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Canoodle Doodle

[ Roud 26166 ; Mudcat 468 ; Harry Lauder]

Newfoundland singer Matthew Byrne sang Canoodle Doodle on his 2025 album Stealing Time. He noted:

Something a little lighter from the British music hall and vaudeville era. It was written by Scottish singer/comedian Harry Lauder. I learned it from Baxter Wareham (Harbour Buffett, Placentia Bay), who recorded it in 1996 with a group called Bristol’s Hope.

Lyrics

Matthew Byrne sings Canoodle Doodle

I’ve never been so deep in love as what I am right now
I haven’t slept for weeks and weeks, I don’t know what to do
‘Tis Carrie MacIntosh, the bonnie wee lassie I adore
And I’ve never been so lonesome over anyone before

Chorus (after each verse):
I’m going to marry-arry sweet little Carrie-arrie
On the fifth, the twenty-fifth of Janu-anu-anuary when
We’ll canoodle doodle right fall-a-noodle-doodle
On the fifth, the twenty-fifth of Janu-anu-ary-Oh!

Last night was dark and stormy ah but they could not keep me in
For when a fella falls in love he doesn’t care a pin
I went up to her house where I had never been before
And sang to her and whistled through the keyhole in the door

I had a dream the other night, I dreamt the war had passed
And everyone was happy now that peace had come at last
And all the flags in bonny Scotland were wavin’ in the breeze
And all the soldier boys were singin’ in twenty different keys

You know, ‘tis a funny thing, love
The first time I met Carrie I could not resist her
And when I come to meself, I was on me hands an knees reciting to her
“Carrie me darlin’, me heart you have stolen,
see me chest how me waistcoat is swollen
And listen the throbs of me heart as she goes
a-rickity-tickity under me clothes!”