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Jolly Beggar Dude (Great Big Sea)
See also: The Jolly Beggarman

Well, I am a little beggarman, a-begging I have been,
With a wee score more on this little isle of green;
All over the Liffey and down to Segue,
I'm known by the name of old Johnny Dhu.
Of all the trades a-going, begging is the best,
When a man gets tired he can sit down and rest;
Sing for his supper when there's nothing left to do,
When he come around the corner with me old ragadoo.

Hi-dee-diddly-i-dee-diddly-i-dee dah
Diddly-doo-dah-diddly-i-diddly-i-dah
Diddly-i-diddly-i-diddly-i-dee-dah
Diddly-doo-dah-diddly-i-diddly-i-doo-dah-dah.

I went to a barn way down in Currabawn,
Got down on the floor and I slept till the dawn;
Holes in the roof and the rain seeping through,
Me toes froze together in me little beggar shoes.
Buy a pair of leggings and a collar and a tie,
A nice old lady you will find by and by;
Buy a pair of leggings and I'll color them blue,
For a foxy old lady I'll make her do.

Hi-dee-diddly-i-dee-diddly-i-dee dah
Diddly-doo-dah-diddly-i-diddly-i-dah
Diddly-i-diddly-i-diddly-i-dee-dah
Diddly-doo-dah-diddly-i-diddly-i-doo-dah-dah.

Hey, hey and away we go.

I met a little foxy-haired girl one day,
Good morning, little foxy-haired girl, I did say;
Good morning, little beggarman, how do you do,
With your bags and your rags and your old ragadoo?
Who should awaken but the woman of the house,
With a white-spotted apron and a calico blouse;
She began to frighten so I said, Boo!
Shhh, don't be afraid, it's only Johnny Dhu.

Hi-dee-diddly-i-dee-diddly-i-dee dah
Diddly-doo-dah-diddly-i-diddly-i-dah
Diddly-i-diddly-i-diddly-i-dee-dah
Diddly-doo-dah-diddly-i-diddly-i-doo-dah-dah.

Over the road with me pack on me back,
Over the fields with me big hairy sack;
Over the hills with the moon peeking through,
Singing, skin a rink a doo on me old ragadoo.
I must be going to bed, it's getting late at night,
The fire's all out, so out goes the light;
Now you heard the story of the old ragadoo,
So good night, y'all, God be with you, this is old Johnny Dhu.

Hi-dee-diddly-i-dee-diddly-i-dee dah
Diddly-doo-dah-diddly-i-diddly-i-dah
Diddly-i-diddly-i-diddly-i-dee-dah
Diddly-doo-dah-diddly-i-diddly-i-doo-dah-dah.

Hi-dee-diddly-i-dee-diddly-i-dee dah
Diddly-doo-dah-diddly-i-diddly-i-dah
Diddly-i-diddly-i-diddly-i-dee-dah
Diddly-doo-dah-diddly-i-diddly-i-doo-dah-dah.

Doo-dah-dah
Doo-dah-dah
Doo-dah-doo-dah
Doo-dah-doo-dah-dah
Dah-dah-dah-dah-dah.

####.... Author unknown. Variant of an Irish street balld, The Little Beggarman (Johnny Dhu) ....####

This variant arranged and recorded by Great Big Sea (Play, hidden track, 1997, Warner Music Canada, Scarborough, ON).

See more songs by Great Big Sea.

The YouTube video above features a live performance by Great Big Sea at the Gander 50th Anniversary show at Cobbs Rotary Park, Gander, Newfoundland, August, 2008.

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