Song Lyrics
THE GALLANT FORTY-TWA
You may talk about your lancers and your Irish Fusiliers
The Aberdeen Militia and the Queens own volunteers
Or any other regiment that's lying near or far
Come give to me the tartan of the gallant Forty-Twa
Chorus:
Strolling through the hillside on summer's day
Watching all the country girls workin' at the hay
I really was delighted and she stole my hear awa
When I saw her in the tartan of the gallant Forty-Twa
I never will forget the day his regiment walked past
The piper played a lively tune and my heart was aghast
He turned around and smile farewell, and then from far awa
He waved to me the tartan of the gallant Forty-Twa
Chorus
I stood there on the dockside, as his ship pulled out to sea
And prayed that my own bonnie lad would soon return to me
But many a pipe will sound no more and many a lad will fall
When fighting for the tartan of the gallant Forty-Twa
Chorus
Once again I hear the music of the pibroch from a far
They tramped and tramped the weary men returning from the war
And as they nearer drew I brushed a woeful tear awa
To see my bonnie laddie of the gallant Forty-Twa
Chorus
GALLIPOLI
(M. Swan/D. Doyle)
I remember the day it stands clear in my mind
We stood down at Dun Laoghaire to wave you good-bye
Your Ma stood quietly weeping, there was a tear in my eye
As they sent you to Gallipoli to die
Chorus:
You were all that we had, your mammy and me
When you marched head erect, you were proud as could
And it killed your poor me and it slowly killed me
When you were blown to kingdom come, on the shores of Gallipoli
Chorus
We only got the one letter and we knew right away
It said, 'Deepest regrets, your son was bold and he was brave'
You were only nineteen yet your Mammy and I
Let you go to Gallipoli to die
Chorus
You fought for the wrong country, you fought for the wrong cause
And your Ma often said it was Ireland's great loss
All those fine young men who marched to foreign shores to fight the wars
When the greatest war of all was at home
Chorus
GALLOWGATE CALYPSO
(Matt McGinn)
Chorus:
Maggie, Nellie and Mary Ann, Lizzie, Willie and Phil McGann
Get your jacket and don't be late, Murder Polis in the Gallowgate
In the Gallowgate on a Friday night folk all gathered to see the sight
They came from miles and miles around, ten o'clock when the pub shut doon
Chorus
Time up bell began to ring, then the barmaid began to fling
Big souls, wee souls, every kind, a' stone drunk wi' the cheap red wine
Chorus
First man oot was big Shug Grant, "Up the Celtic" was his chant
He roars a toot just to show whose boss, he shouts "Up Rangers" at Brickton Cross
Chorus
Blackpool Mae came oot and ran, followed by a wee fat man
If he catches her she'll surely choke, she drank his wine and she picked his poke
Chorus
Danny Owens comes oot tae fight, threatens every man in sight
He trips and falls and he's oot the game, his wife will murdered him when he gets hame
Chorus
Two big polis are the next we see, Eat the Moose and John the Pea
Into the public hoose they ran, late night drink with the publican
Chorus
GALLUS BLOKE
Chorus:
Oh yer ma wee gallus broke nae mair.
Yer ma wee gallus bloke nae mair.
Wi' yer bell blue stride, yer bonnet tae the side,
Yer ma wee gallus bloke nae mair.
As I went by the sweetie works my heart began to beat,
Watching all the factory lasses walking doon the street,
Wi' their flashy dashy petticoats, flashy dashy shawls,
Five and a tanner gutty boots we're all we gallus molls.
Chorus
Big Jessie she came runnin' doon the factory gates at five
The factory shuts at six o'clock but Jess was on the skive
She says to me, "There's a dance tonight in the corporative hall."
"You're on," says I, "come on," says I, "you're going wi' Robin Hall."
Chorus
One day as I was walkin' doon the streets of Glasgow toon
I spied a bonnie lassie standin' all around
But she would'na give me the time of day, she thought I was a beggar
So I got a kilt and a tank top shirt, now I look like Jimmie MacGregor
Chorus
Now Scots it is a novel tongue, the meaning's hard to tell.
It's in the boot and hae nae doubt it's tapsel teary'll.
