Details ABC Sheetmusic Comments

The Irish Waterman

jig

Key signature: Dmajor

Submitted on January 9th 2003 by Dafydd Monks.

This tune has been added to 70 tunebooks.

Also known as Do Virgins Taste Better?, The Irish Washerwoman.

Recordings of a tune by this name:

40 Years Reunion by The Dubliners
Alesia by Rapalje
An Toilean Aerach by Johnny Connolly
Another Measure: Scottish Country Dance Music From The 1950's, Volume 2 by Adam Rennie And His Scottish Country Dance Quartet
At Reavy's House by Jim Eagan
At The Feis by John Doonan
Beauty An Oileáin: Music And Song Of The Blasket Islands by Various Artists
Fiddle Sticks, Irish Traditional Music From Donegal by Various Artists
Folktrax-074 Johnny Doherty - The Pedlar's Pack by John Doherty
Happy To Meet Sorry To Part by Various Artists
In Full Spate by Paddy Glackin
Ireland's Best Session Tunes CD 2 by Waltons Recording
Irish Accordion Masters by Joe Derrane And Jerry O'Brien
Jack In The Box Irish Session by Tionol
Melodeon by John Gannon
No Songs by Martin Carthy And Dave Swarbrick
Pedlar's Pack by John Doherty
Quare Imagination by Liz Doherty
Rig-a-jig-jig: Dance Music Of The South Of England by Various Artists
Selections From Byker Hill, But Two Came By, No Songs by Martin Carthy And Dave Swarbrick
The Donegal Fiddle by Various Artists
The Gallowglass Ceili Band by The Gallowglass Ceili Band
The Gravel Walks: The Fiddle Music Of Mickey Doherty by Mickey Doherty
The Old Woman's Dance by The Tannahill Weavers
The Orkney Sessions From The Ayre Hotel by Various Artists
The Piping Of Patsy Touhey by Patsy Touhey
The Session by Na Connerys
Torch And Fire by Dan Beimborn
Two Gentlemen Of Clare by Gerard Commane And Joe Ryan

Details ABC Sheetmusic Comments

Details ABC Sheetmusic Comments

Details ABC Sheetmusic Comments

The Tune

A tune that's played quite a lot at my local session, this is one of those "You Love It Or You Hate It" Tunes, I personally love it, but if you don't or have any comments, post a reply!

# Posted on January 9th 2003 by Dafydd Monks

Tune Name

I don't know whether it's just a typo in the title but this tune is "The Irish Washerwoman". I think Hollywood may take some of the blame for destroying this jig which always got played in the old films whenever an Irish context developed (leprechauns dancing, etc) - something like the Mexican Hat dance for Mexican situations! Also there were a lot of orchestral versions. However, I once heard Gerdie Commane play this on his concertina down in Ennis and it was really magic so obviously it's the way it's played that matters.

# Posted on January 9th 2003 by Bannerman

Re: Tune Name

I dont know if somebody somewhere has had a quick brainstorm, but this name is used In one of my tune books aswell as my local session, over hundreds of years it's more than conciveable that titles get changed and new ones thought up though, thanks for setting me straight on the name, I'll check more vigarously in future, so as not to post the same tune with an impropor name! The interesting thing is that where ever It's called "The Irish Waterman" It's always played in Dmaj....strange.

# Posted on January 9th 2003 by Dafydd Monks

If it is really played with a c# as well as the f# then it must be a rare example of the G lydian mode, the mode that is more major than D major! I posted something about the modes some months ago. Doing a bar count, I see that there is an extra bar over the 16 bars of The Irish Washerwoman.

trevor

# Posted on January 9th 2003 by lazyhound

Re

Thanks Trevor, I'll look up your post about Modal playing, sounds interesting. yep it really is played with C# so sorry about calling it Dmaj, (It's just a shame you cant change the key things are in after you've posted them!)

# Posted on January 9th 2003 by Dafydd Monks

I'm sorry if I'm wrong and just being an ignorant, belligerent Yank, but this whole posting reads like one of those wildly fabricated letters to Dear Abby sent in just to get a rise out of the columnist. The tune is clearly Irish Washerwoman, played (or, as the case may be, pointedly NOT played) in trad circles in G maj (with c nats).

I see three possible interpretations here. Either (1) David is pulling our collective chain to see who will take the bait, or (2) it's possible to take any (allegedly) Irish tune, keep the notes, but twist the key signature and call it Welsh traditional music, or (3) this Welsh version predates the Irish setting, in which case I'd say it proves the myth of the Irish ear for usurping and improving on other cultures' music. :o)

Is it just me? Well, at any rate, I mean no disrespect, but this is hilarious stuff. I haven't laughed this hard since going to see My Big Fat Greek Wedding....

