The Corries --- The Bricklayer's Song

Check out www.corries.com for Corries DVDs and CDs
---------(sorry about the glitches in the film, it's an old videotape)

[@PauleenDrabble]

I live in New Zealand I first heard this song on st Patrick's day that my family shared with our new friends who immigrated to nz. My friends father had came over on holiday he got up and sung us this song which I never forgotten RIP Barney

[@Dannysoutherner]

This is absolutely brilliant, the funniest song I've ever heard. Told in such a classy way, something the little ones can hear without fear of them learning the wrong words.

[@normanbruce2965]

Cleverly written 😅

[@normanbruce2965]

1:58

[@normanbruce2965]

2:13

[@frankrowland]

@@normanbruce2965written by Gerard Hoffnung in 1958.

[@Tellemore]

as an Irishman I think the Corries epitomized the best of Scottish Folk music. Legends with a sadly far too short career.

[@Chewy7575]

Roy Williamson died around about 1990. His partner Ronnie Brown still sings Flower of Scotland (written by Roy) at the Scottish football matches but as far as I know doesn't perform on his own. RW was a big loss. Gutted I never got to see them perform.

[@Sionnach1601]

Why ever were they called "The Corries" so???

[@Chewy7575]

@@Sionnach1601 Corries are ice-gouged bowls carved into the side of mountains by glaciers during the last ice age. Often ringed by crags and sometimes cradling a lochan, corries are often known as cirques in the Alps and Pyrenees, combs in the English Lake District, and cyms in Wales; the Scots version comes from the original Gaelic word coire. There are hundreds of them all over Scotland.

[@Sionnach1601]

@@Chewy7575 Oh my God THANK YOU!!! I had no idea!! You see it is a surname here in Ireland!! Well now I can tell some families that I know with that surname about this as I'm fairly sure that they too are not aware. Thanks so much friend 👍👍

[@Deebemc]

@@Sionnach1601used to be The Corrie Folk Trio, the other member Bill Smith. Paddie Bell joined them for an album and was billed separately. Bill Smith had a fruity jovial voice and they were good as a trio. Bill and Ronnie didn’t get on and they had a falling out and that’s was that. First album as a duo was Bonnet, Belt and Sword. ‘Happy to be corrected. They were great live. Ronnie B is now happily retired I believe.

[@RocksterOO1]

I made the monumental mistake of passing up a gig they did in my home town saying "I'll catch them next time". There was no "next time" as Roy passed away several months later. I still get a bit pissed off when I think of that. I never did see them perform live and that is one of my greatest regrets! When will we see they're likes again? Unfortunately, never!

[@annegirvan1009]

This is a wonderful song and a tribute to a wonderful singer who is a staunch scotsman

[@amsodoneworkingnow1978]

He was indeed sad he's no longer with us. The writer of on flower of Scotland so glad to have been privileged to have heard them live. Two nicer men you couldn't have met.

[@frankrowland]

It was written by Gerard Hoffnung in the 1950’s.

[@felixdljkra]

the way he laughed throughout cracks me up so much, great stuff..

[@dorothyrafferty8636]

Lovely fair play to tht scottish man ,he has such alovely face and do it prood with a smile.

[@feralcat07]

Thanks to my Mum for taking me to The Corries Concerts in Dunfermline. Thanks Mum. R I P

[@felixdljkra]

Live and learn I guess mate, this was way before my time but i still crack up listening to it everytime, such histerical energy running through them an the crowd, i'm so happy we can still watch it though, live or not- they are legendary.

[@twindad6890]

2022 and this is still a hit! I loved it 👌😎

[@lidiaziolkowski3965]

Oh my goodness! I'll never tire of listening to Roy sing--where have all the flowers gone? One has faded into eternity. Linda, youre so terrific in putting these videos up--this song Ive heard by other singers but no need to explain who's version I like best! Roy was a true gem!!!! Too bad I didnt discover them when I was younger--woe is me!

[@seannot-telling9806]

Thank You. I wonder how many times they had to sing a song before they did not burst into laughter. Roy looks like he was about ready to laugh there in the end and with the funny Scotland The Brave he does crack up a bit.

[@mikemccarthy4148]

Got here by accident, I had not herd that before. You brightened up an otherwise dull day. I have laughed till there are tears in my eyes, THANK YOU.

