Lyr Req: There was a woman from... (limerick) [4]

Subject: There was a woman from...
From: GUEST,Missprissypants
Date: 31 Aug 00 - 11:56 AM

Hi, I'm an actor, and I am getting ready to audition for a production of You Can't Take It With You. This is a college production, and due to an evening class that I have two nights a week, I am only eligible for two of the roles in the show. There is a really sweet, small role of a drunk actress that I want, and she sings a song throughout the Act she is in. I cannot remember the exact title, but I believe it is There was a woman from wheeling, or something similar. I cannot find any lyrics or information on this song. If anyone has any ideas I would appreciate the help!

-MPP

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: There was a woman from...
From: Wolfgang
Date: 31 Aug 00 - 12:05 PM

without much confidence: try Old Woman from Wexford

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: There was a woman from...
From: Jacob B
Date: 31 Aug 00 - 05:55 PM

I suspect that she might have been singing a dirty limerick. Here is a link to a previous thread on the Limerick Song. Unfortunately, I don't know how I can point you to the song's melody if you are not already familiar with it, but it goes to the melody of a familiar Mexican song.

I'll take a look at You Can't Take It With You tonight, if I get the chance.

Jacob

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: There was a woman from...
From: Jacob B
Date: 01 Sep 00 - 09:46 AM

Hi MPP,

You obviously mean the part of Gay Wellington (she's there when the curtain rises on the second act, has lines at the beginning, middle, and end of the act, and is passed out on the couch for most of the act) but I don't see her singing anything in the script. There must be more than one version of the script. If you give us all the lyrics that your script has, we can probably come up with the rest of the song. Or, sing it to the melody of the limerick song. It's certainly a plausible thing for a drunk to sing.

Maybe someone else can provide a link to the melody of the limerick song.

Good luck with the audition!

Jacob

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: There was a woman from...
From: Sam L
Date: 28 Apr 03 - 03:03 PM

Short of a link to the limerick song, can anybody suggest any fairly-well known or simple tunes that lend themselves to the form? Havin' trouble thinking of any. Thanks.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: There was a woman from...
From: GUEST,weerover
Date: 28 Apr 03 - 04:02 PM

Jim McLean's "Singing the Booze" is in limerick format, don't know what the original song title was, but it's also the tune for a bawdy song called "The Gay Caballero"

wr

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: There was a woman from...
From: Sam L
Date: 28 Apr 03 - 06:55 PM

Thanks--after I posted it came to me that amazing grace and the gilligan's island theme could support limericks, though both are a little teased on the second cadence. I may start a different thread, I'm a bit rushed for a school improv thing.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: There was a woman from...
From: Wolfgang
Date: 05 May 03 - 10:25 AM

A (now unknown) German duo, Schobert und Black, have been singing a lot of Limericks to many different tunes. That would be a source if you can locate a recording.

They sometimes called their limericks 'schlimmericks' (pron.: shlimmericks) which in a German listeners both evoces the meanings 'dirtericks' and 'worsericks' which is the idea.

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: There was a woman from...
From: Compton
Date: 07 May 03 - 05:19 AM

The Music Hall song "That was a nice little song..." using limerick type verses was wriiten by Leslie Sarony....a long time ago