# Posted on January 9th 2003 by Will CPT

Omigod. David, you're pulling our legs, yes? Tell me you are. You must be, you can't have not known this as not The Irish Washerwoman, key change or no key change.

zls

# Posted on January 9th 2003 by Zina Lee

How strong is the beer in North Wales?

trevor

# Posted on January 9th 2003 by lazyhound

Duplicate tunes

Normally, duplicate tune submissions aren't allowed but I'm actually going to leave this one just because the comments are so funny.

But, guys, take it easy on poor Dafydd :-)

# Posted on January 9th 2003 by Jeremy

Laugh, I nearly cried!

Come on Will! This is funnier than My big fat Greek Wedding. I think we should have more 16 1/2 bar tunes in G lydian mode.

# Posted on January 10th 2003 by milesnagopaleen

My first exposure to ITM was this tune, it was on "Looney Tunes"(Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck etc). Maybe you should watch more cartoons, you might get a little more exposure to trad music than you're getting right now.

# Posted on January 10th 2003 by Mad Baloney

RE

Okay, Maybee I did know that this is "The Irish Washerwoman, No I'm not trying to acredit this to Welsh Traditional Music, and no the beer in wales is not that strong! Sorry for any confusion and even more sorry if I have insulted some people, Thanks for the support Jeremy, I'll check future tune submissions more carefully,

# Posted on January 10th 2003 by Dafydd Monks

Our Benevolent Dictator has demonstrated that he is also Wise and has a well-keeled Sense of Humor....

Honestly, this whole thing still has me chuckling. I can't wait to play the Irish Waterman at my next session. Except I prefer the original post in A major. *grin*

# Posted on January 10th 2003 by Will CPT

Looks like we may have a tune here that will go down in history...

trevor

# Posted on January 10th 2003 by lazyhound

My cartoon joke looked more like an insult in a second reading. I really meant it in a fun light, I should've used a :o) or two. My apologies if any offence was taken.

# Posted on January 10th 2003 by Mad Baloney

That's Quite OK Bladely, if we've lost the ability to look at the music we play and mak jokes at even our own expense then whats the world comeing to, and besides that joke was funny!
Yes it looks like this tune has bloted my copy book on this web page for quite a while, but still, never mind!

# Posted on January 10th 2003 by Dafydd Monks

Reminds me of a time I posted a tune that I had already posted. Jeremy masked any annoyance he had & I felt pretty stupid over the whole thing. Jeremy really has a lot of patience to deal with all of our foibles, three cheers to him for not packing up the whole site a long time ago. The blessing of this site is that we have people from all over the globe with instant access to the site, it's also the makes for some hot debates. One tune could be played in no other key but G, meanwhile in another place you'll get funny looks for playing that same tune in any key but G. As long as we all keep light hearted about the whole affair - that's what's important.
B

# Posted on January 10th 2003 by Mad Baloney

hee hee hee hee. Love the new key. Starts out just like boring ole Irish Washerwoman, then all of a sudden it's Nightmare on Elm Street!

# Posted on September 17th 2004 by Kerri Brown

"Irish Washerwoman" - maintaining some connection

Key signature: G Major
Submitted on May 25th 2001 by Jeremy.
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display.php/92

Personally for slap stick I prefer The Marx Brothers or Monty Python for starters rather than Lydia...or was it Lydian... "Lydia oh Lydia ~"

# Posted on December 9th 2005 by ceolachan

Do Virgins Taste Better - is a lyrical parody

Do Virgins Taste Better
words by Randy Farran, music traditional
http://www.soundclick.com/util/streamm3u.m3u?id=720583&q=lo

A dragon has come to our village today.
We've asked him to leave, but he won't go away.
Now he's talked to our king and they worked out a deal.
No homes will he burn and no crops will he steal.

Now there is but one catch, we dislike it a bunch.
Twice a year he invites him a virgin to lunch.
Well, we've no other choice, so the deal we'll respect.
But we can't help but wonder and pause to reflect.

Do virgins taste better than those who are not?
Are they salty, or sweeter, more juicy or what?
Do you savor them slowly? Gulp them down on the spot?
Do virgins taste better than those who are not?
Now we'd like to be shed you, and many have tried.
But no one can get through your thick scaly hide.
We hope that some day, some brave knight will come by.
'Cause we can't wait around 'til you're too fat to fly.

Now you have such good taste in your women for sure,
They always are pretty, they always are pure.
But your notion of dining, it makes us all flinch,
For your favorite entree is barbecued wench.

Now we've found a solution, it works out so neat,
If you insist on nothing but virgins to eat.
No more will our number ever grow small,
We'll simply make sure there's no virgins at all!

KEY C

verse/chorus:
C F C G C

# Posted on May 10th 2008 by Fishmonger

All joking aside, this reminds me a little of the Ballykeal with the f nat http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/2935 but in a strange lysergic way. Anyway, if in doubt, Dafydd, next time just say it's a Donegal version!

# Posted on May 10th 2008 by mutatis mutandis