“Dan Curry”

Description

The singer meets a woman "dressed in deep mournin' With a babe on her bosom" on the banks of the Effie. She says "Felix Parks murdered my husband, Dan Curry.... May his short life be wrecked and his wife die a widow" She hopes to meet Curry in heaven.

Supplemental text

Dan Curry
  Partial text(s)

          *** A ***

From Louise Manny and James Reginald Wilson, Songs of Miramichi,
#64, pp. 228-229. From the singing of Billy Price, Priceville, in
1960.

One morning in May as I roamed for to 'spectation
  On the banks of the Effie I chanced for to stray,
And the fields and the meadows and the flowers were blooming,
  And the small birds sang sweetly as the lambs sport and play.

"Kind Sir," she answered, the truth I will tell you,
  My bosom is wrecked and my heart is full sore.
For Felix Parks murdered by husband, Dan Curry;
  Suffered here on this earth and I'll see him no more.

(Stanzas 1, 4 of 7)

Notes

Although the names in this song sound English, and the only known versions seem to be Canadian, it sounds very Irish to me. I checked both current and somewhat older atlases, and found no river Effie. An error for "Liffey," perhaps? - RBW

References

1. Manny/Wilson 64, "Dan Curry" (1 text, 1 tune)
2. ST MaWi064 (Partial)
3. Roud #9210
4. BI, MaWi064