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Topic: Words & meaning of song |
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pzkpfwvi |
Posted: 08-Feb-07 11:03 |
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On the Carnegie Hall album, The Clancy Brothers sing the English song, "They're Moving Father's Grave". At the end of that song they then begin what sounds like part of another song. The words listed below are as close as my tin ear will allow me to get:
Oh my old man says follow the band
And don’t dilly-dally on the way
Off with the band with the old man in it
I followed on with me old cockle in it
I dillied, I dallied, I dallied and I dillied
I’ve lost me way and don’t know where to run
Oh you can’t trust the specials like the old-time gumpers
When you pass on your way out
Can anyone, including Liam Clancy, confirm the words and meaning of these two verses? First, are the words correct? If so, what is meant by "cockle"? by "specials"? by "gumpers"? Is this part of another song? If so, are there other verses, and what are they? Is this song English or Irish?
Any information that helps solve this mystery will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks, Jim
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Mike M |
Posted: 08-Feb-07 13:43 |
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Hey Jim,
If you search this board for Father's Grave, you'll find a thread in which I asked the same question about lyrics from "Oh My Old Man..." to the end. Although it's an entertaining thread, there is no conclusive answer. The only thing I can tell you is a quote from an email from Liam about this and a few other topics:
Mike,
I think we've established the fact that there is no Live and Lusty. However I can fill you in on Fathers Grave. It goes:
"My Old man said follow the band, don't dilly-dally on the way.
Off with the band with me old man in it, I followed on with me old cock linnet (that might be Cockney rhyming slang).
I dillied, I dallied, I dallied and I dillied.
I lost me way and don't know where to roam.
Oh you can't trust Specials (Special Constabulary)
of the old time coppers (police, bobbies)
when you can't find your way home."
As to concert programs, there was always a program - but were you'd find a program of that particular concert is anyone's guess.
The people who did the new documentary unearthed some really unique stuff. That will be shown on Irish TV over the next two weeks but we're really hoping to release it on DVD in the near future. I saw the first hour at a preview and was very happy with the way it turned out.
All the best,
Liam
So happy to have the answer you were looking for.
Slainte!
Mike M.
P.S. My Old Man is it's own song. Google My Old Man Said lyrics, and you should have some luck!
[Edited by Mike M on 08-Feb-07 14:54] |
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annlizzy |
Posted: 08-Feb-07 21:43 |
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My Old Man is a favourite Cockney ditty.... if you ever get to London, take the A10 dual carriageway to Enfield and go to a traditional Cockney pub there called the Wonder, and on sunday nights you will hear the full version of this song.. it begins with,
"We had to go away, the rent we couldn't pay"..... and follows into the song, they follow the van though not the band, as they are doing a midnight flit from their lodgings with their luggage....a cock linnet is a male linnet, and up to about 15 years ago you could buy them on Club Row in Petticoat Lane, and then take them into the pub called the Bird Cage where you would be given advice on how to tame them, a pity as linnets if wild will die within a day from exhaustion as they love to dwell around riverbanks and just fly around the cage to try to escape....and the strange dealers sold wild ones which they passed on as easy to tame.
This song brings back happy memories of hazy Sundays in London.....
Ann
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pzkpfwvi |
Posted: 09-Feb-07 05:31 |
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Ann & Mike,
Thank you for your prompt reply to my question... With my tin ear, I
just never would have figured out those words on my own.
I Googled the lyrics to "My Old Man" and came up with the whole song
including minor variations. For anyone else interested, here is the li
nk:
http://sniff.numachi.com/pages/tiDILLDALL.html
Thanks, Jim
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