Lyr Req: Mallon's Bridge (Michael Hough)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mallon's Bridge (Michael Hough)
From: DonMeixner
Date: 10 Nov 09 - 03:35 PM

You will find Michael and David to be generous and friendly guys. I beleive I have said in the past thet Mustard's Retreat is an undiscovered jewel in mid western American folk music that has remained hidden for about 35 years.

Try them on Millenium Stage and Youtube.

Don

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mallon's Bridge (Michael Hough)
From: GUEST,David Tamulevich
Date: 09 Nov 09 - 04:14 PM

[e-mail]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Moira & the ring of standing stones?
From: michaelr
Date: 20 Jan 09 - 08:59 PM

This is great! A spooky song to rival "Walker of the Snow".

It will be added to my Halloween repertoire posthaste.

Cheers,
Michael

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Moira & the ring of standing stones?
From: frogprince
Date: 20 Jan 09 - 04:18 PM

I've no idea whether the river is real. So far as "Mallon's Bridge", I'm fairly sure from Michael and David's comments that it exists only in Michael's imagination. There was no basis for the song beyond Michael's amusement with a discussion about the tendency of Irishmen to tell frightening stories to their grandchildren.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Moira & the ring of standing stones?
From: Joan from Wigan
Date: 20 Jan 09 - 11:41 AM

I listened to the soundclip - it's really not very helpful for the tune as the singer talks more than sings (at least in that very brief clip). But what bit could be made out sounded very similar to the tune of "The Lass of Swansea Town", so that tune could be used.

In the clip, the line "And there are buried secrets far older than human bones" is actually "And there are buried secrets older far than human bones", which does scan better.

I searched to see if there is a real River Wyth and couldn't find one. Does anyone know if there is such a river anywhere?

Joan

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Moira & the ring of standing stones?
From: frogprince
Date: 18 Jan 09 - 02:53 PM

Spent a few minutes talking with Michael Hough before they performed last night. What the folks here didn't know, was, Michael stumbled on this thread back then and was following it; he considered chiming in, but for whatever notion just followed it for fun. What Michael doesn't realize, is that he misunderstood Alison's post; he thought Alison believed Mallon's Bridge was just a lyric poem, and that someone need to write a tune for it. I gotta see if I can find an email for Michael, and dig him a little bout it.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Moira & the ring of standing stones?
From: MMario
Date: 20 Aug 02 - 09:15 AM

refresh

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Moira & the ring of standing stones?
From: alison
Date: 14 Nov 00 - 09:56 PM

spooky........ now we need a tune

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Moira & the ring of standing stones?
From: Wavestar
Date: 14 Nov 00 - 07:27 PM

Wow. What a story. Thanks, Jim... -J

Subject: Lyr add: MALLON'S BRIDGE^^
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 14 Nov 00 - 12:29 PM

MALLON'S BRIDGE
(Michael Hough)

Now, there's a tale I'm after singing that my Grandpa used to tell.
He said 'twas to enlighten me and chasten me as well.
You may laugh about your elders when the sun is shining bright,
But be sure you're on the Christian side Of Mallon's Bridge tonight.

The village kirk is strong and tall beside the River Wyth,
And there are buried decent folks who said their prayers at night,
But just across the river there's a ring of standing stones,
And there are buried secrets far older than human bones.

Sean Mallon was a mason in the village long ago.
He set to build a bridge for the convenience of the road.
He thought he'd make his fortune taking pennies for the toll,
But he was swallowed up by something evil from of old.

Sean Mallon was a headstrong man and burly, so they say,
And those who offered caution heard his laughter all the day.
He built his bridge with stones he stole upon the other side,
And cursed us all with vengeance from across the River Wyth.

And so the story grew among the elders and their wives
Of those who ventured over Mallon's Bridge after midnight.
For some were heard to scream, and some were never found alive,
And some were rendered speechless after running for their lives.

