Little Bit of Heaven, A

DESCRIPTION: "Did you ever hear the story of how Ireland got its name?" A small piece of Heaven broke off and fell to earth; when an angel finds it, he proposes to leave it there because it fits so well. They proceed to make improvements such as adding shamrocks
AUTHOR: Words: J. Keirn Brennan / Music: Ernest R. Ball
EARLIEST DATE: 1914 (sheet music)
KEYWORDS: Ireland talltale
FOUND IN: US(MW)
REFERENCES (2 citations):
Dean-FlyingCloud, pp. 6-7, "And They Called It Ireland" (1 text)
Fuld-BookOfWorldFamousMusic, p. 334, "A Little Bit of Heaven, Shure They Call It Ireland"
Roud #5495
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "The Origin of Ireland" (theme: The Creation of Ireland)
SAME TUNE:
Shotley Stew (File: Tawn031)
NOTES [108 words]: Ironically, although this song supplies an (obviously humorous) explanation of how Ireland came to be, it does not explain how it came to be called Ireland.
Dean-FlyingCloud does not seem to have known the first verse of the song, which is about leprechauns and their antics. It's no loss; other sources omit it as well.
For more about composer Ernest R. Ball, see the notes to "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling."
Edward Foote Gardner, Popular Songs of the Twentieth Century: Volume I -- Chart Detail & Encyclopedia 1900-1949, Paragon House, 2000, p. 308, estimates that this was the most popular song in America in 1915, reaching #1 in May 1915. - RBW
Last updated in version 6.5
File: Dean006

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