But we are only doin' our best, we try to do it well,
But what this song is all about we dinae ken oursel'.
Chorus
THE GALTEE MOUNTAIN BOY
I joined the Flying Column in Nineteen and Sixteen
In Cork with Sean Moylan, in Tipperary with Dan Breen
Arrested by Free Staters and sentenced to die
Farewell to Tipperary, said the Galtee Mountain Boy
We went across the valleys and over hilltops green
Where we met with Dinny Lacy, Sean Hogan and Dan Breen
Sean Moylan and his gallant men that kept the flag flying high
Farewell to Tipperary, said the Galtee mountain boy
We tracked the Dublin Mountains; we were rebels on the run
Though hunted night and morning, we were outlaws but free men
We tracked the Wicklow Mountains as the sun was shining high
Farewell to Tipperary, said the Galtee mountain boy
I bid farewell to old Clonmel that never more will see
And through the Galtee mountains that oft times sheltered me
The men who fought for liberty and who died without a sigh
May their cause be ne'er forgotten, said the Galtee Mountain Boy
GALWAY BAY
If you ever go across the sea to Ireland,
Then maybe at the closing of your day,
You will sit and watch the moon rise over Claddagh,
And see the sun go down on Galway Bay.
Just to hear again the ripple of the trout stream
And the women in the meadows making hay,
To sit beside the turf fire in the cabin
And watch the barefoot gossoons at their play.
For the breezes blowin' o'er the sea from Ireland
Are perfumed by the heather as they blow
And the women in the upland diggin' parties
Speak a language that the strangers do not know.
For the strangers came and tried to teach us their way.
They scorned us just for bein' what we are.
But they might as well go chasin' after moon beams
Or light a penny candle from a star.
And if there's to be a life hereafter,
And somehow I'm sure there's going to be,
I will ask my God to let me make my heaven,
In that dear land across the Irish sea.
THE GALWAY RACES
As I roved out through Galway town to seek for recreation
On the seventeenth of August, me mind being elevated
There were multitudes assembled with their tickets at the station
My eyes began to dazzle and they going to see the race
To me whack-fa-the-do-fa the diddle-iddle-a
There were passengers from Limerick and passengers from Nina
Passengers from Dublin and sportsmen for Tipperary
There were passengers from Kerry and all quarters of the nation
And I remember Mr. Haughey for to join the Galway Blazers
To me whack-fa-the-do-fa the diddle-iddle-a
There were multitudes Erin and members from New Keeshore
The boys of Connemara and the Clare unmarried maidens
People from Cork City who where loyal true and faithful
They brought home the Feinian prisoners from dying and foreign nations
To me whack-fa-the-do-fa the diddle-iddle-a
And it's there you'll see confectioners with sugar sticks and dainties
Lozenges and oranges and lemonade and raisins
Gingerbread and spices to accommodate the ladies
And big crubeen three pence to be sucking while you're able
To me whack-fa-the-do-fa the diddle-iddle-a
It's there you'll see the gamblers, the thimbles and the garters
The sporting wheel of fortune with four and twenty quarters
And others without scruples pelting wattles at poor Maggie
And her daddy well contented to be gazing at his daughter
To me whack-fa-the-do-fa the diddle-iddle-a
It's there you'll see the pipers and the fiddlers competing
The nimble-footed dancers, a-tripping on the daisies
There were others shouting cigars and likes and bills for all the races
With colors of the jockeys and the price and horses ages
To me whack-fa-the-do-fa the diddle-iddle-a
It's there you'll see the jockey, and they're mounted out so stately
The pink, the blue, the orange, the emblem of our nation
When the bell was rung for starting, all the horses seemed impatient
I thought they never stood on ground, their speed was so amazing
To me whack-fa-the-do-fa the diddle-iddle-a
There was half a million people there, from all denominations
The Catholic, the Protestant, the Jew and Presbyterian
There was yet no animosity, no matter what persuasion
But sportsman hospitality inducing Mr. Paisley
With me whack-fa-the-do-fa the diddle-iddle-a
GAS FROM THE BURNER
(James Joyce)
INTRODUCTION:
Sure, the cast of characters is a Dublin Litany. Bang, Bang pray for us. Alfie Burton pray for us. Flash Cavanaugh pray for us. Johnny Forty-Coats pray for us. Harry Lemon pray for us. And of course, there were other characters, just as intent on their purpose. Like Mr. Roberts, of Moncells', the publishing company, together with Mr. Faulkner, a printer, held up for a long time the publication of James Joyce's Dubliners. They were probably a little nervous of Billy Welch. Better know the more genteel citizens of our town as Archbishop William Walsh. But it didn't did stop James Joyce from writing his poems for a penny each.
