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Lyr Req: Haigh Didil Dum (from Mary O'Hara)

13 Sep 00 - 08:25 AM (#296340)
Subject: Lyr Req: Haigh Didil Dum
From: GUEST,oferfr@barak-online.net

Hi Folks,

I need the lyrics of "Haigh Didil Dum" from Mary O'Hara CD.

If you can also supply the music or chords (or write the URL where they can be viewed) it would be great :-)

Many Thanks, Ofer.

13 Sep 00 - 08:56 PM (#296811)
Subject: Lyr Add: HAIGH DIDIL DUM (from Mary O'Hara)
From: Alice

Recorded by Mary O'Hara and as found in her book, Mary O'Hara A Song For Ireland. I don't speak Gaelic, so I hope I've copied this down from the book without errors. I guess someone will let me know if I did.

HAIGH DIDIL DUM

Haigh didil dum, an cat is a mháthair
D' imigh go Gaillimh a' marcaíocht ar bhárdal;

CHORUS
Haigh didil dum, agus haigh didil dero,
Is haigh didil didil di haigh didil dum.

Haigh didli dum, do tháinig an bháisteach,
Hóbair go mbáifi an cat is a mháthair,

CHORUS

Haigh didil dum thug Walter dinéar dóibh,
Dreóilin beag rósta, 'gus smóilin is céirseach.

CHORUS

---
Haigh didil dum, the cat and his mother
Went to Galway riding on a drake.

Haigh didil dum, down came the rain;
The cat and his mother were nearly drowned.

Walter gave them a dinner,
A little roast wren, a lark and a thrush.

---

The next song in the book is The Little White Kitten. She tells this story: "Apparently this particular person [backstage] was a keen animal lover and was happily remarking on the number of nature songs and songs about animals in my repertoire. She enquired if I, by any chance had a song about a cat.
'Yes, indeed', I'm reported to have said enthusiastically, 'I have a beautiful song about a cat.' I was referring to 'An Caitín Bán'.
... 'I love cats', she said,'please do tell me more about the song.'
'Yes, I sang it in a competition when I was eight. I remember it well because I fell off the stage. As a matter of fact,' I continued cheerily, 'the song is about a dead cat.'
And there, abruptly the conversation ended."

She's referring to a different song that Haigh Didil Dum, but this is such a great example of her sense of humor, I had to share it.

Alice

14 Sep 00 - 12:53 AM (#296934)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lyr Req: Haigh Didil Dum
From: Alice

I read this again and see that once I typed "didli" - that's supposed to be didil.

14 Sep 00 - 01:25 AM (#296949)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lyr Req: Haigh Didil Dum
From: Bev and Jerry

Thank you, thank you Alice!

We recorded this song in Ireland in 1990 and have listened to it dozens of times. Not being Irish speakers, we couldn't understand the words and had no idea what it's about. Now, at last, we know.

Bev and Jerry

14 Sep 00 - 03:14 AM (#296987)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lyr Req: Haigh Didil Dum
From: GUEST,oferfr@barak-online.net

Thank you very much for the lyrics !

P.S. I can't find the lyrics for "The Frog Song" from the same CD. Can you help please?

If interested, I can post the lyrics of O Silent Moyle (a very touching and beautiful song, in my opinion).

Thanks Again :-)

10 Oct 00 - 11:20 AM (#315478)
Subject: Lyr Add: FROG SONG / FROG'S WEDDING^^
From: Alice

I emailed the Frog Song in response to this request but forgot to post it here.

THE FROG SONG (on her recording)
THE FROG'S WEDDING (in her book)
(as recorded by Mary O'Hara)

There was a frog lived in the well,
Hi Ho said Roly,
there was a frog lived in the well
and a merry mouse in the dell,
with me Roly Poly Cabbage and Spinach,
And hi! for Anthony Roly.

The frog he said I must go court,
Hi HO said Roly,
the frog he said I must go court,
with my bayonet and my sword
with me Roly Poly Cabbage and Spinach
And hi! for Anthony Roly.

