Origins: Come Up The Stairs (Shay Healy)

Subject: Come Up The Stairs
From: Alice
Date: 11 Sep 00 - 10:07 PM

I am looking for the lyrics to a song recorded by the Lonely Stranded Band called "Come Up The Stairs". I tried to search the forum, but there seems to be a problem with traffic or something... error results.

Alice

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Come Up The Stairs
From: Brendy
Date: 12 Sep 00 - 12:51 AM

It's a Shay Healy song, I think, Alice.
No lyrics yet!

B.

Subject: Lyr Add: COME UP THE STAIRS (Shay Healy)
From: radriano
Date: 12 Sep 00 - 11:46 AM

Here are the lyrics for the Lonely Stranded Band's version of Come Up the Stairs:


COME UP THE STAIRS
(Shay Healy)


Young Molly was handsome and pretty
I'd rest and put on me new coat
And off to the men and to meet
And meself and a small rowing boat

I'd not gone more than a furlong
When holes in the bottom did sprout
And a big wave came out to capsize me
Meself and the small rowing boat

CHORUS:
Come up the stairs, up the stairs
Come up the stairs, Molly-o
And come up the stairs, up the stairs
Give me something to warm me, I'm cold

When up comes a great big sea monster
He was forty foot round, now, or more
Took one look at my sullen features
And he offered to take me on shore

Now where were you going in such weather?
I was going courtin' Molly, says I
Sure, there's no young ones left on this island
So how's a young man to get by

CHORUS

Now, why don't you and Molly get married
And then you can both stay at home
For tis better to suffer in marriage
Than spending your life on your own

Tonight I will ask her to marry me
I'm hoping she will agree
For tis better to suffer in marriage
Than in risking your neck on the sea

CHORUS

Radriano

---

Note from Joe Offer (27 May 2013): I have received an e-mail from Shay Healy, confirming that he wrote this song. It was recorded by Paddy Reilly, The Emmet Spiceland and Johnny McEvoy - but the lyrics were written entirely by Shay Healy, Oisin/ Bardis Music 9 Prince of Wales Terrace, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Come Up The Stairs
From: Alice
Date: 12 Sep 00 - 12:27 PM

Thank you!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Come Up The Stairs
From: Captain Swing
Date: 12 Sep 00 - 03:23 PM

I know the 3rd line of the 1st verse as "And away to the mainland a courting" and the last line of the chorus as "Give me something to warm me old bones"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Come Up The Stairs
From: Captain Swing
Date: 12 Sep 00 - 03:25 PM

Also, is it "I'd rest" or "I dressed"?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Come Up The Stairs
From: radriano
Date: 12 Sep 00 - 04:10 PM

Thanks for the clarifications, Captain Swing. I had transcribed the song from their tape and some phrases were kind of hard to understand.

Radriano

Subject: Origins: Come up the stairs
From: Gulliver
Date: 26 May 08 - 01:05 PM

Anybody know the origins of this song? The chap who sings it at our session thinks he learned it from the Dubliners, and I think it was sung by Paddy Reilly. I'm pretty sure it's not traditional.

It starts:

Young Molly was handsome and pretty; I've washed and put on me new coat,
and off to the mainland a courtin' I went in me small little boat.

CHORUS
Come up the Stairs, up the stairs, Come up the Stairs Molly-O
Come up the Stairs, up the Stairs, bring something to warm me old bones.

Don

Subject: ADD: Come Up the Stairs (Shay Healy)
From: GUEST,Dave_
Date: 26 May 08 - 02:11 PM

Lyrics to Come Up The Stairs by Bardic:

This the one

Come Up the Stairs
(Shay Healy)

Young Molly was handsome and pretty
I dressed and put on me new coat
And off to the mainland to meet her
Myself and the small rowing boat

I hadn't gone more than a furlong
When holes in the bottom did sproat
A big wave came up and capsized me
Myself and the small rowin' boat

Well up came a great big sea serpent
He was forty feet long now or more
He had one look at seldom features
And offered to take me ashore

"Oh where are you goin' in such weather?"
"I was going courtin' Molly,"says I.
"For there's no young ones left on the island
So how's a young man to get by ?"

Why don't you and Molly get married
And then you can both stay at home
For it's better to suffer in marriage
Than cathin' your death in the cold

Well tonight I will ask her to marry
I'm hopin' that she will agree
for I'd rather be poor and be married
Than riskin' me life on the sea
Come up the stairs, up the stairs,
Come up the stairs, Molly O

Come up the stairs, Come up the stairs,
Bring somethin' to warm me old bones
(It's yourself could be warmin'me bones)

Subject: RE: Origins: Come up the stairs
From: Gulliver
Date: 26 May 08 - 03:30 PM

Yes, that's the one--now, where does it come from?

Subject: RE: Origins: Come up the stairs
From: Joe Offer
Date: 26 May 08 - 03:43 PM

I can't find anything about the song that isn't tied to Bardic, not that I know who/what Bardic is. Some of the lyrics sites say the song is traditional, but I don't believe that. I did find a parody of the song, for what it's worth, by a group called Darby O'Gill.

-Joe-

---

Back to the Song Index

The Gettin's Good

(c) 2002, W. Scott Messer. Recorded by Darby O'Gill, "The Gettin's Good", 2002, Dog Sheet Music.

