Hi All,

I first heard this tune about 15 years ago and it still makes me chuckle now.

It's an old Irish folk song that has been performed by a number of different acts. The best in my opinion is The Dubliners - you can find a number of there performances on this link.

It's also known by a couple of other names - "Paddy and the barrel" and "The Bricky's song" are 2 that I know of.


Anyway the lyrics go something like this (always best said with an Irish twang):


Dear sir I write this note to you to tell you of me plight,
and at the time of writing I am not a pretty sight,
me body is all black and blue, me face a deathly grey,
and I write this note to say, why Paddy's not at work today.

Whilst working high on the 14th floor, some bricks I had to clear,
now to throw them down from such a height, was not a good idea,
the foreman wasn't very pleased, he being an awkward sod,
he said I'd have to cart them down the ladder in me hod.

Well, carting all these bricks by hand it was so very slow,
so I hoisted up a barrel and secured the rope below,
but in me haste to do the job, I was to blind to see,
that a barrel full of building bricks was heavier than me!

So when I untied the rope the barrel fell like lead,
and clinging tightly to the rope, I started up instead,
well I shot up like a rocket, 'til to my dismay I found,
that half way up, I met the bloody barrel coming down!

Well the barrel broke me shoulder as to the ground it sped,
and when I reached the top, I banged the pulley with me head,
I clung on tight, though numb with shock, through this almighty blow,
and the barrel spilled out half the bricks 14 floors below.

Well, when the bricks had fallen from the barrel to the floor,
I then out weighed the barrel and so started down once more,
still clinging tightly to the rope I sped towards the ground,
and landed on the broken bricks that were all scattered 'round.

As I lay there moaning on the ground, I thought I passed the worst,
but then the barrel hit the pulley wheel and then the bottom burst,
when a shower of bricks lay down on me I hadn't got a hope,
as I lay there moaning on the ground, I let go of the bloody rope!

The barrel now being heavier it started down once more,
and landed right across me as I lay upon the floor,
well it broke 3 ribs, and my left arm, and I can only say,
that I hope you'll understand, why Paddy's not at work today!



Hope you enjoyed it!

Anyone else remember Gerard Hoffnung's version of this story? Spoken, not sung. He had such perfect comic timing, the whole audience would be weeping with laughter by the end!

I thought I was the only person who appreciated Hoffnung left in the world.
There are at least two of us.
Hooray
Robert

I too remember the piece: I used to own it on vinyl but one of my brothers pinched it.