Song Lyrics
EASTER SNOW
(Christy Moore)
Chorus:
Oh the Easter snow
It has fade away
It was so rare and so beautiful
Now it's melted back into the clay
Those days will be remembered
Beyond out in the Naul
Listening to the master's notes
As gently they did fall
Oh . . . the music
As Seamus he did play
But the thaw crept over the mantle whit
And turned it back to clay
Chorus:
Oh the Easter snow
It has fade away
It was so rare and so beautiful
Now it's melted back into the clay
He gazed at the embers in reflection,
He called up lost verses again,
He smiled with a roguish recollection,
While his fingers gripped the glass to stem the pain
When knocked on his door was always open
With a welcome he'd bid the time of day
Though we came when the last flakes were melted
While it lay upon the ground we stayed away
Chorus:
Oh the Easter snow
It has fade away
It was so rare and so beautiful
Now it's melted back into the clay
EASY AND SLOW
'Twas down by Christ-church that I first met with Annie,
A neat little girl - and not a bit shy,
She told me her father, who came from Dungannon,
Would take her back home in the sweet by and by.
Chorus:
And what's it to any man whether or no,
whether I'm easy or whether I'm true.
As I lifted her petticoat easy and slow.
And I tied up my sleeve for to buckle her shoe.
We wandered by Thomas Street, down to the Liffey.
The sunshine was gone and the evening grew dark.
Along by Kingsbridge and begod in a jiffy
Me arms were around her beyond in the park.
Chorus
From city or country a girl is a jewel.
And well made for gripping the most of them are.
But any young man he is really a fool.
If he tries at the first time to go a bit far
Chorus
Now if you should go to the town of Dungannon,
you can search till your eyes are weary of blind.
Be you lying or walking or sitting or running,
A girl like Annie, you never will find.
THE EFFEN BEE
(Matt McGinn)
He kept bees in the old town of Effen,
An Effen beekeeper was he,
And one day this Effen beekeeper,
Was stung by a big Effen bee.
Now this big Effen beekeeper's wee Effen wife,
For the big Effen polis she ran,
For there's nobody can sort out a big Effen bee,
Like a big Effen polisman can.
This big Effen polisman he did his nut,
And he ran down the main Effen street,
In his hand was a big Effen baton,
He had big Effen boots on his feet.
The polis got hold of this big Effen bee,
And he twisted the Effen bee's wings,
But this big Effen bee got his own back,
for this big Effen bee had two stings.
Now they're both in the Effen museum,
Where the Effen folk often come see,
The remains of the big Effen polis,
Stung to death by the big Effen bee.
That's the end of that wee Effen story,
'Tis an innocent wee Effen tale,
But if you ever tell it in Effen,
You'll end up in the old Effen jail.
THE 8-3-0
(Ian McCalman)
He was driving up to Mallaig, Glenfinnan by Loch Shiel,
Heading for Lochailort, content behind the wheel,
The road was getting narrower… the sign said slow,
It's the Highland daily dodgems, it's the 8-3-0.
There is a natural assumption that 'A' roads are wide,
Enough to take a car… and one the other side,
Tourist information, will never, never tell,
It's like driving through heaven on a road made for hell.
Cos it's a single track, you can't turn back,
The stories are all the same, of the tourists leaving Corpach,
Never seen again… Don't go, on the 8-3-0.
There's a joke in the highlands, it's called a 'passing place',
Where French stay for chips… and English stay for days and days and days,
When lorries lose control… you've got one last wish,
"Don't let me die under 20 tons of fish".
Cos it's a single track, you can't turn back,
A nightmare without end,
Eyes ahead, 'cos Nigel Mansell's waiting round the bend…
Don't go, on the 8-3-0.
Whoever called this road a road was telling little lies
The 8-3-O's a sheep-track in very thin disguise,
Italian caravanettes, driving on the right,
Meeting Wallace Arnold buses in the middle of the night.
Of the man that's stopping progress, a theory's going around,
That he owns the biggest breakers yard this side of Mallaig town,
You can see him in the gloaming, towing wrecks from where they lie,
And he turns them into girders for the bridge across to Skye.
