Lyr Add: The Bricklayer's Song (from Ray Stevens)

Subject: Lyr Add: THE BRICKLAYER'S SONG (from Ray Stevens)
From: susu
Date: 09 Jan 05 - 02:42 PM

This is the version Ray Stevens did. Hope you enjoy. Susu

THE BRICKLAYER'S SONG

Ok, Here's a song about an Irishman who had a little bad luck.
And I have been told this is a true story...

Dear Sir I write this note to you to tell you of me plight
For at the time of writing I am not a pretty sight
Me body is all black and blue, me face a deathly gray
And I write this note to tell you why I'm not at work today

While working on the fourteenth floor, some bricks I had to clear
But to toss them down from such a height was not a good idea
The foreman wasn't very pleased, he is an ackward sod
He'd said I'd have to cart them down the ladders in me hod.

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

And so when I untied the rope, the barrel fell like lead
And clinging tightly to the rope I started up instead
I shot up like a rocket till to my dismay I found
That half way up I met the bloody barrel coming down.

Now the barrel broke me shoulder as to the ground it sped
And when I reached the top I banged the pulley with me head
I clung on tight, though numb with shock from this almighty blow
And the barrel spilled out half the bricks fourteen floors below

Now when these bricks had fallen from the barrel to the floor
I then outweighed the barrel and so started down once more
Still clinging tightly to the rope me body racked with pain
Halfway down I met the bloody barrel once again

Now the force of this collision halfway down the office block
Caused multiple contusions and a nasty state of shock
Still clingling tightly to the rope I fell toward the ground
And landed on the broken bricks the barrel had scattered round

As I lay there groaning on the ground I'd thought I'd passed the worst
But the barrel hit the pulley wheel and then the bottom burst
A shower of bricks rained down on me, I didn't have a hope
For as I lay there bleeding, I let go the bloody rope.

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

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Bricklayers song
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 09 Jan 05 - 03:55 PM

Susu:

This is already here under many guises. If you follow This link you will find more than you ever wished to know about this song.
If you want to comment further, can I suggest you do it in one of the existing threads, thus keeping all info tidily together.

I hope I've put this sufficiently gently, I don't wish to put anyone off posting

CHEERS

Nigel

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Bricklayer's Song (from Ray Stevens)
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Feb 11 - 11:56 AM

LOL

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Bricklayer's Song (from Ray Stevens)
From: breezy
Date: 09 Feb 11 - 03:17 PM

If you have not already heard the Gerard Hoffnung address to the Oxford Union then may I highly recommend that you please do so, if at all possible.

I recall the impact it had on me.

The song is fun and well written but......

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Bricklayer's Song (from Ray Stevens)
From: Bugsy
Date: 09 Feb 11 - 06:54 PM

I'm with you 100% there breezy. I heard the Hoffnung address many years ago, well before I heard any musical version of the story. I must say the musical version pale into insignificance by comparison.

CHeers

Bugsy

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Bricklayer's Song (from Ray Stevens)
From: Jim McLean
Date: 10 Feb 11 - 05:11 AM

The song, properly titled The Sick Note, was written by Pat Cooksey as the link above will clarify. A very funny and well written song.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Bricklayer's Song (from Ray Stevens)
From: GUEST,Jed Grant.
Date: 10 Feb 11 - 06:56 AM

The fact that Ray Stevens, no mean songwriter himself, chose to record this song, shows that not only is it very funny, but has travelled well beyond the bounds of folk music, I heard it sung by a country band in Texas last year.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Bricklayer's Song (from Ray Stevens)
From: Gurney
Date: 10 Feb 11 - 02:03 PM

It is the title that fools you! Pat Cooksey, a sometimes Mudcatter, said on an earlier thread that the song has been recorded under many titles, and attributed to several writers.

Pat wrote the song, and he knew of earlier, less developed versions of the story, previous to Hoffnung's brilliant monologue, when he did so, as he has said on earlier threads.