Wilmot MacDonald - Home Brew Song



Recorded at the 1966 Miramichi Folk Song Festival.

Before the song Ken Homer mentions that Mrs. Murdoch (likely Matilda) is up on stage and ready to play a fiddle tune but that Wilmot will sing first. This song is sung a cappella. Wilmot taps his foot occasionally.

This song is about a man who procures six gallons of home brew and then is arrested while in bed at the house of Sullivans. After being blamed by a dark-eyed lady the man chooses six months in prison ( where they all feed on bread and tea ) over a $200 fine. The last words of the song, where they all feed on the bread and tea, are spoken, not sung.

After the song transcription in Manny's book, she re-tells the story of the home brew song, which was written by Frank O'Hara during the prohibition era. After the song is done a few people yell wahoo! Wilmot laughs a bit after some of the verses.

This song appears elsewhere in the Manny collection as (099-02), (119-03), and (124-02). This song appears in Louise Manny and James Reginald Wilson eds. Songs of Miramichi Brunswick Press Fredericton, N.B. pg. 108. 071-05 [[Category:M]]