Lyr Req: The Sick Note

Subject: The Sick Note
From:
Date: 21 Jan 97 - 06:08 PM

This is a time-sensitive message. If you're reading this after 6:00 p.m. PST on 1/21, please ignore.

I'm looking for the lyrics to "The Sick Note" (or "Why Paddy Can't Come to Work Today"). I know they're in Rise Up Singing, and I have that at home, but I'd like to have the lyrics today, while I'm at work.

If you have them, or know where I can find them on the Web, please send me email.

Thanks very much

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Thread #47508   Message #708772
Posted By: GUEST,Pat Cooksey.
11-May-02 - 08:16 AM
Thread Name: the sick note/ murphy and the bricks.
Subject: Origins: the sick note/ murphy and the bricks.

Over a long number of years there has been much speculation concerning this song. I wrote this song under it's original title Paddy and the Barrell in 1969, and first performed it in The Dyers Arms in Coventry at this time, and in 1972 Sean Cannon, later to become a member of the Dubliners began to perform it in the folk clubs under the title The Sick Note. The song was based on Gerard Hoffnung's wonderful address to the Oxford Union, but the story in a more simple form dates back to the English music halls in the 1920's and appeared in the Readers Digest in 1937. I personally gave the words of this song to Noel Murphy in a night club in Coventry in the early seventies and his only contribution to this song was to change the title to Murphy and the Bricks, and when this song was recorded Noel Murphy was obliged to remove his name from the writers credits, I still have a letter from Misty River Music to this effect. The song under more than 20 alternative titles has since been recorded more than 100 times worldwide, and in every version the words are identical. This song under all alternative titles has always been the exclusive copywright of myself, Pat Cooksey, and is registered with The Performing Rights Society in London. This includes Dear Boss by The Clancy brothers, The Bricklayers Song by The Corries and Ray Stevens, The Sick Note by The Dubliners, etc,etc, and also Murphy and the Bricks. No other artist had any input into this song nor is any claim for arrangement valid. Pat Cooksey, Nuremberg, Germany.

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Click for lyrics in the Digital Tradition

Subject: RE: The Sick Note
From: Gail Gurman
Date: 21 Jan 97 - 06:21 PM

I thought the From field in the previous message would include my email address but apparently not. Here it is:

[e-mail]

Thanks.

Subject: Lyr Add: WHY PADDY'S NOT AT WORK TODAY^^^
From:
Date: 21 Jan 97 - 10:46 PM

WHY PADDY'S NOT AT WORK TODAY (Excuse Note)(Pat Cooksey)

Dear Sir: I write this note to inform you of my plight,
And at the time of writing I am not a pretty sight.
My body is all black and blue, my face a deathly gray.
I write this note to tell why Paddy's not at work today.

While working on the fourteenth floor, some bricks I had to clear,
And to throw them down from off the top seemed quite a good idea,
But the gaffer wasn't very pleased, he was an awful sod.
He said I had to cart them down the ladder in me hod.

Well, clearing all those bricks by hand, it seemed so very slow,
So I hoisted up a barrel and secured the rope below,
But in my haste to do the job, I was too blind to see
That a barrel full of building bricks is heavier than me.

So when I had untied the rope, the barrel fell like lead,
And clinging tightly to the rope, I started up instead.
I took off like a rocket, and to my dismay I found
That half way up I met the bloody barrel coming down.

Well, the barrel broke my shoulder as on to the ground it sped,
And when I reached the top, I banged the pulley with me head.
I held on tight, though numb with shock from this almighty blow,
And the barrel spilled out half its load fourteen floors below.

Now, when those building bricks fell from the barrel to the floor,
I then outweighed the barrel so I started down once more.
I held on tightly to the rope as I flew to the ground,
And I landed on those building bricks that were scattered all around.

Now as I lay there on the deck, I thought I'd passed the worst,
But when the barrel reached the top, that's when the bottom burst.
A shower of bricks came down on me; I knew I had no hope.
In all of this confusion, I let go the bloody rope.

The barrel being heavier, it started down once more,
And landed right on top of me as I lay on the floor.
It broke three ribs and my left arm, and I can only say
That I hope you'll understand why Paddy's not at work today. ^^^

--------------------

Do it well!

