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"Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ral (That's an Irish Lullaby)" is a classic Irish-American song originally written in 1913 by composer James Royce Shannon (1881–1946) for the Tin Pan Alley musical Shameen Dhu. The original recording of the song, by Chauncey Olcott, peaked at #1 on the music charts. The song was brought back to prominence by Bing Crosby's performance in 1944's Going My Way. Crosby's single sold over a million copies and peaked at #4 on the Billboard music charts
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History
"Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ral (That's an Irish Lullaby)" was written by lyricist and actor Shannon in 1913 for the play Shameen Dhu ("Black-Haired Jimmy" or "Dark Jimmy"). Prior to the play's debut, singer Chauncey Olcott took it into the studio to record it on July 30, 1913. Popular, his single peaked at #1 on the music charts in December 1913.
In 1944, Bing Crosby released a version of the song which brought it to public attention again. First performed in the film Going My Way, it was subsequently released as a single that sold over a million copies and peaked at #4 on Billboard music charts. His first recording was made on July 7, 1944 but mechanical difficulties with the matrix led to it being recorded again on July 17, 1945. It is this version which appears on subsequent LPs and CDs. In 1945, the Crosby version of the song was also featured in the film Nob Hill.
Other versions
In 1976, Richard Manuel and Van Morrison sang the song, as "Tura Lura Lural (That's An Irish Lullaby)", during The Band's farewell concert The Last Waltz. "Come On, Eileen," a #1 U.K. chart single from the English band Dexys Midnight Runners, includes a chorus with the lines "Too-Ra-Loo-Ra Too-Ra-Loo-Rye, Ay / And you'll hum this tune forever." The song appeared on their 1982 album titled Too-Rye-Ay. Steve Martin performed the song for comic effect in the film Housesitter.
Others who have recorded the song include Bobby Darin, Connie Francis, Perry Como, The Ames Brothers, Regis Philbin, Jessi Colter, Slim Whitman, Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin, The Irish Tenors, Rosemary Clooney, Kate Smith, Gene Autry, Frances Faye and Piccolo Coro Mariele Ventre dell'Antoniano.
Original lyrics
These are the original lyrics of the song as published in 1913 by Shannon through M. Witmark & Sons.