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Irish Songs
 

 

Some Say The Devil Is Dead


Some say the devil is dead,

the devil is dead, the devil is dead,

Some say the devil is dead

and buried in Killarney.


More say he rose again,

more say he rose again,

more say he roseagain,

And joined the British army.


Feed the pigs and milk the cow,

milk the cow, milk the cow,

Feed the pigs and milk the cow,

so early in the morning.


Tuck your leg up, Paddy, dear.

Paddy, dear, I'm over here!

Tuck your legup, Paddy dear,

It's time to stop your yawning

Some say the devil is dead,

the devil is dead, the devil is dead,

Some say the devil is dead and buried in Killarney.


More say he rose again,

more say he rose again, more say he rose again

And joined the British army.

Katie, she is tall and thin, tall and thin, tall and thin.

Katie, she is tall and thin.

She likes a drop of brandy.


Drinks it in the bed at night,

drinks it in the bed at night, drinks it in the bed at night.

It makes her nice and randy.

Some say the devil is dead, the devil is dead, the devil is dead,

Some say the devil is dead and buried in Killarney.

More say he rose again,

more say he rose again, more say he rose again,

And joined the British army.


My man is six foot tall,

six foot tall, six foot tall, My man is six foot tall,

he likes his sugar candy.

Goes to bed at six o'clock,

goes to bed at six o'clock, goes to bed at sixo'clock.

He's lazy, fat and dandy.

Some say the devil is dead,

the devil is dead, the devil is dead,

Some say the devil is dead and buried in Killarney.

More say he rose again,

more say he rose again, more say he rose again,

And joined the British army.


My wife, she has a hairy thing,

a hairy thing, a hairy thing.

My wife, she has a hairy thing,

she showed it to me Sunday.

She bought it in the furrier shop,

bought it in the furrier shop, bought it inthe furrier shop.

It's going back on Monday.


Some say the devil is dead,

the devil is dead, the devil is dead,

Some say the devil is dead and buried in Killarney.

More say he rose again, more say he rose again,

more say he roseagain,

And joined the British army.


And A Bang On The Ear


Lindsay was my first love she was in my class
I would have loved to take her out but I was too shy to ask
The fullness of my feeling was never made clear
But I send her my love with a bang on the ear

Nora was my girl when I first was in a group
I can still see her to this day, stirring chicken soup
Now shes living in australia working for an auctioneer
But I send her my love with a bang on the ear

Deborah broke my heart and I the willing fool
I fell for her one summer on the road to liverpool
I thought it was forever but it was over in a year (oh dear)
But I give her my love with a bang on the ear

The home I made with bella became a house of pain
We weathered it together bound by a ball and chain
Is started up in fife, and ended up in tears (oh dear)
But I send her my love with a bang on the ear

Krista was a rover from canada she hailed
We crossed swords in san francisco we both lived to tell the tale
I dont know now where she is oh but if I had her here
Id give her my love with a bang on the ear

So my woman of the hearthfire, harbour of my soul
I watch you lightly sleeping and sense the dream that does unfold (like gold)
You to me are treasure, you to me are dear
So Ill give you my love with a bang on the ear


Give Me Your Hand


Will you give me your hand, is tabhair dom do lámh
Just give me your hand and I'll walk with you
Through the streets of our land, through the mountains so grand
If you give me your hand

Just give me your hand and come along with me
Will you give me your hand and the world it can see
That we can be free in peace and harmony
From the north to the south, from the east to the west
Every mountain, every valley, every bush and bird's nest

By day and night throughout struggle and strife
I'm beside you to guide you forever my love
For love's not for one but for both of us to share
For this country so fair for our world and what's there

Just give me your hand, is tabhair dom do lámh
Will you give me your hand, for the world it is ours
All the sea and the land to destroy or command
If you give me your hand

Just give me your hand in a gesture of peace
Just give me your hand and all troubles will cease
The strong and the weak, both the rich and the poor
All peoples and creeds let's meet their needs
With a passion we can fashion a new world of love

By day and night throughout struggle and strife
I'm beside you to guide you forever my love
For love's not for one but for both of us to share
For this country so fair for our world and what's there