[@jonathanwetherell3609]

I was lucky enough to see them twice, at the City Hall, Newcastle. Of all the instruments they played, the best was "The Audience". Two of my best evenings ever. Thanks.

[@1998TDM]

Quite possibly we were at the same performance. My dad took me to see them at every opportunity. And Billy Connolly, when he was a folk singer. Thanks Dad!

[@paderryan5833]

​@@1998TDM😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊

[@stephm1750]

Absolutely love The Corries... 😍❤️ I used to sit at my grandmas and play their records... Miss that so much ❤️

[@irenejillson4276]

We I needed new labor protest songs for decades and you have given us a brilliant one that is also humoruse. Miicjh needed. If only Pete Seeger Could sing it with both of you.

[@irenejillson4276]

Please forgive my typos such as:the i after the we In tht fitkine

[@normanbruce2965]

😊😊

[@normanbruce2965]

V6 go8😅

[@VinnyMartello]

I’m 100% American and while many of my peers listen to tears and beers country, I’m listening to this.

[@SanDocLee]

Thanks so much for sharing. This is my favourite comedy song. Heard first in the seventies when a Scottish friend sent to me in a cassette. It is even better to see such great performance. ....Dr. Lee

[@roymcdermott1836]

pure class roy was brilliant

[@nickystripe3303]

I have always loved this song. I heard it for the first time at a Scottish Burns night celebration about 30 years ago.

[@derekstephen329]

As an old Scottish folk musician, I am delighted to her Roy again. I have, as a young folk singer, I did have the privilege of meeting Ronnie and Roy on many occasions

[@dantevidruh7463]

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 brilliant song brought up listening to the Corrie's Roy and Ronnie are two of Scotland's national treasures anytime you need to cheer yourself up listen to the Corrie's 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@Michael-vf2mw]

That moment right at the end where he couldn't hold back the laugh made it all the funnier.

[@RalphWigg1]

This story was given to history by the great Gerard Hoffnung!

[@GetPhunkyWithIt]

This was always my favourite song by them when I was younger.

[@fredjackamikoons]

The Myth Busters proved it as a possibility.

[@Sionnach1601]

This song was probably written by one who had personally witnessed some or all of these events happening altogether.

[@rapier1954]

The song was written by the Irishman Pat Cooksey and is called The Sick Note and is about an Irishman named Paddy who was a bricklayer as told in the original version which many artists have sung and recorded ie. the Dubliners.

[@rapier1954]

The actual first verse is the following: Dear Sir I write this note to you to tell you of my plight For at the time of writing I am not a pretty sight My body is all black and blue, my face a deathly grey And I write this note to say why Paddy's not at work today.

[@cartoonhead5819]

still got this on vinyl.. Im so old...

[@boabraveero4017]

I've got it on tape..............somewhere!

[@ianblinkybill4559]

First time hearing this and it is so much better than most of tne crap today

[@janewilliams6863]

Great!.......... (Gerard Hoffnung!) Love this version too! Reminds me of an old friend!

[@jimmima121]

Mammoth fan of bands like Oasis, Stone Roses, Kasabian, Radiohead etc. But there is something about the Corries that gets me like no other artists, and I'm 16 :) Beautiful. Folk music from the Isles is magic!

[@alinejones1682]

Just wants you to sing out loud. Sick note song. Love it 😄

[@basketballfan5763]

Fair play to Glen getting Paddy Reilly to sing and treating him with such respect and kindness ❤

[@jeanrichertb9v107]

I first heard this in Canada years ago. Great song!

[@trevorwilson9211]

That song has been around for at least 40 years. I recall it being released as 'The Sick Note'.

[@jonmeredith1164]

Chieftains, I believe

[@rapier1954]

@@jonmeredith1164 It was never recorded by the Chieftains.

[@rapier1954]

It was written and copyrighted by the Irishman Pat Cooksey as The Sick Note about a man name Paddy. Cooksey was alive when these two were travelling around singing their bastardized version o his song.

[@jonmeredith1164]

@@rapier1954 Dubliners, my mistake

[@FannyOutIaw]

Love it! Alness, Scotland, 1971!!

[@greenstreetelite7107]

Fuck off that's in alness m8

[@rosebrown9265]

Brilliant music no need

[@rosebrown9265]

Can't stop listening to them absolutely brilliant music 🎶

[@MrGaberlunzie1]

If you want to hear Roy at his best, listen to his version of Loch Tay Boat Song. It's priceless!!

