Last Thursday I was at Movilla
School in Newtownards as mentioned before, I met with Peter Forbes who teaches
in the school. Peter is very much into his military history and was accredited
recently for bringing the SAS War Diaries home to Newtownards.
I don’t know how Peter finds time
to teach as he seems to dabble in most things including collecting old record
players and records. He showed me this old wind up record player and played a
couple of records one of which was ‘The Star of the Co. Down’.
During some of Peter’s research into
the SAS Diaries, it took him in the inevitable direction of Newtownards most
famous sons, Lt. Col. Blair (Paddy) Mayne – one of the SAS Originals. Paddy’s
favourite song was Mush – Mush – Mush (Tread on the Tail of me Coat) and Peter
had a copy of it! He kindly played it through a few times and it sounded quite
fantastic, with the old scrapes and crackles and mono sound really, really
authentic.
You can just imagine Col. Paddy
the worse for ware of drink playing this record and singing at the top of his
voice, along with a few of his Regiment – priceless.
Altogether now.............. Click here for music
Mush
– Mush – Mush (Tread on the Tail of me Coat)
Oh ‘twas there I learned readin'
and writin',
At Bill Bracket's where I went to school,
And ‘twas there I learned howlin' and fightin'
From my schoolmaster Mr. O'Toole.
*
Him and me, we had many-a scrimmage,
And the devil a copy I wrote.
There was ne'er a garson in the village
Dared tread on the tail of me
*
Mush, Mush, Mush tural-i-addy
Singin' Mush, Mush, Mush tural-i-ay.
There was ne'er a garson in the village
Dared tread on the tail of me coat.
*
Oh ‘twas there I learned all of
my courtin' --
Many lessons I took up in the art
--
Till Cupid, the blackguard, in
sportin',
An arrow drove straight through me heart.
*
Molly Connor she lived right forinst me,
And tender lines to her I wrote.
If you dare say one hard word against her,
I'll tread on the tail of your
*
Mush, Mush, Mush tural-i-addy
Singin' Mush, Mush, Mush tural-i-ay.
If you dare say one hard word against her,
I'll tread on the tail of your coat.
But a blackguard called Mickey
Maloney
Came and stole her affections away.
He had money and I hadn't any,
So I sent him a challenge next day.
*
That evenin' we met by the woodbine.
The Shannon we crossed in a boat,
And I lathered him with me shillelagh
For he trod on the tail of me
*
Mush, Mush, Mush tural-i-addy
Singin' Mush, Mush, Mush tural-i-ay.
And I lathered him with me shillelagh
For he trod on the tail of me coat.
*
Oh me fame went abroad through
the nations,
And folks came a flockin' to see.
And they cried out without hesitation,
"You're a fightin' man Billy
McGhee."
*
I cleaned out the Finegan's faction,
And I licked all the Murphy's afloat.
If you're in for a row or a ruction,
Just tread on the tail of me
*
Mush, Mush, Mush tural-i-addy
Singin' Mush, Mush, Mush tural-i-ay.
If you're in for a row or a ruction,
Just tread on the tail of me coat.
*
There are several good reasons
for drinkin',
And another one enters me head:
If a fellow can't drink when he's livin'
How the hell can he drink when he's dead?
*
Mush, Mush, Mush tural-i-addy
Singin' Mush, Mush, Mush tural-i-ay.
If a fellow can't drink when he's livin',
How the hell can he drink when he's dead?
*
No comments:
Post a Comment