Lyr Req: Old Woman in Belfast

Subject: RE: old woman from belfast
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 08 Apr 99 - 12:13 AM

Help, Joe! Please change that first date from 1863 to 1763! Gawdamighty, I can't even proofread a one paragraph post!

Sandy

Subject: RE: old woman from belfast
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 08 Apr 99 - 12:09 AM

I realize that "Old Woman from Slapsadam (or wherever)" of the "Eggs and Marrowbone, "Old Woman from Yorkshire" type seems not to have been the song being sought here, but I thought I'd offer this quote to Bruce O.

From Western Rivermen, 1763-1861 by Michael Allen, (p. 190):

James Hall, who collected boatmen's songs, published in 1828 a tune he had heard concerning a boatman's infatuation with a lass who was "so neat a maid" that she carried her stockings and shoes in her "lily white hands/for to keep them from the dews." Another popular song, "Woman in Our Town," concerned a promiscuous woman who "loved her husband dear-i-lee/but another man twyste as well."

Could these Ohio River flatboatmen have been singing from The Universal Songster? I suspect the song was well into oral tradition by that 1828 date. There is no tune appended, of course.

Sandy

Subject: RE: old woman from belfast
From: Bruce O.
Date: 23 Jan 98 - 03:52 AM

I'll do some checking, but I think the "Old Woman of Slapsadam" version is older than the "Villikens" tune, which, off the top of my head, is around 1840-43.

Subject: RE: old woman from belfast
From: Murray
Date: 23 Jan 98 - 03:28 AM

The tune in the database is that of "Villikins and his Dinah", aka "Sweet Betsy From Pike", and that seems to be THE tune for this song. Note the 'tooraliyay" burden, which is "proper" to that tune. DT text very similar to the 2nd in Ed Cray's great collection, The Erotic Muse [2nd edition, 1992), 127. His references include Harry Morgan, "More Rugby Songs" (1968), 43. I have heard a Scots version [to the same tune] beginning "There was an old woman in Glasgow did dwell". The original town is by now beyond finding, I should think.

Subject: RE: old woman from belfast
From: Elektra
Date: 15 Jan 98 - 09:30 PM

I found one in the database with the same kind of ****ty storyline filed under MADELINE SCHMIDT. It has a tune, though I don't know if it's the same. In case anyone cares. :) It doesn't seem quite as amusing as the one given here, though.

Subject: RE: old woman from belfast
From: Denis
Date: 15 Jan 98 - 07:10 PM

I'm working on it Alison. If I can get the tune out of my friend I'll let you know.

Subject: RE: old woman from belfast
From: alison
Date: 14 Jan 98 - 09:39 PM

Any chance of a tune?

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: old woman from belfast
From: Denis Cunningham
Date: 14 Jan 98 - 05:45 PM

Thank you very much Bob and thank your cousin's daughter's husband for me, thanks again..hope I can return the favour sometime, Denis

Subject: Lyr Add: AN OLD WOMAN IN BELFAST
From: Bob Landry
Date: 12 Jan 98 - 07:01 PM

Denis, I got these words from my cousin's daughter's husband some time ago. I thought is was the Old Lady from Wexford/Mabou but upon closer inspection found I was seriously mistaken. I have no idea who wrote this, how the tune goes, or what the chords are. But maybe it is what your friend is looking for.

AN OLD WOMAN IN BELFAST

There was an old woman in Belfast did dwell,
Constipation was givin' her hell.
She went to the doctor cause she couldn't ****,
And he gave her a bottle to make her alright.

With me yeah, yeah, torilay - eah!

Well that very night she went straight home to bed.
She stood on her hands and she stood on her head.
But modesty wasn't a part of that lass,
She opened the window and stuck out her ***.

With me yeah, yeah, torilay - eah!

Now Officer McNilly was doing his beat.
Right at the corner of that very street.
Gazin' away at the stars in the sky,
When a big lump of **** caught him right in the eye.

With me yeah, yeah, torilay - eah!

Now, this guy McNilly, he cursed and he swore.
Said "Take in you ***, you dirty old *****!"
Now down on the side street, you'll see him there sit,
With a card 'round his neck, sayin' "Blinded by ****!"

