Play recording: Patsy Mc Cann
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- Teideal (Title): Patsy Mc Cann.
- Uimhir Chatalóige Ollscoil Washington (University of Washington Catalogue Number): 853908.
- Uimhir Chnuasach Bhéaloideas Éireann (National Folklore of Ireland Number): none.
- Uimhir Roud (Roud Number): 13970.
- Uimhir Laws (Laws Number): none.
- Uimhir Child (Child Number): none.
- Cnuasach (Collection): Joe Heaney Collection, University of Washington, Seattle.
- Teanga na Croímhíre (Core-Item Language): English.
- Catagóir (Category): song.
- Ainm an té a thug (Name of Informant): Joe Heaney.
- Ainm an té a thóg (Name of Collector): Lucy Simpson.
- Dáta an taifeadta (Recording Date): 02/01/1980.
- Suíomh an taifeadta (Recording Location): Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, New York, United States of America.
- Ocáid an taifeadta (Recording Occasion): private.
- Daoine eile a bhí i láthair (Others present): unavailable.
- Stádas chóipcheart an taifeadta (Recording copyright status): unavailable.
It’s a song that, really, needs no explanation. And it wouldn’t be worthwhile explaining it anyway, because it’s a song explains itself. I’m only doing it to fill up the tape, you know!
There’s a man by the name of Mike Hogan, he’s plaguing me out of me life.
He has a fine daughter named Bridget, and he wants me to make her me wife.
She stands six-foot-four in her stockings, her waist would mine equal three,
And whenever I try for to kiss her, sure my elbows reach just to her knees.
‘Patsy McCann will you marry me daughter, oh, Patsy McCann if the girl you’ll wed,
Ten golden sovereigns down I will give you, a three-legged stool and a fine feather bed.
St Peter, St Paul and St Patrick are the picture that hangs on the wall.
I will throw them all in to the bargain if you’ll marry me daughter at all.’
So I married this old Bridget Hogan and she’s mine now for better or worse,
But the blessings that she should have brought me soon turned into a curse.
She kicks me, she bites me, she flays me, and she ties me lest I’d run away.
But this six-foot-four beauty’s a caution, and her father was worse for to say…
‘Now, Patsy McCann will you marry me daughter, oh, Patsy McCann if the girl you’ll wed,
Ten golden sovereigns down I will give you, a three legged stool and a fine feather bed.
St Peter, St Paul and St Patrick are the picture that hangs on the wall.
I will throw them all in to the bargain if you’ll marry my daughter at all.’
God forgive me for singing a song like that! Something to fill the tape up.
Notes
Joe tells Lucy that he learned this song from hearing it sung in Dublin. He thought it was a funny song that would do to fill a gap – but he admits he never sings it in public, and only sang it on this occasion to fill the time on the tape.