And it's a single track, he's in Mallaig and now he feels no pain,
He's dumped his car; he's in the bar he's steaming back by train… on a single track, you can't turn back
The moral's very plain, it's grand to visit Mallaig… but it's safer by MacBrane,
Don't go on the 8-3-0, Don't go on the 8-3-0, Don't go on the 8-3-0.
EILEEN OG
(Percy French)
Well Eileen Og, O that's me darlin's name is o'er the Barony her features they were famous
If we loved her, well who is there to blame us, for wasn't she the Pride of Petrovar?
But her beauty was like to make you shy, not a livin' boy could look her in the eye.
Boys O boys! now there's the reason why we're in love with the Pride of Petrovar.
Chorus:
Eileen Og, me heart is turning gray ever since the day you wandered far away.
Eileen Og, There's more fish in the sea, but there's none just like the Pride of Petrovar.
Well it's Friday at the fair at Ballintubber, Eileen met McGraw the old horse trader
I'd like to put me hands upon the robber, for he stole away the Pride of Petrovar
Well he never seemed to see her standing there at all Even when she ogled him from underneath her shawl
He was big and masterful and she was looking small most provokin' to the Pride of
Petrovar
So it is and it was in the beginning Eileen's heart was set upon the winning
To see McGraw contentedly a grinning to be courted by the Pride of Petrovar
Says he, 'I know a girl that could knock you into fits' at that our Eileen nearly lost her wits.
The outcome of the whole thing is that now the robber sits with his arm around the Pride of Petrovar.
Well, argh me boys, with fate 'tis hard to grapple of all those girls well our Eileen was the apple;
And now to see McGraw walking toward the chapel arm and arm with the Pride of Petrovar.
Well all I have is just one thing to say; if you go a courtin' then look the other way,
If you want them to come after you, just look the other way, for they're mostly like the Pride of Petrovar.
ENGLAND'S VIETNAM
Well good evening folks it's good to be back in the good old USA
Where they make damn sure they all the wars thousands of mile away
I've just been across the ocean to see my family home
But after what I saw there, I never more will roam
Chorus:
Oh, give me a home the Panthers roam and the Weathermen so free
Take a walk in the dark around Central Park, it does not bother me
Tear the country in two, but whatever you do, let me stay right where I am
For I do not want another trip to England's Vietnam
When I arrived in Alvagroad, that's where the planes do go
It used to be Nuts Corner, why they changed it, I just don't know
I was wearing a an army jacket, from Vietnam it came
When a soldier stuck a gun in my ribs and he said, 'I know your game'
'Oh, where's your black beret,' he cried, 'and your hurling stick, as well'
I shot him with my camera and like a stone he fell
They I called for a policeman, saying, 'Take this poor man away.'
You know this would never happen, in the good old USA
Chorus
Well the policeman took me by the hand, said, 'Come along with me,'
'Cause I can see by that gleam in your eye that you hate democracy.'
You're a Trotskyist from the Kremlin, you're a Vatican, anarchist spy
You're a communist from China, all coming from the F.B.I.
Well I knew that I had to leave there, I tell you what I done
I slipped five dollars in his hand and I began to run
Then I walked the streets of Belfast, from the New Lodge to the Falls
Watching rubber bullets go bouncing off the walls
Chorus:
Oh, give me a home the Panthers roam and the Weathermen so free
Take a walk in the dark around Central Park, it does not bother me
Tear the country in two, but whatever you do, let me stay right where I am
For I do not want another trip to England's Vietnam
No I do not want another trip to England's Vietnam
ENNISKILLEN DRAGOONS
A beautiful damsel of fame and renown
A gentleman's daughter from Monaghan town
As she went through the barracks this beautiful maid
Stood up in her coach to see dragoons on parade
Chorus:
Fare ye well, Enniskillen, I must leave you for a while
And all thy fair waters and Erin's green isle
And when the wars are over, I'll return in full bloom
And they'll all welcome home their Enniskillen dragoons
They were all dressed up the like of gentleman's sons
With their bright shining rapiers and carbine guns
Their bayonets fornemst them, oh she saw them full soon
Just because that she loved an Enniskillen dragoon
She looked to the bright sons of Mars on the right
Their armor outshining the stars of the night
"Oh Willie, dearest Willie, you have 'listed full soon
In the royal, loyal Enniskillen dragoons"