Go to the CD "The Gettin's Good"

Listen to this song

The Gettin’s Good © 2002, W. Scott Messer          Gm        D               Cm     D   Gm    Cm        Gm     D        Gm I was out there lookin’ for a job to do; having been too long upon the dole                    D          Cm      D          Gm   Cm      Gm            D          Gm You came to me and I trusted you; by then I think I would have sold my soul                       Cm        Eb             D              Gm         Cm Gm-D-Gm The things you said, the words you swore, they were not easy to ignore                          D      Cm     D      Gm Cm       Gm               D        Gm Now I’m not the man I was before - I’m getting’ out while the gettin’s good I was eager and naïve; a ready little patsy out of school You were waiting to deceive. Wasn’t I the happy, willing fool You’d think that I would understand Your smoke and your mirrors and your slight-of-hand If I knew then what you had planned - I’m getting’ out while the gettin’s good If you want to drag yourself to Hell                     Oh …The getting’s good So off you go, and faretheewell                       Oh …The getting’s good Your dark devices terrify, still your young men come, and I don’t know why Now you’re on your way, well, so am I   -   I’m getting’ out while the gettin’s good                      Cm         Eb           D               Gm      Cm   Gm    D   Gm You throw the dice, you take your chance, you pay the piper when you dance                       Cm          Eb        D     Gm         Cm      Gm-D-Gm I’ve served my time, I’ve paid my dues; now I’ve nothin’ left to loose                    Cm               Gm                              D                           Gm I’ve been too long misunderstood; now I’m getting’ out while the gettin’s good

Subject: RE: Origins: Come up the stairs
From: Ernest
Date: 26 May 08 - 04:09 PM

Hi Don,

my friend Robbie Doyle used to sing that - he attributed it to Shay Healey.

All the best

Ernest

Subject: RE: Origins: Come up the stairs
From: Gulliver
Date: 26 May 08 - 08:03 PM

Hi Ernest, thanks--how are you doing? I was out tonight discussing this with friends and the general agreement was that Shay Healey wrote it.

I'd still like to know a little more about its origins, ie, was it based on an older song, when written, etc.

Don

Subject: RE: Origins: Come up the stairs
From: Ernest
Date: 27 May 08 - 01:49 AM

Hi Don,
I am fine, thank you - how about you?

Since I will see Robbie tonight I will ask him for additional information.

Best
Ernest

Subject: ADD: Come Up The Stairs (Shay Healy)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 27 May 13 - 06:43 PM

Referring to what's been posted above, here's what I hear on the Johnny McEvoy recording

COME UP THE STAIRS
(Shay Healy)

Young Molly was handsome and pretty,
I washed and put on me new coat;
And off to the mainland to courting,
I went in me small rowing boat.

CHORUS:
Come up the stairs, up the stairs
Come up the stairs, Molly-o;
Come up the stairs, up the stairs,
Bring something to warm me old bones.

Well, I hadn't gone more than four furlongs,
No more than ten minutes afloat,
When a big wave came and capsized us,
Meself and me small rowing boat.

Well, up comes a great big sea serpent,
He was forty long feet, now, or more;
And he'd one look at my sunken (solemn?) features,
And offered to take me ashore.

CHORUS

Oh, where were you going in such weather?
I was going courtin' Molly, said I;
As there's no humans left on me island,
So how's a young man to get by?

CHORUS

Why don't you and Molly get married,
And then you can both stay at home;
For it's better to suffer in marriage
Than catching your death in the cold.

CHORUS

Well, tonight I will ask her to marry,
I'm hoping that she will agree;
For I'd rather be fool (?) and be married,
Than risking me life on the sea.

CHORUS

Can somebody check this, especially the places marked with question marks?

---

I found a few YouTube recordings:

• The Skelligs
• leprechaun
• Paddy Reilly

Subject: ADD: Come Up The Stairs (Shay Healy)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 27 May 13 - 07:08 PM

I found a YouTube recording by Paddy Reilly that's very similar to the Bardic version posted by Dave above. This is what I hear:


COME UP THE STAIRS
(Shay Healy)

Young Molly was handsome and pretty,
I'd dressed and put on me new coat;
And off to the mainland to meet her,
Meself and the small rowing boat

I hadn't gone more than a furlong,
When holes in the bottom did sprout;
A big wave came up and capsized me,
Meself and the small rowin' boat.

CHORUS
I've come up the stairs, up the stairs,
Come up the stairs, Molly-o;
I've come up the stairs, up the stairs,
Bring somethin' to warm me old bones

When up comes a great big sea serpent,
He was forty feet long now or more;
He had one look at my solemm features,
And offered to take me ashore.

CHORUS

"Oh where were you goin' in such weather?"
"I was going courtin' Molly," says I.
"For there's no young ones left on the island,
So how's a young man to get by?"

"Why don't you and Molly get married,
And then you could both stay at home?
For it's better to suffer in marriage,
Than catching your death in the cold."

CHORUS

Tonight I will ask her to marry,
I'm hopin' that she will agree;
For I'd rather be poor and be married,
Than riskin' me life on the sea.

FINAL CHORUS
I've come up the stairs, up the stairs,
Come up the stairs, Molly-o
I've come up the stairs, up the stairs,
It's yourself can be warmin' me bones.