Birmingham Six


There were six men in Birmingham, in Guildford there's four
That were picked up and tortured and framed by the law
And the filth got promotion, but they're still doing time
For being Irish in the wrong place and at the wrong time
In Ireland they'll put you away in the Maze
In England they'll keep you for several long days
God help you if ever you're caught on these shores
And the coppers need someone and they walk through that door

You'll be counting years, first five, then ten -
growing oldin a lonely hell
round the yard and the stinking cell
From wall to wall, and back again,

A curse on the judges
The coppers and screws who tortured the innocent
Wrongly accused, for the price of promotion and justice to sell
May the judged be their judges when they rot down in hell
May the whores of the empire lie awake in their beds
And sweat as they count out the sins on their heads
While over in Ireland eight more men lie dead
Kicked down and shot in the back of the head


I'm A Man You Don't Meet Every Day


Oh my name is jock stewart

Im a canny gun man

And a roving young fellow Ive been

So be easy and free

When youre drinking with me

Im a man you dont meet every day

I have acres of land

I have men at command

I have always a shilling to spare

So be easy and free

When youre drinking with me

Im a man you dont meet every day

So come fill up your glasses

Of brandy and wine

Whatever it costs I will pay

So be easy and free

When youre drinking with me

Im a man you dont meet every day

Well I took out my dog

And him I did shoot

All down in the county kildare

So be easy and free

When youre drinking with me

Im a man you dont meet every day


Cockles and Mussels


In Dublin's fair city, where the girls are so pretty

I first set my eyes on sweet Molly Malone

As she wheeled her wheel-barrow

Through streets broad and narrow

Crying cockles and mussels, alive, alive-O!


Alive, alive-O! alive, alive-O!

Crying cockles and mussels, alive, alive-O!


She was a fish-monger,

but sure 'twas no wonder

For so were her father and mother before

And they each wheeled their barrow

Through streets broad and narrow

Crying cockles and mussels, alive, alive-O!


Alive, alive-O! alive, alive-O!

Crying cockles and mussels, alive, alive-O!

She died of a fever, and no one could save her

And that was the end of sweet Molly Malone

But her ghost wheels her barrow

Through streets broad and narrow

Crying cockles and mussels, alive, alive-O!


Alive, alive-O! alive, alive-O!

Crying cockles and mussels, alive, alive-O!


Luke Kelly's Land


Chorus:
It's a long lonely road that has no turning
And a sad stream that never sees the sea
But let the truth by known that a great unrest has grown
In the green land Luke Kelly left to me

Oh the young ones are all leaving Luke and none can bid them stay
They're saying that there's more to life than this
In the ignorance of man they don't need a bond to band
When love can be destruction's Judas kiss

Chorus

We sing the songs of warning Luke while computers prattle on
Empty echoes on the Raglan Road
'Tis the famine of the mind that has always plagued our kind
When strangers reap the harvest we have sown

It's you and me again Luke we've seen it all before
The foreign fields once more have turned to green
And with nothing but a song to face every right and wrong
But I can only dream what might have been

Chorus
Chorus


Nancy Whiskey


As I went down through Glasgow city

Just to see what I might spy

What should I see but Nancy Whiskey

A playful twinkle in her eye


Whiskey, Whiskey, Nancy Whiskey Whiskey, Whiskey,


Nancy Ohh I bought her, I drank her,

I had another Ran out of money,

so I did steal She ran me ragged,

Nancy Whiskey For seven years,

a rollin' wheel


Whiskey, Whiskey, Nancy Whiskey Whiskey, Whiskey,


Nancy Ohh The more I held her,

the more I loved her Nancy had her spell on me

All I knew was lovely Nancy

The things I needed I could not see


Whiskey, Whiskey, Nancy Whiskey Whiskey, Whiskey,


Nancy Ohh As I awoke to slake my thirst

As I tried crawling from my bed I fell down flat,

I could not stagger Nancy had me by the legs


Whiskey, Whiskey, Nancy Whiskey Whiskey, Whiskey,


Nancy Ohh Come on landlandy,

what's the owing

Tell me what there is to pay

Fifteen shillings that's the reckoning

Now pay me quickly and go away


Whiskey, Whiskey, Nancy Whiskey Whiskey, Whiskey, Nancy Ohh Whiskey, Whiskey, Nancy Whiskey Whiskey, Whiskey, Nancy Oh


Irish Blood, English Heart

Irish blood, English heart,
This I'm made of
There is no one on earth
I'm afraid of
And no regime can buy or sell me
I've been dreaming of a time when
To be English is not to be baneful
To be standing by the flag not feeling shameful,
Racist or partial Irish blood, English heart,
This I'm made of
There is no one on earth I'm afraid of
And I will die with both of my hands untied
I've been dreaming of a time when
The English are sick to death of Labour, And Tories
And spit upon the name Oliver Cromwell
And denounce this royal line that still salute him,
And will salute him forever.


