/4 F//| G3/4 c// c3/4 B// cz| EAcA|^G3/4 A// B3/4 G// A3/4 F// E| EAcA| ^G3/4 A// B3/4 c//Az| cccc| G3/4 A// G3/4 F// E3/4 F// G| A3/4 A// A3/4 A// A3/4 B// c3/4 A//| G3/4 A// G3/4 E// D|| E3/4D//| CCc3/4 B// c| A3/4 G// A3/4 B// c3/4 B// c| CCcc| G3/4 A// G3/4 E// Dz| CC3/4 C// c3/4 B// c| A3/4 G// A3/4 B// c3/4 B// c3/4 A//| B3/4 G// G3/4 G// G3/4 A// B3/4 G//| BAGz/G/| C C3/4 C// c3/4 B// c| A3/4 G// A3/4 B// c3/4 B// c| CCcc| G3/4 A// G3/4 E//Dz| G G3/4 F// E3/4 F//G| A3/4 A// A3/4 G// A3/4 B// c3/4 B//| c3/4 C// C3/4 C// D3/4 E// F3/4 G//| ECCz||
w: De-la-ney had a don-key ev'-ry-one ad-mired, Tem-po'-ri-ly la-zy per-ma-nent-ly tired; A leg at ev-'ry cor-ner, bal-anc-ing its head, And a tail to let you know which end it wan-ted to be fed. Ri-ley sly-ly said "We've un-der-ra-ted it, Why not train it?" then he took a rag, Rubbed it, scrubbed it, oiled and em-bro-ca-ted it Got it to the post and when the star-ter dropped the flag There was Ri-ley push-ing it, shov-ing it, and shush-ing it, Ho-gan, Lo-gan ev'-ry-one in town, Lined up at-tack-ing it, shov-ing it and smack-ing it; They might as well have tried to push the town hall down. The don-key was eye-ing them, op-en-ly def-y-ing them, Wink-ing, blink-ing, twist-ing out of place, Ri-ley re-vers-ing it, ev'-ryb-o-dy curs-ing it The day De-lan-ey's don-key ran the half-mile race .

From Francis & Day's Album of Famous Irish Songs. My copy must be early 1970s as it shows the price as either 6 shillings or 30p. The item number for the book in Francis Day & Hunter's catalogue is "F&D Ltd. 23142" This item is marked "Copyright 1921 by Francis, Day & Hunter Ltd." The tune is not quite as I remember Val Doonican doing it, but for that matter, neither are the words. This is included as it gives an early version from a verifiable source.
NP

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Delaney's Donkey
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 31 Aug 17 - 11:38 PM

WorldCat.org indicates that Leeds College of Music and the National Library of New Zealand have copies of the sheet music for DELANEY'S DONKEY. It was written (words and music) by William Hargreaves, and published in London by Francis, Day & Hunter in 1921. It's also included in a book called "Songs of Ireland" (1982) by Val Doonican, and in "Francis & Day's Album of Famous Irish Songs."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Delaney's Donkey
From: clueless don
Date: 30 Aug 17 - 08:27 AM

I have a copy of a recorded version - can't recall if it is Val Doonican, or someone else. I concur with Gurney (on 13 Nov 05 - 01:53 AM) about "oiled and embrocated it". I also recall one of the early lines slightly differently (this may be me mishearing):

instead of "And a tail to let you know it when he wanted to be fed"

I remember it as "And a tail to let you know which end it wanted to be fed"

(or maybe "...which end he wanted to be fed.)

Don

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Delaney's Donkey
From: GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 27 Aug 17 - 08:28 AM

For non-Brits, the Val Doonican version of the song would have been familiar to millions of Brits.
For years, Val had the top variety show on BBC TV drawing a huge viewing audience.
And, having a great range of "folky" entertainers from David Grisman to harmonica player Charlie McCoy to John Denver.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Delaney's Donkey
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 26 Aug 17 - 06:52 AM

the variant that i composed of this popular folksong


https://soundcloud.com/denise_whittle/the-day-delaneys-donkey-had

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Delaney's Donkey
From: akenaton
Date: 25 Aug 17 - 05:40 PM

Thanks Hilary, My Uncle died in 1990 but he is still remembered here for Delaney's Donkey and his performances in the fifties.
Great to find out the history, I wasn't too far away with the 20's.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Delaney's Donkey
From: GUEST,Hilary
Date: 25 Aug 17 - 04:15 PM

Try this
http://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0111089

Subject: RE: Delaney's Donkey
From: akenaton
Date: 13 Nov 05 - 11:13 AM

This song predates Doonican by many years.

