Song Lyrics

HAND ME DOWN ME BIBLE
(Bill Martin/Phil Coulter)

Chorus:
Oh, oh, glory-o, I'm the Lord's disciple
Oh, oh, glory-o, hand me down, me bible

I like my liquor and my livin' hard, may the Lord save my soul
My salvation was a turn of the card; my heart was black as coal
But everybody's got the right to go wrong; everybody's got to sing my song
Everybody's got the right to go wrong, sing my song, sing my song

Chorus

I don't give a damn for any man as all the world can see
The time has come to make a stand, won't you shine your light on me
So come on people let your life begin, come on now let the sun shine in
So come on people let your life begin, let it in, let it in

Chorus

Come on people let your life begin, come on now let the sun shine in
Come on people let your life begin, let it in, let it in

Chorus
Chorus

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THE HAPPY HOOLIGAN'S
(Gordon Menzies)

It's oe'r the border if you dare and doon tae London for a tear
We are the Happy Hooligan's of Wembely

I wear a tartan bonnet and a scarf around my throat
And I can sing the Flower Of Scotland every single note
And we're going doon tae London toon tae paralyze the undergroond
We are the Happy Hooligan's of Wembely

When Scotland's playing England it fairly fills my heart
With all the flags and banners I will surely look the part
But win or lose it's all the same We did na come to see the game
We're just the Happy Hooligan's of Wembely

It's oe'r the border if you dare and doon tae London for a tear
We are the Happy Hooligan's of Wembely

There's forty in my party aye and that's including me
We did na all get tickets in fact we've only three
So three will win the lucky draw the rest will climb in o'er the wall
We are the Happy Hooligan's of Wembely

We'll see how many pints o' beer that we can sink away
We're going ta drink all London dry, we'll drink her dry today
And before we even see the ball we'll lose it up against the wall
We are the Happy Hooligan's of Wembely

It's oe'r the border if you dare and doon tae London for a tear
We are the Happy Hooligan's of Wembely

And when the game is over and we finished all the beer
We canna go back to Scotland with out a souvenir
So maybe for a wee bit lark we'll dig up half of Wembely Park
For we're the Happy Hooligan's of Wembely

So now we're back in Scotland after all the deeds are done
We dinna really gie a damn if Scotland lost or won
For we've met the English had oor fun reminded them of Bannockburn
And we're the Happy Hooligan's of Wembely

It's oe'r the border if you dare and doon tae London for a tear
We are the Happy Hooligan's of Wembely
It's oe'r the border if you dare and doon tae London for a tear
We are the Happy Hooligan's of Wembely

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HARRIS AND THE MARE
(Stan Rogers)

Harris, my old friend, good to see your face again
More welcome, though, yon trap and that old mare
For the wife is in a swoon, and I am all alone
Harris, fetch thy mare and take us home

The wife and I came out for a quiet glass of stout
And a word or two with neighbors in the room
But young Clary, he came in, as drunk and wild as sin
And swore the wife would leave the place with him

But the wife as quick as thought said, "No, I'll bloody not"
Then struck the brute a blow about the head
He raised his ugly paw, and he lashed her on the jaw
And she fell onto the floor like she were dead

Now Harris, well you know, I've never struck an angry blow
Nor would I keep a friend who raised his hand
I was a concie in the war, cryin' what the hell's this for?
But I had to see his blood to be a man

I grabbed him by his coat, spun him 'round and took his throat
And beat his head upon the parlor door
He dragged out an awful knife, and he roared "I'll have your life"
And he stuck me and I fell onto the floor

Now blood I was from neck to thigh, bloody murder in his eye
As he shouted out "I'll finish you for sure"
But as the knife came down, I lashed out from the ground
And the knife was in his breast and he rolled o'er

Now with the wife as cold as clay I carried her away
No hand was raised to help us through the door
And I've brought her half a mile, but I've had to rest a while
And none of them I'll call a friend no more

For when the knife came down, I was helpless on the ground
No neighbor stayed his hand, I was alone
By God, I was a man, but now I cannot stand
Please, Harris, fetch thy mare, take us home

Oh, Harris, fetch thy mare, and take us out of here
In my nine and fifty years I've never known
That to call myself a man, for my loved one I must stand
Now Harris, fetch thy mare take us home

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THE HAUGHS O' CROMDALE
(Traditional)

As I cam in by Auchendoun just a wee bit fae the toon
Tae the Hielands I was bound tae view the Haughs o' Cromdale
I met a man in tartan trews spiered at him what was the news
Quo' he, "The Hieland army rues that e'er we cam tae Cromdale

We were at diner every man when the English host upon us cam
A bloody battle then began upon the Haughs o' Cromdale
The English horse they were sae rude bathed their hooves in hielan' blood
But oor brave clans they boldly stood upon the Haughs o' Cromdale

But alas we could no longer stay and o'er the hills we cam' away
Sair did we lament the day that e'er we cam tae Cromdale
Thus the great Montrose did say Hielan' Man show me the way
We will o'er the hills this day tae view the Haughs o' Cromdale

