Lyr Req: macushla mavourneen

Subject: macushla mavourneen
From: GUEST,elisabeth
Date: 09 Oct 03 - 11:47 AM

Does anybody know where I could find the lyrics of "Macushla mavourneen". I have it on a Wolfe Tones tape. Thanks

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: macushla mavourneen
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 19 Oct 03 - 07:54 PM

How did this request get overlooked for so long?

I have been unable to find any reference to this song apart from its having been recorded by the Wolfe Tones. However, I did find a couple of sound samples, and I transcribed the following, rather tentatively. I welcome corrections.

...and she hung down her head.
I'd marry now, you blackguard. It's you I'd like to wed,
But you were such a rogue and you were such a rake.
Don't believe it, now, says I. Sure it's all a mistake.
I can handle a hook and a shovel and a spade.
I'll keep you in potatoes and bacon with my trade
And turf I will procure ... (?) and coal
And I'll dig you to my knees (?) in the old bog hole.

Macushla, mavourneen, will you marry me?
Oh! Gradh, machree, mavourneen, will you marry me?
Macushla, mavourneen, married we will be
And be happy in the boreen winding down to the sea....

[Recorded by the Wolfe Tones on "Profile," 1991.]

Subject: Lyr Add: THE OLD BOG HOLE
From: Peace
Date: 27 Nov 05 - 02:58 AM

THE OLD BOG HOLE.

1. O the pigs are in the mire and the cow is on the grass
A man without a wife is little better than an ass
My mother likes her ducks and the ducks like the drake
And sweet Judy Flannigan I'd die for your sake
For Judy is as fair as the flower on the lea
She is nate and complete fae the neck to the knee
We met tother night my heart to console
Och, I set Judy down by the Ould Bog-hole.
O gramachree, mavourneen could you fancy me
Cushla mavourneen could you marry me
Gramachree mavourneen could you marry me
Could you fancy the bouncing young Barney Magee.

2. Sweet Judy she blushed and she hung down her head
Sure Barney you blackgaurd I would like to get wed
But they say you're sae rough and you are such a rake
Don't belave it says I for it's all a mistake
For to keep you gentale I will toil at my trade
I will handle the flail the hook or the spade
And the turf to procure which is better than coal
Och I'll dig to the knees in the Oul Boh-hole.
Then cushla mavourneen would you marry me
Gramachree mavourneen could you fancy me
Cushla mavourneen would you marry me
Wid my ould britches tattering all over my knee.

3. O give me your hand and consent just at once
For it's not every day that you'll get such a chance
When the prest makes us one then how happy ye'll be
As the beautiful dutiful Mrs Magee
Tho the male may be scarce we'll hae praties enough
And if you should long for more delicate stuff
Sure I'll bring out the rod which my granfather stole
And I'll fish for the ales in the Oul Bog-hole.
O gramachree mavourneen my own gramachree
Arrah cushla mavourneen won't you marry me
Arrah gramachree mavourneen my own gramachree
Sure my heart is the part that's devoted to thee.

4. And the childer we'll have sure we mus'nt miss that
Ther'll be Darby and Barney and Murphy and Pat
Wid Katie so fair and Judy so bluff
Arrah stop there she cried have you not got enough
Arrah faith I have not for I'll ne'er be content
Till you bring home as many as there's days in the Lent
How the neighbours will stare when we go for a stroll
When we all promenade round the Ould Bog-hole.
Arrah gramachree mavourneen my own gramachree
Arrah cushla mavoureen won't you marry me
Arrah cushla mavoureen my own gramachree
Won't ye fancy the bouncing young Barney Magee.

5. By the hockey says she I can hardly refuse
For Barney the blarney ye know how to use
You've charmed my heart wid the picture you've drawn
If I thought I could trust you the job might be done
Arrah murther says I do you doubt what I say
If I thought it would convince you I'd swear half a day
Hoch no she replied that is no use at all
When she whispered consent by the Ould Bog-hole.
Arrah give me a kiss now my joy and delight
Hoch be easy you blackgaurd till once you've a right
Sure after we're wed you may kiss and cajole
And we'll fish for the ales in the Ould Bog-hole.

The Old Bog Hole, version B, Mrs Margaret Gillespie. From the Greig-Duncan Folk Song Collection Vol.4, edited by Patrick Shuldham-Shaw and Emily B. Lyle (Aberdeen University Press), pp.61-2. For further information on the song, its singers, and the context of performance and collection, consult Emily Lyle's editorial notes in Vol.8 of the collection. Other supporting information can be found in Gavin Greig's own writings. Reproduced by permission of the editors and Mercat Press.

