Party section

The last 10 minutes or so of this record attempts to re-create the house party atmosphere, in which the songs were sung in Merasheen. It contains a combination of locally composed ditties, lively songs and accordion tunes, as listed.

(Editor's note: major pieces have been extracted from the Party Section but complete recording is at the end) 

The Mackies (Mac-a-dandies)
Local Traditional

Most children in Merasheen, who are now middle-aged, heard of and feared the Mackies, whom we thought flew away with Gerald Houlihan. The Mackies, of course, were a figment of Tom Connors vivid imagination. Tom made up this ditty and sang it to his children, as he put them to bed at night. Tom, who is now 81 years of age, said they would look up at him and never stir, as he sung the Mackies to them. If you were a child, wouldn’t you?
Sung here by Gabe Pomroy of Merasheen.

(The Mackies)

The Mackies came the other day, up in Big Merasheen,
they took away a little boy, who never more was seen.
They took young Gerald Houlihan, and him they cannot find,
the Mackies flew away with him, out over the Long Point.

Now Anthony Moore was out of doors, when he heard the Mackies say,
"If we can get that little boy, we'll take him right away".
But Anthony Moore pushed in the door, and he runned across the hall,
He hid behind his mother there, and he began to bawl.

Now Jimmy Lockyer that same day, he was out in the lane,
He heard the Mackies coming, and he soon ran in again.
Now old Mag Dick she got her stick, and after them did go,
and the last we heard of the Mackies, they were out in the Big Back Cove.

Editor's notes: Mag Dick was Margaret (Northover) Pittman, formerly of Red Island, widow of Richard and mother of Charlie Pittman.  Jimmy Lockyer was Charlie & Liz Pittman's nephew, born in 1933, who went away on a Yankee schooner when he was 14 or 15 and was never heard from again.  Based on the ages of children mentioned, Tom Connors probably wrote this ditty in the late 1930s. 

The Rusty Old Barber
Traditional

The Rusty Old Barber was Lar Pitcher’s song and when Lar sang it in his loud booming voice, it “rose the roof on her” at many a house party in Merasheen. This is a humourous song about Paddy the Irishman getting a shave to remember, from the Rusty Old Barber. Paddy roared that he would rather be shaved with a brick and as Lar sang it one night at a house party at Johnny Wilson’s, he pulled a brick from the chimney and hauled it across Jack Lewis’s face leaving Jack covered with soot. Such spontaneous actions were always good for a laugh and Lar was always good for spontaneous actions, when he sang the rusty old barber.
Sung here by Lar’s nephew Raymond (Sam) Fulford from Merasheen.

(Rusty Old Barber)

A rusty old barber in London did live,
And a rusty old shave for a penny he'd give,
A rusty old razor all covered with rust,
And he always kept waiting for those he would trust.
With me down-down, me-lather-down dee.

Now it happened an Irishman passed by the way,
Who hadn't been shaved for many-a-day;
He strode through the door and he said with a grin:
"Will you give me a shave, sir, and may I come in?"
With me down-down, me-lather-down dee.

"No, no," said the barber, "I do not give trust."
"Well, fate then," said Paddy, "It's this time you must,
For a devil a penny have I got to pay,
And I haven't been shaved for many a day."
With me down-down, me-lather-down dee.

"Come in," said the barber, "Sit down on the chair,
And I'll shave off your grizzly old beard to a hair."
With the rusty old razor he then did begin,
And the tears big as praties rolled down Paddy's chin.
With me down-down, me-lather-down dee.

"Holy murder!" said Paddy, "Sure, what are you doin'?"
Said Patrick, "Remember me jaws you will ruin;
I didn't come here to be shaved with a saw,
Be the Hokey, you'll tear the gums out of me jaw,"
With me down-down, me-lather-down dee.

Now, I'll always remember till I go to my grave,
The hour of my death, the old rusty shave;
You may talk about razors and shavin' on thick,
But for my part I'd rather be shaved with a brick.
With me down-down, me-lather-down dee.

Bunga-Rye
Traditional

Bunga-rye was one of the 101 songs which Jimmy Barrett claimed to know. Jimmy was sometimes known to lie or, at least, exaggerate. Johnny Wilson, however, learned Bunga-rye from Jimmy and it was sung at many parties by Johnny and Billy Wilson and in later years, by members of the younger generation. It is a warning to sailors who buy liquor “on the sly” because instead of whiskey, Jack found he had bought a baby. Bunga-Rye has been previously recorded, but this is the first time to Merasheen version but has been recorded.
Sung here by Ray Hann of Merasheen.

