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Welcome to Pub Songs & Stories, the virtual Public House for Celtic culture and change through music.

I am Marc Gunn. I play Sci F'Irish music. I want to take you on an adventure. I'll share the stories behind my songs as we explore pop culture media through the lens of Irish & Celtic music. You will have fun and sing along, and maybe get a far too real glimpse of yourself.

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2024 KICKSTARTER

 

Jul 3, 2006

I was in a car accident before our expected tour. I guess I'll podcast instead.

Songs:

  • "The Night That Paddy Murphy Died" by Marc Gunn from Irish Whiskey Pub Songs
  • "The Vampire Club" by Voltaire from Boo Hoo

Notes:

  • Matt Hughe's Trivia
  • Car accident and rental from Capps Rent-a-Car
  • House Concert Tour & InConjunction
  • Elysium with Voltaire, the Machine in the Garden, and Brobdingnagian Bards (music on myspace)

 

The Night That Paddy Murphy Died
words and music Johnny Burke (1851-1930), a Newfoundland songwriter

Oh the night that Paddy Murphy died, is a night I'll never forget
Some of the boys got loaded drunk, and they ain't got sober yet;
As long as a bottle was passed around every man was feelin' gay
O'Leary came with the bagpipes, some music for to play

And that's how they showed their respect for Paddy Murphy
That's how they showed their honour and their pride
They said it was a sin and a shame and they winked at one another
Now every drink in the wakehouse went, the night Pat Murphy died

Mrs. Murphy sat in the corner, pourin' out her grief
When Kelly and his friends, came roaring down the street
They crept into an empty room and a bottle of whiskey stole
They placed the bottle on the corpse to keep the liquor cold

At three o'clock in the morning, after emptying the jug
Doyle rose up the coffin lid to see poor Paddy's mug
He stopped the clock so Mrs. Murphy couldn't tell the time
And at a quarter after three, they argued it was nine.

And everyone got merry, they didn't care for prayer
Mrs. Murphy said she'd wait 'til all the gang were there
Of all the sights I've ever seen that made me shiver with fear
They took the ice right off the corpse, and placed it on the beer

Now everything was doin' fine, there was no ill at all
'Til Finnegan told Callaghan, "You've got an awful gall."
I thought that that might start a row, And sure enough it did
For Callaghan had carved his name upon the coffin lid

Then the fight got fierce & strong, everyone was in
Someone knocked the whiskers off poor old Darby Flynn
And Dirty Andy Burke was there, now whadda ya think he done?
He placed the corpse right on its head, in the corner just for fun

Someone hollered for the cops; they busted down the door
They jumped upon ol' Paddy's back and they laid him on the floor
They knocked him twice behind the ears and they knocked him on the head
When they jumped up from his back, sure they found out he was dead

Mrs. Murphy started in, battled with them cops
She chased 'em, every one of them; she chased 'em several blocks
A lovely time was had by all, eighteen in court were tried
For having caused a riot on the night Pat Murphy died

At eight o'clock in the morning, the procession left the house
And everyone but poor ol' Mrs. Murphy was out soused
They stopped on the way to the churchyard at the old Red Door Saloon
They staggered in at nine o'clock and didn't come out 'til noon

Someone asked ol' Finnegan if anyone had died
"Lou," says he, "I'm not quite sure, I just came for the ride."
They started out for the graveyard, all holy and sublime,
But found out when they got there, they'd left the corpse behind

Oh the night that Paddy Murphy died, is a night I'll never forget
Some of the boys got loaded drunk, and they ain't got sober yet;
As long as a bottle was passed around every man was feelin' gay
O'Leary came with the bagpipes, some music for to play