Where will the wedding be
Hi Ho said Roly,
where will the wedding be,
at the butt of an ivy tree,
with me Roly Poly Cabbage and Spinach
And hi! for Anthony Roly.

Now we're all in very good cheer
Hi Ho said Roly,
now we're all in very good cheer
if we had some music here,
with me Roly Poly Cabbage and Spinach
And hi! for Anthony Roly.

In came the bumble bee

Hi Ho said Roly in came the bumble bee with a fiddle on his knee*,
With me Roly Poly Cabbage and Spinach
And hi! for Anthony Roly.

Now we're all in very good cheer,
Hi HO said Roly,
now we're all in very good cheer
if we had some dancin' here,
With me Roly Poly Cabbage and Spinach
And hi! for Anthony Roly.

In came the butterfly
hi ho said Roly,
in came the butterfly
Swore to dance until she'd die,
With me Roly Poly Cabbage and Spinach,
And hi! for Anthony Roly.

(2 additional verses in the book, not on the recording)**

Frog jumped up with a
terrible fright
Hi Ho said Roly,
frog jumped up with a terrible fright,
doffed his hat and said good night,
With me Roly Poly Cabbage and Spinach,
And hi! for Anthony Roly.

As the frog was crossin' the stream
Hi Ho said Roly,
as the frog was crossin' the stream,
a big duck came and gobobbled him up,
With me Roly Poly cabbage and Spinach,
And hi! for Anthony Roly.

* alternate line from her book, "clapped a bagpipe on his knee"

** Then commenced a terrible din
Hi Ho said Roly,
Then commenced a terrible din,
The cat and her kittens came tumbling in
With me Roly Poly cabbage and Spinach,
And hi! for Anthony Roly.

The cat took poor mister rat by the head,
Hi Ho said Roly,
The cat took poor mister rat by the head,
And the kittens killed poor miss mousie dead,
With me Roly Poly cabbage and Spinach,
And hi! for Anthony Roly.

This song has a different tune than all the other frog courting songs I've heard.

She writes that she learned this Irish version from Liam Clancy.

In a series of school recitals for the Music Association of Ireland, she would sing this song. In trying it out before the recitals on an audience of four children, she explained that it was about a mixed marriage of a bride and groom who met disaster on their wedding day. Little eight year old Ruth looked up with a tearful expression and said, "Oh, Mary, they never were meant for each other."
^^

Alice

10 Oct 00 - 11:45 AM (#315500)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lyr Req: Haigh Didil Dum
From: Allan C.

GUEST,oferfr, were you talking about Silent Oh Moyle?

10 Oct 00 - 05:59 PM (#315755)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lyr Req: Haigh Didil Dum
From: Alice

Yes, Allan, he was. I emailed to him last month that it was in the Mudcat forum. Thanks for the link. I still love singing that song.

10 Oct 00 - 06:06 PM (#315759)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lyr Req: Haigh Didil Dum
From: Peter T.

Connected to "Froggie Went a Courting and he did ride." But, oh, experts, how and when?
yours, Peter T.

18 Jul 08 - 05:37 PM (#2392492)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Haigh Didil Dum (from Mary O'Hara)
From: GUEST,Val Slaughter

Thanks for posting "The Frog's Wedding"! It's very hard to discern those lyrics shooting by on the recording.      Val S.

P.S. Does anyone have the lyrics for "My Aunt Jane"?

18 Jul 08 - 06:24 PM (#2392524)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Haigh Didil Dum (from Mary O'Hara)
From: MartinRyan

Hi Guest Val!

If you put "my aunt jane" into the search box on the Lyrics & Knowledge page you'll find links to a set of lyrics and some threads about "My Aunt Jane".

Regards

22 Jul 08 - 06:24 PM (#2395466)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Haigh Didil Dum (from Mary O'Hara)
From: GUEST

Oh, thanks! I just discovered you had a lyrics page!   Val Slaughter

23 Jul 08 - 09:44 AM (#2395927)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Haigh Didil Dum (from Mary O'Hara)
From: MartinRyan

GUEST Val

You're welcome. It's always best to post a NEW thread when you're looking for something - having checked the Lyrics and Knowledge Search first, of course!

Hang around.

Regards