Lyr Req: ride in the low backed car

Subject: ride in the low backed car
From: Edmund Flynn (inactive)
Date: 05 Feb 01 - 04:35 PM

It's probably in Digi Trad, but I can't find it. It goes something like ...'as we rode in the low back car, the man at the turnstile bar, good nature old soul never asked for the toll .....

And by the way, is it really Irish ... not that it matters ... I just kinda like it ..... Edmund

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ride in the low backed car
From: MartinRyan
Date: 05 Feb 01 - 05:11 PM

Click here for details.

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ride in the low backed car
From: Zebedee
Date: 05 Feb 01 - 05:16 PM

The words, and some information on the song and it's author can be found here

Ed

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ride in the low backed car
From: Zebedee
Date: 05 Feb 01 - 05:18 PM

Beat me Martin! and you got your link right :-(

Ed

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ride in the low backed car
From: Metchosin
Date: 05 Feb 01 - 05:24 PM

I loved this song when we sang it when I was young, unfortunately though, I couldn't get past the line about the man at the turnpike, rubbing his "ould pole" without laughing. Guess kids have naughty minds.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ride in the low backed car
From: Metchosin
Date: 05 Feb 01 - 05:28 PM

looks like according to the link it was his "ould poll" that he rubbed, in either case, just what was that line referring to anyways? ....older and no wiser...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ride in the low backed car
From: Metchosin
Date: 05 Feb 01 - 05:29 PM

looks like according to the link it was his "ould poll" that he rubbed, in either case, just what was that line referring to anyways? ....older and no wiser...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ride in the low backed car
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 05 Feb 01 - 09:23 PM

"Poll" is an old English word for "head".  (As in "Poll Tax", for example.)

Malcolm

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ride in the low backed car
From: Metchosin
Date: 05 Feb 01 - 09:28 PM

Malcolm, I sort of gathered that, but why did he rub it? Is that an expression for ignore or to turn a blind eye?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ride in the low backed car
From: Metchosin
Date: 05 Feb 01 - 09:34 PM

duh! You see even when I got the right answer it didn't sink in. Aha! said the blind man as he picked up the hammer and saw.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ride in the low backed car
From: Metchosin
Date: 05 Feb 01 - 09:39 PM

see, there's another reason people ask dumb questions, they just don't take the time to read the answers correctly, especially after a few belts.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ride in the low backed car
From: Sorcha
Date: 05 Feb 01 - 09:44 PM

"Poll" also refers to the area on a cow's (or other critter) head between the horns or ears. (Still an area of the head). Hammer and saw could refer to de horning process....(which is truly nasty) "Polled Herefords" (or "polled" anything) reffers to a genetic manipulation which means without horns.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ride in the low backed car
From: Metchosin
Date: 05 Feb 01 - 09:52 PM

Hey Sorcha, you've been in the pub with me too long! hammer and saw! hahaha!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ride in the low backed car
From: Sorcha
Date: 05 Feb 01 - 09:55 PM

Oh yea, and add to the More than You Wanted to Know file:

When cattle are polled (de horned) they tend to rub the horn area against anything they can, because it itches....see what happens if you don't read all the posts and clickies?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ride in the low backed car
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 05 Feb 01 - 09:56 PM

It turns up in "pollard", too (as in cutting back the top of a willow to encourage new, straight growth for basket-making, for example); but of course in this case it's just the same as "scratching his head" -in puzzlement or surprise, as I'm sure Metchosin has, er, twigged...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ride in the low backed car
From: Metchosin
Date: 05 Feb 01 - 10:07 PM

just glad to finally know it wasn't his pole, such are the misconceptions of oral tradition! and at times, a brain that refuses to make connections.*BG*

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ride in the low backed car
From: GUEST,pattyclink
Date: 06 Feb 01 - 02:10 PM

I was taught an old time turnpike toll gate used to be a long pole that the man would swing back to stop people or let them through.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ride in the low backed car
From: Metchosin
Date: 06 Feb 01 - 02:17 PM

pattyclinck, when I was young, that was the explanation that my mother gave me too. However I think Malcolm's explanation and the spelling of the word "poll" in the link clarifies it.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ride in the low backed car
From: Edmund Flynn (inactive)
Date: 06 Feb 01 - 08:09 PM

Thanks for the info !
You folks are amazing!

When I learned it there was nothing about "pole" ... it went: "the man at the turnstyle bar, good natured old soul never asked for the toll, but looked after the lowbacked car.

It seems that someone cleaned it up for me, and it wasn't even dirty........... Edmund