MacEdward Leach and the Songs of Atlantic Canada

My Old Dudeen
Performed by Mike Kent Accession # 78-054 NFLD 1 Tape 8 Track 11
Community: Cape Broyle Audio: Yes
Genre: Ballad / comic

Transcription

It's of Sir Walter Raleigh I think that was his name,
He first brought over tobacco from America he came,
He might have been a jinker it's plainly to be seen,
And only for him I wouldn't be smoking my old Dudeen.

Chorus: My Dudeen, my do- de-en, you are so dear to me.
I long to see the smoke curl up when I am through my tea,
In dry or rainy weather my friend you'll always be,
But upon my word l'l never never part with me old Dudeen.

My wife she starts to grumble I takes it all in fun,
For that's the only way to stop a woman's tongue,
The devil a word I'll ever speak only lets her have her fling,
And up in the corner I will sit and smoke my old Dudeen.

Chorus: My Dudeen, my Dudeen you are so dear to me… etc.

When l was young and courting oftentimes I might be seen,
With Bridgett up into my arms in me gob and me old Dudeen.

Chorus: My Dudeen, my Dudeen my friend you'll always be …etc.,

Some men they will go courting a girl they will go by,
They'll go and see their own sweethearts and swing them rather high,
In dry or rainy weather my friend you'll always be,
But take my word I'll never ever part with me old Dudeen.

There was whisky rum and porter and lots of the old poteen,
But the only thing that he would like was a drag from his old Dudeen,

Chorus: My Dudeen, my Dudeen my friend you'll always be …etc.,

The king he went to Ireland and a country for to see,
He had his choice of everything that ever there could be,
In dry or rainy weather my friend you'll always be,
But upon my word I'll never never part with me old Dudeen.

The rich man smokes tobacco the Spaniard cigarettes,
And the German smokes cigars ten miles from to,
In dry or rainy weather my friend you'll always be,
But upon my word I'll never never part with me old Dudeen.

Now when l'm dead come to me wake there will be lots of the old poteen,
And into me gob, so help my bob, you'll find my old Dudeen.

Notes

Sources: Mercer 158; Peacock 377

History:

Text notes: Peacock describes "dudeen" as "the short variety of the famous Irish clay pipes," and "poteen" as "moonshine." The text references Walter Raleigh and the introduction of tobacco in Britain.

Tune notes: A strophe-refrain structure in which the refrain melody is a variant of the strophe melody. In Dorian mode, and 4/4 metre, the form is "abab" in which the "a" phrase is subdivided into low and high halves.

All material on this webpage is copyright © 2004, Memorial University of Newfoundland Folklore and Language Archive, Memorial University of Newfoundland. No unauthorized copying or use is permitted. For more information, follow this link.