I'll Tell Me Ma
A ceilidh is a Scottish or Irish social gathering where people do traditional dances, similar to a Barn Dance. There may also be a "caller" who announces the steps. "I'll Tell Me Ma" is sung at ceilidhs.
I'll Tell Me Ma
Ceilidh Dance Song
I'll tell me ma, when I go home,
The boys won't leave the girls alone.
They pull my hair, they stole my comb,
And that's alright till I go home.
She is handsome, she is pretty,
She's the belle of Belfast city,
She is courtin', one, two, three,
Please won't you tell me who is she?
Albert Mooney says he loves her,
All the boys are fighting for her.
They rap at the door and they ring at the bell,
Saying 'Oh, my true-love are you well?'
Out she comes as white as snow,
Rings on her fingers, bells on her toes,
Old Jenny Murphy says she'll die,
If she doesn't get the fellow with the roving eye.
I'll tell me ma, when I go home,
The boys won't leave the girls alone.
They pull my hair, they stole my comb,
And that's alright till I go home.
She is handsome, she is pretty,
She's the belle of Belfast city,
She is courtin', one, two, three,
Please won't you tell me who is she?
Let the wind and the rain and the hail blow high
And the snow come tumblin' from the sky
She's as sweet as apple pie
And she'll get her own lad by and by.
When she gets a lad of her own
She won't tell her ma when she gets home
Let them all come as they will,
For it's Albert Mooney she loves still.
I'll tell me ma, when I go home,
The boys won't leave the girls alone.
They pull my hair, they stole my comb,
And that's alright till I go home.
She is handsome, she is pretty,
She's the belle of Belfast city,
She is courtin', one, two, three,
Please won't you tell me who is she?
Comments
Dani Atkinsons wrote: "I can't tell you much about the 'I'll Tell My Mither' rhyme, but it does have several lines in common with the folk song 'I'll Tell my Ma', which I gather is from the Belfast area. It's one of my favourites. :-)
Click here for a sound clip of I'll Tell Me Ma
Also, the Rankin Family did a very nice version a while back, I believe.
Hope this was of use! -Dani"
Thanks!
Thanks and Acknowledgements
Many thanks to Stephen & Fionnuala Keating for contributing this song and to Monique Palomares for the midi tune. Thanks also to Dani Atkinsons for sharing the link and comments about the song!
Thanks so much!
