Waxie's Dargle - My experience with it and my requesting it

[DaveM]

Let's make a long story short!

In 2003 I went on my first trip to Ireland with my good friend Terrence. We found ourselves in the admittedly tourist-central area of Dublin Temple Bar. Despite the edge to it we did wind up hearing and absolutely great session band do their thing- just three guys who were obviously old friends playing the traditional thing.

After a good amount of Guinnesses I got up the nerve to request a song. "Would you play us The Waxie's Dargle?" The lead singer, a man of about 65 or more, looked at me incredulously. I'm a Jewish guy from Brooklyn who happens to be a major Pogues fan, I felt like I just said something wrong.

He looked at me-- "The Waxie's Dargle? That's an old, old Dublin street song!" "That's the one!" I replied.

He and his mates kicked right into a great trad version of it, and it was easily the best moment of my week-long trip to Ireland.

So, to Chevron and the rest of yez, I say this-- be warned! I have tickets to all four nights and I will be screaming out my request for the Waxie's Dargle every single night! Most likely my yalps will go either unheard or ignored-- but if you're within shooting distance, you will be annoyed! I hope you remember the 3 or 4 chords to this great song and have a minute or two (I'm sure live it'll clock in at about 50 seconds) to break it out. If not, this'll still be the best weekend of my life.

But let it be known that the moron screaming out for it is a fellow Medusa fan! May the road rise,

Dave

[CraigBatty]

I fecking LOVE this song, and there are some 'politically correct' types who won't sing it fer the perceivedly 'current' anti-Semitism implicit in a song composed more than a century ago. I will always sing it remembering, with solidarity and pride ( ), that is a WORKER'S song as much as a 'street' song; referring, as it does, to the Waxie's Dargle or Candlemaker's Picnic. Too many of these great old songs get 'sealed in amber' by green-weskitted pub bands or ignored by young whippersnappers as being 'cliché'. Bollix. Sing loud, sing proud!


GREAT story by the way, just adding my 50th of a dollar. (Less after depreciation).

[Guest]

lets HEAR WAXIES DARGLE

[bluflower]

oh wow, that is indeed a great story.

not sure they'll play it, but I'd imagine anything's possible. I've always loved the song since it mention's Uncle McArdle and well, McArdle is my second name, so I too would love to hear it, but I won't be at the NYC shows. just DC last night, and AC tonight!!

lauree

[CraigBatty]

I've a feeling the words have shifted around a bit over the years to include several (possibly real) Dublin identities (like Pete St. John's 'Up The Mero')so long as their surnames rhyme with Dargle (more or less)... wow, so you have/are an Uncle/Aunt MacArdle? Cool...

[Aineen]

Yeah, and I'd love to see Spider smash his noggin with a beer tray as well!!!!

[Eric V]

Yeah, and I'd love to see Spider smash his noggin with a beer tray as well!!!!

He has for the past two nights, Aineen. During Fiesta. And you get a free whistle at the end. Hasn't sent the beer tray a flyin yet, though.

[Niall]

I fecking LOVE this song, and there are some 'politically correct' types who won't sing it fer the perceivedly 'current' anti-Semitism implicit in a song composed more than a century ago. I will always sing it remembering, with solidarity and pride ( ), that is a WORKER'S song as much as a 'street' song; referring, as it does, to the Waxie's Dargle or Candlemaker's Picnic. Too many of these great old songs get 'sealed in amber' by green-weskitted pub bands or ignored by young whippersnappers as being 'cliché'. Bollix. Sing loud, sing proud!


GREAT story by the way, just adding my 50th of a dollar. (Less after depreciation).

yep, super song

[redandblack78]

I love this song too...but personally I would rather hear the Auld Triangle as far as their covers of the traditionals go. It's such a beautiful song. Maybe we could get a two-for and have them played back-to-back like on the record.

[bluflower]

I've a feeling the words have shifted around a bit over the years to include several (possibly real) Dublin identities (like Pete St. John's 'Up The Mero')so long as their surnames rhyme with Dargle (more or less)... wow, so you have/are an Uncle/Aunt MacArdle? Cool...

well, I have two Uncle McArdles, and a number of other McArdle relatives and yes indeed, I'm a Aunt who's a McArdle....7 nephews and 2 nieces to be exact.

I'm the only one without kids...yet....but I imagine soon enough, they tell me I need to bring more girls to the family. ha!

I do believe the family's from Monaghan, but I'm not quite sure as of yet. no matter, I have been told it's an old Irish name.

I used to tell everyone that I was connecting with my Irish heritage at the local pub and I have yet to stop although I find most pubs in DC not worth my time as they're not very pub-like. no cohesiveness to their clientele. no real feel of a local pub.

[CraigBatty]

Cool bananas, Cap'n Bluflower MacArdle! Can ye lend me half a crown? Fer to go to the Waxie's Dargle? I'll buy ye a pint and we'll a pint togither we will, ah, go on ya will, go on.....

[Kilmichael]

Yeah, and I'd love to see Spider smash his noggin with a beer tray as well!!!!

He has for the past two nights, Aineen. During Fiesta. And you get a free whistle at the end. Hasn't sent the beer tray a flyin yet, though.

He did leave the beer tray at the side of the stage after the gig at Manchester last December, and my mate Nice Tony managed to get hold of it, lucky bugger (and thanks to the security staff who turned a blind eye!)!