(Bunga-Rye)

As Jack he went a walking up a fair London street,
a pretty young damsel he chanced for to meet,
"What you got in your basket, my fair one?" says I,
"What you got in your basket?" 
Says she "Bunga Rye laddy",
Fol-da-diddle-deer-o right fol-the-di-day.

"What you got in your basket, my pretty fair maid?",
"What you got in your basket, my fair one?" I said,
"It's the best of strong liquor I sell on the sly,
And the name that they call it is young bunga rye, laddy."
Fol-da-diddle-deer-o right fol-the-di-day.

Five shillings and six pence Jack he paid down,
He picked up the basket and he started around,
He staggered around til he came to his ship
Saying "Come all ye jolly shipmates and let's have a sip laddy"
Fol-da-diddle-deer-o right fol-the-di-day.

To have a spring on it, was Jack's first intent,
To have a spring on it, Jack's comrades were bent,
When they opened the bundle they heard a child cry,
Wrapped up in white blankets was young Bunga Rye,
Fol-da-diddle-deer-o right fol-the-di-day.

Jack's comrades they laughed while Jack cursed and he swore,
'"I ne'er sen the babe or it's mother before,
But since I'm the daddy the best I can try,
Is to make a good man out of young Bunga Rye",
Fol-da-diddle-deer-o right fol-the-di-day.

To get the boy christened was Jack's next intent,
To get the boy christened to the parson Jack went,
Said the parson to Jack "What'll I christen your boy?",
"Well dammit" says Jack, "christian him Bunga Rye",
Fol-da-diddle-deer-o right fol-the-di-day.

"Bunga Rye" says the parson, "sure that's a queer name",
"Well dammit" says Jack, "it's a queer way he came",
"While walking through London some liquor to buy,
I got fooled in my liquor and I bought Bunga Rye",
Fol-da-diddle-deer-o right fol-the-di-day.

Come all you jolly shipmates who walk London streets,
Beware of those damsels you chance for to meet,
For some they will court you and some they will try,
To make you the daddy of young Bunga Rye",
Fol-da-diddle-deer-o right fol-the-di-day.

Hally Go Luka Lally
Local traditional

As we went from house to house "mummern" during Christmas in Merasheen, the host was expected to sing for the mummers. While everyone knew tunes, we didn’t always have the words to them and made them up as we went along. Anyone who went to Jack Barry’s mummerin', heard Jack sing Hally Go Luka Lally. There were, of course, many other such tunes and ditties, some of which are included in the "Party Section" of his record. They include "Oars and Graplin", "Liz Reilly", "Uncle Joe’s Back Porch", and "Mag Dick".

Accordion Tunes

The accordion was the most prominent musical instrument in Merasheen, supplying music for weddings, garden parties, soup suppers and house parties; and Merasheen, like most Placentia Bay communities, had its share of good accordion players. On many a quiet summer night, as we approached the "Hall", the sound of lively accordion music could be heard, interrupted regularly by the loud beat of leather on hardwood, as a boys stepped her out another part of a set.

Two of the accordion players of later years in Merasheen are Kevin and Vince Pomroy, who play "Gus's Stage" and "Tanpot Street" on this record. While these two tunes are not local in origin, they have some local turns and certainly the locals provided by Ray Hann and Donatus Fulford are exclusive to bear sheen. Accompanying Vince and Kevin, who play the accordion, are Gabe Pomroy on guitar and Eugene (Bart) McCarthy on mandolin and bass guitar.

   (Gus's Stage and Tanpot Street)  

Merasheen Farewell (reprise) - comp./Capt. Ernie Wilson; sung/Gabe Pomroy of Merasheen

The houses now are all closed up, their windows no more will rise,
Their doors will never open again, to welcome you inside;
Nor will you hear the sounds of laughter, or the songs they used to sing,
Those days are gone forever now, and so is Merasheen.

I hope you're settled down by now, in your homes across the way,
Although we're separated, we''ll meet again some day;
And from all of us who live far away, and from our children,
We thank you for those happy homes we had in Merasheen.

(Full party section)