|
04 Mar 98 - 05:56 PM (#22984) Subject: Alone for to Die? From: austinw Does anyone know an Irish comedy romantic ballad probably known as 'All Alone for to Die' (The last line of the chorus). Other lines I know are: 'There's a hole in me heart you could roll a Swedish turnip in' and 'The left side of me carcase is as weak as water gruel-o'. Lyrics or recording details would be greatly appreciated |
|
04 Mar 98 - 08:12 PM (#23005) Subject: RE: Alone for to Die? From: Dale Rose The song you want is Molly Brannigan, the lyrics are in the DT data base, and has a sound file with it. John McCormack recorded it on January 3, 1913, and it is available on his My Wild Irish Rose CD, BMG 09026-68668-2, 1997. (There's my John McCormack reference for the day) There have been other recordings with the song on it, but that is easily the most accessable version, I would think. As far as other artists who may have done it, I have never heard any. |
|
04 Mar 98 - 08:35 PM (#23007) Subject: RE: Alone for to Die? From: Dale Rose Found these at Music Boulevard: Molly Brannigan
Molly Brannigan
Molly Brannigan
The first and third ones have real audio sound clips. I have to mention that misheard lyrics, etc. are an ongoing topic at the Mudcat. The Richard Dyer-Bennet has a recording listed as Oft in the Silly Night! |
|
05 Mar 98 - 07:20 PM (#23103) Subject: RE: Alone for to Die? From: Bruce O. There were other names for the song earlier. I don't know when the song first appeared, but the tune is "Judy Brallaghan" in Levy's 1st vol. of 'The Dance Music of Ireland', 1858, and "Molly Brallaghan" in Haverty's 'One Hundred Irish Airs', 2nd series (1859). The tune was composed by an Irishman, Walker 'Piper' Jackson, and was originally called "Cossey's Jig". It's in the earliest extant edition of 'Jackson's Celebrated Irish Tunes' for which various approximate dates have been given, ranging from 1790 to 1795. There was an earlier edition of about 1780 that has dissappeared, so we don't know if it was in that. The tune was often printed under the "Cossey's Jig" title before 1858. The tune was called "Jackson's Farewell" in Murphy's 'Jigs and Airs' (1809). I have a copy of that and a copy of 1814, and some of later date. |
|
06 Mar 98 - 04:16 PM (#23192) Subject: RE: Alone for to Die? From: Songster Bob And it's one of the favorite songs of Bill D. (who does a fine job of it most times he sings it). |
|
06 Mar 98 - 05:34 PM (#23197) Subject: RE: Alone for to Die? From: Bruce O. Thanks for letting me know Songster Bob, after thinking hard, I've only a faint recollection of him doing it, and long ago. Shall we push him to do it tonight? (If I get directions to get there, that is. I haven't gotten a reply yet, and I'm getting worried.) |
|
02 Jan 04 - 11:49 AM (#1084601) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Alone for to Die? From: Jim Dixon ingeb.org has a song called MOLLY BRALLAGHAN which is nearly identical to MOLLY BRANNIGAN in the DT, except that it has these 2 additional verses (or one verse, if you group them as 8-line verses, as they do): 5. I went and told my tale to Father McDonnell, ma'am, And then I went and asked advice of Councilor O'Connell, ma'am. He told me promise breaches had been ever since the world began. Now, I have only one pair, ma'am, and they are corduroy! 6. Arrah, what could he mean, ma'am, or what would you advise me to? Must my corduroys to Molly go? In troth, I'm bothered what to do. I can't afford to lose both my heart and my own breeches, too; Yet what need I care when I'm only for to die? That site also has an mp3 file of a performance (of MOLLY BRANNIGAN) by John McCormick from 1913. It doesn't include these lines. |
|
21 Jan 10 - 02:20 PM (#2817789) Subject: Lyr Add: PURTY MOLLY BRANNIGAN From: Jim Dixon From "The Night of the Grand Debate: A Victorian Recollection" by David Blair, in The Antipodean, Vol. 1 (London: Chatto & Windus, 1892), PAGE 56: PURTY MOLLY BRANNIGAN 1. Ma'am, dear, did you never hear of Purty Molly Brannigan? Och, shure it is myself that did, and I'll never be the same man again. Not a spot upon my carcage shall another summer tan again, Since Molly she has left me here alone for to die. 2. Och! 'tis well do I remimber whin the haymaking was past and gone, Whin we walked into the meadows, and she said I was the only one That ever she could love, mavrone! And yet, the base and cruel one, After all that she laves me here alone for to die. 3. Och! 