Keep in mind this is way before the age of paparazzi, Internet blogs, tweeting, and expose' style magazines. How else would you expect a gossip get the dirt on the neighbors except to hide behind a wall?
Maybe the wall part was invented as a cover for it being just another "I said to her then she said to me story". You know, like "I have a friend who has this problem.. ".
Maybe it was how all the "He said to her then she said to him" songs about lovers were researched.
Ireland has long been a chief exporter of bleak ennui. When this particular song was written, not everyone—incredibly—had yet been convinced of the desirability of sinking into torpor. So the song’s protagonist is presenting a step-by-step how-to lesson for any optimistic laggards not yet in on the desperate fun:
• do not be a lover, simply hover near lovers; lingering behind a stone wall is a safe, chaste choice
• if you do, foolishly, become an actual lover, feign blithe indifference when you are dumped, convincing no one
• songbird eggs might be small, but they cost nothing; you do risk falling to your death
He's not hiding, (honest officer) he just sat down beside an old stone wall to hear two lovers talk so that he might learn a little more about love before going away.
But the two people he thought were in love are splitting up -- the man, who wears a false Willy-o and dresses in PJs, has (not surprisingly) been blown out for Johnny, who is blond and therefore irresistible. The young man determines that he will climb a giant redwood, and collect some twigs and moss and little bones and guano, and give them to any girl he may fancy in the future, in order to secure her love and dedication.
Loose Translation:
I went out to do my yard work and stopped for a moment to wipe the sweat from my brow and catch my breath before starting in again, when I heard the next door neighbors having a row.
He's been gone for quite some time and she's not happy about it. In fact she thinks he is stepping out with some floozy.
But he claims he has been faithful and to prove it he will go to the store and buy some eggs so she can cook him breakfast.
Ahhh... true love. Now back to the blasted weeding.
Perhaps the song spent aeons travelling from another culture where the growth was more voluptuous.
If I was the girl and he was set on robbing the nest of some piteous bird that wasn't any good to eat anyway, I would be very p*ssed off with him and think he was heartless and pointless. I would wait till he got to the top and then saw through the trunk.
Fortunately I am not a girl, and do not expect to have to do this sort of thing.
Anyway, I thought it was the girls who had the 'eggs' - is there something that Paddy ought to/needs to share with us? Is Paddy about to make a childless couple's future?
What the hell is going on
What the hell is going on
in the song "Johnny is the Fairest Man"? Why is he hiding behind walls listening to lovers talking, and what the hell are they talking about anyway?
# Posted on April 15th 2011 by Bernie 29
Re: What the hell is going on
Riding
# Posted on April 15th 2011 by Rudall the time
Re: What the hell is going on
condom flavours
# Posted on April 15th 2011 by ...
Re: What the hell is going on
What, horses?
# Posted on April 15th 2011 by Bernie 29
Re: What the hell is going on
No come on I want a proper answer.
# Posted on April 15th 2011 by Bernie 29
Re: What the hell is going on
There was no television in those days.
# Posted on April 15th 2011 by gam
Re: What the hell is going on
Keep in mind this is way before the age of paparazzi, Internet blogs, tweeting, and expose' style magazines. How else would you expect a gossip get the dirt on the neighbors except to hide behind a wall?
# Posted on April 15th 2011 by Jusa Nutter Eejit
Re: What the hell is going on
"To hear what they might say,
that I might know a little more about love....."
P stands for 'pervert' I suppose.
# Posted on April 15th 2011 by Weejie
Re: What the hell is going on
Maybe the wall part was invented as a cover for it being just another "I said to her then she said to me story". You know, like "I have a friend who has this problem.. ".
Maybe it was how all the "He said to her then she said to him" songs about lovers were researched.
# Posted on April 15th 2011 by David50
Re: What the hell is going on
Whatever, it's no excuse for egg theft.
# Posted on April 15th 2011 by Weejie
Re: What the hell is going on
Paddy stands for a P, I suppose?
# Posted on April 15th 2011 by ...
Re: What the hell is going on
If Elvis was "The Pelvis"
What was his cousin - Enis?
# Posted on April 15th 2011 by MorganYYZ
Re: What the hell is going on
Och I always thought it was .... Paddy stands to Pee, I suppose!
# Posted on April 15th 2011 by Ptarmigan
Re: What the hell is going on
I've always wondered about this one:
He stood at the corner, a fag in his mouth
Two hands in his pockets, he whistled me out
What did he whistle through?
