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Subject: Lyrics: Merrily Kiss the Quaker From: Michelle Terry Date: 20 Apr 98 - 09:07 PM Are there lyrics for "Merrily Kiss the Quaker"? It's listed as an Irish slide tune in my dulcimer book. |
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Subject: RE: Lyrics: Merrily Kiss the Quaker From: Bruce O. Date: 20 Apr 98 - 09:20 PM A version will be in the next (8th) volume of 'The Grieg-Duncan Folk Song Collection', due out later this year. I have what's there, but can't divulge it prior to publication. (I'd heard that it was in the Greig-Duncan MSS, but when I didn't find it, I enquired about it from the editor about a month ago.) Somewhere I've got a xerox of a version one published by Ruth Tounge(?) in England some time ago. I think song and tune are really English, and the well known tune is at least one Scots collection of the 18th century. I don't think I've seen the tune in any old Irish collection of popular tunes. Look in the Opie's 'Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes' for a fragment.
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Subject: RE: Lyrics: Merrily Kiss the Quaker From: Joe Offer Date: 20 Apr 98 - 11:12 PM Here's that fragment from the Opie book: The quaker's wife sat down to bake-Joe Offer- |
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Subject: RE: Lyrics: Merrily Kiss the Quaker From: Bruce O. Date: 20 Apr 98 - 11:39 PM Actually, neither of the other two versions is an awfully lot better that that above. |
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Subject: RE: Lyrics: Merrily Kiss the Quaker From: Joe Offer Date: 20 Apr 98 - 11:50 PM Now, can we find the tune somewhere? Looks like it might be a good one. Michelle, if you have the tune in your book and need help learning how to post it, just let us know. We'll do anything for a song. -Joe Offer- |
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Subject: Lyr/Tune Add: THE QUAKER'S WIFE From: Joe Offer Date: 21 Apr 98 - 02:38 PM Hey! Look what I found! I'm not sure if this is the same song we're talking about, but it seems at least to be related. I found it in a third-grade music book published by the California Department of Education in 1958. How come schools don't have music books like this any more? School songbooks did tend to "sanitize" lyrics horrendously, and I don't suppose a reference to kissing Quaker's wives would have been acceptable in the 1950's. Nowadays, schools find it safer not to teach music at all. One way or another, you're going to offend some special interest group, and we certainly wouldn't want our ideas to offend anyone, would we? -Joe Offer-
THE QUAKER'S WIFE
MIDI file: THEQUA~1.MID Timebase: 192 Name: The Quaker's Wife This program is worth the effort of learning it. To download the March 10 MIDItext 98 software and get instructions on how to use it click here ABC format: X:1
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Subject: RE: Lyrics: Merrily Kiss the Quaker From: Joe Offer Date: 21 Apr 98 - 03:45 PM Well, now I see that "The Quaker's Wife" is in the database, but the tune I posted is quite different. Are these MIDITXT ABC tunes about right now? -Joe Offer- |
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Subject: RE: Lyrics: Merrily Kiss the Quaker From: Bruce O. Date: 21 Apr 98 - 04:22 PM Thursday or Friday, I'll take another look for the song from Ruth Tounge? and if I find it, I'll give her text and tune and an old copy of the tune in ABC. |
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Subject: RE: Lyrics: Merrily Kiss the Quaker From: Jon W. Date: 21 Apr 98 - 04:56 PM Joe, the ABC output from MIDITXT is much improved (probably perfect). I keep a file called MUDCAT.ABC open in my editor all the time, copy and paste to it, write it to disk, and then use PLAYQABC (open in a DOS window all the time) to play it on my PC speaker. Works like a charm. I was interested to see if the tune you posted was anything like the reel of the same name played by Planxty. It might be but I'll have to check the record to be sure. |
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Subject: Tune Add: MERRILY DANCED THE QUAKER'S WIFE From: alison Date: 21 Apr 98 - 07:25 PM Hi, Here's another version of the tune. (Merrily danced the quakers wife.)
