Noel Murphy ' Murphy And The Bricks' 45 rpm

Irish folk singer Noel Murphy with his best known recording explaining to his boss why he's not at work.
The song has other titles including The Bricklayers Song and Sick Note

[@kevinmorkin2224]

I listened to this with my father for many years on st paddy’s day We lost him many years ago but I still listen to it on that day and remember. This one is for you dad

[@danielknickerbocker3150]

bruva me too!!! Glad dad & you got to listen to tis together.

[@angewood7285]

We're playing this at the end of my Dad's funeral on 25/01/2019. He always laughed throughout when he heard this, so we think it's right to play when we send him off xxx

[@densalbeach1]

A cracking song by a great musician, sadly Noel has recently passed away. He may be no more but his music still lives on. RIP Noel.

[@gundog39]

Came across this absolute gem well over a decade when i first heard it on a Dusty Young comedy cd where he sang it at the end. It quickly became a firm favourite with both me and my dad. 😃

[@britair1940]

Heard this on Kings Lynn Queen Elizabeth Hospital radio whilst recovering from a heart attack,it nearly gave me another one!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@peterkelley6344]

I am back once more this year to listen to this annual favorite. Thanks for keeping it here.

[@IsThisAvailable550]

This one has always been the best version.

[@barryshield1522]

A brilliant amusing song I can’t say how much I like this song

[@jesshothersall]

I listen to this every now and then, and am so glad I shared it with my late son, who thought it one of the funniest things he'd ever heard, along with Chas & Dave's Rabbit rabbit. I wish equally gifted people were still writing/singing funny songs, the youngsters need them nowadays more than ever we did.

[@pamelastephens4213]

Always makes me laugh!!!!! Can picture the scene !!! Brilliant!!!!!Such a tonic in these troubled times!!!!

[@barryshield1522]

This is brilliant how can you not enjoy it

[@martyj.w2875]

I first heard this way, way back on Ray Moore's radio 2 programme in 1987. It was funny then and still is! Yes, its a "straight lift" from Gerrard Hoffnung's story, which he recited at an Oxford [Union] University meeting in 1958 and is in itself hysterical. In fact, Huffnung is acknowledged on the centre paper of the disc, but Noel's rendition is priceless. 😂 It was originally written by Irishman Pat Cooksy in 1969 and has been sung and recorded by many artists.

[@morganlevitt2254]

Noel was a personal friend and my mentor in the sixties. We having an Irish Dinner one Sunday, me, Otto, Penny and Noel and he asked 'What do you think of this One?' he asked and sang 'Why Murphy's not at work today.' "Do you think I should include it?" he asked three novices. When we dried the tears of laughter we assured him he should and it went on to his one Hit. He deserved more for his contribution to the Folk Era and the Beat generation: Bridging a gap between the oppressed and the oppressor: The North and South, The Orange and the Green, Noel if you're still around; you're the one person I would leave Australia for. Your disciple: Twelve String, Morgan.

[@lordvoldemortsrighthanddea1740]

@George Stobbart two T's and two B's Somehow I doubt the authenticity of your claims.

[@lordvoldemortsrighthanddea1740]

@George Stobbart two T's and two B's All I can find is that he allegedly assaulted some woman in the 70s. Never proven as far as I can find...

[@classichris7277]

I have been working in his house this week.. hes still around looking after his daughter in Cornwall

[@joshyouaremckenzie]

@@classichris7277 that's amazing, I'm 30 and first heard this around 10 or so, still love it to this day. Australian radio host Macca had it on his top 100. Good for long drives down the coast!

[@DaisyDebs]

We love all Noel's folk songs ....but this one always makes us laugh !!! :)

[@sueouzounis2799]

Love this song, don't care who sings it, always have a good laugh

[@macsonz]

Best folksinger of his time Noel I will always remember him Havering folk club and many others all round Essex and London

[@fayemurphy7638]

My dad was a brickie and a labourer and bloody hard worker, yay Jack Murphy xxx

[@british.scorpion]

Noel played at 'The Old Crown' in Lichfield many times, and many times I bought him a pint. Happy days.

[@carolmillington-pratt9484]

Takes me back to the 1970s and a pub in Wealdstone, The Royal Oak I think it was. I used to go regularly to see Noel there. He always finished with 'Meet on the Ledge'

[@livfan26]

This was my grandad favourite song rip grandad xx

[@marieyenson9929]

My late mum loved this x

[@Thiborfirenz]

my mother got this on vynl back wen it first released

[@bee812]

...I'm gonna listen to this whenever I feel down or my face is set in a perma-frown....coz I know I will piss meself with laughter and bad things won't seem so bad...to be sure!

[@gordontaylor5373]

That's the right thing to do - have a jolly good laugh. That's what we all need in these dreadful times. This song's guaranteed to give you a real good laugh. I feel very depressed because I'm about to turn 40 - but this is still giving me a good laugh. When you have a really good laugh things don't feel so bad!

