Song Lyrics
F.C.A.
(Moran/Carton)
When I signed on I was sixteen, had to lie about my age
Had my hair cut short already, at the time 'twas all the rage
I heard so many stories about the crack in Mullingar
And the Glen Ablow in Wicklow keepin' watch under the stars
Chorus:
I was bored, (bored) broke, (broke) oblivious, so I joined the F.C.A.
I was bored, (bored) broke, (broke) oblivious, so I joined the F.C.A.
I got fitted for my uniform one sunny summer's night
The trousers never fitted and the beret wasn't right
But the boots were strong and powerful, I still have them to this day
Though the shine is long deserted, they still keep out the rain
Chorus
The tightest trousers come from Tuam
The tightest trousers come from Tuam
In Miltown they have no ballroom
In Miltown they have no ballroom
I was so drunk and disorderly I don't know what I did
But I have the strangest feeling I owe Mike Wallace 25 quid
Chorus
The night before I left, I met my favorite girl uptown
I felt like I was leavin' for some war on foreign ground
We promised love and kissed good-bye like we never did before
For the cause of mother Ireland she couldn't have done more
Chorus
Chorus
THE FAIRYTALE OF NEW YORK
(Shane McGowan)
It was Christmas Eve babe in the drunk tank
An old man said to me, won't see another one
And then he sang a song The Rare Old Mountain Dew
I turned my face away and dreamed about you
Got on a lucky one came in eighteen to one
I've got a feeling this year's for me and you
So happy Christmas, I love you baby
I can see a better time when all our dreams come true
They've got cars big as bars, they've got rivers of gold
But the wind goes right through you; it's no place for the old
When you first took my hand, on a cold Christmas Eve
You promised me Broadway was waiting for me
Chorus:
The boys of the NYPD choir were singing "Galway Bay"
And the bells were ringing out for Christmas day
You were handsome you were pretty, queen of New York City
When the band finished playing they howled out for more
Sinatra was swinging, all the drunks they were singing
We kissed on a corner then danced through the night
I could have been someone, well so could anyone
You took my dreams from me when I first found you
I kept them with me babe; I put them with my own
Can't make it all alone, I've built my dreams around you
You're a bum, you're a punk, you're an old slut on junk
Lying there almost dead on a drip in that bed
You scumbag, you maggot, you cheap lousy faggot
Happy Christmas your arse, I pray God it's our last
Chorus:
The boys of the NYPD choir were singing "Galway Bay"
And the bells were ringing out for Christmas day
So happy Christmas, I love you baby
I can see a better time when all our dreams come true
FAITHFUL DEPARTED
(Phil Chevron)
This graveyard hides a million secrets,
The trees know more than they can tell
The ghosts of the Saints and the scholars will haunt you
In Heaven and in Hell
Rattle by the glimmer man, the boogie man the holy man
Livin' in the shadow, the shadow of the gunman
Rattled like the coppers in your greasy till,
Rattle till time stood still
Look over your shoulder hear the school bell ring;
Another day of made to measure history
I don't care if your heroes have wings,
Your terrible beauty's been torn
Faithful departed, we fickle hearted,
As you are now so once were we
Faithful departed, we the meek hearted,
With graces imparted bring flowers to thee
The girls in the kips proclaim their love for you,
When you stumbled in they knew you had a shilling or two
They cursed you on Sundays and Holy days of abstinence
When you all stayed away
When you slept there a naked light bulb hid your shame
Your shadows on the wall they took all the blame
The Scared Heart's picture compassion in his eyes
Drowned out the river sighs
Let the grass grow green over the brewery tonight
It'll never come between the darkness and the light
There is no pain that can't be eased
By the devil's Holy water and the rosary beads
You're a history book I never could write,
Poetry in paralysis too deep to recite
Dress yourself bless yourself you've won the fight,
We're gonna to celebrate tonight
We'll even climb the pillar like we always meant to,
Watch the sun rise over the strand
Close our eyes and we'll pretend,
It could somehow be the same again
I'll bury you upright so the sun doesn't blind you,
You won't have to gaze at the rain and the stars
Sleep and dream of chapels and bars
And whiskey in the jar
