From the recording Far Hills
This song is written for Connor’s Pop-Pop, who had many run-ins with the supernatural over the course of his life, experiencing many instances of high strangeness and paranormal encounters. This song is based on a true experience in which he awoke in the middle of the night to find an unknown figure sitting at the foot of his bed, smoking a cigarette. When he asked the mysterious guest to not smoke, she looked at him, got up, and walked through a wall – disappearing entirely. While impishly embellishing Pop-Pop’s paranormal encounter, we stylistically harken back to Dublin music halls and street songs.
Nathan Bishop: 5-string fiddle
Connor Brogan: harmonium, guitar, toy piano, electric bass
Rob Helsel: vocals, 5-string banjo, organ foot-pedals
John Forrestal: organ keys
Lyrics
I am the auld ghost of the woman who died
On the bed that you sleep in tonight
If you don’t mind me I’ll have a smoke
It helps me put out the lights
If you see me here darling don’t be quare
Surely having a little auld puff
You know all the best, ye can’t get rest
Lest you have a peck of the snuff
My name’s Marjorie, back in 1903
When I was pulling the cart
I met me fate one terrible night
When hauling the wheat from the farm
The woods were mad and the wind was sad
And the creek gave an awful groan
The horse ran off and kicked me jaw
And I croaked once it carried me home
I turn on the telifís sometimes
when I get bored at night
I think I gave the maître d'
once a scary sight
You’ll hear me here when I walk the stairs
Or maybe when opening doors
I don’t mean harm or to alarm
But amusements here are poor
So would you believe it when I say
It’s no walk in the park as a ghost
You get more bored than a prisoner
And you’re busier than a host
Oh sorry to wake you, my gentleman
Do you have a light my dear?
Then she arose, walked through the wall
And I watched her disappear