The Raggle Taggle Gypsy


There were three old gypsies came to our hall door
They came brave and boldly-o
And one sang high and the other sanglow
And the other sang a raggle taggle gypsy-o


It was upstairs downstairs the lady went
Put on her suit of leather-o
And there was a cry from around the door
She’s away wi’ the raggle taggle gypsy-o
It waslate that night when the lord came in
Enquiring for his lady-o
And the servant girl she said to the lord
She’saway wi’ the raggle taggle gypsy-o

Then saddle for me my milk white steed-
my big horse is not speedy-o
AndI will ride till I seek my bride
She’s away wi’ the raggletaggle gypsy-o

Now he rode east and he rode west
He rode north and south also
Until he came to a wide open plain
It was there that he spied his lady-o

How could you leave your goose feather bed
Your blankeys strewn so comely-o?
And how could you leave your newly wedded lord
All for a raggle taggle gypsy-o?

What careI for my goose feather bed
Wi’ blankets strewn so comely-o?
Tonight I lie in a wide open field
In the arms of a raggle taggle gypsy-o

How could you leave your houseand your land?
How could you leave your money-o?
How could you leave your only wedded lord
All for a raggle taggle gypsy-o?

What care I for my house and myland?
What care I for my money-o?
I’d rather have a kiss from the yellow gypsy’s lips
I’m away wi’ the raggle taggle gypsy-o!


The Poison Glen


Way up there in the poison glen
The sun's going down on the misty mountain
And I'm watching and wondering
Feeling something from long ago

Haunted echo that surrounds the glen
The heather creeping through the burned-out ruins
And I'm watching and wondering
Feeling spirits of long ago

Who in the valley shed the poison tear?
No one knows an old legend of a mythical hero
And I'm watching and wondering
Feeling something from long ago

May this vale be my silver lining
Pleasing nature with a heart's desire
And I'm watching and wondering
Feeling everything from long ago


Paddy Rolling Stone


It was on the 23rd of June

As I lay blasted in my room

A small bird sang on an ivy branch

And the song they sang was the "Jug of Punch"

Tu-ra-lu-ra-lie, tu-ra-lu-ra-lay,Tu-ra-lu-ra-lie, tu-ra-lu-ra-lay,

A small bird sang on an ivy branch

And the song they sang was the "Jug of Punch"


I don't need my junkie friends

All knockin' on my door

I just wanna do an old time waltz

With a buxom Irish whore


Call me Paddy Rolling Stone

I've a jug full of Mountain Dew

Just call me Paddy Rolling Stone

When I'm howling at the ceilidh moon

Call me Paddy Rolling Stone


I've a jug full of Mountain Dew

Just call me Paddy Rolling Stone

When I'm howling at the ceilidh moon

I'll be drinking whiskey in a ditch

With Scruffy, and Brick and Noel

Now I've gone and lost my gear

And I'm looking for my hole

We are Tex's riders

And we come from Nenagh town

One of these nights, durin' one of those fights

Gonna burn the whole place down

Call me Paddy Rolling Stone

I've a jug full of Mountain Dew

Just call me Paddy Rolling Stone

When I'm howling at the ceilidh moon

Call me Paddy Rolling Stone

I've a jug full of Mountain Dew

Just call me Paddy Rolling Stone

When I'm howling at the ceilidh moon

When I die don't bother me

Just dig me a six foot hole

With a candle at my head and feet

And a jar of alcohol

Just call me Paddy Rolling Stone

I've a jug full of Mountain Dew

Just call me Paddy Rolling Stone

When I'm howling at the ceilidh moon

Call me Paddy Rolling Stone

I've a jug full of Mountain Dew

Just call me Paddy Rolling Stone

When I'm howling at the ceilidh moon


Don't Forget Your Shovel


don't forget your shovel if you want to go to work.

oh don't forget your shovel if you want to go to work.

don't forget your shovel if you

or you'll end up where you came from like the rest of usdiggin', diggin', diggin'...

and don't forget your shoes and socks and shirt and tie and all.

don't forget your shoes and socks and shirt and tie and all.

mr murphy's afraid you'll make a claim if you take a fall.

