Klarinet Archive - Posting 000040.txt from 2004/07

From: John Dablin <jdablin@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] Lilliburlero
Date: Fri, 2 Jul 2004 03:51:30 -0400

According to a 1920s "Daily Express Community Song Book" I inherited from my
Mother, the words of Lilliburlero are:-

Ho brother Teague dost hear the decree
Lilliburlero bullen a la
Dat we shall have a new deputie
Lilliburlero bullen a la
Lero Lero Lilliburlero Lilliburlero bullen a la
Lero Lero Lilliburlero Lilliburlero bullen a la

O by my soul it it the Talbot...
And he will cut all the traitors throat
...

And the good Talbot is made a lord...
And he with brave lads is coming aboard
...

Now the good Talbot is coming ashore...
And we shall have commissions gillore
...

There was an old prophecy found in a bog...
That we should be ruled by an ass and a hog
...

The prophecy's true and now come to pass...
For Talbot's the hog and James is the Ass
...

My Oxford Dictionary of Music says that the tune first appeared in 1686, and
that Lilliburlero is a "mock Irish" word. The words were added the following
year, referring to the appointment to the Lord-Lieutenancy of Ireland of
General Talbot, newly created Earl of Tyrconnel.

It seems a strange tune for the BBC World Service to use, as it appears to be
the Irish mocking their English rulers. Some people on this list might find
it useful today, with a couple of name changes... :-)

John Dablin
Aylesbury UK

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