133. The Irish Ballad (Tom Lehrer)

[francismassacre]

Between the inimitably comprehensive Child Ballad compilation and this Lehrerism (which I found independently) you are about my favorite person ever.

[raymondcrooke]

@francismassacre That's nice to know. I'm glad you're enjoying the songs.

[raymondcrooke]

@francismassacre Thanks for subscribing.

[raymondcrooke]

@BigDaddysGirly I agree with you, but this song is actually making fun of Irish ballads! Tom Lehrer was no fan of folk music.

[timbertable]

Schön. Very Nice

[pissinthenightaway2]

What are the chords to this song?



[raymondcrooke]

@pissinthenightaway2 You can find them on my website. (See the link in the information panel above). Click on "My Folk Songs", then "Singer Songwriters", then "Tom Lehrer" and you'll find them with the words.

[dreamsofequal]

Where did you get tabs? Or did you just work something out?

[raymondcrooke]

@dreamsofequal I can't remember. I've been singing this song for about 45 years.

[dreamsofequal]

@raymondcrooke All I can say to that is well done sir, and you have good taste

[BenAliGtor]

I remember when I borrowed the original (1948) recording of this from a high school friend.

[hvaderditproblem]

you a locking a little bit like the danish singer kim larsen :)

its cool ;)

[justfolk]

The version I've always heard had almost... half the lyrics different. As you can tell in my acapella version. Unfortunately I was deployed, in the winter, which means I had a permanent sore throat, but you should still be able to understand me.

I liked it, sir. Very well done.

[raymondcrooke]

Thanks for watching. These are the lyrics as Tom Lehrer wrote them. Interesting to see the way they are changing as the song gets passed on.

[justfolk]

Yeah, I had assumed (since he wrote it) that these would be the original lyrics, crazy to see how far they changed before they got to me. In fact, I can't say for sure I didn't change them myself, I only heard the song twice in my life before I had it down, and I easily could have just filled in the gaps in memory, as far as I know.

Hope my version wasn't too much of a butchering!

[raymondcrooke]

I think butchering would be quite appropriate for this song!

[yerac123]

Like i said I know this song complete I used to sing this with my husband who played the Guitar.. long time ago in the 50's before you tube.. and also be Prepared and the Hunting song..

[raymondcrooke]

I remember hearing those songs when I was in fourth form at school - played to us by a teacher!

[compeld2sing]

I gotta hand it to you! You must have practiced a lot; or else, how can you keep singing and not break out laughing?

[raymondcrooke]

You mean there's something funny in this song?!!

[darlingtester1982]

Hello Raymond I like this song well done Lots of Hugs Kisses Love Gizmo xox

[JBurdoo]

Excellent rendition. I've just started hunting for old Tom Lehrer stuff on Youtube, and it brings back memories.

[raymondcrooke]

He certainly wrote some great songs.

[Serge165]

I like how the last line says "You should have never let me begin" doese that mean i need to go back in time with the INDIGOseeker and somehow hide your guitar? Or that might just prolong things...I'd have to use other mind control impliments...*sigh* well done , Raymond

"We beat all the principal's men, his men, we beat all the principal's men"

[raymondcrooke]

That wouldn't work, Serge. I'd just do it a capella!

[Serge165]

I knew there was a flaw in there somewhere...

[Efferto93]

Cool voice, Ray, keep on goin'!)

[raymondcrooke]

Thank you. I will.

[weirdalrokkz]

how pleasant :P

[raymondcrooke]

It is indeed a lovely little song.

[MySerpentine]

By the way, this is the Tom Lehrer introduction: Now I'd like to turn to the folk song, which has become in recent years the particularly fashionable form of idiocy among the self-styled intellectual. We find that people who deplore the level of current popular songs - although I admit they do seem to be recording almost anything these days. have you heard Sessue Hayakawa's record of Remember Pearl Harbor?

[MySerpentine]

These same people who deplore the level of current popular songs and yet will sit around enthralled singing Jimmy Crack Corn and I don't care or "Green Grow The Rushes, Oh!" - whatever that means. At any rate, for this elite I have here an ancient Irish ballad, which was written a few years ago, and which is replete with all the accoutrements of this art form.

[MySerpentine]

In particular, it has a sort of idiotic refrain, in this case rickety-tickety-tin, you'll notice cropping up from time to time - running through, I might add, interminable verses. The large number of verses being a feature expressly designed to please the true devotees of the folk song who seem to find singing fifty verses of On Top Of Old Smokey is twice as enjoyable as singing twenty-five.