"Oh Flora, dearest Flora, your pardon I crave
Both now and forever, you know I am your slave
But your parents they have slighted me, morning, night, and noon
Just because that you loved your Enniskillen dragoon"
"Oh Willie, dearest Willie, head not what they say
For children their parents must always obey
And when you've left Ireland, they'll soon change their tune
Sayin' 'The good Lord be wi' ye, Enniskillen dragoon'"
THE ESKIMO REPUBLIC
(Thurso Berwick)
Now good fortunes wheel let its ball roll roond,
A Nation's rise that yince was doon
So it's time to sing a rebel tune
For the Eskimo Republic
Chorus:
Where there is nay Class and there is nay boss
Nay Kings nor Queens and damn the loss
And we get boozed up for a six month's toss
In the Eskimo Republic
When they mak a law sure they all agree
For they all sit on the committee
And they got nay Lords nor nay MPs
In the Eskimo Republic
Now the Eskimos they live in peace
And they've never joined in an arms race
And you'll find nay trace o' a Polaris Base
In the Eskimo Republic
When a Eskie wain gaes tae the school
They sit up nice on their Eskie stool
And they sing and they laugh and they learn the rules
O' the Eskimo Republic
Now their fitball games, they're all clean and fair
And recruits are housed with the fitball players
Cause the park's patrolled by Polar bears
In the Eskimo Republic
Well they flee aboot in their wee kayaks
And stick harpoons in tae whale's back
Then they cut them up in tae nice wee snacks
In the Eskimo Republic
Now the Eskimoes they are no like you
Every Eskimo's got their ane igloo
And their mother law got their igloos too
In the Eskimo Republic
When an Eskimo sings an Eskie song
He gies it that really auld Eskie twang
And his favorite one is I belong
Tae the Eskimo Republic
Now the Eskimos they are gay and gallus
And their ig-aloos are their ane wee palace
Because their all lit up be the Aurora Borealis
In the Eskimo Republic
EVERY MAN IS A KING
(Terry Woods/Ron Kavana)
In search of the good life the pilgrims set sail
And all through the new land they blazed a brave trail
The iron horse speeding down freshly laid trail
Brought settlers determined to prosper
From the four corners they made it their home
The Iti's, the Germans, the Paddies and Poles
Going down in the dirt, coming up with the gold
Like Bill Fuller, the Kennedy's and the Corleones
Chorus:
Life is so good in the U.S. of A, live out your dreams in Americay
If you've got the guts and the bucks it is said
Every man is a king in the U.S. of a
Every man is a king in Americay
And the pilgrims these days they are called astronauts
They seek new battlefields on the moon and beyond
To wage their star wars in the sky by and by
And to shit on us all from on high
And when it's all over and the world is no more
When the White House and the Kremlin have settled the score
The stars and stripes flag will fly high over space
That's why we all love the United States
In the land of Republican automatons
Uncle Sam's forces show gung ho and bronze
Just awaiting their orders from Washington
To fight for your peace and your freedom
Vietnam, Nicaragua, El Salvador
How foolish of you not to open your door
To Hershey's, Budweiser, McDonald's and more
This wonderful life could be yours
Chorus
THE EXILE
(MacGregor/Menzies)
He came in the mist of a cold winter's morning
Down from his horse and he knocked on the door
The eyes that looked out they were darkened by terror
He could see on his face the ill tidings he bore
It is not my will but the will of the master
Your thatch will be burned if you be not away
By sundown this evening with all your possessions
To find a new home ere the breaking of day
For these are my orders, the stones must be scattered
The white coated sheep now must rule in the Glen
No room now for pity for mothers or children
The lusting of gold is the target of men
But where can we go, those who've never known other
Than the Glens of our birth neath the high mountain snow
To cross the wild ocean would tear at our half boots
But fate has decreed it, it must be so
Across the wild sea we must go for our lives now
To build a new home on the far distant shore
But ever and ever the heartbeats are Highland
And to sigh for the Glens that will see us no more
But fate is not heartless and new hearts are kindly
A fragment of Scotland will ever remain
Though oceans divide us our children will span them
And stand in the thyme and the heather again
But fate is not heartless and new hearts are kindly
A fragment of Scotland will ever remain
Though oceans divide us our children will span them
And stand in the thyme and the heather again