With me yeah, yeah, torilay - eah!

Now, she **** all that night and she **** all that day.
They called for the council to take it away.
And when the council-men came, they said "Oh, what a sight!"
There was mountains and mountains and mountains of ****!

With me yeah, yeah, torilay - eah!

Now, this is the end of this old Belfast farce,
About that old woman's undependable ****.
So, if you're in Belfast, especially at night.
Never mind the bullets, look out for ... THAT'S RIGHT!

With me yeah, yeah, torilay - eah!
yeah, yeah, torilay - eah!

Subject: RE: old woman from belfast
From: Denis Cunningham
Date: 11 Jan 98 - 09:23 PM

Thanks for all your replies to The old woman from Belfast query. I'm afraid I don't know any of the lyrics as I am doing a search for a friend who heard the song and can't remember much about it other than the name. It isn't the old woman from Wexford or any of the variations of that song. Maybe its very new, thanks again Denis.

Subject: RE: old woman from belfast
From:
Date: 11 Jan 98 - 06:06 PM

This seems to be the same song as the one sung in Cape Breton as The Old Woman From Mabou.

Steeleye Span recorded a version as Marrowbones, which doesn't give a place name, only "in our town." It's on Ten Man Mop, which is out on CD.

Subject: RE: old woman from belfast
From: Susan of DT
Date: 11 Jan 98 - 05:49 PM

Eggs and Marrowbones is #344. search for #344 to see 5 versions.

Subject: Lyr Add: TUTHEREE OO AND TAN
From: Bruce O.
Date: 11 Jan 98 - 04:10 PM

Here's a version thats a bit different.

TUTHEREE OO, AND TAN.
(C. Dibdin)

In Dundee there lived a carl, fu' blithe and merry;
In Dundee there lived a bonny carl;
A scolding spousey was his lot.
Wha mugg'd hersel' and often got
Tutheree oo, and tan.

She led him a life that fu' wae and weary,
Till the carl he vowed himsel' he'd hang;
And would have don't, but thought him first,
Of ends, a rope's end was the worst
Tutheree oo, and tan.

This carl's wife she did na' play her hubby fairly,
Else was Andrew Mackintosh belied,
She made her husband's heart ache through,
And then she made his head ache too.
Tutheree oo, and tan.

Wife, said he, of life I'ze tired, and will gang drown me,
She replied, gude wives ne'er contradict;
But should my spirit come, said he;
O, I'm quite spirit-proof, said she.
Tutheree oo, and tan.

At the pond, said he, if my poor heart should fail me,
Will you run behind, and push me in?
Says she a hard part 'tis to play,
But 'tis my duty to obey!
Tutheree oo, and tan.

By a pond he stood that was deep full a fathom,
On a hill stood she - the word he gave;
Down a galoping she came, when he
Just stepped aside, and in popp'd she.
Tutheree oo, and tan.

This is in 'The Universal Songster', I, 416, (1825) 1828, about the same time as "The Old Woman of Slapsadam" appeared. Another version is "Lawyer Brief; or, a new way of getting rid of a scolding wife", in 'The Universal Songster', II, 335, 1826. Song is Laws Q2,and see the reworked version "Johnny Sands", Laws Q3. Laws Q2 is the title song of Frank Purslow's 'Marrow Bones', 1965.

Subject: RE: old woman from belfast
From: Barry
Date: 11 Jan 98 - 01:36 PM

Could it start "There was an old woman from Belfast (Wexford), in Belfast she did dwell, she loved her husband dearly, but another man twice as well". If so it's in the DT. Have heard it both ways. Good luck Barry

Subject: RE: old woman from belfast
From: alison
Date: 11 Jan 98 - 04:34 AM

Hi

Speaking as a young woman from Belfast....it's not ringing any bells. Have you any more of the lyrics?

Are you sure it's not William Bloat? If so it's probably in the database.

Slainte

Alison

Subject: old woman from belfast
From: Denis Cunningham
Date: 10 Jan 98 - 05:23 PM

Does anyone know yhe words to the old woman from belfast. If you do I'd love to hear from you cheers Denis