Faithful departed, look what you started,
An underdog's wounds aren't so easy to mend
Faithful departed, there's no broken hearted,
No more tristesse in your world without end
FAREWELL TO CARLINGFORD
(Tommy Makem)
When I was young and in my prime
And could wander wild and free
There was always a longing in my mind
To follow the call of the sea
Chorus:
And I'll sing farewell to Carlingford
And farewell to Green O'er
And I'll think of you both day and night
Until I return for shore, until I return for shore
On all of the stormy seven seas
I have sailed before the mast
And of all voyages I ever sailed
I vowed it would be my last
Chorus
Now I had a girl named Mary Doyle
And she lived in Green O'er
And the foremost though that was in her mind
Was to keep me safe on shore
Chorus
Now the land man's life is all his own
He can go or he can stay
But when the gets in your blood
When she calls you must obey
Chorus
Chorus
FAREWELL TO DUBLIN CITY
(Niall Murphy & Nick Guida)
I met a girl in Dublin Town and she was fair and handsome
I took her out to Sandymount to see the waters dancing
Chorus:
Blow ye winds and blow forever, Flow sweet Liffey flow
Tonight we sail across the bay, Farewell to Dublin City
In Stephen's Green I softly kissed my darling, lovely Annie
We paused a while in Grafton Street, she said I love you Johnny
Chorus:
Blow ye winds and blow forever, Flow sweet Liffey flow
Tonight we sail across the bay, Farewell to Dublin City
As we walked down through Nassau Street I vowed I'd never leave her
In College Green I held her tight, she said you bold deceiver
Chorus:
Blow ye winds and blow forever, Flow sweet Liffey flow
Tonight we sail across the bay, Farewell to Dublin City
And when we reached O'Connell Street we kissed good-bye forever
For Boston City I was bound and never more to see her
Chorus:
Blow ye winds and blow forever, Flow sweet Liffey flow
Tonight we sail across the bay, Farewell to Dublin City
Blow ye winds and blow forever, Flow sweet Liffey flow
Tonight we sail across the bay, Farewell to Dublin City
FAREWELL TO TARWATHIE
Farewell to Tarwathie, adieu Mormond Hill
And the dear land of Crimmond I'll bid you farewell
We're bound now for Greenland, get ready to sail
In hopes to find riches in hunting the whale
Adieu to my comrades, for awhile must we part
And likewise my dear lass that fair won my heart
The cold ice of Greenland my love will not chill
And the longer our absence more loving we'll feel
Our ship it is well rigged she ready to sail
Our crew they are anxious to follow the whale
Where the iceberg do float and the stormy winds blow
And the land and the ocean are covered with snow
Oh the cold coast of Greenland is barren and bare
No seed time or harvest are ever known there
The birds there sing sweetly o'er the mountain and dale
But there is na' a birdie to sing to the whale
There is no habitation for a man to live there
And the king of that country is the fierce Greenland bear
And there'll be no temptation to tarry long there
Wi' our ship bumper full we will homeward repair
FAREWELL TO THE RHONDA
(Frank Hennessy)
Chorus:
Farewell you collier workers the muffler and the cap
Farewell you Rhonda Valley girls we never will come back
The mines they are all closing, the valleys they're all doomed
There's no work in the Rhonda boys, we'll be in London soon
My father was a miner and his father was before him
They always had been proud to work below
Since they fell neath Rowbin's ax, all the lads have had the sack
So away to work in England we must go
Chorus
No more the Chapel singing that long ago has left us
In the public house no more the miner's song
For the pit wheels they are stopping and the population's dropping
And I can't afford to stay here very long
Chorus
Traw Herbert, and Ta Orkney, Tony Penday, and Tim Oweth
Ross Na Condra, Tim Pendra all adieu
For I can no longer wait, while Parliament debates
So a fond farewell I'll bid to all of you
Chorus
Chorus
FARMER MICHAEL HAYES
I am a bold undaunted fox that never was before on tramp
My rent, rate and taxes I was willing for to pay
I made my name in fine good land between Tipperary and Ochlong
Where my forefathers lived and died a thousand years or so
But then of late I was betrayed by one who was a fool I know,
He told me I should leave the place and show me face no more
And soon as he evicted me, I thought it time that I should flee
So late one night I took his life and left him laying low.