MIDI file: MERRILYD.MID Timebase: 480 Name: Merrily danced the quaker's wife This program is worth the effort of learning it. To download the January 15 MIDItext 98 software and get instructions on how to use it click here ABC format: X:1
Slainte alison |
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Subject: Tune Add: MERRILY KISS THE QUAKER From: Joe Offer Date: 21 Apr 98 - 07:28 PM Well, I guess this takes us back to square one. I found this in Richard Robinson's Tunebook, and it's fairly similar to "The Quaker's Wife" that I posted above. It's similar to the "Merrily Danced" tune Alison posted, but not the same. So, once again, has anybody found lyrics to "Merrily Kiss the Quaker"? Are these three tunes one and the same song? -Joe Offer- X:103 T:Merrily Kiss the Quaker R:Jig O:Ireland M:6/8 K:G D|\ GAB D2B|c2A BAG|GAB DEG|A3 A2D|\ GAB D2B|c2A BAG|GAB D2F|G3 G2:|* |:A|\ BGG AGG|BGG AGG|GAB DEG|A3 A2A|\ BGG AGG|BGG AGG|GAB D2E|G3 G2:|* |:d|\ g3 aga|bge dBG|g2d gab|a3 a2f|\ gag fgf|efe dBA|GAB D2E|G3 G2:| Say, Alison, did anybody tell you that some guy named Alan Foster put out a new version of MIDITXT in March? |
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Subject: RE: Lyrics: Merrily Kiss the Quaker From: alison Date: 22 Apr 98 - 07:35 AM Hi, I heard that Joe, and as far as I was aware that was the one he installed on my computer last week..... obviously not. I'll have to have a word with him. Damn good program don't you think??? Slainte Alison |
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Subject: RE: Lyrics: Merrily Kiss the Quaker From: Jon W. Date: 22 Apr 98 - 10:35 AM The tune Joe just posted "Merrily Kiss the Quaker" is the one from the Planxty album. They all fit together well, would make a nice set. Am I wrong in thinking that since these are dance tunes (jigs) the words would be of secondary importance, and probably used only when no instruments were available for providing the music? |
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Subject: RE: Lyrics: Merrily Kiss the Quaker From: Joe Offer Date: 22 Apr 98 - 12:51 PM Do Quakers dance? Kiss? Make merry? Or is this departure from religious stereotypes the whole point of the song? -Joe Offer- |
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Subject: RE: Lyrics: Merrily Kiss the Quaker From: alison Date: 22 Apr 98 - 07:52 PM hi, Yes Jon. the one I put down is from a set of dnace jig tunes. slainte Alison |
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Subject: RE: Lyrics: Merrily Kiss the Quaker From: Bruce O. Date: 23 Apr 98 - 09:59 AM There's a lot of anti-Quaker and anti-Puritan stuff literature and songs, usually stressing ther high sexual libido (from the early 17th century onward). One knows better than to believe it that stuff. There's some song or songs on Purtains on my website, but I cant remember at if I put any of the anti-Quaker stuff there. (Look for 'Quaker' in my broadside ballad index, that will turn up something) I've seen it said recently that Quakers have just as high a rate of illegitimate births as any other group. They didn't say what the other groups were that they compared with. So I really don't know anything that I can trust to be correct.
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Subject: RE: Lyrics: Merrily Kiss the Quaker From: Bruce O. Date: 05 May 98 - 10:52 AM I have not been able to locate my xerox copy of the songs noted above. There's some sort of version that I haven't seen (unless it's that in the Opie's ODNR) in M. H. Mason's 'Nursery Rhymes and Country Songs', 1877, and 2nd. edit., 1909. |
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Subject: LYR ADD: Quaker's Wife From: Bruce O. Date: 09 Nov 98 - 12:21 PM [I finally relocated my copy.]
The Quaker's Wife
The Quaker's wife got up to bake
The Quaker's wife came to my door
My Aunty died a week ago
Collected by Ruth Tongue. [No when, precise where, or who from, typical of Ruth Tongue's editing.]
[From 'The Quaker's Wife and other Sommerset Folk Songs', by Ruth Tongue and Felton Rapley, Chappell & Co., London, 1965.]
I didn't copy the tune for the song above. Here is the earliest copy of the tune that I know of.