[@kevinw9073]

A classic! Well done.

[@jkabholat]

Whenever I need to smile this is my first choice..

[@lidiaziolkowski3965]

Mine too

[@DenisTynan-p2p]

Great song Denis

[@VinnyMartello]

My gosh I love the corries so much.

[@ybrynecho2368]

I heard this over 60 years ago, but it was not in song form. It was a standup comedian who told this as if he was the workman writing a letter to his employer.

[@AngelaH2222]

The story i heard it was based on a letter in South America (i hope that it was a comedian rather than a real accident though😱

[@ybrynecho2368]

@@AngelaH2222 The one I heard was based in the UK. Gerard Hoffnung, a humorous speaker, gives an account of a bricklayer's misfortunes when raising some bricks in a barrel to the top of a building. It was part of a speech to the Oxford Union on 4 December 1958. The derivation of the story is confused, but it first arises in the 1930s. It was published in Reader's Digest in 1940 as a letter from a naval officer who had supposedly received it from an enlisted man explaining his late return from leave. Hoffnung first saw the story in The Manchester Guardian in 1957. (I heard it on a recording when I was about 12.) kzbin.info/www/bejne/sIu4e3-Fa9GAnqs

[@jester3265]

As an retired old Hod Carrier (26rs +) I must ask why this is called "The Bricklayers song" and not 'The Hod Carriers Song'? Any 'hoddies out there will know a Bricklayer would Not being doing any moving of any bricks, especially with his Hod!?! Fantastic tune, never vets old!!

[@tranz2deep]

You know, we honestly need an animated video of The Bricklayer's Song. I hope Lemony Snicket doesn't mind the comparison but that is one series of unfortunate events that might even make him (or Rube Goldberg) reach for the good whiskey.

[@martyj.w2875]

This is a version of the song originally written & recorded by Noel Murphy [1987] and was taken from Gerrard Hoffnung's own classic 'rendering' at Oxford University in the late 1950's. Very, very funny. 😅

[@davidrowinski2160]

The song was written by Pat Cooksey.

[@NallDave]

If anyone needs the music for this tune, it is written to the tune of an old song called, The Garden Where The Praties Grow, and you can find music for it in several places online.

[@thoushaltnotsubscribetome3705]

Thank you so much! I absolutely love these old songs!!! Sadly, they are lost on most of my generation. I'm 15...

[@angelaalexander8725]

Was listening to this on my mp3 player whilst on the bus. Must have have folk wondering why I was laughing out loud

[@Kwakmanonthebay]

The original was, of course, Gerard Hoffnung's Bricklayer's Lament back in 1958!

[@Kristo1992-yq2gi]

"I let go of the bloody rope" - a wise choice, mate!

[@rafhenlow]

Oh how I love this song!!

[@cherylhorgan8741]

Without a doubt, the funniest song I know!!

[@BreakerX42]

I raise you Shia Lebouf the musical

[@AuroDHikoshi]

Growing up listening to this song I took it a bit like a cartoon. Grown up its more a sever injury from falling 14 stories and hitting bricks and a barrel smashing into you

[@magbrown1]

Never heard this one , Fantastic

[@jimmasters2276]

love this song

[@sweetbottumz7705]

Such a good song

[@carlosbernasconi4965]

I would like to dedicate this funny song to my late beloved teacher Alick Gunn Wilson. The same black humour .He used to say : study hard fellows, I am a two barreled gun.

[@maycoats4901]

They were absolutely Brilliant. 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🌟🌟🌟🌟

[@glynluff2595]

Mastered the 2” video tape quite well I feel!

[@ninjashteve]

My uncle played this on road trips, total nostalgia

[@johndewar3274]

love it god bless roy

[@rosebrown9265]

Brilliant song 🤣

[@neilchair]

@Chewy7575 Hey, yeah, Ronnie doesn't do much (he must be getting up there himself and ready to retire) but he has done things solo since Roy was lost. My dad has a few CDs and a couple downloaded TV things. He's still out there, just not often.

[@9missClaire]

RIP Roy

[@ysplse]

Thanx 4 this its one of their songs I didn't know

[@stuartolds8614]

The original was a monologue to the Oxford Union by Gerald Hoffnung.

