Breedloves's Folk Songs

REILLYS DAUGHTER

  • REILLYS DAUGHTER
    “Reilly’s Daughter” dates back to the eighteenth century, and is the clean version of a
    bawdy ballad. One of the best known renditions is by The Clancy Brothers and Tommy
    Makem. An extremely less bowdlerized version [in which the singer wants to “shag”
    rather than “marry” the daughter, is entitled “One Ball Riley”, that song was very popular
    among college students in the late fifties. I have included the clean version here.
    As I was sitting by the fire talking to old Reilly’s daughter
    Suddenly a thought came into my head,
    I’d like to marry old Reilly’s daughter
    Giddy I ae, giddy I ae, giddy I ae for the one-eyed Reilly
    Giddy I ae, (clap, clap, clap) try it on your old big drum
    Reilly played on the big bass drum,
    Reilly had a mind for murder and slaughter
    Reilly had a bright red glittering eye,
    and he kept that eye on his lovely daughter
    Giddy I ae, giddy I ae, giddy I ae for the one-eyed Reilly
    Giddy I ae, (clap, clap, clap) try it on your old big drum
    Her hair was black and her eyes were blue,
    the colonel and the major and the captain sought her
    The sergeant and the private and the drummer-boy too,
    but they never had a chance with Reilly’s daughter
    Giddy I ae, giddy I ae, giddy I ae for the one-eyed Reilly
    Giddy I ae, (clap, clap, clap) try it on your old big drum
    I got me a ring and a parson too,
    ot me a scratch in a married quarter
    Settled me down to a peaceful life,
    happy as a king with Reilly’s daughter
    Giddy I ae, giddy I ae, giddy I ae for the one-eyed Reilly
    Giddy I ae, (clap, clap, clap) try it on your old big drum
    Suddenly a footstep on the stairs,
    who should it be but Reilly out for slaughter
    With two pistols in his hands,
    looking for the man that had married his daughter
    Giddy I ae, giddy I ae, giddy I ae for the one-eyed Reilly
     Giddy I ae, (clap, clap, clap) try it on your old big drum
    I caught old Reilly by the hair,
    rammed his head in a pail of water
    Fired his pistols into the air,
    a damned sight quicker than I married his daughter
    Giddy I ae, giddy I ae, giddy I ae for the one-eyed Reilly
    Giddy I ae, (clap, clap, clap) try it on your old big drum

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