[MySerpentine]

This type of song also has what is known technically in music as a modal tune, which means - for the benefit of any layman who may have wandered in this evening - that I play a wrong note every now and then, I think I might add... (starts to play, then stops)

[MySerpentine]

This song though does differ strikingly from the genuine folk ballad in that in this song the words which are supposed to rhyme - actually do. (starts to play, then stops) I, ah, I really should say that - I do not direct these remarks against the vast army of folk song lovers, but merely against that peculiar hard core who seem to equate authenticity with artistic merit and illiteracy with charm. (starts to play, then stops)

[MySerpentine]

Oh - one more thing. One of the more important aspects of public folk singing is audience participation, and this happens to be a good song for group singing. So if any of you feel like joining in with me on this song, I'd appreciate it if you would leave - right now. (Starts to play, and continues...)

[oldpossum]

Thanks for the intro, @MySerpentine!

It's an integral part of Lehrer's art, funny stuff.

[MySerpentine]

Welcome, welcome.

[oldpossum]

Just found out that you're EIGHTEEN!!!

Goes to show that not everything we listen to was crap

Since I'm afflicted with this weird and wholly useless obsession of trying to memorize poetry or songs I like I've gotten down most of Lehrer's muse (Btw: In some intro he once recited a NY Times critic:

"Mr Lehrer's muse isn't fettered by such inhibiting factors as taste."

[MySerpentine]

I prefer the older stuff . . . well, not 80s stuff. The 80s were too shallow.

Speaking of which, ever see 'American Psycho'?

[3FNGRPCKR]

I really enjoy your rendition. It's good for a few laughs. Thanks.

[PrettyGreenGoat]

This has got to be one of my favorite Tom Lehrer songs, next to Poisoning Pigeons in the Park. You play it really well!

[karch1992]

I would like to learn how to play this song. Where did you learn how?

[raymondcrooke]

I've never really learned to play guitar. I just kind of make it up as I go along.

[Lissalyn49]

This has always been one of my favorites. I sang it frequently with my brother when it first came out.

[kayjay83]

Ok - pidgeons in the park next !

[MySerpentine]

As a real Irishwoman . . . I love it.

[raymondcrooke]

As a fake Irishman...so do I.

[MySerpentine]

LOL

[mloreangal]

i really enjoyed the song it was very very good...

[challde]

lol u had me convienced u were irish

[MarieLynn3]

Love it :) very very nice Raymond :)

btw.. where can I get those figurines to your right in the video? I love those too :) LOL

[raymondcrooke]

They were given to my wife by a friend she does tai chi with. Thanks for your comment.

[themandikat]

Love it. I just recorded this song! i hadn't heard it for guitar before - they sound pretty alike! Your melody is possibly more accurate, though. Haha, anyway, love it.

[guitmartiman]

I didn't know this song was by Tom Lehrer. I remember reading the poem as a student in high school. I assume Lehrer only wrote the tune because I wouldn't consider him ancient, though he probably is getting rather old if he's still alive!

[raymondcrooke]

I think the "ancient" bit just refers to the style he is satirising. Actually, I've written a few ancient ballads myself - "Axis of Evil" for example.

[lordfesterbarkis]

does anyone have the chords for this. i love tom lehrer's songs.

please send them to me if you have them.

[mccomassanskrit]

Thanks for this! My older sister taught me this song in the mid-06s - much to my mother's horror.

[kaburto1966]

Thanks for sharing this lovely song. Play "National Brotherhood Week" for us.

[Phantomsbreath]

It's supposed to speed up for her brother. Close to doubletime, almost.

[Feminist2002]

Good work! you sung it well.

[NITEOWL779]

cool

[tinkernator]

Well played, and especially sung!

[wingayalamon]

Yeah, that song just rocked.

Unlike the other videos he isn't lip synching either, which is awesome.

[wesmatron]

Classic

[coolanddark]

good tom lehrer song.i love the songs you post.way to keep the old folk songs alive.

[raymondcrooke]

Judging from his comments I think Lehrer would have been quite happy to kill them off!

[sirius711]

lol! what was it, 'he particularly fashionable form of idiocy among the self-styled intellectual' and that it 'does differ strikingly from the genuine folk ballad in that in this song the words which are supposed to rhyme - actually do.' -- Absolute Genius -- you did a great job of it!

[shawnmcnair1]

i enjoyed the song. rock on.