When they ask you what your name is
AKA | If they ask you what your name is |
First Published | 1908 |
Writer/composer | Harry Castling / Fred Godfrey | Roud | RN23531 |
Music Hall Performers | Dave Carter |
Folk performances | Collected from the singing of: Cherry, Clarence; England : Yorkshire ; 1972 Modern performances: Walter Pardon |
I am thinking of the morning When I left Old Ireland's shore; I can see my dear old mother Standing at the cabin door. When she kissed my cheeks she murmured, On that still September morn, "'Mongst strangers you are going, Who may treat you, boy, with scorn; But promise me you'll'not deny The land where you were born." "When they ask you what your name is, Tell them it's Molloy; Where's the blame? — there's no shame In an Irish name, my boy. If they ask you where you've come from, Tell them, friends or foes, By Killarney's lakes and fells — The land where the Shamrock grows." Many years I've lived with strangers, And have found new friends for old; And met many cheery welcomes When the world seemed lone and cold. But the one thing that I long for—. Yes, wherever I may be, Is to see that dear old cabin In the Isle across the sea, Where I shall hear again that Dear-loved voice that said to me—
Another song which demonstrates you don’t have to be Irish to write an Irish song, this one was produced by an Englishman and a Welshman, Harry Castling and Fred Godfrey .
It was a big hit for Dave Carter, who appeared in Irish, British and American Music Halls between the 1880s and 1920s. His repertoire suggests he specialised in sentimental Irish songs like this one and he was usually billed simply as “The Popular Irish Tenor”. Anyone interested in investigating this performer might visit the National Library of Ireland, which holds a copy of his personal scrapbook containing cuttings and photographs.
When they ask you what your name is was performed and recorded by several artists in the 1920s, including Stanley Kirby and Jack Payne.
The song was later collected by Ruairidh Greig from the singing of Clarence Cherry in 1972, and also may have featured in the repertoire Walter Pardon, though he doesn’t seem to have recorded it
Sources:
- VWML entry
- Kilgarrif Sing Us
- Lyrics: McGlennon’s Ireland’s Popular Song Book, p1 (no date, 1920s?)
- Sheet Music: not accessed
- Fred Godfrey Songs
- Mustrad article: repertoire of Walter Pardon