My old uncle sang it at community concerts in the 40's and 50's.
Sounds to me like a music hall song from the 20's, but I could well be wrong.

Does anyone know who first recorded it? Ake

Subject: RE: Delaney's Donkey
From: Gurney
Date: 13 Nov 05 - 01:53 AM

My Dad used to have the Val Doonican version. From memory:

First verse: ....oiled and embrocated it...

Third verse: .....raced up, braced up...(not off)

Fourth verse .....Radical Superlatives...

Subject: RE: Delaney's Donkey
From: Joe Offer
Date: 12 Nov 05 - 09:01 PM

I combined threads so the tune and lyrics would be in the same place. Note the crosslinks at the top of the thread that lead to other versions of the lyrics and other discussions of the song.
-Joe Offer (e-mail sent - and I got a nice note for thanks from the person who requested the tune)-

Subject: RE: Delany's Donkey
From:
Date: 12 Nov 05 - 10:23 AM

Where can I find the sheet music for Delany's Donkey? Penny

Subject: RE: Delaney's Donkey
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 13 Jul 97 - 12:15 PM

Alan- Don't sweat it. My workload is currently a few degrees north of infinite, and one or two more MIDIs won't make a lot of difference.

I can translate MIDIs into whatever formats we need automatically.

Subject: RE: Delaney's Donkey
From: Alan of Australia
Date: 11 Jul 97 - 07:21 PM

Dick,
If we send you a MIDI file and post a message telling the world that we've done so, what's the easiest way for other cyber-folkies to access that file without greatly increasing your workload?

Cheers,
Alan

Subject: RE: Delaney's Donkey
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 11 Jul 97 - 07:41 AM

Thanx Alison. If you have a means of producing a MIDI file, we can handle it. Just send it as an attachment to an E-Mail to [e-mail].

Subject: RE: Delaney's Donkey
From: Moira Cameron
Date: 11 Jul 97 - 04:32 AM

I know slightly different lyrics:

For the verse--

It kicked her in the bustle and it laughed 'hee, haw'.
The Whigs and Conservatives were uttering superlatives;
Liberals and Tories all got into place.
They stood there in unity, helping the community,
The day Delaney's Donkey ran the half mile race.

and the last verse--Police and auxiliary, the garrison artillery,
The organist McGivern and the lifeguard too;
They seized it and harried it, they picked it up and carried it,
Cheered it, steered it, to the winning place...

etc.

HTML line breaks added. --JoeClone, 21-Mar-03.

Subject: Tune Add: DELANEY'S DONKEY
From: alison
Date: 11 Jul 97 - 12:35 AM

HI

well you asked for it so here goes. (It would be much easier to send a midi file if this were possible.)

ed/ cccc^ccb/agab ^c
Now... Delaney had a donkey that everyone admired
cccc / ^ccb/agaed
Temporarily lazy and permanently tired
d/ cccc^ccb/agab^c
A leg at every corner, balancing his head
gg^c eeefghf g ^ccb^c
And a tail to let you know it when he wanted to be fed
e a ^c a/ g# a b g# aaa
Riley slyly said "We've underrated it
e a ^c a / g#a b g# a
Why not train it?" then they took a rag
g/ ^ cccc/g a g f d f g g/
They rubbed it, scrubbed it they oiled and lubricated it
a a a a a a a a b c a
Got it at the post and when the starter dropped the flag

^eee ^cccc a g a b ^ccc
There was Riley pushing it, shoving it, shooshing it
^cc c c g a g e d
Hogan, Logan and everyone in town
^ c c c c a g a b ^c c c c
Lined up attacking it and shoving it and smacking it
b g g g g a b ^ c a b ^c ^d
They might as well have tried to push the town hall down
^e ^cccc a g a b ^ccc
The donkey was eyeing them, openly defying them
^cccc g a g e d
Winking, blinking and twisting out of place
e g g g f e f g g aa a a g a b ^c
Riley reversing it, everybody cursing it
^cc eee f g a f g b ^c
The day Delaney's donkey ran the half-mile race

C / F / C
C / G7
C / F / C
C F G7 C

Am / E / Am
Am / E / Am
C / F /
G / G7

C / F / C
C / G7
C / F/ C
D / G

C / F / C
C / G7
C / F
C/ F / G7 / C

Hope you can follow this. The first part of the tune is similar to "Phil the Fluter's Ball". You will need to slow down a lot on the last 2 lines. i.e. The bookmakers all drew aside..............

