Looking for score(melody) of an Irish Ballad called
"Don't tread on the tail of my coat". Possibly recoded in 1942 by Kay
Kyser and his orchestra. Remote possibility the score was adapted from
a Rossini overture.
Trying to track origins of a Camp song written in 1895 or thereabouts.
It's the tip that will express appreciation; this is not a vital question.

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Request for Question Clarification by pinkfreud-ga on 18 Sep 2004 12:23 PDT

Is this your song?

LYRICS:
http://www.mudcat.org/@displaysong.cfm?SongID=4084

MELODY:
http://media.mudcat.org/MIDI/MUSHMUSH.MID

If this is the correct song, I'll be glad to research it further.

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Request for Question Clarification by pinkfreud-ga on 18 Sep 2004 15:17 PDT

In case you aren't certain whether or not I've located the correct
song, I have found a source which mentions that the song linked above
appeared in an 1895 songbook.

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Request for Question Clarification by pinkfreud-ga on 18 Sep 2004 15:33 PDT

Here's a charming version of the song, performed by Catherine O'Connell:

http://audio.cdbaby.com/c/coconnell1-01.mp3

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Clarification of Question by saint76-ga on 18 Sep 2004 21:12 PDT

The meter of the ballad you supply is exactly correct but the tune is
not the right one. The question posed is "where does the melody of the
Camp song come from?" Surely you are on the right track -- and ballads
had whatever tunes the balladeer liked -- but there's a bit more to go
on this one. I wish I could supply you with the score I'm researching,
but I don't have it. The O'Connell version of the song is excellent.
Thanks for supplying it. I'll be interested in the Song Book of 1895;
that is exciting -- and certainly some reward will be yours at the end
of all this -- though don't buy that new car just yet. Glad you saw
the question! Bill Oh yes -- I gather there is nothing on the kay
Kyser lead?

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Request for Question Clarification by pinkfreud-ga on 19 Sep 2004 12:22 PDT

Bill,

Would you like for me to post, as an answer, as much information about
this song as I've been able to obtain? You have kindly mentioned
wanting to compensate me for my work, but the only way for a
Researcher to receive any compensation is by posting an official
answer to a question. I don't want to disappoint you, since I truly
have no clue regarding an alternate melody for this song. Nor have I
found a connection to either Kay Kyser or Rossini. If finding another
melody is essential, you may want to leave this question open. I do
not want to foist an answer upon you if it really doesn't meet your
needs.

~Pink

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Clarification of Question by saint76-ga on 19 Sep 2004 16:41 PDT

Oh sure, by all means post your work as a completed answer; you
certainly deserve the small remuneration you'll get -- and a lot more.
I din't understand why I couldn't find a link to your "tip" so I wrote
Google and asked where it was. As I recall I also get a chance to sing
your praises -- which I will do -- although obviously not in the tune
we are both looking for! Thanks, Bill

Thank you for accepting my findings as your answer. I have reposted
links from my earlier remarks, plus some additional material that I
think you will find interesting.

The Irish song in question is generally known as "Mush Mush." I
located the song's lyrics by visiting one of my favorite sites, The
Mudcat Café, which offers a treasure trove of data and discussion
related to folk songs and ballads. I searched the site using the
keywords "tread," "tail," and "coat."

MUSH MUSH

Oh, 'twas there I learned readin' and writin',
At Bill Brackett's where I went to school,
And 'twas there I learned howlin' and fightin'
With me schoolmaster, Mister O'Toole.
Him and me we had many a scrimmage,
An' divil a copy I wrote;
There was ne'er a gossoon in the village
Dared tread on the tail o' me...

cho: Mush, mush, mush toor-i-li-ady
Mush, mush, mush toor-i-li-ay
There was ne'er a gossoon in the village
Dared tread on the tail o' me coat.

Oh, 'twas there that I learned all me courtin'
O the lessons I took in the art!
Till Cupid, the blackguard, while sportin'
An arrow drove straight through my heart.
Miss Judy, she lived just forinst me,
And tender lines to her I wrote,
If ye dare say one hard word agin her
I'll tread on the tail o' yer...

But a blackguard called Mickey Maloney,
Came an' stole her affections away
For he'd money and I hadn't any,
So I sent him a challenge next day.
In the evenin' we met at the Woodbine
The Shannon we crossed in a boat,
An' I lathered him with me shillelagh
For he trod on the tail o' me...

Oh, me fame went abroad through the nation,
An' folks came a-flockin' to see
An' they cried out, without hesitation
"You're a fightin' man, Billy McGhee!"
Oh, I've cleaned out the Finnegan faction
An' I've licked all the Murphys afloat,
If you're in for a row or a ruction,
Just tread on the tail o' me...

