MULL RIVER SHUFFLE
(Jimmy Rankin)

As sung by the the Rankin Family 1993 "North Country".

NOTES:

The Rankin Family is a Canadian musical family group. 
They hail from Mabou, province of Nova Scotia 
(the same province as Rita MacNeil
(see elsewhere in this ILP database for her work).

The original group of five were made up from twelve 
siblings, all of whom were musically talented. 
The first group started singing in 1970.
They performed Celtic music as well as jigs and reels.

They won a number of Canadian music awards. 
Sadly, many of the members from the original group, 
passed relatively early in life.



(Transcribed by David Story - January 2014)


Picture this...
It's fifty years ago on a small country farm
Johnny McMaster's place
And it's Friday night.
You've just finished ten hot days of back breaking labor
And the hay...the hay is finally in.
You're sitting around the kitchen table
Under the dim light of the kerosene lantern
Everyone is laughing and joking and telling stories...
About their neighbors
You're half way through a bottle of....Moon Shine
And you're gettin' all fired up....for the dance.
Ladies and gentlemen...I give you, the Mull River Shuffle.


Here comes Mr. MacNeil
Oh, the fine shape that he is in
There is no telling which way he'll feel,
After his twister around the bend.

Raisin' the jar an' raisin' hell
There's plenty of stories that they will tell
Some were born of true detail
And some were purely fiction.

(short bridge)

Look up yonder, it's old MacPhee
He's having a few, he can hardly see
Wrapped his buggy around a tree
Someone call the Mounties.


Up spoke fine young Cameron
At the dance, got a fearful hammerin
Today all stutterin' n' stammerin'
There'll be hell to pay come Saturday.


Danny Wright had a light
Burning bright, every night
Waiting for the fish to bite
Along the shores of Cocomagh.


Raisin' the jar an' raisin' hell
There's plenty of stories that they will tell
Some were born of true detail
And some were purely fiction.


There they stand by the door
Selling bush by the score
Asking you to buy some more
Along the shores of 'Cocomagh.


Raisin' the jar an' raisin' hell
There's plenty of stories that they will tell
Some are born of true detail
And some are purely fiction.


I'll go home, I'll go home
Full of the devil and full of the rum
I'll go home, I'll go home
We'll all go in the morning.

I'll go home, I'll go home
Full of the devil and full of the rum
I'll go
We'll all go in the morning.

I'll go home, I'll go home
Full of the devil and full of the rum
I'll go
We'll all go in the morning.

I'll go home, I'll go home
Full of the devil and full of the rum
I'll go
We'll all go in the morning.