Now me, I'm no believer in such stories as they're told,
But things there are around us that can chill a heart so bold;
And never will I laugh again at Grandpa and his ale,
For I have been across the bridge and lived to tell the tale.

Oh, drunk I was at Paddy's Pub and turned to call for more,
And there I saw a lovely lass I'd never seen before.
Her wicked eye was gleaming and was greener than the sea,
And I was sure she'd never seen as fine a man as me.

She said her name was Moira and she touched me on the knee.
I offered her such gallantries as then occurred to me.
She said that she would meet with me and spend the night alone,
Across the River Wyth inside the ring of standing stones.

Oh, drunk I was, it's true, and so too quick did I agree,
And quickly was she gone, although I barely blinked my eye;
And so I bid my friends farewell and stood out from the light,
And made my way a-reeling over Mallon's Bridge that night.

Now, mortal man was never born more cowardly than I,
But drinking Murphy's whiskey threw my fear into the sky;
And so I found myself feeling foolish and alone,
And lusting for a woman in a ring of standing stones.

The fear fell sudden on me. I confess I turned to run,
And something ran behind me. How I wished then for the sun!
And close it came behind me, ever faster though I ran,
And breath I felt and eyes I saw that were no beast nor man.

I ran a-fearing more for my own soul than for my life,
And so I saw the moon was gleaming on the River Wyth,
And what it was that hunted me I venture not to say,
For devils walk in many forms that shun the light of day.

I ran and fell and ran again, just like a man possessed.
If I had been the slower... I refuse to make a guess...
But I became a humble man, and glad to be alive,
By coming nigh the village kirk and safe across the River Wyth.

So, tell me of your weary faith and of the worldly load.
I'll tell you of the slithery marks shining in the road;
For I was found by day lying shivering in the dirt,
With rents of claws and stains of devil's breath upon my shirt.

Ah, but still I am a drinking man, and merry now for life;
For I out-raced the devil back across the river Wyth;
And many a pot of ale I hoist to my own lovely feet,
And to the lovely Moira whom I've no desire to meet.

Now, there's a tale I'm after singing that my Grandpa used to tell.
He said 'twas to enlighten me, and chasten me as well.
You may laugh about your elders when the sun is shining bright,
But be sure you're on the Christian side Of Mallon's Bridge tonight.

[Recorded by Mustard's Retreat on "Home By The Morning" 1987; and "Back To Back," Red House Records, 1995. Note: the person who posted these lyrics at http://www.legendmud.org/Community/lt_indices/Vol2/LTv2n25.html said that "a few artistic liberties" were taken. Therefore I don't know how closely this matches Michael Hough's original version. JTD]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Moira & the ring of standing stones?
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 03 Nov 00 - 09:27 PM

It may perhaps be Mallon's Bridge, written by American (?) Michael Hough.  Lyrics turn up in an online edition of  Legendary Times

No indication of the tune is given, but there is a brief soundclip of Hough singing the song with his band Mustard's Retreat, here:  Mustard's Retreat

Malcolm

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Moira & the ring of standing stones?
From: Robby
Date: 03 Nov 00 - 02:48 PM

Have you tried a google search?
www.google.com

using "Moira, ring of standing stones" (without quote marks) gets about 200 hits. Don't know if any is what you're looking for though.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Moira & the ring of standing stones?
From: mousethief
Date: 03 Nov 00 - 02:02 PM

Sounds wonderful -- hope you find it!

Alex
O..O
=o=

Subject: Moira & the ring of standing stones?
From:
Date: 03 Nov 00 - 01:08 PM

I'm trying to find a song. I usually hear it around halloween (sometimes other), but I've moved away from the folk stations. I can't recall the artist, or the name. It's a tale of a man who picks up a girl in a tavern, I think on halloween night... she invites him to take her home...her name is Moira. They end up in a ring of standing stones, and Moira turns out to be something other than human....and very hungry!