But by telegraph they did insert a great reward for my arrest
My figure, size and form, my name without mistake,
They broke their brogues, one thousand pairs; this great reward for to obtain,
But still their search was all in vain, for Farmer Michael Hayes.
They searched Tipperary o'er and o'er the corn fields near Baltimore,
They went across to Wexford then, but they'd not long delay,
By Ballyhill and Stridmore Strand they searched the woods as they came on.
Till they were hungry, wet and cold, at the approach of day.
Then round the coast they made a steer from Pulbeg lighthouse to Cape Clear,
Kilarney town and the sweet Tralee, they then crossed into Clare,
And when they landed on the shore, they searched Kilrush from tip to toe,
They searched the baths near sweet Lisdoon, Likewise Miltown Malbay.
And Galway being a place of fame, they thought twas there I might remain,
But still their search was all in vain, for I gave them all leg bail,
They searched the train at Oranmore, as she was starting for Drumore,
And every carriage, car and coach they met upon the road.
And Connemara being remote, they thought that there I might resort,
When they were getting weary, they resolved to try Mayo,
In Swinford town as I sat down, I heard a dreadful cry of hounds,
So I lay there in a manger, till the approach of day.
Then to Dublin town I made my way, and then to Cobh and Amerikay,
And left the hounds to search away for Farmer Michael Hayes,
And as the moon began to shine, I thought I'd make a foreign clime,
Now I'm in the land of liberty, and fig for all my foes.
FATHER MALLORY'S DANCE
(Jez Lowe)
Old Father McVay fair blesses the day, of his young priest's selection.
Not since God knows when there's full houses again, and a decent collection.
And the old church hall floor is heaving once more,
With a Friday night band in full roar.
And the girls are watching young Father Mallory dance.
It's plain and well known it's for him alone, their hearts are all pining.
There's an almighty gasp when he loosens the clasp, of his collar stiff and shining.
And with his neck bare and bold he hugs and he holds, all the females over 60 years old.
And the girls are watching young Father Mallory dance.
The boys sit and stare it's a hard cross they bear, there's less jiving than jitting.
The girls in fine show all sit in a row, like wallflowers wilting.
Fellers fume and frustrate while the old women wait, and the band crucifies Dire Straits,
And the girls are watching young Father Mallory dance.
All chosen and chaste, my God what a waste! Are there vows he would question?
Or does he relish the test of each heaving breast, Full of hope and suggestion?
When he finally speaks they blush to their cheeks,
He says, 'see you all at confession next week,
And the girls are watching young Father Mallory dance.
THE FERRYMAN
(Pete St. John)
The little boats are gone, from the breast of Anna Liffey
And the Ferrymen are stranded on the Quay
The Dublin docks are dying and a way of life is gone
Molly it was part of you and me
Chorus:
Where the strawberry beds sweep down to the Liffey
You'll kiss away the worries from my brow
I love you well today, and I'll love you more tomorrow
If you ever loved me Molly love me now
'Twas the only job I knew, it was hard but never lonely
The Liffey ferry made a man of me
Now it's gone without a whisper, forgotten even now
Sure it's over Molly over can't you see
Chorus
Well now I'll tend the yard, and I'll spend my days in talkin'
I'll hear them whisper Charlie's on the dole (but not for long)
Molly we're still livin' and darlin' we're still young
And the river never owned me heart and soul
Chorus
Chorus
THE FESTIVAL OF GALWAY
Well it happens every year in the last week of July
When me and all me friends go heading West to Athenry
We never make a stop till we reach that famous town
As we travel to the Festival of Galway
Chorus:
And its drink up now for the hour is getting late
You can pack up all your fiddles boys and put your pipes away
And it's drink up now for we'll get together soon
For we're off to Ballybrid again tomorrow afternoon
We have one more stop in the town of Oranmore
Then it's off to find our lodgings in Salthill's rocky shore
And when we get there we'll have a couple more
As we gather for the Festival of Galway
Chorus
Then early next morning we're on the road again
As we travel out to Ballybrid along with all our friends
With half the world a head of us the other have behind
Sure the crack is at the Festival of Galway
Chorus
When the races are over its back again to town
Good fortune for to celebrate our sorrows for to drown
Then back again to Dublin we'll have another year
To look forward to the Festival of Galway
Chorus
Chorus