'tis well do I remimber whin on coming home the rain began, And I wrapped her in my old frieze coat, though ne'er a waistcoat I had on, And my shirt was rather fine-drawn: yet still the base desateful one After all that she's left me here alone for to die. 4. Thin I went to Priest O'Donnell and I tould him my story, Ma'am, And to Counsellor O'Connell, and I laid it all before him, Ma'am; He tould me promise-breaches had been ever since the world began. Now, shure I've but the one pair, and thim corduroy. 5. Och, what d'ye think did he mane, Ma'am, and what would you advise me to? Must my corduroys to Molly go? I'm fairly puzzled what to do. Isn't it too bad to lose both my heart and my breeches too? And me having but the one pair, and thim corduroy. 6. There's a great big hole widdin my heart you could aisy rowl a turnip in, 'Tis the size of half of Dublin and from Dublin to the Divil's Glyn. Shure, since she's got another heart she might sind me mine back agin. Instead of cruelly laving me here alone for to die. 7. The left side of my carcage is as wake as water-gruel, Ma'am, And there's not a bit left on my bones since Molly's been so cruel, Ma'am. If I'd a blunderbuss or a candlestick I'd go and fight a jewel, Ma'am; Wouldn't be better for to kill myself than stay here to die? 8. I'm as hot and as detarmined as a living salamander, Ma'am; Won't you come to my wake whin I go my long meander, Ma'am? I'll prove myself as valiant as Julius Çayser or Alexander, Ma'am, When I hear yez all crying out, "Och, why did you die?" |
|
22 Jan 10 - 02:13 PM (#2818707) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: alone for to die? / Molly Brannigan From: GUEST Hhmm... Years and years ago I learned this wonderful song from an old scratcy record and took the words down in old-fashioned shorthand. Fine, it creates an outline of the "sound" of the words but when I cam to transcribe them, that lovely first line of Verse 8 appeared to be "he's as hot and as bothered as a life's a lemon durmadon" and for years I actually sang that until I found the correct words in a book, viz "he's as hot and as bothered as a live salamander, madam". I like Lemon Durmadon - wonder what one is? LN :) |
|
24 Jan 10 - 12:32 AM (#2820051) Subject: Lyr Add: PURTY MOLLY BRALLAGHAN From: Jim Dixon Another old version, from Songs of Ireland and Other Lands (New York: D & J Sadlier & Co., 1847), page 83: PURTY MOLLY BRALLAGHAN. Air—"Groves of Blarney." 1. Ah, then, ma'm dear, did you never hear of purty Molly Brallaghan? Troth, dear, I've lost her, and I'll never be a man again. Not a spot on my hide will another summer tan again, Since Molly she has left me all alone for to die. 2. The place where my heart was, you might easy rowl a turnip in. It's the size of all Dublin, and from Dublin to the Devil's Glin. If she chose to take another, sure she might have sent mine back again, And not to leave me here all alone for to die. 3. Ma'm dear, I remember when the milking time was past and gone, We went into the meadows, where she swore I was the only man That ever she could love—yet, oh! the base, the cruel one, After all that to leave me here alone for to die! 4. Ma'm dear, I remember as we came home the rain began. I rowl'd her in my frieze coat, tho' devil a waistcoat I had on, And my shirt was rather fine-drawn; yet oh! the base and cruel one, After all that, she left me here alone for to die. 5. I went and tould my tale to Father M'Donnell, ma'm, And thin I went and ax'd advice of Counsellor O'Connell, ma'm. He towld me promise-breaches had been ever since the world began. Now, I have only one pair, ma'm, and they are corduroy! 6. Arrah, what could he mean, ma'm? Or what would you advise me to? Must my corduroys to Molly go? Troth, I'm bother'd what to do! I can't afford to lose both my heart and my breeches too, Yet what need I care, when I've only to die! 7. Oh! the left side of my carcass is as weak as water-gruel, ma'm— The devil a bit upon my bones, since Molly's proved so cruel, ma'm. I wish I had a carabine. I'd go and fight a duel, ma'm! Sure, it's better far to kill myself than stay here to die. 8. I'm hot and determined as a live salamander, ma'm! Won't you come to my wake, when I go my long meander, ma'm? Oh! I'll feel myself as valiant as the famous Alexander, ma'm, When I hear yiz crying round me, "Arrah, why did you die?" |