[@bee812]

@@gordontaylor5373 Awe Gordon - feel for you mate! I hit the age of 63 (sixty-free!?) this year so have 23 more years on you! Do something impulsively selfish and (above all) fun for your 40th! I know a lot of people get 40th BD celebrations thrust upon them...but if you feel to leg it and do something crazy after you've satisfied them all...go do what you'd really like to do! Years ago on a long haul flight I met a guy who said "paragliding was his poultice for life's wounds." I never forgot his words and believe everyone needs to find their own "poultice for life's wounds!" Mind is laughter, music, watching nature, playing in my garden with my green stuff, driving too fast (when legal LOL), daydreams of places I'd like to visit etc. Hope you find your poultice soon - hopefully on or before your 40th! Barb :-)

[@christopherchinery975]

He was a terrific entertainer.

[@angelatracey1703]

For my dad, I buried him last week... 😔

[@moondancer3157]

Love it!💖⚘

[@morganlevitt2254]

Read after Next. it went on to becoming his one hit.. He deserved more bridging, as he did, the divide between the Orange and the Green and inspired many young hopefuls like myself to a future in our field: Music..

[@ladylynnpenketh5054]

Christmas for me 👍👍

[@neilltobin397]

I only listen to this at Christmas 😊

[@rolthesole]

A nice musical reworking of Gerard Hoffnungs monologue.

[@grahamrothwell8236]

Love it

[@joanneregan5356]

Brilliant I laughed so much!!!

[@MrKennthlee]

brilliant

[@delfina54]

Hi Noel! Greetings from Hosey's in NY. Your Auntie Peig died March 16th 2010...Auntie Kate 3 weeks later.

[@mjkutube]

Niall you got to listen to this.

[@Jadzo87]

Let go o' the bloody rope, hahahaha..miss ya Dad

[@macsonz]

One special man

[@stuartolds8614]

g This is the best ever version. #

[@PaulaBanks-sp5tt]

Brilliant

[@PaulHughes-kq8cn]

Billy butler use to play it on the radio

[@Roger__Wilco]

Play at 1.25 speed

[@smokey8166]

The barrel hit the pulley wheel and then the bottom burst!😀

[@miketuckwell6624]

when

[@frankvennell5379]

noel murphy and shaggis

[@stuartolds8614]

I have a 45 rpm recording of this.

[@gordontaylor5373]

I first heard this hilarious song on a radio show called The Memories Programme. I couldn't stop laughing - it was just so funny!

[@macsonz]

Remember the White Hart folk club

[@the-kris5554]

So is this song copyrighted or royalty-free? I mean, it's a classic folk song right, nobody owns the rights to this song?

[@OldiesAl]

The label says ''Music and lyric P. Cooksey and Noel Murphy'' the recording would be copyright anyway even if it was a traditional song and lyric because the recording would be copyright to the record company

[@the-kris5554]

ferrarial Ok, thx, cause I love this song and I had previously made a little animated music video for it, but that video sadly got lost, so I thought I'd might remake it...

[@colinhaggart2260]

Revamped Gerrard Hoffan's original Bricker's lament.

[@shaunlipton4515]

What funny

[@rog-fz2kk]

The only reason I'm listening to this is because my grandad wanted to listen to it in my opinion it's wanck

[@keithharvey6354]

Was this banned by the BBC?

[@OldiesAl]

No Terry used to play it on Radio 2

[@jesshothersall]

@@OldiesAl That's how I first heard it pre youtube days :)

[@walshamn]

Adrian Love used to play it on his radio 2 show

[@williamlong3737]

I’m to old to get naked. Anymore

[@richH1625]

WHY PADDY'S NOT AT WORK TODAY (Excuse Note) (Pat Cooksey) Dear Sir I write this note to inform you of my plight And at the time of writing I am not a pretty sight My body is all black and blue, my face a deathly gray I write this note to tell why Paddy's not at work today While working on the fourteenth floor, some bricks I had to clear And to throw them down from off the top seemed quite a good idea But the gaffer wasn't very pleased, he was an awful sod He said I had to cart them down the ladder in me hod. Well clearing all those bricks by hand, it seemed so very slow So I hoisted up a barrel and secured the rope below But in my haste to do the job, I was too blind to see That a barrel full of building bricks is heavier than me. So when I had untied the rope, the barrel fell like lead And clinging tightly to the rope I started up instead I took off like a rocket and to my dismay I found That half way up I met the bloody barrel coming down. Well the barrel broke my shoulder as on to the ground it sped And when I reached the top I banged the pulley with me head I held on tight, though numb with shock from this almighty blow And the barrel spilled out half its load fourteen floors below Now when those building bricks fell from the barrel to the floor I then outweighed the barrel so I started down once more I held on tightly to the rope as I flew to the ground And I landed on those building bricks that were scattered all around. Now as I lay there on the deck I thought I'd passed the worst But when the barrel reached the top, that's when the bottom burst A shower of bricks came down on me, I knew I had no hope In all of this confusion, I let go the bloody rope. The barrel being heavier, it started down once more And landed right on top of me as I lay on the floor It broke three ribs and my left arm, and I can only say That I hope you'll understand why Paddy's not at work today. - mudcat.org/@displaysong.cfm?SongID=7866

[@chriscooke9621]

Not the lyrics of this version.

[@jesshothersall]

Thank you :)

[@frankvennell5379]

noel murphy and shaggis