("how's it goin'" "not too bad")

and we want to go to heaven but we're always diggin' holes.

we want to go to heaven but we're always diggin' holes.

yeah we want to go to heaven but we're always diggin' holes.

well there's one thing you can say...

we know where we are goin'...

("any chance of a start?" "no" "okay")

and if you want to do it...

don't you do it against the wall.

if you want to do it...

don't you do it against the wall.

never seen a toilet on a building site at all.

there's a shed up in the corner where they won't see you at all.

("mind your sandwiches")

enoch powell will give us a job, diggin' our way to annascaul.

enoch Powell will give us a job, diggin' our way to annascaul.

enoch Powell will give us a job, diggin' our way to annascaul.

and when we're finished diggin' there they'll close the hole and all.

now there's six thousand five hundred and fifty-nine paddies

over there in london all trying to dig their way back

to annascauland very few of them boys is going to get back at all...

i think that's terrible.

don't forget your shovel if you want to go to work.

don't forget your shovel if you want to go to work.

oh, don't forget your shovel if you want to go to work.

or you'll end up where you came from like the rest of us

diggin', diggin', diggin'...


The Wild Rover

I've been a wild rover for many a year
And I spent all my money on whiskey and beer,
And now I'm returning with gold in great store
And I never will play the wild rover no more.

And it's no, nay, never,
No nay never no more,
Will I play the wild rover
No never no more.

I went to an ale-house
I used to frequent
And I told the landlady my money was spent.
I asked her for credit, she answered me "nay
Such a custom as yours I could have any day."

Chorus:

I took from my pocket ten sovereigns brigh
tAnd the landlady's eyes opened wide with delight.
She said "I have whiskey and wines of the best
And the words that I spoke sure were only in jest."

Chorus:

I'll go home to my parents,
confess what I've done
And I'll ask them to pardon their prodigal son.
And if they forgive* me as ofttimes before
Sure I never will play the wild rover no more.


The Auld Triangle


A hungry feeling Came o'er me stealing
And the mice were squealing
In my prison cell
And that auld triangle went jingle-jangle
All along the banks of the Royal Canal
Oh! To start the morning
The warden bawling
"Get up out of bed, you! And clean out your cell!"
And that auld triangle went jingle-jangle
All along the banks of the Royal Canal
Oh! the screw was peeping
And the (lagloike) was sleeping
As he lay weeping
For his girl Sal
And that auld triangle went jingle-jangle
All along the banks of the Royal Canal
On a fine Spring evening
The (lagloike) lay dreaming
And the sea-gulls were wheeling
High above the wall
And that auld triangle went jingle-jangle
All along the banks of the Royal Canal
Oh! the wind was sighing
And the day was dying
As the (lagloike) lay crying
In his prison cell
And that auld triangle went jingle-bloody-jangle
All along the banks of the Royal Canal
In the women's prison
There are seventy women
And I wish it was with them
That I did dwell
Then that auld triangle could go jingle-jangle
All along the banks of the Royal Canal


January Man


The January man he goes around in woollen coat and boots of leather
The February man still shakes the snow from off his clothes and blows his hands
The man of March he sees the spring and wonders what the year will bring
And hopes for better weather

Through April rain the man goes down to watch the birds come in to share the summer
The man of May stands very still to watch the children dance away the day
In June the man inside the man is young and wants to lend a hand
And smiles at each newcomer

In July the man in cotton shirt he sits and thinks on being idle
The August man in thousands take the road to watch the sun set by the sea
September man is standing near to saddle up another year
And autumn is his bridle

And the man of new October takes the rain and early frost is on his shoulder
The poor November man sees fire and mist and wind and rain and winter air
December man looks through the snow to let eleven brothers know
They're all a little older

And the January man he comes round again in woollen coat and boots of leather
To take another turn and walk along the icy road he knows so well
The January man is here the start of each and every year
Along the road forever forever forever