Lyr Req: The Missus Her Mother the Bulldog and Me

Subject: Lyr Req: The Missus Her Mother The Bulldog and me
From: GUEST,CuriousClousea
Date: 02 Dec 03 - 07:46 AM

I've been looking to the lyrics to this song for quiet a while. I heard it sung at an irish session a few months back and thought it was brilliant!
If anyone can help it would be much appreciated.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Missus Her Mother The Bulldog and me
From: GUEST,Philippa
Date: 02 Dec 03 - 08:59 AM

I've got a CD and book of John Kennedy, who sings this song. I'll check whether I've got either recording or words in my collection

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Missus Her Mother The Bulldog and
From: Wilfried Schaum
Date: 02 Dec 03 - 09:00 AM

Others are also looking for the lyrics; see this thread: The Bull of Kildare unsuccessfully till now.
Maybe you have to buy the CD. Discography to be found with google. search the title in quotation marks (essential).

Good luck
Wilfried

Subject: Lyr Add: THE MISSUS HER MOTHER THE BULLDOG AND ME
From: GUEST,Philippa
Date: 02 Dec 03 - 06:57 PM

From Together in Time - The life and music of John Kennedy of Cullybackey, with text by Fintan Vallely, published by Loughshore Traditions Group:
"A musichall fancy from the late nineteenth century, this [song] was given to John by Jack Murdoch, an oil delivery man from Ballymena who sang in the town's mail voice choir."

THE MISSUS, HER MOTHER, THE BULLDOG AND ME

People are known by the company they keep;
If a man takes the flu, it doesn't mean he's a sweep.
I'm always seen out wi' me own family,
The missus, her mother, the bulldog and me.
We're all quite homely, don't think it a boast,
Just see us on Sunday when we're at the roast;
You cannot tell who is growling the most,
The missus, her mother, the bulldog or me.

Now, when we went a-courting we had quite a lark,
Each evening we'd go for a stroll in the park
And sit there for hours 'neath some shady tree,
The missus, her mother, the bulldog and me.
We'd sit there as peaceful as peaceful could be
And the birds up above sung a sweet melody,
But then they'd start dropping things down from the tree
On the missus, her mother, the bulldog and me.

Well, we went and got wed as most couples have done
And were told that three could live just as cheaply as one.
The registrar said, "Who'll stand se-cur-ity?"
"Oh," says I, "The wife's mother, the bulldog and me."
But the night we were wed we'd to part company;
There was only one bed and it wouldn't hold three.
But we soon got over that difficulty;
The wife slept wi' her mother and the bulldog wi' me.

There were photographs taken as newly-weds do;
You'd seen nothing like it inside any zoo.
We stood in a group and smiled gracefully,
The missus, her mother, the bulldog and me.
The photos were lovely, there wasn't a hitch,
You could easily tell that the dog was a bitch,
But you'd have to look closely, if you wanted to see,
Who was the missus, her mother or me.

Ten years have elapsed since I wed Mary Ann,
And at last now I've proved that I'm really a man,
For inside the bedroom stood old nurse Magee
And outside the door stood the bulldog and me.
The nurse she come out, oh all smiling with glee:
Said I "What is it nurse?" and she answered with glee,
"Would you tell me who caused all this anxiety!"
"Oh!" said I, "the wife's mother, the bulldog and me."

Subject: Tune Add: THE MISSUS HER MOTHER THE BULLDOG AND ME
From: GUEST,MMario
Date: 04 Dec 03 - 08:56 AM

The tune for the above - from the same source

X:1
T:The Missus, Her Mother, The Bulldog and Me
N:From Together in Time - The life and music of John Kennedy of Cullybackey, with text by Fintan Vallely, published by Loughshore Traditions Group:
N:"A musichall fancy from the late nineteenth century, this [song] was given to John by Jack Murdoch, an oil delivery man from Ballymena who sang in the town's mail voice choir."
N:contributed by Philippa
I:abc2nwc
M:3/4
L:1/8
K:G
z4B2|B2B2B2|B2A2A2|A2G2G2|G4F2|F4E2|D2E2F2|
A2G2G2|G4B2|B2B2B2|B2A2A2|A2G2G2|G4F2|
F4E2|D2E2F2|A2G2G2|G4c2|c2c2c2|c2d2c2|c2B2A2|
B4D2|D2G2B2|d2c2B2|B2A2G2|A4B2|B2B2B2|B4A2|
A2G2G2|G4F F|F4E2|D2E2F2|A2G2G2|G4z2

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Missus Her Mother The Bulldog and me
From: Joe Offer
Date: 05 Dec 03 - 01:02 AM

I have trouble with this tune. It sounds like an oversimplified version of "Mountains of Mourne" - but "Mourne" works much better with the lyrics. I can't get the Digital Tradition's "Mourne" to play, so Click here to get Barry Taylor's MIDI from the Contemplator site.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Missus Her Mother The Bulldog and me
From: GUEST,Philippa
Date: 05 Dec 03 - 06:51 AM

I think the tune is a simplified and more rythmic version of the Mountains of Mourne
You really have to hear John Kennedy sing it

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Missus Her Mother The Bulldog and me
From: GUEST,Philippa
Date: 19 Jan 04 - 06:17 PM

surely that should be a "male voice choir"; I don't suppose they were all postal delivery workers (along with the oil delivery)!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Missus Her Mother The Bulldog and me
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 19 Jan 04 - 08:12 PM

Olde Time wisdom: (Folklore)

"The woman, the dog & the walnut tree, The more you beat 'em, the better they be!"

Nigel