X:1
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Subject: Lyr Add: THE QUAKER'S WIFE From: GUEST,Sheila Date: 02 Mar 06 - 11:12 PM In "Voices of the World" (Revised)(Follett Pub. Co. 1960) this song entitled "The Quaker's Wife" has the same first verse as posted by Joe Offer on 21 April 98. There is a second verse: The quaker's wife sat down to bake, With all her bairns about her. She made them all a sugar cake, And the miller he wants his mouter. Sugar and spice and all things nice, And all things very good in it; And then the quaker sat down to play A tune upon the spinet. Chorus: Merrily dances she and also the quaker. Merrily danced the quaker's wife and merrily danced the quaker. The quaker's wife sat down to spin And merrily turned the wheel, oh! And then the quaker he looked in To say he'd like a meal, oh! For if you feed your good man well, He'll love you all your life, oh! And then to all the world he'll tell, There never was such a wife, oh! Merrily danced the quaker's wife and merrily danced the quaker. Merrily danced the quaker's wife and merrily danced the quaker. The lyrics are attributed to May Sarson. Is this authentic? Many thanks. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Merrily Kiss the Quaker From: GUEST,thurg Date: 03 Mar 06 - 12:33 AM Says Bruce O.: "I've seen it said recently that Quakers have just as high a rate of illegitimate births as any other group. They didn't say what the other groups were that they compared with. So I really don't know anything that I can trust to be correct." Says me: Studies show that 82.7% of statistics are made up on the spot. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Merrily Kiss the Quaker From: Dave Hanson Date: 03 Mar 06 - 02:37 AM Good mondegreen, ' Merrily Kiss The Waiter ' was what I heard. eric |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Merrily Kiss the Quaker From: Joe Offer Date: 03 Mar 06 - 03:13 AM Well, Eric, it would keep you out of religious controversy - but it might get you kicked out of the bar... -Joe- |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Merrily Kiss the Quaker From: Dave Hanson Date: 03 Mar 06 - 06:33 AM Alas Joe, it wouldn't be the first time. [ being thrown out, not kissing waiters ] We were once thrown out as a whole session, the moron of a landlord thought he was getting something akin to Foster & Allen or the Spinners and when he didn't, he threw us all out en mass. eric |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Merrily Kiss the Quaker From: Jim Dixon Date: 21 Feb 09 - 11:01 PM From The life and real adventures of Hamilton Murray, written by himself (London: printed for the author, 1759):
Anyway, it's interesting to know it was already considered an "antient" tune in 1759. The term "Quaker" was coined in 1650. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Merrily Kiss the Quaker From: Ptarmigan Date: 22 Feb 09 - 10:37 AM Sorry, I thought you said Merrily Kiss the Quacker! |
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Subject: Lyr Add: The Quaker's Wife From: Nigel Parsons Date: 29 Nov 11 - 07:58 AM THE QUAKERS WIFE The Quaker's wife got up to bake With all her children round her. She gave them each a slice of cake, And there the baker found her, He chased her up and down the town, As fast as he could make her, And merrily danced the Quaker's wife, And merrily danced the Quaker. The Quaker's wife came to my door To borrow a market penny, But I'd been had that way before, And said I hadn't any, And oh she sighed and oh she cried, Then she went up the street O, But the wind it blew her cloak a-side, And there was the butcher's meat O! My Aunty died a week ago And left me all her money. A little black hen, a pig in a pen, And twenty jars of honey. The hen and the pig they danced a jig And knocked against the door O, The honey it came trickling down And stuck their feet to the floor O! X: 1 T: The Quaker's Wife M: 6/8 L: 1/8 S: Singing Together Autumn 1969 Z: NP 29/11/2011 K: G G | (GA)B D2D| c2BA2A | (GA)B D2D | E3 G2G | (GA)B D2D | c2B A2A | (GA)B D2D | E3 G2G | G2B d2B | e2c d2B | G2B d2B | e3 d2(d/d/) | eec A2c| d2B G2G | GAB D2D | E3 G2|| w: The Qua-*ker's wife got up to bake With all_ her child-ren round her. She gave_ them each a slice of cake, And there_ the ba-ker found her, He chased her up and down the town, As fast as he could make her, And_ mer-ri-ly danced the Qua-ker's wife, And mer-ri-ly danced the Qua-ker. From "Singing Together Autumn 1969" "Singing together: A series of broadcasts provided by the BBC for the Schools Broadcasting Council for the United Kingdom" This is similar to the version posted by Bruce (above) but includes more punctuation, and a couple of words previously omitted. NP |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Merrily Kiss the Quaker From: clueless don Date: 29 Nov 11 - 08:45 AM In Irish music and dance circles, "The Quaker's Wife" appears to be an abbreviated version of "Merrily Kiss the Quaker" (also called "Merrily kissed the Quaker" or "Merrily kiss the Quaker's Wife" and probably any number of other names.) "Merrily Kiss the Quaker" is usually described as a slide, but is often played in a fashion as to be indistinguishable from a regular double jig. Don |
