{"id":3730,"date":"2020-06-20T13:39:31","date_gmt":"2020-06-20T13:39:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/?page_id=3730"},"modified":"2025-12-15T07:22:20","modified_gmt":"2025-12-15T07:22:20","slug":"ive-got-rings-on-my-fingers","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/index.php\/ive-got-rings-on-my-fingers\/","title":{"rendered":"I’ve got rings on my fingers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
AKA<\/strong><\/td>The Irish Nabob<\/td><\/tr>
First Published<\/td> 1909<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Lyrics<\/strong><\/td>RP Weston and FJ Barnes<\/td>Music<\/strong><\/td>Maurice Scott<\/td>Roud<\/strong><\/td>RN5760<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Music Hall Performers<\/strong><\/td>Ellaline Terriss<\/td><\/tr>
Folk performances<\/strong><\/td>Source Singers<\/strong>
Miss JM Pratt, 1995 Dorset England
Mrs M John, 1995, Wrexham Wales<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Now Jim O'Shea was cast away\nUpon an Indian Isle.\nThe natives there they liked his hair,\nThey liked his Irish smile,\nSo made him chief Panjandrum,\nThe Nabob of them all.\nThey called him Jij-ji-boo Jhai,\nAnd rigged him out so gay,\nSo he wrote to Dublin Bay,\nTo his sweetheart, just to say:\n\nSure, I've got rings on my fingers, bells on my toes,\nElephants to ride upon, my little Irish Rose;\nSo come to your Nabob, and next Patrick's Day,\nBe Mistress Mumbo Jumbo Jij-ji-boo J. O'Shea.<\/em>\n\nAcross the sea went Rose Magee\nTo see her Nabob grand.\nHe sat within his palanquin,\nAnd when she kissed his hand,\nHe led her to his harem,\nWhere he had wives galore.\nShe started shedding a tear;\nSaid he, \"Now have no fear,\nI'm keeping these wives here\nJust for ornament, my dear.\"\n\nIn emerald green he robed his queen,\nTo share with him his throne.\n'Mid eastern charms and waving palms\nThey'd shamrocks, Irish grown,\nSent all the way from Dublin\nTo Nabob J. O'Shea\nBut in his palace so fine\nShould Rose for Ireland pine,\nWith smiles her face will shine\nWhen he murmurs, \"Sweetheart mine\"<\/pre>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
A song that was written in Britain, by the prolific Bob Weston, this time with help from Barnes and Scott. It  was a huge hit in America, appearing in several Broadway shows, including Captain Kidd<\/em>, The Midnight Sons<\/em> and The Yankee Girl<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ellaline Terris was a British stage actress who first performed the song as part of a failed production of Capt Kidd <\/em>in 1910. Her later career included a great deal of work on the Music Hall stage, where she sang this song. It also featured in the repertoire of several other musical performers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
A novelty song that draws its comedy from Irish stereotypes and casual racism, very much of its time. Arguably, it scrapes into the folk tradition by dint of it being remembered by two source singers in the 1990s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A recording or download of this song can be purchased from Windyridge CDs<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sources:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n