The Humour Is on Me Now

[Timmer]

I've been wondering about the title of the song The Humour Is on Me Now which has always been one of my favorites performed by Ruby Murray. I often wonder, is this a phrase or idiom from Ireland or thereabouts? Do people hit their thumbs with hammers and utter something like this? Or is it something that really only exists in song? A google search didn't really answer this question and I'm curious. Thanks!

[Bernie Burgess]

Hello Timmer - 'The Humour Is On Me Now' Other than singing the actual song I can't recall Ruby ever using the actual phrase herself. To me is smacks of Irish thinking but I personally interpret the phrase as = Being prepared - Being ready. There are other interesting 'Irishisms' For example, "Give me a Wee Calinchy Muffler" I hasten to add that I have guessed at the actual spelling - it's as near as I can get to it- phonetically. It means = Give me a little cuddle.

[Graham Bunn]

Hello Timmer and Bernie,
"The Humour Is On Me Now" As we all know humour is classed as funny but in the case of the song it means a state of the mind or mood and the song indicates that Ruby is now ready to take a husband.
I have never heard your saying before Bernie but love it.

Take Care
Graham

[Timmer]

Give me a Wee Calinchy Muffler

Mind if I use that? And thanks for the info, Bernie!

[Timmer]

As we all know humour is classed as funny but in the case of the song it means a state of the mind or mood and the song indicates that Ruby is now ready to take a husband.

Thanks, Graham. The song does a good job of providing contextual clues but I guess people don't hang out at the pub saying things like, "The humour is on me now." Just a little something for the world of song, I guess.

[Bernie Burgess]

I must point out that I am guessing about the spelling of the phrase - 'A collinchy muffler'. It could well be spelt entirely differently. . .

[Timmer]

I must point out that I am guessing about the spelling

Yeah, but it gets the job done!

[Gerald Lawrence]

Hello Timmer and Bernie,
"The Humour Is On Me Now" As we all know humour is classed as funny but in the case of the song it means a state of the mind or mood and the song indicates that Ruby is now ready to take a husband.
I have never heard your saying before Bernie but love it.

Take Care
Graham

I have always interpreted this song the same way as Graham - but I was never sure. So I have just typed the single word "humour" into Google and this is what it says:

a mood or state of mind.
"her good humour vanished"
synonyms:
mood, temper, disposition, temperament, frame of mind, state of mind; spirits
"his good humour was infectious"

So that for me lines up with what you say, Graham.

[Bernie Burgess]

I have just thought of another expression that I remember hearing Ruby use. "Make sure that you dry under your 'Oksters" that means under your arms - (your arm pit). There are items of food that Ruby referred to which I think are possibly essentially Irish??? i.e. Tatty Farls. and Soda Bread. Once again I cannot vouch for correct spelling and I'm not too familiar with what they really are.

[Timmer]

Thanks, Bernie. I'm really enjoying these!

[Bernie Burgess]

Okay Timmer, here is another Irish term that is quite amusing - 'a Lilter'. He can be heard in the Irish bars, and as they say in Ireland "With his cap well down Kildare style" - (hiding his face so that he doesn't see his audience) and 'Lilting' ...Difficult for me to describe. It's done to a tune but without words - like -' Diddlie Di Di a Di Di a Diddlie Dum. . . etc etc.

[Bernie Burgess]

Just realised. . . . I think there is a 'Lilter' on one of Ruby's Irish L.P.s. I can't check this out because I have passed all of my collection of Ruby's L.P.s on to me children so I have no reference point. It would be the album that Ruby recorded 'live' in Dublin with Brendan O'Dowda. It also includes other Irish entertainers i.e. Milo O'Shea.

[Gerald Lawrence]

Just a reminder if you need it Bernie, that the Dublin concert is featured on the Anthology CD collection, so you could listen to it there if Ruby sang it. Of course if it was one of the other singers who "lilted" then it won't be on the CD.

I know because I chose Ruby's songs for this collection as they had never before been available to buy on CD and I wanted to get the best quality from the masters, which with your help we were able to do.

[Bernie Burgess]

Hello Gerald,

There were several artistes that recorded on the album that was made in Dublin. Milo O'Shea was one, there was a female, Brendan O'Dowda
and an AN IRISH LILTER who did a track of 'LILTING'. It must be on one of the L.P.s that I let my daughter have. As you say it isn't on the Golden Anniversary boxed set.

[Graham Bunn]

Ruby and other Irish singers and performers attended the Marian Hall Dublin on the 6th October 1963 to perform a concert.

In 1964 this performance was put out as an L.P titled "St Patricks Day".....The Lilter singer was Breandan O'Duill and the songs were" Si Do Mhaimed" and "Peter Street".......It is a very strange way of singing and now sounds very dated.

Take Care
Graham.