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Subject: Lyr Add: WHAT ARE YOU AT? (Tune: Quaker's Wife) From: Jim Dixon Date: 30 Nov 11 - 02:21 PM There are a lot of good lyrics out there worth reviving, if only someone will take the time to learn them. Here's one where the songwriter satirizes some overused catch-phrases of his day—a theme that is still popular at Mudcat. From The Lyre: A Collection of the Most Approved Scottish, English, and Irish Songs, Ancient and Modern (Edinburgh: A. Stewart, 1824), page 55: WHAT ARE YOU AT? Air—Merrily Danced the Quaker's Wife. 1. I came to town the t'other day To rest from all my labours, And hear what Cockneys had to say, That I might tell my neighbours: But all I heard, upon my word, Was this in every quarter, Some bawling out, "What are you at?" And some, "What are you after?" With your tol de rol, &c. 2. At first I thought that they meant me, And cried, "What's that to you, sir? If you take me a rogue to be, I'll let you know who's who, sir!" So, right and left, I laid them flat. Says I, "You've caught a Tartar! Now go and cry, 'What are you at?' And bawl, 'What are you after?' " With your tol de rol, &c. 3. But 'cod, for constables they sent, And lugg'd me off to prison. I ax'd them, what it was they meant? They said, to stretch my wizen! They took me where the Justice sat, Who gave my purse no quarter; Which made me cry, "What are you at? Good Judge, what are you after?" With your tol de rol, &c. 4. Escaping from the jailor's paw, I walk'd into the Strand, sir, Where soon a charming lass I saw, The fairest in the land, sir. Says I, "I'll have a kiss, that's flat," For never lass look'd smarter; When she squall'd out, "What are you at? You wretch, what are you after?" With your tol de rol, &c. 5. But while I kiss'd this pretty lass, That I the freak might rue, sir, She did my fob of gold watch rob, And pick'd my pocket too, sir. So I went home to hang myself, From bed-post in my garter; When hostess cry'd, "What are you at? Young man, what are you after?" With your tol de rol, &c. 6. This made me turn so very ill, I sent the doctor to, sir; He gave me blister, powder, pill, And draught, and bolus too, sir! But very soon I found myself To physic falling martyr, Which made me cry, "What are you at? Doctor, what are you after?" With your tol de rol, &c. 7. So long his bill, to lawyer I, Sent to reduce his fees, sir; But soon I found the remedy Was worse than the disease, sir! For where the lawyer sav'd a pound, He made me twenty barter, 'Till I cry'd out, "What are you at? Oh, law! What are you after?" With your tol de rol, &c. 8. But having now told all I saw, And lashed them left and right, sir, I think I'll thank you for your law, And wish you all good night, sir; For if I longer make my strain, And urge the songster's charter, You may cry out, "What are you at? Good friend, what are you after?" With your tol de rol, &c. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Merrily Kiss the Quaker From: GUEST,Jon Bartlett Date: 01 Feb 12 - 05:08 PM Could this itself be a mondegreen for "Merrily kiss the cratur" (i.e. "creature" = whisky)? Jon Bartlett |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Merrily Kiss the Quaker From: GUEST,Philippe Pierson Date: 11 Apr 14 - 01:32 PM It seems to me that the song is of scottish origin. In Walter Scott's novel "Redgauntlet", edited in 1824, some scots sing it to mock a quaker. The action of the book takes pkace around 1760. Unfotunately Walter Scott gives no lyric. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Merrily Kiss the Quaker From: Penny S. Date: 11 Apr 14 - 01:57 PM Philippe, off topic, do you have relations in or from Sussex? It's an unusual spelling of the surname. Penny |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Merrily Kiss the Quaker From: GUEST,Philippe Pierson Date: 25 Jul 14 - 05:46 PM Penny S... No relations in or from Sussex. I'm french and Pierson is a french name, mainly common in Lorraine, that does'nt mean "son of Peter" but "Little Peter" like Jeanson (=little John). It looks like an unusual spelling of Peirson or Pearson you sometimes find in UK or USA, but it's a coincidence (not the same ethymology). For instance, if you visit Jersey, you'll notice that the main pub in St Helier is called "the Pierson" after a local hero who died fighting a french attack around 1781 but his name is sometimes spelled "Peirson", not forgetting that a french name in Jersey would be no wonder... |
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