In Duckworth Street There Lived A Dame

In Duckworth Street there lived a dame,
Toorah laddie, toorah laddie,
Blind and stupid, humpback, lame,
Try toorah loorah lie doh.

I went to see her one dark night,
Toorah laddie, toorah laddie,
By the shower got wet through quite,
Try toorah loorah lie doh.

There I found her faithless she,
Toorah laddie, toorah laddie,
Fryin' sausages for he,
Try toorah loorah lie doh.

Smile, my dear, before we part,
Toorah laddie, toorah laddie,
You have broke a faithful heart,
Try toorah loorah lie doh.

Scarcely had these words been said,
Toorah laddie, toorah laddie,
With a fryin' pan she broke my head,
Try toorah loorah lie doh.

Now, all young men, love-sick and sighin',
Toorah laddie, toorah laddie,
Never kiss 'em when they're fryin',
Try toorah loorah lie doh.

For if you do you'll surely get,
Toorah laddie, toorah laddie,
A fryin' pan upon your pate.
Try toorah loorah lie doh.

####.... Author unknown. Original Newfoundland song, collected in 1951 from Howard Morry of Ferryland, NL, by Ken Peacock and published in Songs Of The Newfoundland Outports, Volume 1, p.287, by the National Museum Of Canada (1965) Crown Copyrights Reserved ....####

Kenneth Peacock noted that this amusing native ditty had been in the Morry family for generations and dates well back into the nineteenth century. Duckworth Street in downtown St. John's was largely converted to commercial premises by the 1960s. Peacock added that like many local ditties, the song reveals strong Irish influence.