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Courting In The Kitchen lyrics

The Clancy Brothers & Tommy Makem

Come single belle and beau unto me pay attention
Don't ever fall in love it's the Devil's own invention
For once I fell in love with a maiden so bewitchin'
Miss Henrietta Bell out of Captain Kelly's kitchen

CHORUS
With me too-ra-loo-ra-la, me too-ra-loo-ra-laddie
Me too-ra-loo-ra-la, too-ra-loo-ra-laddie

At the age of seventeen I was 'prenticed to a grocer
Not far from Steven's Green where Miss Henry used to go sir
Her manners were sublime, she set me heart a twitchin'
And she invited me to a hooley in the kitchen... Chorus

Next Sunday being the day we were to have the flare up
I dressed meself quite gay and I frizzed and oiled me hair up
The Captain had no wife and he had gone a fishin'
And we kicked up high down below stairs in the kitchen... Chorus

Just as the clock struck six we sat down to the table
She handed tay and cake and I ate while I was able
I drank hot punch and tay till me side had got to stitchin'
And the hours passed quick away when you're courtin in the kitchen... Chorus

With me arms around her waist she slyly hinted marriage
To the door in dreadful haste came Captain Kelly's carriage
Her eyes down filled with hate and poison she was spittin'
When the captain at the door walked right into the kitchen... Chorus

She flew up off me knees full five feet up or higher
And over head and heels through me slap into the fire
Me new repealer's coat that I bought from Mr. Mitchell
With a twenty shilling note went to blazes in the kitchen... Chorus

I grieved to see me duds all smeared with soot and ashes
When a tub of dirty suds right in me face she dashes
As I lay on the floor the water she kept pitchin'
The footman broke the door and walked straight into the kitchen... Chorus

When the Captian came downstairs though he saw me situation
In spite all of me prayers I was marched off to the station
For me they'd take no bail but to get home I was itchin'
But I had to tell the tale how I came into the kitchen... Chorus

I said she did invite me but she gave a flat denial
For assault she did indict me and I was sent for trial
She swore I robbed the house in spite of all her screechin'
And I got six months hard for me courtin' in the kitchen... Chorus

Song Details

The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem
The Clancy Brothers and
Tommy Makem

Author: unknown - earliest date of circulation in broadside was before 1886.

Brief: The narrator of the song warns listeners against love, calling it 'the devil's own invention'. He fell in love with Miss Henrietta Bell who was a serving girl for Captain Kelly. One day when he was courting Miss Bell in her master's kitchen, Captain Kelly returned home unexpectedly. As she heard her master approaching she flew into a panic pushing her beau into the fire followed by a bucket of dirty suds and copious amounts of water. As her master came through the door seeing the situation, he demanded an explanation. He said he had been invited, but she said he had robbed the house and assaulted her. He was arrested and sent to prison for six months.

References:
'prenticed - archaic word for an apprentice
hooley - party
tay - tea
stitchin' - a sharp pain in the side
pitchin' - throwing
duds - trousers
indict - accuse

Category: Irish Folk Song

Covers: Gaelic Storm, Foster & Allen, Ronnie Drew, The Dublin Legends, Dropkick Murphys, The Kilkennys.

Album: Irish Songs of Drinking and Rebellion (July 18, 1984).

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