From

www.cc.gla.ac.uk/courses/scottish/ballads/old_bog_hole.htm

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: macushla mavourneen
From: Peace
Date: 27 Nov 05 - 03:00 AM

See also a Google of The Oul' Bog Hole.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: macushla mavourneen
From: masato sakurai
Date: 27 Nov 05 - 07:42 AM

The old bog-hole. Air: Old zip coon (H. De Marsan, Publisher, 54 Chatham Street, N. Y. [n. d.]), at American Memory.

Old bog hole ("The pig is in the mire, and the cow is on the grass ...") (Taylor, Printer, Brick Lane, Spitalfields, between 1859 and 1899), at Bodleian Library Broadside Ballads.

The Greig-Duncan version, however, has a different tune.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: macushla mavourneen
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 27 Nov 05 - 01:38 PM

Thanks, Peace, for posting the lyrics.
Last verse, correction- By the hokey, not by the hockey.
Cushla mavourneen- 'Macushla mavourneen' always makes me think of that other saccarine song so often heard.

The National Library of Scotland has a good clear transcription of a broadside c. 1850-1870. The Oul' Bog Hole

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: macushla mavourneen
From: masato sakurai
Date: 27 Nov 05 - 08:04 PM

From here:

A remarkable composition, written in 1806 and still avant-garde when it was finally published in 1825, is Benjamin Carr's Fantasia on the Air 'Gramachree'. The original tune by an unknown author was first published in 1787 and sung in various versions—"A Maid in Bedlam," "Molly Asthore" (or "Mailigh Mo Store," "Molly Bheag O!," "Molly My Treasure"), and "Grai My Chree!" ("Love of my Heart!")—in Ireland, Scotland and England. This pining song for a lost love by the banks of Banna was known from three settings done by Haydn. Another folk song called "The Ould Bog Hole" contains similar lyrics: "The pigs are in the mire, the cows are in the grass, a man without his love is no better than an ass... O gramachree, mavourneen could you fancy me, Arrah cushla mavourneen won't you marry me." Carr's Gramachree begins unfolds like a long improvisation. Gramachree's overall dynamic intensity and the density of its virtuosic gestures border on the Lisztian. But other elements of the piece are still rooted in the Classical period.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: macushla mavourneen
From: michaelr
Date: 27 Nov 05 - 09:33 PM

Any connection to "The Crow on the Cradle"?

The sheep's in the meadow
The cow's in the corn...

Subject: Lyr Add: MACUSHLA MAVOURNEEN
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 08 Jan 12 - 12:50 PM

In case anyone is still interested in this particular version, I have made an attempt to transcribe it. There are a few gaps and doubtful words. I have boldfaced the words that are different from the version posted earlier:


MACUSHLA MAVOURNEEN
As sung by The Wolfe Tones on "Profile" (1991)

1. Oh, the pig is in the mire and the cow is in the grass.
A man without a woman through this world will sadly pass.
My mother likes the ducks and the ducks love the drakes,
And little Biddy Mulligan, I'd die for her sake;
For Biddy she is fair as the flowers on the lea.
She's as neat and complete from her neck to her knee.
We met the other night and my heart she surely stole.
I set my Biddy down ... by the old Bog Hole.

CHORUS: Macushla mavourneen, will you marry me?
Gramachree mavourneen, will you marry me?
Macushla mavourneen, married we will be
And be happy in the valley windin' down to the sea.

2. Oh, Biddy she blushed and she hung down her head,
Said, "Barney, now, you blackguard, it's you I'd like to wed,
But you are such a rogue and you are such a rake."
"Don't believe it now," says I. "Sure it's all a mistake.
I can handle a hook and a shovel and a spade.
I'll keep you in potatoes and bacon with my trade,
And turf I will procure—it's better now than coal—
And I'll dig you(?) to my knees in the old Bog Hole.

3. "Oh, it's children we'll have, for I will see to that.
There'll be Darby and Judy and Barney and Pat
And Mary so meek and Katie now so rough."
"Oh, Barney, now, achora, don't you think you have enough?"
"Oh, no, my Biddy dear, I do not(?) be content
Until we have a chiseler for ev'ry day of Lent;
And people will stare when we go for a stroll
And we go promenadin' down the old Bog Hole."

4. "By the hokey," says she, "I can hardly now refuse,
For, Barney, you're the devil when the blarney you use.
My heart you have won with the picture you have drawn.
If I knew that I could trust you, I'd be married in the morn."
"Now, Biddy, you can trust me; I'd never do you wrong.
I'll give you a cuddle ev'ry evenin' till the morn.
We'll be happy and content since(?) from first my heart you stole,
And children ... from the old Bog Hole."