Sunday, July 13, 2008

The Oggie Man

When I was a kid Dad used to sing The Oggie Man song to me all the time. When I was sick he's rub my back and sing me to sleep with it. When I was older I asked him what the song was about and he told me that it was about the man who sold pasties being driven out of work by big business (well, hot dog carts anyway). Tonight I was listening to a recording of it by the group Jiig and it brought a lot of memories back. There is an interesting explanation of the song, written by Cyril Tawney here. Turns out it is a love song too.

Am I the only kid whose lullabies were labour songs?

3 comments:

Fr. Aaron Orear said...

Al Gore claimed that his mum rocked him on her lap singing the Union Label song. I think it turned out to be one of Al's embellishments, though, so you may well be unique in this yet.

Erin said...

I wouldn't mind sharing the stage with Al Gore.

Anonymous said...

My dad used to sing "Halleluja I'm a Bum" to us kids. His dad sang it, to him and to us, also (usually after a few too many beers in Grampa's case). I think its a labour song, too. It must be. Its surely not a hymn.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hallelujah,_I'm_a_Bum

...Pam