Lyr Req/Add: John Riley's Always Dry (Harrigan...)

23 Feb 04 - 01:43 PM (#1121916)
Subject: Lyr Req: John Reilly
From: GUEST,Annegi

I am looking for the words of a song - I don't know the exact title but this is what I know of the lyrics. Can anyone fill in the missing bits

I have an old companion boys
John Reilly is his name
In fair or stormy weather
John Reilly's still the same
His heart is like a mountain
His honour you can't buy
But with his elbow bent me boys
John Reilly's always dry

Bass's ale, by the pail
He would order Suasannah to go out and buy
Guiness's stout, then he'd shout
Drink up boys and never say die
Every night, he'd get tight .........

Thank you

Click for John Riley/Reilly

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23 Feb 04 - 06:23 PM (#1122133)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: John Reilly
From: Susanne (skw)

I have a recording by Les Brown with similar lyrics, only I haven't taken them down yet. The song was called 'John Riley' on the record sleeve. Album title 'Scandalise My Name' (1975). I'll dig it out during the week.

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25 Feb 04 - 12:59 AM (#1123187)
Subject: Lyr Add: JOHN RILEY'S ALWAYS DRY
From: Jim Dixon

Here ya go, transcribed from the sheet music at The Library of Congress American Memory Collection:

JOHN RILEY'S ALWAYS DRY
Words, Edward Harrigan. Music, Dave Braham. 1881.
As sung in Edward Harrigan's comic play, "Mulligan's Silver Wedding."

I have an old companion, John Riley from Tralee.
In fair or cloudy weather, John Riley's seen with me.
His heart is like a mountain, His honor ye can't buy,
But elbow bending is his fault. John Riley's always dry.

CHORUS: Bass's ale by the pail
He would order Rosanna to go out and buy.
"Dublin stout!" he would shout,
Keep drinking and never say die.
Whiskey prime, gin and wine,
He would hand down a bottle and merrily cry,
"My Rose Ann, fill the can,
For honest John Riley's dry."

It's ev'ry morning early, John Riley's out of bed.
Sure never a feather bolster lies under Riley's head.
It's when the sun is rising so eager and so sly,
He slips out for his bitters, boys. John Riley's always dry. CHORUS

His father often told him when John was but a youth
That ev'ry mortal Riley all died from whiskey drouth.
Of course it is a failing, the poor man can't deny.
'Tis but a freak of nature, boys: John Riley's always dry. CHORUS

What puzzles all the doctors John Riley ever met
Is, fresh or salty water can't make John Riley wet.
Sure he must have the liquor, rum, brandy, gin or rye,
And should he miss the bottle, boys, John Riley'd surely die. CHORUS

[JOHN RILEY'S ALWAYS DRY is included on the various-artists album "Don't Give the Name a Bad Place: Types and Stereotypes in American Musical Theater, 1870-1900" New World CD 80265, 1996.]

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25 Feb 04 - 12:35 PM (#1123559)
Subject: Tune Add: JOHN RILEY'S ALWAYS DRY
From: GUEST

X:1
T:John Riley's Always Dry
C:E Harrigan/D. Braham
N:from Mulligan's Silver Wedding
N:1881
I:abc2nwc
M:4/4
L:1/8
K:C
z6G2|G2(E F) G2(A B)|c4B zc2|e2d2c2A2|G4z2G2|
w:I have an_ old com_-pan-ion, John Ri-ley from Tra-lee. In
G2(E F) G2(A B)|c4B2c2|e2d2d2e2|d4z2G2|
w:fair or_ clou-dy_ weath-er, John Ri-ley's seen with me. His
G2(E F) G2(A B)|c4B2c2|e2d2c2A2|G6F2|
w:heart is_ like a_ moun-tain, His hon-or ye can't buy, But
F2G2A2B2|c2d2e3f|e2c2d3c|c4z2E F|
w:el-bow ben-ding is his fault. John Ri-ley's al-ways dry. Bass-'s
[M:3/4]G3-G A B|c3-c B c|A f e e d c|B c A G E F|
w:ale_ by the pail_ He would or-der Ro-san-na to go out and buy."Dub-lin
G3-G A B|c3-c (B c)|A e d B c A|G3-G E F|
w:stout!"_ he would shout,_ Keep_ drink-ing and nev-er say die._ Whisk-ey
G3-G A B|c3-c B c|A f e e d c|B c A G E F|
w:prime,_ gin and wine,_ He would hand down a bot-tle and mer-ri-ly cry,"My Rose
G3-G ^F G|A3-A2G|G A B e2d|c3-c z2
w:Ann,_ fill the can,_ For hon-est John Ri-ley's dry."_

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25 Feb 04 - 02:13 PM (#1123633)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: John Reilly - John Riley's Always Dry
From: GUEST,Annegi

Thank you all very much for taking this trouble - it is really appreciated.
Anne

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25 Feb 04 - 02:22 PM (#1123642)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: John Reilly - John Riley's Always Dry
From: John MacKenzie

Fair young maid all in the garden
Strange young man passed her by
He said 'Fair maid will you marry me?'
This then sir was her reply.