[@rlceuropean3277]

Hopefully 'The Need' will depart soon ! Lovely song.

[@inkybass]

love the corries

[@EdwardHall-u2o]

The original monologue was written and recorded by Gerrard Hoffnung

[@bjorreb7487]

OMG This is one of the funniest songs I've ever heard. I'm swede

[@AntZoso]

wonderful...simply wonderful

[@jamesm1710]

Thank you Ladbible.

[@Kristo1992-yq2gi]

A comedy of errors, if ever I heard one! 😂

[@fredjackamikoons]

You could probably Google Myth Busters and watch the test. In case you are not from this country, Myth Busters is a popular Television Series in the US. They go around proving or disproving old history News articles and urban Myths.

[@jameskelsall2297]

Sadly, they don't write 'em like that any more. A classic of the time. Somewhere, I have a 45 single record called Murphy and the bricks, a version of the same song.

[@robmoore7708]

Noel Murphy. My dad had his live album with this song on it. 'Caught in the act' was the album.

[@1339LARS]

Top notch!!!!! ///Lars

[@kathrynp8080]

Dangerous things barrels, either full of bricks or full of beer 😜.

[@dwelch1051]

Love it 😍 ❤❤❤

[@mikeseigle5560]

The first song to be played at my funeral.

[@martajaroszewska7190]

Ok I don't want to make anyone mad but this is the first time I've ever heard of him......

[@magbrown1]

Love these

[@buttonpuncher]

@Chewy7575 Actually, Ronnie still performs, or did for a while, at least. Search his name on YT. I especially like his version of Loch Lomond, and The Earl of Moray. Enjoy, I sure did.

[@jasonmccain9544]

The number of lyrics they got wrong in this video amazes me

[@schizoidboy]

I think I heard this on a show about urban legends. This is probably where it came from. In any case, it's a good excuse for getting off work, almost getting murdered by a barrel.:)

[@virginiaconnor8350]

schizoidboy Oh boy, another favourite of mine: urban legends!

[@dynomax101]

schizoidboy... Far as I know, it was originated by Gerard Hoffnung. I could be wrong.

[@dragonwithamonocle]

The barrel sure did put the effort in

[@silverwolf1967]

I got the words in an e mail about having a bad day at work but the first time I have seen it in song.

[@rabbiehippo]

I saw them twice when i was little :o)} might explain my strong Scottish Nationalist leanings !

[@marymartin1248]

Love this

[@michaelfurtwangen1662]

I love this song, but I always wanted to ask the bricklayer why he kept holding on to the rope in the begining. He should have let it go and run away, shouting warnings to the other workers. I mean the rope wasn't tied onto him, so it had to be quite a challenge not to let go the at the initial pull

[@dynomax101]

Michael Furtwangen...because that would not be as funny.

[@akonnerth89]

Probably gripped tighter with some sort of reflex.

[@juanmiguelpena1279]

I think he did It because he was afraid the bricks got broken and his foreman punished him.

[@christiannahellwig]

My thought was always that he kept holding on in some vain hope that he could keep the barrel from falling if he only gripped harder. And then, before he knew it he was halfway up in the air.

[@ohitshammy]

shock / adrenaline is the original answer

[@brokenspirit83]

classic :) love this so much ahha

[@Michael-vf2mw]

"All good, buddy, take the rest of the week off. See you Monday."

[@MultiGolf1234]

amazing

[@physcogirl14liz4life]

i

[@alcoyot]

They have such great sounding guitars. I wonder what wood they're made of.

[@insayno9959]

I have come from the future to inform you. The answer is wood.

[@torikami652]

Can tiktok pick this one up too? It’s a longtime favorite!

[@Avariel]

Try this song with the subtitles on. Its brilliant!

[@alexcrawfordguitar9361]

N7SpectreLT that’ll be the Scottish accent for you

[@greenfingersgardener822]

Ha bloody Ha loved it

[@wokss]

Great song and as a brickie

[@healingandgrowth-infp4677]

Why does it keep cutting out

[@DenisTynan-p2p]

Great song Denis c t😂😂

[@lengthmuldoon]

I need to stop clicking on random youtube vids

[@iwant2go2tenerifelol]

absolutely

[@DobermanDave531]

Knight these laddies.. ....... They are worth it.