They were at dinner every man when great Montrose upon them cam'
A second battle then began upon the Haughs o' Cromdale
The Great McKenzie and Mackay as Montrose they did espy
Then they fought most valiantly upon the Haughs o' Cromdale

The MacDonalds they returned again the Camerons did their standards join
McKintosh played a bloody game upon the Haughs o' Cromdale
The Gordons boldly did advance the Frasers fought with sword and lance
The Grahams they made the heids tae dance upon the Haughs o' Cromdale

Then the loyal Stewarts wi' Montrose so bodily set upon their foes
Laid them low wi' Hieland blows upon the Haughs o' Cromdale
Of thirty thousand Cromwell's men a thousand fled tae Aberdeen
The rest o' them lie on the plain upon the Haughs o' Cromdale

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HEDGEHOG SONG
(Mike Heron)

I'm not the kind to complain that I never had a girl to love
Many fine girls I tried hard to know, but I guess I never tried enough
Sitting one day by myself and thinking what could be wrong
When this funny little hedgehog, come running up to me
And he starts up to singin' this song

Chorus:
Oh you know all the words, and you sung all the notes
But you never quite learned the song, she sang
I can tell by the sadness in your eyes
That you never quite learned the song

Every day when the sun goes down and the evening is so very still
Many fine girls I've held in my arms and I hope there's many more that I will
But just when everything is right and absolutely nothing is wrong
There's this funny little hedgehog, he's always around,
And he always wants to sing me this song

Chorus

One day when the moon was blue, I thought I might settle down
Found myself a pretty little girl and stopped all my running around
But just when the preacher come along and he's just going to pop on the ring
And this funny little hedgehog comes running down the aisle
And I don't have to tell you what he did sing

Chorus

I'm not the kind to complain that I never had a girl to love
Many fine girls I tried hard to know, but I guess I never tried enough
Now I'll sitting all my days and it isn't just me I've gotta please
There's this funny little hedgehog he's always around
And the only words he ever sings to me are these

Chorus

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THE HEILAN' MAN
(Matt McGinn)

Ten thousand Roman soldiers to the Heilands they came north
And they had conquered everything from the Tiber to the Forth.
They camped beside Loch Lomond, for the night they thought they'd lie,
But somewhere on the Cobbler hill they heard this terrible cry:

Chorus:
Grigalie! Grigaloo!
Come up and fight, you cowardly crew!
I'll have you for my pot of stew!
You fear to fight with me!

On top stood a bearded Heilan' man with a kilt and a big claymore
He looked a bit ferocious, so old Caesar sent up four.
Then he sat down for dinner by the bright light of the moon,
But he lost his taste for vino when four heads come rollin' doon.

Chorus

Then Caesar sent Marc Antony wi' another fifty five.
"Gae bring to me that rascal's head, or I'll have you stewed alive."
They heard the clash of metal until the night was done,
But again they heard this terrible cry by the rising of the sun.

Chorus

Then Caesar sent a thousand men, this Heilan' man to crack,
But out of all the thousand, there was only one came back.
"Oh, Caesar!" cried the soldier, wi' his head all black and blue,
"The rascal has been lying! There's not just one, there's two!"

Chorus

So Caesar picked his suitcase up and he ran southwards then
He was doin' eighty miles an hour, but he couldn't catch his men
Now maybe ye will wonder why I've told this tale at all
Well, it has a simple moral, an' they call it…Hadrian's Wall!

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HENRY JOY MCCRACKEN

An Ulster man I an proud to say from the Antrim Glens I come
Although I labored by the sea I followed fife and drum
I have heard the martial tramp of men; I've seen men fight and die
Ah! lads I well remember when I followed Henry Joy

I pulled my boat up from the sea I hid my sail away
I hung my nets on a greenwood tree and I scanned the moonlit bay
The boys were out, and the "Redcoats" too--I kissed my wife good-bye
And in the shade of the greenwood glade, sure I followed Henry Joy

In Antrim Town the tyrant stood, he tore our ranks with ball
But with a cheer and a pike to clear we swept the o'er the wall
Our pikes and sabers flashed that day--we won, but lost, ah why
No matter lads, I fought beside, and shielded Henry Joy

Ah! boys, for Ireland's cause we fought, for her and home we bled
Though pikes were few still our hearts beat true, and five to one lay dead
But many a lassie mourned her lad and mother mourned her boy
For youth was strong in that gallant throng, who followed Henry Joy

In Belfast Town they built a tree, and the Redcoats mustered there
I watched them come at the beat of the drum, rolled out from the barrack square
He kissed his sister and went aloft, he bade a last good-bye
"My God, he died," sure I turned and cried, "They have murdered Henry Joy!"