Mudcat Café: Mush Mush (Lyrics)
http://www.mudcat.org/@displaysong.cfm?SongID=4084

Mudcat Café: Mush Mush (Melody) 
http://media.mudcat.org/MIDI/MUSHMUSH.MID

Here are several related threads from The Mudcat Cafe:

Mudcat Café: The Quiet Man 
http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=125

Mudcat Café: The Quiet Man Song Titles
http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=31397#408942

Mudcat Café: Boy with Green Hair
http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=28523#354329

A tantalizing mention of an 1895 songbook (which, alas, I could not track down):

"in answer to someone's query...melody for 'Aunt Clara' is based upon
old irish tune called the 'mush,mush song'...music for which is in the
scottish students songbook of 1895...also "mush,mush song" is featured
in the well known Barry Fitzgerald, John Wayne, Maureen O'Hara and
Victor McLaghlan (spelling?)film 'The Quiet Man' during one of the
furniture moving sequences"

Mudcat Café: We Never Mention Aunt Clara
http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=44565

Here are two files of simple musical notation:

Digital Tradition: Mush Mush
http://sniff.numachi.com/~rickheit/dtrad/pages/tiMUSHMUSH;ttMUSHMUSH.html

MacEdward Leach and the Songs of Atlantic Canada: Mush Mush
http://collections.ic.gc.ca/leach/music/17-07.pdf

A clip of the song, performed by Catherine O'Connell:

CD Baby: Mush Mush (C. O'Connell)
http://audio.cdbaby.com/c/coconnell1-01.mp3

A recording from the 1940s by the Canadian group Don Messer and His
Islanders (vocal by Charlie Chamberlain):

Tail o' Me Coat (Don Messer and His Islanders)
http://www.mortalwombat.com/Audio/Tail_o_Me_Coat.mp3

A recording of unknown vintage by John A. McLellan:

MacEdward Leach and the Songs of Atlantic Canada: Mush Mush
http://collections.ic.gc.ca/leach/sounds/NFLD1/17-07.mp3

This page attributes the song to "Sean O'Casey and Dennis O'Casey":

Reel Classics: "Mush-Mush-Mush Tural-i-addy"
http://www.reelclassics.com/Movies/QuietMan/mushmush-lyrics.htm

Some sources for sheet music:

As "Mush Mush":

Sheet Music Plus: 130 Great Irish Ballads 
http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/store/smp_detail.html?sku=MS.FT10003&cart=3304614402264220&searchtitle=Sheet%20Music

Sheet Music Plus: Ballads from the Pubs of Ireland, Vol. 1
http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/store/smp_detail.html?sku=MS.OS00116&cart=3304614402264220&searchtitle=Sheet%20Music

Sheet Music Plus: 100 Irish Ballads Volume 2 
http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/store/smp_detail.html?sku=MB.95174WBCD&cart=3304614402264220&searchtitle=Sheet%20Music

As "T'read on the Tail of My Coat":

Sheet Music Plus: Celtic Fake Book
http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/store/smp_detail.html?sku=HL.240153&cart=3304614402264220&searchtitle=Sheet%20Music

Google search strategy:

Google Web Search: "tread on the tail" coat
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=%22tread+on+the+tail%22+coat

Google Web Search: "mush mush" irish
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=%22mush+mush%22+irish

I hope this is helpful. I will keep an eye out (and an ear, too) for
any info about an alternate melody, and if I learn anything further, I
will post here.

Very best regards,
pinkfreud

Probably should be a 5 star report; the question itself had its
impossibilities. pinkfreud was exceptional in her pursuit of a
wil-o-the-wisp, and I commend her for what she did uncover.
Astonishing coverage including sound!

I have found no other tune for this ballad, so I'm at a dead end. I
hope another Researcher will be able to save the day.

Kay Kyser did not turn up in my research, but in case it might be of
interest, a collector friend supplied me with a recording from the
1940s by Don Messer and His Islanders (vocal by Charlie Chamberlain):

http://www.mortalwombat.com/Audio/Tail_o_Me_Coat.mp3

I'm sure you have done what you can -- and I am glad to have the
lyrics of that ballad as well as the voice of O'Connell. That's a
dividend. I'm not really in a position to do more on this one but I
shall certainly supply an additional 10 dollars for your research.
Anything to add about the 1895 song book? It is the exact year the
Camp started in New Hampshire. Bill

Thank you very much for the generous tip!

~pinkfreud