Origins: The Magpie (David Dodds)

Subject: RE: The Magpie
From: GUEST,MCP
Date: 07 Nov 01 - 01:25 PM

The magpie was meant to be a portent of evil and on seeing one you were meant to say "Devil, devil I defy thee" and spit, to counteract the effect. Dave Dodds had a story about giving a lift to an old woman who did this and then spit on the floor of his new Jaguar, not to his best pleasure. (I think that was the story anyway). Dave Dodds was a regular visitor to the Herga FC, (Wealdstone, UK) in the late '70s (IIRC) before he moved down to Devon. I've heard nothing of him in recent years

If I put my mind to it(have to think about the verse a bit - I haven't heard the song for quite a few years) I could probably give you the tune. I'll get back on this.

Mick

Subject: RE: The Magpie
From: MMario
Date: 07 Nov 01 - 09:31 AM

the tune for "The Magpie" (the Dave Dodd tune) is still "missing" - anyone know it?

Subject: RE: The Magpie
From: MIke Watson, Maldon
Date: 09 Jan 97 - 02:40 PM

Still hoping that someone might let me have the tune for the 'magpie'.

Yes, Bert, it is that Maldon, tho the YH is no longer there (i believe it is a house now).

Subject: RE: The Magpie
From: Bert Hansell
Date: 26 Dec 96 - 08:47 AM

A related issue....

We had a counting song as kids which we used to count sneezes. I was told that it was also used to count magpies. It goes. "Once a wish, twice a kiss, three times a letter, four times soemthig better"

By the way Mike; is that Maldon, Essex? We used to go folk dancing at the Youth Hostel there.

Subject: RE: The Magpie
From: Mike Watson
Date: 25 Dec 96 - 12:14 PM

Coincidence time!

I heard the Magpie a few years ago when 'Belles of the North' stayed with my morris side on a UK tour, and have been trying to get the words ever since. On my first visit to these pages, I find the words and a thread on the subject!

I have nothing to add on the origin, but I wonder if anyone out there could post the tune - I cant remember that either.

Mike Watson Maldon U.K.

Subject: RE: The Magpie
From:
Date: 16 Dec 96 - 04:37 AM

LaMarca: Many thanks. I half-guessed that it might be somethning like that. I've seen the "Devil, Devil.." bit quoted as a kind of charm. As you say, a great song anyway and a perfect air. Best Wishes

Dick I knew it was there - it was what it meant that was puzzling me!

Martin

Subject: RE: The Magpie
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 14 Dec 96 - 09:24 AM

Oh, THAT Magpie. It's in the database: Search for Magpie.

---

THE MAGPIE (DT lyrics)

The magpie brings us tidings
Of news both fair and foul;
She's more cunning than the raven,
More wise than any owl.

She brings us news of the harvest
Of barley, wheat, and corn.
She knows when we'll go to our graves
How we shall be born.

One's for sorrow, Two's for joy,
Three's for a girl and four's for a boy.
Five for silver, Six for gold,
And seven for a secret never told.

Devil, devil, I defy thee.
Devil, devil, I defy thee.
Devil, devil, I defy thee.

She brings us joy when from the right,
Grief when from the left.
Of all the news that's in the air
We know to trust her best.

For she sees us at our labor,
And she mocks us at our work.
She steals the egg from out of the nest,
And she can mob the hawk.

CHORUS

The priest, he says we're wicket
To worship the devil's bird.
Ah, but we respect the old ways
And we disregard his word.

For we know they rest uneasy
As we slumber in the night;
And we always leave a little bit of meat
For the bird that's black and white.

CHORUS

Written by Dave Dodds, copyright Folktracks
Recorded on SATISFIED CUSTOMERS, Sally Rogers and Howard Bursen,
Thrushwood Records 003.
@animal
filename[ MAGPIDFY
DC

Subject: RE: The Magpie
From: LaMarca
Date: 13 Dec 96 - 05:46 PM

The Magpie uses an old children's counting rhyme for its chorus; the same rhyme "One's for sorrow, two's for joy, etc" is used for counting crows (there's a gorgeous children's picture book of it by an author whose name escapes me; I have it at home) and for counting bluebirds (there's a Jean Ritchie song about that). Other than that, David Dodds simply compiled many of the old folk beliefs about magpies and other members of the corvine family into a really neat song.

Subject: Lyr/Chords Add: MAGPIE'S NEST (from Peter Kennedy)
From: Doc
Date: 09 Dec 96 - 07:51 PM

Hi Martin!

In Peter Kennedy's book "Folksongs of Britain and Ireland" there's a tune called the "Magpie's Nest". He classifies it as a "song of seduction".

[4/4 time]

The lyrics follow:

(C) For if (C) I were a king
Sure, I would make you a queen
I would (Bflat) roll you in my arms
Where the (F) meadows they are green
Yes, I'd (C) roll you in my heart's content
I will (F) sit you (C) down to (F) rest
Long(C) sides me Irish (G) colleen
In the (C) mag-(F) pie's (C) nest

(Chorus: Mouth music at a little quicker pace)
(Am) Skiddly-idle-daddle-diddle- (G) didle-dadle-dum
Di- (Bflat) didle-dadle-dum-daddle- (F) diddle-didle-dum
Skiddly-(C) idle-daddle- (F) diddle-(C) dadle-diddle-didle- (F) dum
I will (C) l'ave you down to (G) rest (G7) in the (C) mag- (F) pie's (C) nest

For the magpie's nest
It is a cottage neat and clean
It stands 'longside the Shannon
Where the meadows they are green
But I never met a colleen
With such beauties blest
Like the little Irish fairy
In the magpie's nest

For I have wandered all through Kerry
I have wandered all through Clare
From Dublin down to Galway
From there to God knows where
But I never met a colleen
With such beauties blest
Like the little Irish fairy
In the magpie's nest

Hope this helps - beware of the chord changes in the chorus.
I'm not real good with Skiddly-idle-dums.

HTML line breaks added. --JoeClone, 2-May-03.

Subject: The Magpie
From: Martin Ryan
Date: 09 Dec 96 - 09:40 AM

Anyone know anything more about "The Magpie" - apart from the bald statement in the DT that It was written by "Dave Dodds"?

Thanks

Martin Ryan