Lyr Req: How Paddy Stole the Rope

Subject: Stealing ropes!
From:
Date: 04 Dec 96 - 12:43 PM

Anybody got words for "When Paddy stole the Rope"?

Best Wishes

Martin Ryan

Subject: ADD: How Paddy Stole the Rope ^^
From: Joe Offer
Date: 09 Sep 00 - 02:21 PM

HOW PADDY STOLE THE ROPE

THERE was once two Irish labouring men; to England they came over;
They tramped about in search of work from Liverpool to Dover.
Says Pat to Mick, "I'm tired of this; we're both left in the lurch;
And if we don't get work, bedad, I'll go and rob a church."
"What, rob a church?" says Mick to Pat; "How dare you be so vile?
There’s something sure to happen as you're treading down the aisle.
But if you go I go with you; we'll get out safe, I hope;"
So, if you'll listen, I'll tell you here how Paddy stole the rope.

So off they went with theft intent, the place they wanted finding.
They broke into a country church, which nobody was minding.
They scraped together all they could and then prepared to slope,
When Paddy cries out, 'Hold on, Mick, what shall we do for rope?
We've got no bag to hold the swag, and e'er we get outside,
With something stout and strong, my lad, the bundle must be tied."
Just then he spies the old church bell, and quick as an antelope,
He scrambled up the belfry high to try and steal a rope.

Now when Paddy up the belfry got, 'Ah-hah, bedad, but stop;
To get a piece that's long enough, I must climb up to the top."
So, like a sailor, up he went, and near the top, says he,
"I think the piece that's underneath quite long enough will be."
So, holding by one arm and leg, he drew his clasp knife out,
And right above his big fat head he cut the rope so stout.
He quite forgot it held him up, and, by the Holy Pope,
Down to the bottom of the church fell Paddy and the rope.

'Come out of that," says Mick to Pat, as he on the floor lay groaning,
'If that's the way you cut a rope, no wonder now your moaning.
I'll show you how to cut a rope, so just lend me the knife."
"Be very careful," cries out Pat, "or else you’ll lose your life."
He clambered up the other rope, and, like an artful thief,
Instead of cutting it above, he cut it underneath.
The piece fell down and left poor Mick alone up there to cope;
Says he, "Bad luck unto the day when we came stealing rope.'

Now with Paddy groaning on the floor and Mick hung up on high,
Says Pat, 'Come down." 'I can't," cried Mick, "for if I do, I die."
The noise soon brought the beadle round, the sexton and police,
And although they set poor Micky free, they gave them no release.
They marched them to the county jail where their conduct now they rue,
And if they'd got no work before, they've plenty now to do;
And for their ingenuity they now have larger scope
Than when they broke into a church to try and steal a rope.

---

MMario provided a link to this song in another thread.
So, anybody got a tune?
-Joe Offer- ^^

Subject: RE: Stealing ropes!
From: Banjer
Date: 09 Sep 00 - 02:59 PM

I think it would fit 'Johnson's Motor Car'....

Subject: RE: Stealing ropes!
From: Sorcha
Date: 09 Sep 00 - 02:59 PM

Almost scans like it would fit Why Paddy's Not at Work Today............

Subject: RE: Stealing ropes!
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 09 Sep 00 - 03:50 PM

There's a broadside set at the Bodleian:  How Paddy Stole The Rope  (Printer & date unknown).

Sheet music is at Music for the Nation, credited "Words by Fred Albert, Music by Frank Egerton":  How Paddy Stole the Rope.

Malcolm

Subject: RE: Stealing ropes!
From: GUEST,Martin Ryan
Date: 09 Sep 00 - 04:43 PM

Thanks guys! The broadsheet version is fascinating, Malcolm - I dont think the Bodleian was online when I asked first.

Regards

Subject: RE: Stealing ropes!
From: GUEST,Ian M.
Date: 12 Sep 00 - 02:22 PM

Tim Hart and Maddy Prior sing this on their 1968 LP "Folk Songs of Olde England Vol.2". They use a tune which carries a lot of songs but for the life of me I can't put a name to it just now. The LP was re-released 10 years ago by Mooncrest Records.

Subject: RE: Stealing ropes!
From: Joe Offer
Date: 12 Sep 00 - 04:08 PM

....so was somebody going to volunteer to transcribe the tune?

Subject: RE: Stealing ropes!
From: MMario
Date: 12 Sep 00 - 04:15 PM

I'll do it joe - and send you an NWC file, okay?

Subject: Tune Add: HOW PADDY STOLE THE ROPE ^^
From: Barbara
Date: 12 Sep 00 - 06:20 PM

Alas, I transcribed first and then checked the thread, so here is my duplicate effort from malcolm's link above.
Blessings,
Barbara

