Rattlin’ Bog Lyrics | Carlyle Fraser

Rattlin’ Bog Lyrics

Song Title	Rattlin’ Bog
Release	2013
Singer	Carlyle Fraser
Album	Pint of Ale
Writers	—
Song Length	5:22

Rattlin’ Bog by Carlyle Fraser

Ho, ro, the rattlin’ bog
The bog down in the valley o
Real bog, the rattlin’ bog
The bog down in the valley o

Well in the bog there was a hole
A rare hole and a rattlin’ hole
Hole in the bog
And the bog down in the valley o

Ho, ro, the rattlin’ bog
The bog down in the valley o
Real bog, the rattlin’ bog
The bog down in the valley o

Well in that hole there was a tree
A rare tree and a rattlin’ tree
The tree in the hole
And the hole in the bog
And the bog down in the valley o

Ho, ro, the rattlin’ bog
The bog down in the valley o
Real bog, the rattlin’ bog
The bog down in the valley o

On that tree there was a branch
A rare branch and a rattlin’ branch
The branch on the tree
And the tree in the hole
And the hole in the bog
And the bog down in the valley o

Ho, ro, the rattlin’ bog
The bog down in the valley o
Ho, ro, the rattlin’ bog
The bog down in the valley o

On that branch there was a limb
A rare limb and a rattlin’ limb
The limb on the branch
And the branch on the tree
And the tree in the hole
And the hole in the bog
And the bog down in the valley o

Ho, ro, the rattlin’ bog
The bog down in the valley o
Real bog, the rattlin’ bog
The bog down in the valley o

Well on that limb there was a nest
A rare nest and a rattlin’ nest
The nest on the limb
And the limb on the branch
And the branch on the tree
And the tree in the hole
And the hole in the bog
And the bog down in the valley o

Ho, ro, the rattlin’ bog
The bog down in the valley o
Real bog, the rattlin’ bog
The bog down in the valley o

In that nest there was a bird
A rare bird and a rattlin’ bird
The bird in the nest
And the nest on the limb
And the limb on the branch
And the branch on the tree
And the tree in the hole
And the hole in the bog
Down in the valley o

Ho, ho, the rattlin’ bog
The bog down in the valley o
Real bog, the rattlin’ bog
The bog down in the valley o

In that bird there was an egg
A rare egg and a rattlin’ egg
The egg on the bird
And the bird in the nest
And the nest on the limb
And the limb on the branch
And the branch on the tree
And the tree in the hole
And the hole in the bog
And the bog down in the valley o

Ho, ro, the rattlin’ bog
The bog down in the valley o
Real bog, the rattlin’ bog
The bog down in the valley o

In that egg there was a bird
A rare bird and a rattlin’ bird
The bird on the egg
And the egg on the bird
And the bird in the nest
And the nest on the limb
And the limb on the branch
And the branch on the tree
And the tree in the hole
And the hole in the bog
And the bog down in the valley o

Ho, ro, the rattlin’ bog
The bog down in the valley o
Real bog, the rattlin’ bog
The bog down in the valley o

Real bog, the rattlin’ bog
The bog down in the valley o

Rattlin’ Bog Info

“The Rattlin’ Bog” is a well-known Irish folk song that belongs to an internationally distributed folk song type. It is listed in the Roud Folk Song Index as number 129 and has various titles, including “The Everlasting Circle”, “The Tree on the Hill”, “The Green Grass Grew All Around”, and “Down in the Lowlands”. The term “rattlin'” in the song’s title is used to signify something splendid or great.

The song follows a cumulative structure, similar to “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” with each verse building upon the previous one. The Roud index has collected around 180 versions of the song in English, and it also has analogues in French, Italian, and German. As a folk song, it has been transmitted orally and aurally over generations, leading to multiple versions with slight variations in lyrics and melody.

The song’s earliest version, “March to the Battlefield,” can be traced back to “Riley’s Flute Melodies” published by Edward Riley (1769-1829). In 1877, Marianne Harriet Mason, a watercolour painter and folk-song collector, published a version called “Green Grass Grows all Around” in “Nursery Rhymes and Country Songs”.

Despite its long history and many variations, “The Rattlin’ Bog” remains a beloved and enduring folk song that has been passed down through generations of Irish people and continues to be performed and enjoyed today. Its catchy melody, cumulative structure, and playful lyrics make it a timeless classic that has stood the test of time.