Slainte

Alison

Subject: RE: Delaney's Donkey
From: Bobby O'Brien
Date: 10 Jul 97 - 11:27 PM

Alison: The word that belongs where you have the ??? is radical. Val does kind of trip over the lyrics there. I had to refer to a version recorded by Sean Dunphy to get that word straight.

Subject: RE: Delaney's Donkey
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 10 Jul 97 - 09:22 PM

Thanx Alison- Is the tune the same as something else? Or do you have some means of getting it to us? Sounds worth singing.

Subject: Lyr Add: DELANEY'S DONKEY
From: Alison
Date: 10 Jul 97 - 07:55 PM

Hi
Here goes...
------------------------------------------------------------------------

DELANEY'S DONKEY
(Hargreaves, Wright, Moorey)
(Performed by Val Doonican)

Now...
Delaney had a donkey that everyone admired
Temporarily lazy and permanently tired
A leg at every corner, balancing his head
And a tail to let you know it when he wanted to be fed
Riley slyly said "We've underrated it
Why not train it?" then they took a rag
They rubbed it, scrubbed it, they oiled and lubricated it
Got it at the post and when the starter dropped the flag

There was Riley pushing it, shoving it, shooshing it
Hogan, Logan and everyone in town
Lined up attacking it and shoving it and smacking it
They might as well have tried to push the town hall down
The donkey was eyeing them, openly defying them
Winking, blinking and twisting out of place
Riley reversing it, everybody cursing it
The day Delaney's donkey ran the half-mile race

The muscles of the mighty, never known to flinch
They couldn't move the donkey a quarter of an inch
Delaney lay exhausted, hanging round his throat
With a grip just like a Scotchman on the five pound note
Starter Carter, he lined it with the rest of them
When it saw them, it was willing then
It raced off, braced off, ready for the best of them
They started off to cheer it but it changed its mind again

And there was Riley pushing it, shoving it, shooshing it
Hogan, Logan and Mary-Ann McGrath
She started poking it and grabbing it and choking it
It kicked her in the bustle and it laughed hee-ha
The Whigs and Conservatives, the ??? superlatives
Liberals and Tories, they hurried to the place
Stood there in unity, helping the community
The day Delaney's donkey ran the half-mile race

The crowd began to cheer it and Rafferty the judge
He came up to assist them but still it wouldn't budge
And the jockey who was riding it, little John McGee
Was so thoroughly disgusted that he went and had his tea
Hagen, Fagen were students of psychology
Swore they'd shift him with some dynamite
They bought it, brought it, and without apology
The donkey gave a sneeze and blew the whole lot out of sight

And there was Riley pushing it, shoving it, shooshing it
Hogan, Logan and all the Bally crew
Police and auxiliary, the garrison artillery
The 2nd Enniskillens and the lifeguards too
They seized it and harried it, they picked it up and carried it
Cheered it, steered it, to the winning place...
And the bookmakers drew aside... and they all committed suicide...
The day Delaney's donkey won the half-mile race

Have fun

Slainte

Alison

HTML line breaks added. --JoeClone, 21-Mar-03.

Subject: Delaney's Donkey
From:
Date: 10 Jul 97 - 05:31 PM

Hi, this is my first time here.

Can anyone give me the lyrics for a song, presumably Irish or Irish American, possibly Newfoundland, called Delaney's Donkey. It begins, "Oh Delaney had a donkey that everyone admired/ Temporarily lazy and permanently tired . ."

It was done in the seventies by an eastern Canadian folk band called Ryan's Fancy but the album is long out of print.

Also if it is copyright I'd like the details of that.

Thanks.