“Gum Shellac”

Description

Singer cites real and fictitious accomplishments of tinkers with gum shellac: making Pharaoh's coffins; building Birmingham; fighting the Romans, Spanish, Danes, Black and Tans, and Cromwell; making cannons in Hungary; teaching Nero to play.

Notes

Jim Carroll's notes to IRTravellers01: "Gum shellac is a paste formed by chewing bread, a technique used by unscrupulous tinsmiths to supposedly repair leaks in pots and pans. When polished, it gives the appearance of a proper repair but, if the vessel is filled with water, the paste quickly disintegrates, giving the perpetrator of the quick just enough time to escape with his payment." - BS

Recordings

  • "Pops" Johnny Connors, "Gum Shellac" (on IRTravellers01)

References

  1. Roud #2508
  2. BI, RcGumShe

About

Author: "Pops" Johnny Connors (source: Jim Carroll's notes to IRTravellers01)
Earliest date: 1985 (IRTravellers01)
Found in: Ireland