Lyr Req: Ballad of Dan McRae (Ooh-aah up the RA)

Subject: Lyr Req: Ballad of Dan McRae (Ooh-aah up the RA)
From: Wolfgang
Date: 04 Apr 05 - 12:49 PM

On the CD 'Publocked' (by the Hairy Bowsies) this is the only track without lyrics in the leaflet. It is a song mocking about Irish rebel songs and it is completely devoid of any good taste. It is a song that should never have been written. That's why it appeals to my crooked sense of humour.

This is less a request than a threat. If no one posts this song I'll transcribe it nonetheless and post it with all my errors. I understand enough so that you'll get the sense of 'up the RA' in the context of this song.

Wolfgang (evil grin)

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Ballad of Dan McRae (Ooh-aah up the R
From: Wolfgang
Date: 06 Apr 05 - 06:33 AM

OK then, I'll give you my transcription of this song. It is a song in very bad taste, placing Irish (republican) phrases in a most unrevolutionary context. For some of the words even my three volumes large Webster's didn't help. The meanings I guessed just were not in the dictionary. The dialect this song was sung in was so difficult for me to understand that at some places I have put in a word that makes sense but is different from what I hear. I'll give what I hear in parentheses behind what I have inserted.

Wolfgang

THE BALLAD OF DAN McRAE (OOH-AHH UP THE RA)

Oh, my name is Dan McRae
and I went to Americay
with my (or: took up?) arms to fight the forces of the Crown.
But I'd hooked up (?) with the mob
and I'd nearly done the job,
got (I hear 'lookup') picked up by the Feds and got sent down.

Now I live in a living hell
in an eight by ten foot cell
in a big, big federal penitentiary.
And I'm taking it up the crapper*
from a New York gangster rubber (robber?)
so that one day old Ireland will be free.

Chorus: And I'll go ooh-ahh, up the RA,** ooh-ahh, up the RA,
I said ooh-ahh, said ooh-ahh, up the RA,
and I said ooh-ahh, up the RA, ooh-ahh, up the RA,
I said ooh-ahh, said ooh-ahh, up the RA.

(the first chorus is sung like in pain and agony)

Well I'm taking it up the ass
because someone supergrassed
and I'm fucked if I know who the cunt can be.
Well, I've tried, be of no doubt,
to sit down and work it out
but sitting down is not so easy now for me.

So I stand up for my beliefs
in a pair of crimson briefs
and he said tonight that he'll may be the she.
And I ram it up the jacksy***
of a twenty stone (I hear 'so') Neo-Nazi
so that one day old Ireland will be free.

Chorus 2: And I'll go ooh-ahh, up the RA, ooh-ahh, up the RA,
ooh-ahh, ooh-ahh, up the RA,
and I'll go ooh-ahh, up the RA, ooh-ahh, up the RA,
I said ooh-ahh, said, ooh-ahh, up the RA.

(the second chorus is sung so that one cannot tell whether pain or enjoyment are dominant, at the end even getting a bit ecstatic or, if may say so, orgiastic.)

* not in my dictionaries; but I have learned in Mudcat the meaning of 'taking (having) a crap' and so I think that my guess of the meaning is correct.
** 'up the RA' (pronounced 'rah' and not 'ray' or 'are ay') in the revolutionary context means 'up the IRA'. In the context of this song the new meaning has to be guessed, unless 'RA' has another meaning (rear access?) that I don't know of.
*** I hear patsy/patsey but no dictionary entry comes close to the meaning of my guess

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ballad of Dan McRae (Ooh-aah up the RA)
From: Fibula Mattock
Date: 06 Apr 05 - 07:16 AM

Happy to correct your transcription Wolfgang (though not happy for any subsequent flack this song might produce!). It is twisted and very funny though. Great CD, isn't it?

First verse:
"to buy arms to fight the forces of the Crown"
"picked up by the Feds" is right.

Second verse:
"from a New York gansta rapper"

You're right with "jacksy".

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ballad of Dan McRae (Ooh-aah up the R
From: Wolfgang
Date: 06 Apr 05 - 07:43 AM

That was very quick, thanks a lot, Fibs.

I would have waited a few days and then I'd PMed you anyway, for I have seen a few posts by you mentioning this CD.

It really a twisted CD and I have laughed a lot. The idea is to repeatedly bring two lines in close proximity that just do not fit:

my heart is so full
you'd swear I had tits

or

flow, river, flow,
fuck off to the sea (I think I have seen you quoting these lines)

Depending upon the reaction I may post some more songs.

The only track that was even for my taste a bit too weird was the throwing-up song.

I remember when I got the CD I first scanned the tracklist and saw the title 'I shot Christy'. I though immediately they can't mean the one who first crossed my mind. I had my CD-player playing this track first. After one second of 'Diddle dee dee' I realised yes they can and I knew I'd like the recording.

Wolfgang