Also called John Reilly

John

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Click for John Riley/Reilly

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28 Feb 04 - 09:48 PM (#1126052)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: John Reilly - John Riley's Always Dry
From: Malcolm Douglas

Also called John Reilly, yes; sometimes, and among many other names. Completely irrelevant to the song asked about, except insofar as people who don't realise that different songs may sometimes share a title might become confused, so it was worth mentioning as a pre-emptive measure; though I'm not too confident that everyone will understand that it was meant as such. "John Reilly" (various spellings) is a very common name, of course; we should all be thankful, I suppose, that it wasn't "John Smith".

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11 Jan 07 - 11:16 AM (#1933372)
Subject: RE: Req/ADD:John Riley's Always Dry -Harrigan & Braham
From: GUEST

[e-mail]
Just came across this but if anyone wants the John Reilly drinking song - John Reilly's Always Dry - So'm I
I have all the words

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11 Jan 07 - 01:18 PM (#1933466)
Subject: RE: Req/ADD:John Riley's Always Dry -Harrigan & Braham
From: Q (Frank Staplin)

Please post, guest Stuart. They would be much appreciated.

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12 Jun 18 - 10:10 AM (#3930492)
Subject: Origins: John Reilly (sp?)
From: bradfordian

OK, somebody's gonna point out it's in the DT--but I didn't manage to find it!
Just wondering if anyone knows this song.
there are variations in spelling of the surname.

I have a bold companion, John Riley is his name
In fair or stormy weather boys, John Riley’s always the same
His heart is like a mountain and his honour you cannot buy
And whenever it comes to drinking time,
your honour, John Riley is dry!
CHORUS:
Buys his ale, by the pale, he’ll order Susana to go out and buy Dublin Stout,
then he’ll shout Drink whiskey and never say die
Rye whiskey rye, gin and lime, he’ll knock back a double and then he will shout,
Maryanne, fill your can, for your honour John Riley is dry.

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12 Jun 18 - 10:28 AM (#3930496)
Subject: RE: Origins: John Reilly (sp?)
From: Steve Gardham

Care needed here. There are at least 3 older traditional songs with this title.

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12 Jun 18 - 06:06 PM (#3930566)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: John Riley's Always Dry (Harrigan...)
From: GUEST,bradfordian

Yes thanks Mick, this is the one I am looking for.
Perhaps joe clone might append my thread to this one.

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12 Jun 18 - 06:12 PM (#3930567)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: John Riley's Always Dry (Harrigan...)
From: GUEST,bradfordian

Here’s the full lyrics of the version I have from Gren, formerly of the Carrington Triangle Folk Club, Nottingham UK.

JOHN RILEY (from the singing of Grenvil Blatherwick)

I have a bold companion, John Riley is his name
In fair or stormy weather boys, John Riley’s always the same
His heart is like a mountain and his honour you cannot buy
And whenever it comes to drinking time, your honour, John Riley is dry!

Buys his ale, by the pale, he’ll order Susana to go out and buy Dublin Stout,
then he’ll shout Drink whiskey and never say die
Rye whiskey rye, gin and lime, he’ll knock back a double and then he will shout,
Maryanne, fill your can, for your honour John Riley is dry.

It’s early in the morning boys when he gets out of bed
He has no feathery bolster lads beneath his noble head
And when the sun is rising so proud and yet so shy
You’ll hear him shout for his Dublin Stout, for your honour John Riley is dry

Buys his ale, by the pale, he’ll order Susana to go out and buy Dublin Stout,
then he’ll shout Drink whiskey and never say die
Rye whiskey rye, gin and lime, he’ll knock back a double and then he will shout,
Maryanne, fill your can, for your honour John Riley is dry.

Mi father told me long ago when I was but a youth
That all the other Riley boys had died of whiskey truth
And yet it is the strangest thing, that nobody can deny
That whenever it comes to drinking time
Your honour John Riley is dry

Buys his ale, by the pale, he’ll order Susana to go out and buy Dublin Stout,
then he’ll shout Drink whiskey and never say die
Rye whiskey rye, gin and lime, he’ll knock back a double and then he will shout,
Maryanne, fill your can, for your honour John Riley is dry.

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13 Jun 18 - 03:53 AM (#3930619)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: John Riley's Always Dry (Harrigan...)
From: Richard Mellish

The version just quoted, from Grenvil Blatherwick, is very close to the version that I got from Dave Crosbie back in the 60s, but significantly different from the American Memory Collection version quoted earlier, showing the folk process at work. Notably, the last verse has been dropped.

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