Ladies and gents you are here assembled to hear why earth and heaven trembled
Because of the black and sinister arts of an Irish writer in foreign parts
He sent me a book ten years ago, I read it a hundred times or so
Backwards and forwards, down and up, through both ends of a telescope
I printed it all to the very last word, but by the mercy of the Lord
The darkness of my mind was rent and I saw the writer's foul intent
I owe a duty to Ireland, I hold her honour in my hand
This lovely land that has always sent her writers and artists to banishment
And in the spirit of Irish fun has betrayed her own leaders one by one
'Twas Irish humour wet and dry flung quick lime into Parnell's eye
And its brains that saved from doom the leaking barge of the Bishop of Rome
For everyone knows the Pope can't belch without the consent of Billy Welch
Oh, Ireland my first and only love where Christ and Caesar are hand and glove
Oh, lovely land where the shamrock grows, allow me ladies to blow me nose
GENTLEMEN SOLDIER
It's of a gentlemen soldier as a sentry he did stand
He saluted the fair maid be a wavin' of the hand
So boldly then he kissed and he passed it off as a joke
He drilled her up in the sentry box, wrapped up a the soldiers coat
And the drums did go with a rat-ta-ta-tat and the fifes did loudly play,
Fare thee well Polly me dear I must be going away
All night they tossed and tumbled till daylight did appear
The soldier rose, put on his clothes, said fare thee well me dear
For the drums they are a pounding and the fifes did sweetly play
If it weren't for that dear Polly, then along with you I'd stay
And the drums did go with a rat-ta-ta-tat and the fifes did loudly play,
Fare thee well Polly me dear I must be going away
Oh come you gentlemen soldier, "Won't you marry me?"
"Oh no me dearest, Polly. Such things never can be."
"I've a wife already and children I have three
Two wives are allowed in army but one is too many for me."
And the drums did go with a rat-ta-ta-tat and the fifes did loudly play,
Fare thee well Polly me dear I must be going away
If anyone comes a courtin' you, you can treat them to a glass
If anyone comes a courtin' you, you can say you're a country lass
You don't have to tell them that ever you played this joke
That you were drilled in the sentry box wrapped up in the soldier's cloak
And the drums did go with a rat-ta-ta-tat and the fifes did loudly play,
Fare thee well Polly me dear I must be going away
Oh come you gentlemen soldier, when you tell me so
Me parents will be angry when this they come to know
And when nine long months had come and past, the poor girl she brought shame
She had a little militia boy and she didn't know his name
And the drums did go with a rat-ta-ta-tat and the fifes did loudly play,
Fare thee well Polly me dear I must be going away
GIVE MY REGARDS TO CIARON BURKE
(Nick Guida/D.A. Oldis)
Come sit right down for a verse or two
I'll sing of a man I never knew
For I read today that he passed away
In Dublin City far away
Now I'm sure his friends who knew him well
Could sing of him far better than me
But I knew his songs and I heard him sing
And his music meant a lot to me
Chorus:
It started back in sixty-two
With Barney, Luke and Ronnie Drew
And Ciaron in the Gaelic tongue
Sang his songs of Ireland
And their fame it grew through many's the land
The greatest of the Irish bands
Then in seventy-four in London town
Ciaron in his prime stuck down
Well, without their friend the lads went on
But the early sound was forever gone
Chorus
Now Ciaron's life was forced to change
For those days were past upon the stage
As the years rolled by and a decade past
The fiery red-head Luke was lost
On a Dublin Street there's Ronnie Drew
I stopped him and we talked, just a word or two
I admire you boys and I love your work
Please give my regards to Ciaron Burke
Chorus
Chorus
So sit right down for a verse or two
I'll sing of a man I never knew