# Posted on April 15th 2011 by EnDaC
Re: What the hell is going on
did he wet his whistle?
# Posted on April 15th 2011 by ...
Re: What the hell is going on
Wait. Can you do that in public?
# Posted on April 15th 2011 by Michele Sims
Re: What the hell is going on
He whistled through the corner of his mouth that didn't have the fag in it. Who could resist? But this is off-topic.
# Posted on April 15th 2011 by Bernie 29
Re: What the hell is going on
Ireland has long been a chief exporter of bleak ennui. When this particular song was written, not everyone—incredibly—had yet been convinced of the desirability of sinking into torpor. So the song’s protagonist is presenting a step-by-step how-to lesson for any optimistic laggards not yet in on the desperate fun:
• do not be a lover, simply hover near lovers; lingering behind a stone wall is a safe, chaste choice
• if you do, foolishly, become an actual lover, feign blithe indifference when you are dumped, convincing no one
• songbird eggs might be small, but they cost nothing; you do risk falling to your death
# Posted on April 15th 2011 by NEW Pure Drop® Ear Canal Oil
Re: What the hell is going on
On Wednesday we were discussing a Mudcat thread. Today, analyzing a song. What next, inviting ballad singers to our sessions?
# Posted on April 15th 2011 by oldstrings
Re: What the hell is going on
None of you are going home until I have a proper answer.
# Posted on April 15th 2011 by Bernie 29
Re: What the hell is going on
I'm going home now
# Posted on April 15th 2011 by ...
Re: What the hell is going on
He's not hiding, (honest officer) he just sat down beside an old stone wall to hear two lovers talk so that he might learn a little more about love before going away.
But the two people he thought were in love are splitting up -- the man, who wears a false Willy-o and dresses in PJs, has (not surprisingly) been blown out for Johnny, who is blond and therefore irresistible. The young man determines that he will climb a giant redwood, and collect some twigs and moss and little bones and guano, and give them to any girl he may fancy in the future, in order to secure her love and dedication.
# Posted on April 15th 2011 by gam
Re: What the hell is going on
Loose Translation:
I went out to do my yard work and stopped for a moment to wipe the sweat from my brow and catch my breath before starting in again, when I heard the next door neighbors having a row.
He's been gone for quite some time and she's not happy about it. In fact she thinks he is stepping out with some floozy.
But he claims he has been faithful and to prove it he will go to the store and buy some eggs so she can cook him breakfast.
Ahhh... true love. Now back to the blasted weeding.
# Posted on April 15th 2011 by MorganYYZ
Re: What the hell is going on
they're talking about "Big Ed loves Mona"
# Posted on April 15th 2011 by Theirlandais
Re: What the hell is going on
I was going to add something pedestrian like, wow, what a coincidence - I just sang this last night at Tommy Doyle's, but decided not to.
# Posted on April 15th 2011 by sara505sings
Re: What the hell is going on
in the song "Johnny is the Fairest Man"? Why is he hiding behind walls listening to lovers talking, and what the hell are they talking about anyway
To quote a poster on a previous thread.
"It's none of our business or anyone on here"
# Posted on April 15th 2011 by Free Reed
Re: What the hell is going on
I didn't know there were any trees in Ireland.
Perhaps the song spent aeons travelling from another culture where the growth was more voluptuous.
If I was the girl and he was set on robbing the nest of some piteous bird that wasn't any good to eat anyway, I would be very p*ssed off with him and think he was heartless and pointless. I would wait till he got to the top and then saw through the trunk.
Fortunately I am not a girl, and do not expect to have to do this sort of thing.
# Posted on April 15th 2011 by nicholas
Re: What the hell is going on
"I didn't know there were any trees in Ireland."
No, the trees were in England, and it was Paddy's cousin Thomas:
http://www.traditionalmusic.co.uk/folk-song-lyrics/T_Stands_for_Thomas.htm
The nest robbing became a competitive sport there.
# Posted on April 15th 2011 by Weejie
Re: What the hell is going on
I sort of knew there were trees in Ireland (-;.
# Posted on April 15th 2011 by nicholas
Re: What the hell is going on
Bother.
# Posted on April 15th 2011 by nicholas
Re: What the hell is going on
Anyway, I thought it was the girls who had the 'eggs' - is there something that Paddy ought to/needs to share with us? Is Paddy about to make a childless couple's future?
# Posted on April 16th 2011 by john knoss
Re: What the hell is going on
Egg-zactly John Knoss. Are you trying to "egg" us on?
Laurence
# Posted on April 16th 2011 by fauxcelt