Tony

Subject: RE: The Sick Note
From: Sorcha
Date: 18 Aug 03 - 02:45 PM

Do we have chords for this somewhere?

Subject: RE: The Sick Note
From: GUEST,weerover
Date: 18 Aug 03 - 03:13 PM

The chords should be readily available as the tune (as I have heard it) is the same as "The Garden Where the Praties Grow"

wr

Subject: RE: The Sick Note
From: boglion
Date: 18 Aug 03 - 03:43 PM

I used to sing this song for the tourists in my village in Cloghane. Most locals soon tired of hearing it. There was one exception to this: a man who is now 10 years dead.

He would always ask me to sing "The Barrel".

On one great occasion I had bumped into Sean Cannon in O'Flaherty's bar in Dingle and had got chatting with him and his family. They were on a Dubliner's tour and had a night off between playing Killarney and Sligo.

To cut a long story short they were persuaded to cross the Conor Pass and spend a night in our village including playing with myself and the Symbolics in our local bar. My street cred rose immeasurably with all the locals except Connie who kept insisting I sang "The Barrel" refusing to accept that I'd learnt the song from Sean's singing!

By the way, I've recently heard a version that adds a verse about hitting the Barrel on the way back down again. Is this in the original version, Pat?

Terry

Subject: RE: The Sick Note
From: GUEST,still cookielwss paddymac
Date: 18 Aug 03 - 11:06 PM

The Corries did a version in which they split a verse and inserted two half verses, for a net gain of one verse. I don't remember it at the moment, however. Seems like they did the addition as a sort of talking bit. It worked well for them.

Subject: RE: The Sick Note
From: Pat Cooksey
Date: 19 Aug 03 - 05:57 AM

My original included the verse about Paddy hitting the barrel on
the way back down, when Sean recorded the song with the Dubliners
he missed out this verse, therefore all those who learnt the song
from the Dubliners singing did the same.
Sean has recently re- recorded the song including the missing verse.
Noel Murphy sang the full song as I wrote the words down for him,
and the Corries later learnt the song from Murphy's version, many
other recordings have slight variations including most notably the
numerous different titles.

All the best,

Pat.

Subject: RE: The Sick Note
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Jun 07 - 12:57 AM

How can I get a copy of this.
Sandy Schaefer
Madison, Wisconsin USA

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Pat Cooksey has provided a free download of his recording here (click). e-mail sent.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: The Sick Note
From: SharonA
Date: 23 Jun 07 - 01:18 AM

"A copy" being what, Sandy? A recording? (...and by whom?) Tabs? Sheet music?

If for the Dubliners' version, see this site.

Subject: RE: The Sick Note
From: Bernard
Date: 23 Jun 07 - 03:06 AM

It's also on the Houghton Weavers 30th Anniversary DVD, along with some of the many out-takes! Tony (Berry), quite unusually, kept losing his place somewhere in the middle, and got into a loop...!

I was the audio engineer on the recording.

Subject: RE: The Sick Note
From: Bernard
Date: 23 Jun 07 - 03:10 AM

Sorry! Forgot the link!

The 'live' DVD is called 'Made in Howfen' to distinguish it from the audio CD, which is a studio production. Except that it was recorded 'live' in Preston (Guild Hall), not Westhoughton!

Subject: RE: The Sick Note
From: Rog Peek
Date: 23 Jun 07 - 03:49 AM

Also on Noel Murphy's 'Caught in the Act' 1978RCA PE 5090. I've already got a copy, but I see there's one on ebay for the very bargain price of £1.28.

Subject: RE: The Sick Note
From: Rog Peek
Date: 23 Jun 07 - 04:03 AM

Incidentally, on this LP the song is credited to Cooksey/Hoffnung/Murphy. Pat, was it this that prompted the letter you have from Misty River Music.

Subject: RE: The Sick Note
From: The Sandman
Date: 23 Jun 07 - 06:51 AM

Iunderstand this song was written by Pat Cooksey ,and that there is an on going legal dispute with Celtic Music.