Christy Moore - Lanigan's Ball Lyrics
In the town of Athy, one Jeremy Lanigan battered away till he hadn't a shilling
His father died, made him a man again, left him a farm and ten acres of ground
Myself, to be sure, got invitations for the boys and girls I might ask
Having been asked, friends and relations danced like bees around a sweet cask
There was lashings of drink wine for the ladies, potatoes and cake bacon and tea
While songs went round as plenty as water
The harps that are sounded through Tara's old hall
Biddie Grey and the rat catcher's daughter singing away at Lanigan's ball
Six long months I spent in Dublin, six long months doing nothing at all
Six long months I spent in Dublin, learning to dance for Lanigan's ball
She stepped out, I stepped in again. I stepped out and she stepped in again
She stepped out, I stepped in again, learning to dance for Lanigan's ball
They were doing all kinds of nonsensical dances all around in a whirligig
Out on the floor for a reel and a jig
How the girls all got mad at me for they thought the ceilings would fall
I spent six months in Brook's Academy learning to dance for Lanigan's ball
Well the boys were merry and the girls all hearty
Dancing around in their couples and groups
An accident happened; Terence McCarthy
He put his boot through Miss Finnerty's hoops
She fell down in a faint and cried, 'Holy murder!'
Called her brothers and gathered them all
Carmody swore he'd go no further till he got revenge at Lanigan's ball
Boys oh boys 'tis then there was ructions. I got a belt from Phelim MC Hugh
I replied to his introduction, kicked up a terrible hullabaloo
Moloney the piper was near gettin' smothered
They leapt on his pipes, bellows, chanter and all
Boys and girls all got entangled and that put an end to Lanigan's ball
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Rand Lyrics
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Christy Moore Lanigan's Ball Comments
For my uncle ❤rip ❤
I would like some help with the lyrics.
+Lughaidh Verald I think you did very well
Its close enough, some of the charm of this type of music is it is usually learned by ear, and people mishear or reinterpret it all the time. Names "Nelly grey / Biddie Grey"and places change slightly over time depending on who is singing and how they heard it, or intentionally changed to play to a particular audience. If you take some of the most popular well know Irish songs and listen to various singers sing them you may find an extra verse here and there or name changes, its part of the tradition of traditional music, embrace it.
Yes. I'm totally awared of the situation with traditional music in general. I have heard a large variaty of Irish traditional music. I was asking for help in this particular version of the song though. But thanks for your words. I really appreciate them.
This particular version of the song is hard on the breathing and requires good breath control, one noticeble difference is the line 4 "Having been asked, friends and relations..." Christy drops the having and just says " Been asked, friends and relations..." This is to maintain the timing and catch a breath.
Line 8 "The harps that are sounded through Tara's old hall," Sounds like "The harp it once sounded through Tara's old hall," followed by Nellie/Nelly grey instead of Biddie.
Then in the chorus the breath control gets him again and he drops a "six"
2nd Verse "for they thought the ceilings would fall." changed to "for they thought the ceilings a fall." Again timing/breathing.
Drops a line in the 2nd chorus.
3rd verse "Both of her cheeks as red as a rose." changed to "Although her cheeks were as red as a rose."
Also "They leapt on his pipes, bellows, chanter and all." changed to "They leapt on his pints, smooth creamy and all." Possibly referring to a smooth creamy Guinness.
That's about it for this particular version of the song. But as you know, Christy could sing this song ten times in a row and each version could be slightly different. So if you are learning to sing or play this song, just interpret it the way you hear it. If you just want to be precise in your posted lyrics, I have added a few changes above, but they don't really change the song and what you posted would suffice. Also another good classic for the breath control is Luke Kelly singing the Rocky road to Dublin.
/watch?v=wtEKUWRpUWg