I'll Tell Me Ma
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lyrics
(Chorus):
I'll tell me ma when I go home
The boys won't leave the girls alone
They pull my hair, they steal my comb
But that's all right till I get home
She is handsome, she is pretty
She is the belle of Belfast city
She is courting one, two, three
Please, won't you tell me, who is she?
Albert Mooney says he loves her
All the boys are fighting for her
Knock at the door and ring the bell
Saying, oh my true love, are you well?
Out she comes, white as snow
Rings on her fingers and bells on her toes
Old Johnny Murray says she'll die
If she doesn't get the fellow with the roving eye
(Chorus)
Let the wind and the rain and the hail go high
Snow come tumbling from the sky
She's as nice as apple pie
She'll get a fellow by and by
When she gets a lad of her own
She won't tell her ma when she gets home
Let them all come as they will
It's Albert Mooney she loves still
(Chorus)
"I'll Tell Me Ma" is a well known children's song. Originally written by Francie McPeake from Springview Street, West Belfast, Ireland. Johnny Murray lived across the street from the McPeakes and this is where "Old Johnny Murray says she'll die" lyric comes about. The chorus usually refers to Belfast city, although it is also adapted to other Irish cities, such as Dublin.[1]
This song is Roud Folk Song Index number 2649.
[edit] Recordings
- The Rankin Family on their 2nd album Fare Thee Well Love, 1990
- Lick the Tins, on Blind Man on a Flying Horse
- The Chieftains and Van Morrison, on their collaboration record Irish Heartbeat
- The Chieftains, on Live From Dublin: A Tribute To Derek Bell, sung by Ronnie Drew
- The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem, on The Boys Won't Leave The Girls Alone
- The Dubliners
- Four to the Bar, on their live album Craic on the Road
- The Irish Tenors
- Christy Moore
- Gaelic Storm
- The Corries, on The Corrie Folk Trio and Paddie Bell
- Sinéad O'Connor, on Sean-Nós Nua
- The Tossers, on Communication & Conviction: Last Seven Years
- Orthodox Celts, the line 'She's the belle of Belfast City' replaced with 'She's the belle of Belgrade City')
- Sham Rock
- Slainte
- The Young Dubliners, on With All Due Respect - The Irish Sessions
- Marc Gunn, on Irish Drinking Songs: The Cat Lover's Companion and was parodied on Irish Drinking Songs for Cat Lovers
- Amadan on Hell-Bent 4 Victory
- Brak with The Chieftains on Brak Presents The Brak Album Starring Brak
- Paddy's Irish Clan on Bull's-Eye
 |
This folk song-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
