Posted by Tom in Zurich
on 11/2/2009, 11:10 pm, in reply to "Re: Nick's abridged version: Mtns. of Mourne"
Even in the verses remaining, the sort of "Irish are dumb yokels" comes through:
He actually believes there is gold under the street; he is amazed and horrified by woman wearing low dresses; and the ladies are "sullied" by their makeup.
What I've always thought--as someone of Irish descent--is that the English miss the essence--the beauty of the singer's love for Ireland and the Mountains of Mourne and his girl overcomes any "dumb yokel" aspect.
Nevertheless, this is a stereotypical English view of the Irish, at least until very recently--for example, see Fawlty Towers episode with the drunk, irresponsible, and incompetent builder, O'Reilly.
Tom in Zurich
--Previous Message--
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: I always read the "around here with the rest of the force" verse as being
: a military reference. My Trio mentor Jim Moran 'splained to me that the reference is
: to a rural Irish lad that had found one of his friends working as a cop in London.
: He's amazed by the fact that his traffic cop friend needs only raise his hand to
: stop the whole street. I suppose that sort of power was unknown at home in Ireland.
: Maybe Jim will give me his take on the other verse.
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