Lyr Req: Farewell to Mrs. Magee? / Sailor's Wife?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Farewell to Mrs. Magee
From: Mr Fox
Date: 09 Jan 10 - 05:49 PM

That last post was me, btw. My cookie had got de-reset. Or something.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Farewell to Mrs. Magee
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Jan 10 - 05:47 PM

"A Sailor's Wife"

Once I knew a sailorman by name of Tom McGhee
He wasn't wed but four short months when he joined a ship at sea
He joined a ship at sea, me boys, the ocean for to roam
And from the day that he left til he came back he wasn't missed at home

So keep an eye on the weathercock and the other one out to sea
And the day I spy his ship come home its farwell to Mrs McGhee

Its by an Irish folk-rock band called Spud - the opening track of their second album "The Happy Handful".

CD £12.99 from Amazon.co.uk here

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Farewell to Mrs. Magee
From: GUEST,999
Date: 09 Jan 10 - 03:04 AM

No luck there, either.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Farewell to Mrs. Magee
From: GUEST,999
Date: 09 Jan 10 - 02:58 AM

Might be worth looking for the title "Farewell to Mrs McGee".

Subject: RE: Lyrics:Farewell to Mrs. Magee
From: GUEST,Martin Ryan
Date: 02 Apr 03 - 10:11 AM

Lamarca

Mind you, the archive has plenty of Irish-American material - especially 19C. and early 20th. They, like the rest of the material relating to Irish song, have been catalogued. Collections which are not primarily Irish have, however, not yet been indexed, as far as I know.

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyrics:Farewell to Mrs. Magee
From: lamarca
Date: 02 Apr 03 - 09:45 AM

Thanks, Martin - I think my best bet is to try asking the other members of the band that used to perform it for Dominic's current address, and see if he still remembers it and where he got it... Since they were an Irish-American group, there's a good possibility it's not traditional, but it's a fun song, and I'd still like to learn it!

Subject: RE: Lyrics:Farewell to Mrs. Magee
From: GUEST,Martin Ryan
Date: 02 Apr 03 - 04:46 AM

Lamarca
FWIW, there is no sign of it in the (Irish song/music) index for the Irish Traditional Music Archive. That's not all that surprising, of course. If it is in print it's likely to be in a specialist maritime collection.

There's a vague rattle in the back of my head - but it's probably the sound of decaying brain cells half-remembering one of the previous incarnations of this thread!

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyrics:Farewell to Mrs. Magee
From: lamarca
Date: 01 Apr 03 - 06:21 PM

Well, it's been 7 long years since I first posted this - maybe some of the newcomers who've joined over the years may have encountered this song. As I said above, it's about a "step-husband" - one who steps in when the real husband goes off to sea. It is NOT "Kitty Magee", "Mrs. McGrath", etc. The chorus goes:

So keep an eye on the weathercock
The other one out to sea
The day you spy the ship come home
Farewell to Mrs. Magee!

Hope springs eternal...

Subject: RE: Lyrics:Farewell to Mrs. Magee
From:
Date: 03 Sep 01 - 08:54 PM

Look back at your old thread.

Kitty McGee
 

Subject: RE: Lyrics:Farewell to Mrs. Magee
From: lamarca
Date: 01 Dec 99 - 05:55 PM

still looking...

Subject: RE: Lyrics:Farewell to Mrs. Magee
From: lamarca
Date: 31 Oct 99 - 10:51 PM

I don't think that's the one, Margarita, but thanks - I'll just bump this up so it can sit exposed for another day... maybe it will ring a bell with Liam's Brother or other Irish sea-song mavens...

Subject: RE: Lyrics:Farewell to Mrs. Magee
From: Margo
Date: 30 Oct 99 - 06:39 PM

Lamaraca, I took a look on the web and saw that there is a song called "Sweet Kitty Magee", but I couldn't find the lyrics either, to compare to the content you listed. You think maybe that is the song?

Margarita

Subject: RE: Lyrics:Farewell to Mrs. Magee
From: lamarca
Date: 29 Oct 99 - 04:22 PM

I think this is the first thread I ever posted, 3 years ago...and I'm still looking for the song (and tune at this point)

Subject: Lyrics:Farewell to Mrs. Magee
From:
Date: 29 Dec 96 - 03:46 PM

I'm looking for the lyrics to an Irish(?) song I used to hear sung by Dominic Murray of Baltimore. It's about a sailor's wife who enjoys herself more when her husband's off at sea; the chorus goes: "So keep an eye on the weather-cock, The other one out to sea; The day you spy the ship come home Farewell to Mrs. Magee!"