MIDI file: stelrope.mid

Timebase: 240

TimeSig: 4/4 24 8
Tempo: 100 (600000 microsec/crotchet)
Start
0720 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 76 080 0096 0 76 064 0024 1 74 080 0096 0 74 064 0024 1 71 080 0096 0 71 064 0024 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 67 080 0144 0 67 064 0036 1 67 080 0048 0 67 064 0012 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 71 080 0096 0 71 064 0024 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 67 080 0048 0 67 064 0012 1 67 080 0048 0 67 064 0012 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 74 080 0096 0 74 064 0024 1 74 080 0096 0 74 064 0024 1 74 080 0096 0 74 064 0024 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 71 080 0096 0 71 064 0024 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 71 080 0096 0 71 064 0024 1 74 080 0192 0 74 064 0048 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 76 080 0096 0 76 064 0024 1 74 080 0096 0 74 064 0024 1 71 080 0096 0 71 064 0024 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 71 080 0096 0 71 064 0024 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 74 080 0096 0 74 064 0024 1 76 080 0288 0 76 064 0072 1 76 080 0096 0 76 064 0024 1 74 080 0096 0 74 064 0024 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 74 080 0096 0 74 064 0024 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 74 080 0096 0 74 064 0024 1 71 080 0096 0 71 064 0024 1 72 080 0192 0 72 064 0168 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 71 080 0096 0 71 064 0024 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 74 080 0096 0 74 064 0024 1 76 080 0096 0 76 064 0024 1 75 080 0096 0 75 064 0024 1 76 080 0096 0 76 064 0024 1 76 080 0096 0 76 064 0024 1 77 080 0096 0 77 064 0024 1 77 080 0096 0 77 064 0024 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 74 080 0096 0 74 064 0024 1 76 080 0288 0 76 064 0072 1 76 080 0096 0 76 064 0024 1 74 080 0096 0 74 064 0024 1 76 080 0096 0 76 064 0024 1 74 080 0096 0 74 064 0024 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 71 080 0096 0 71 064 0024 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 74 080 0096 0 74 064 0024 1 74 080 0096 0 74 064 0024 1 74 080 0096 0 74 064 0024 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 71 080 0096 0 71 064 0024 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 67 080 0288 0 67 064 0072 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 76 080 0096 0 76 064 0024 1 74 080 0096 0 74 064 0024 1 71 080 0096 0 71 064 0024 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 71 080 0096 0 71 064 0024 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 74 080 0288 0 74 064 0072 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 71 080 0096 0 71 064 0024 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 65 080 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 76 080 0096 0 76 064 0024 1 74 080 0096 0 74 064 0024 1 71 080 0096 0 71 064 0024 1 72 080 0192 0 72 064
End

This program is worth the effort of learning it.

To download the March 10 MIDItext 98 software and get instructions on how to use it click here

ABC format:

X:1
T:
M:4/4
Q:1/4=100
K:C
G7G|cedBcAG3/2G/2|AcBAAG2G/2G/2|AdddGccc|
cBAcBd2G|cedBcAGG|ABcde3e|dAAdcAGG|ccdBc3A|
ABcde^dee|ffcde3e|dedcBcdd|d^FBAG3G|cedBcAGG|
AcBcd3G|ccBAGFEG|cedBc3/2||

Subject: ADD Tune: How Paddy Stole the Rope ^^
From: MMario
Date: 12 Sep 00 - 07:36 PM

NWC file sent to joe from the same source ^^

---

I sent the tune to Mudcat MIDIs. Thanks to both MMario and Barbara.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: Lyr Req: Lyrics to Pat & Mike??
From:
Date: 23 Dec 02 - 10:32 AM

Hi,
I'm trying to locate lyrics to an old irish song whose title I'm not sure of. The song is about Pat and Mike, two brothers or friends who steal the rope from a church bell.. My Grandad sang this (among others) to my brother and myself.

Thanks
Brian at [e-mail]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lyrics to Pat & Mike??
From: Sorcha
Date: 23 Dec 02 - 11:44 AM

Aha! Found it! How Paddy Stole the Rope, e mail sent.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lyrics to Pat & Mike??
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 23 Dec 02 - 11:44 AM

See, in the DT:

HOW PADDY STOLE THE ROPE

And, in the Forum:

Stealing ropes!

Written by Fred Albert and Frank Egerton around the 1880s, it seems; probably for the Music Hall.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lyrics to Pat & Mike??
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 23 Dec 02 - 11:44 AM

Snap.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lyrics to Pat & Mike??
From: Sorcha
Date: 23 Dec 02 - 11:46 AM

Well, you got the Forum link, but I beat ya, Malcolm! Had to think which word to search for.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lyrics to Pat & Mike??
From: masato sakurai
Date: 23 Dec 02 - 11:52 AM

The sheet music (1885) by Frank Egerton is HERE. See also Tim Hart & Maddy Prior' "Paddy Stole The Rope".
~Masato

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lyrics to Pat & Mike??
From: GUEST,Brian
Date: 23 Dec 02 - 02:17 PM

Many Thanks.

What a wonderful site. Incredible information and sharing. Love it.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: How Paddy Stole the Rope
From: Mix O'Lydian
Date: 17 Mar 08 - 12:50 PM

Music score, lyrics and midi file can be found at:

http://www.horfieldbells.freeuk.com/bell_anthology.htm

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: How Paddy Stole the Rope
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Dec 12 - 02:32 PM

i,m 73and I remember my father used to sing this song every Christmas with my aunt & uncles. I am so glad I have found the words

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: How Paddy Stole the Rope
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 15 Dec 12 - 03:57 PM

The sheet music at the Library of Congress (see links above) says "Words by Fred. Albert. - Music by Frank Egerton."

There are other copies/editions at the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge that say "Words and music by Fred Albert; sung by Patrick Feeney." Those copies are not viewable online.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: How Paddy Stole the Rope
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 15 Dec 12 - 05:10 PM

Sing'nicely to Macnamara's Band

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: How Paddy Stole the Rope
From: Gurney
Date: 15 Dec 12 - 07:21 PM

Masato's post of Tim and Maddy's variant is the one that Sean Cannon sings, with the slight change that 'Mike climbed up the other rope as nimble as a doe, and instead of cutting it up above, he cut it off below..'