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HENRY MY SON

Where have you been all day Henry me son
Where have you been all day my beloved on
Away in the meadow Away in the meadow
Make my bed I've a pain in me head
And I want to lie down

And what did you have to eat Henry me son
And what did you have to eat, my beloved one
Poison beads Poison beads
Make my bed I've a pain in me head
And I want to lie down

And what will you leave your mother Henry me son
And what will you leave your mother, my beloved one
A woolen blanket, a woolen blanket
Make my bed I've a pain in me head
And I want to lie down

And what will you leave you children Henry me son
And what will you leave you children my beloved one
The keys to heaven
The keys to heaven
Make my bed I've a pain in me head
And I want to lie down

And what will you leave your sweetheart Henry me son
And what will you leave your sweetheart my beloved one
A rope to hang her
A rope to hang her
Make my bed I've a pain in me head
And I want to lie down

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HER FATHER DIDN'T LIKE ME ANYWAY
(Gerry Rafferty)

The coat she wore still lies upon the bed
The book I gave her that she never read
She left without a single word to say
Her father didn't like me anyway

Oh! Daddy didn't like the clothes I wear
And oh! Daddy didn't like my hair
I suppose that if we'd tried
We could have something to say
But Daddy didn't even care

She always wanted more than I could give
She wasn't happy with the way we lived
I suppose I should have begged with her to stay
But her father didn't like me anyway

Oh! Daddy didn't like the clothes I wear
And oh! Daddy didn't like my hair
I suppose that if we'd tried
We could have something to say
But Daddy didn't even care

Ah to tell the truth I didn't have the nerve
And I'm only getting just what I deserve
She left without a single word to say
Her father was a right cunt anyway

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HERCULES THE BEAR
(Gordon Menzies)

Oh, Hercules the Bear, was a famous T.V. star,
He was makin' adverts for the S.T.V.
He could wrestle in the ring, but alas, he could nay sing
So in despair he threw himself in tay the sea

He swam till by and by, he had reached the Isle of Skye
And like other tourists headed for Portree
But, a singin' dentist there, gave him tooth ache in his ear
So he turned aroond and right back in the sea

Chorus:
Oh, Hercules the Bear, was a famous T.V. star,
And all the world had heard aboot it now
You never will be poor at your cage at Sherifmuir
So me fortune shine upon your curly power

Now, Hercules was sad that his singin' was so bad
When thought of all the pleasure he could bring
He knew he could be big, if he got on Thing-a-me-jig
Wi' all the other bears who could'na sing

Now, the wee (cew ca'dun's Laird(?) and said, "Divinely stared."(?)

While Fran and Anna simply drove him wild
And even Tom and Jack, could'nae bring Big Hercie back
Wi' his rendering of Anybody's Child

Chorus
People came from far and near, to try and catch the bear
There must been a thousand more or less
But, Hercules had gone to compose a different song
And tae visit wi' his cousin in Loch Ness

Now Newis(?) North Isle he surrendered wi' a smile
For twenty-two days he had been free
But we know with a doubt, why big Hercie opt it out
He'd a better offer from the BBC

Chorus

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HERMLESS
(Michael Marra)

Wi' my hand on my heart and my heart in my mooth
Wi' arms that could reach ower the sea
My feet micht be big but the insects are safe
They'll never get stood on by me

Hermless, hermless there's never nae bother fae me
I gang tae the libry, I tak oot a book
And then I go hame for my tea

I save a' the coupons that come wi' the soup
And when I have saved fifty-three
I send awa' fifty, pit three in the drar
And something gets posted tae me

Hermless, hermless there's never nae bother fae me
I dae whit I'm telt and I tidy my room
And then I come doon for my tea

There's ane or twa lads wha' I could ca' my chums
They're canny and meek as can be
There's Tam wi' his pigeons And Wull wi'his mice
And Robert McLennan and me

Hermless, hermless there's never nae bother fae me
Naebody'd notice that I wasnae there
If I didnae come hame for my tea

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HERE I AM FROM DONNEGAL

Oh, here I am from Donegal, I feel quite discontented
For to see the way that we're run down, not highly represented
For you see it is a general rule, to make out Pat a knave or fool
But never mind he'll play it cool and stand up for old Ireland

Chorus:
Do me justice, treat me fair and I won't be discontented
But I won't by laughed at anywhere, but highly represented

Now, Mr. Punch with his literature, he treats us very badly
And when he draws or caricature, he depicts us rather sadly
With crooked limbs and villainous face, he thus depicts the Irish race
We think it is a sad disgrace, and we say so in old Ireland

Chorus

When on the stage I do appear, with a thundering bug shillelagh
With a ragged coat and a tattered hat, you think I come out gaily
With not a word of common sense, they don't know when they give offense
But carry on at Pat's expense, why don't they come to Ireland

Chorus

They say we are dirty and lazy got, but where's the use to grumble
And if they visit an Irish cot, they're made welcome, though tis humble
But in 'Palm licks works', the country round, or where hard work is to be found
In the railway tunnels underground, you'll find the boys from Ireland

Chorus

Tis true I like a glass, it makes me feel quite frisky
I'm very found of an Irish lass, but I'm partial to the whiskey
I'm very quiet when left alone, but I do what I like with what's my own
And woe be to the foes at home, who would dare to run down old Ireland

Chorus

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