LYRICS TO SOME
FAVORITE IRISH MELODIES
presented by Pamela Perreault
If an author is omitted and you know the name, please let me know so proper credit can be given.
DANNY BOY
Oh Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling
From glen to glen, and down the mountain side
The summer's gone, and all the flowers are dying
'tis you, 'tis you must go and I must bide.
But come you back when summer's in the meadow
Or when the valley's hushed and white with snow
'tis I'll be there in sunshine or in shadow
Oh Danny boy, oh Danny boy, I love you so.
And if you come, when all the flowers are dying
And I am dead, as dead I well may be
You'll come and find the place where I am lying
And kneel and say an "Ave" there for me.
And I shall hear, tho' soft you tread above me
And all my dreams will warm and sweeter be
If you'll not fail to tell me that you love me
I simply sleep in peace until you come to me.
I'LL TAKE YOU HOME AGAIN,
KATHLEEN
l'll take you home again, Kathleen,
Across the ocean wild and wide
To where your heart has ever been,
Since you were first my bonnie bride.
The roses all have left your cheek.
I've watched them fade away and die;
Your voice is sad when e'er you speak,
And tears bedim your loving eyes.
Chorus:
Oh! I will take you back, Kathleen,
To where your heart will feel no pain,
And when the fields are fresh and green,
I'II take you to your home again!
I know you love me, Kathleen, dear,
Your heart was ever fond and true.
I always feel when you are near
That life holds nothing, dear, but you.
The smiles that once you gave to me
I scarcely ever see them now,
Though many, many times I see
A dark'ning shadow on your brow.
Chorus.
To that dear home beyond the sea
My Kathleen shall again return.
And when thy old friends welcome thee
Thy loving heart will cease to yearn.
Where laughs the little silver stream
Beside your mother's humble cot,
And brightest rays of sunshine gleam
There all your grief will be forgot.
THE IRISH ROVER
In the year of our Lord, eighteen hundred and six
We set sail from the fair cove of Cork.
We were bound far away with a cargo of bricks
For the fine city hall of New York.
In a very fine craft, she was rigged fore-and-aft
And oh, how the wild winds drove her.
She had twenty-three masts and withstood several blasts
And we called her the Irish Rover.
There was Barney McGee from the banks of the Lee,
There was Hogan from County Tyrone.
And a chap called McGurk who was scared stiff of work
And a chap from West Meade called Mellone.
There was Slugger O'Toole who was drunk as a rule
And fighting Bill Casey from Dover.
There was Dooley from Claire who was strong as a bear
And was skipper of the Irish Rover.
We had one million bales of old billy goats' tails,
We had two million buckets of stones.
We had three million sides of old blind horses hides,
We had four million packets of bones.
We had five million hogs, we had six million dogs,
And seven million barrels of porter.
We had eight million bags of the best Sligo rags
In the hold of the Irish Rover.
We had sailed seven years when the measles broke out
And the ship lost her way in a fog.
And the whole of the crew was reduced unto two,
'Twas myself and the captain's old dog.
Then the ship struck a rock with a terrible shock
And then she heeled right over,
Turned nine times around, and the poor dog was drowned--
I'm the last of the Irish Rover.
Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ral
(Irish Lullaby) (J. R. Shannon)
Over in Killarney,
Many years ago,
Me mither sang a song to me
In tones so sweet and low.
Just a simple little ditty,
In her good ould Irish way,
And I'd give the world if she could sing
That song to me this day.
Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral,
Too-ra-loo-ra-li,
Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral,
Hush, now don't you cry!
Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral,
Too-ra-loo-ra-li,
Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral,
That's an Irish lullaby.
THE UNICORN SONG
A long time ago, when the Earth was green
There was more kinds of animals than you've ever seen
They'd run around free while the Earth was being born
And the loveliest of all was the unicorn
There was green alligators and long-necked geese
Some humpty backed camels and some chimpanzees
Some cats and rats and elephants, but sure as you're born
The loveliest of all was the unicorn
The Lord seen some sinning and it gave Him pain
And He says, "Stand back, I'm going to make it rain"
He says, "Hey Noah, I'll tell you what to do
Build me a floating zoo,
and take some of those
Green alligators and long-necked geese
Some humpty backed camels and some chimpanzees
Some cats and rats and elephants, but sure as you're born
Don't you forget My unicorns
Old Noah was there to answer the call
He finished up making the ark just as the rain started to fall
He marched the animals two by two
And he called out as they came through
Hey Lord,
I've got green alligators and long-necked geese
Some humpty backed camels and some chimpanzees
Some cats and rats and elephants, but Lord, I'm so forlorn
I just can't find no unicorns"
And Noah looked out through the driving rain
Them unicorns were hiding, playing silly games
Kicking and splashing while the rain was falling
Oh, them silly unicorns
There was green alligators and long-necked geese
Some humpty backed camels and some chimpanzees
Noah cried, "Close the door because the rain is falling
And we just can't wait for no unicorns"
The ark started moving, it drifted with the tide
The unicorns looked up from the rocks and they cried
And the waters came down and sort of floated them away
That's why you never see unicorns to this very day
You'll see green alligators and long-necked geese
Some humpty backed camels and some chimpanzees
Some cats and rats and elephants, but sure as you're born
You're never gonna see no unicorns.
Turn Around
(Reynolds/Belafonte/Greene)
Where are you going, my little one, little one?
Where are you going, my baby, my own?
Turn around and you're two, turn around and you're four,
Turn around, you're a young girl going out of my door.
Turn around, turn around,
You're a young girl going out of my door.
Where are you going, my little one, little one?
Dirndls and petticoats, where have you gone?
Turn around and you're tiny, turn around and you're grown,
Turn around, you're a young wife with babes of your own.
Turn around, turn around,
Turn around, you're a young wife with babes of your own.
Where are you going, my little one, little one?
Where are you going, my darling, my own?
Turn around and you're two, turn around and you're four,
Turn around, you're a young boy going out of my door.
Turn around, turn around,
Turn around, you're a young boy going out of my door.
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DANNY BOY
Oh Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling From glen to glen, and down the mountain side The summer's gone, and all the flowers are dying 'tis you, 'tis you must go and I must bide. But come you back when summer's in the meadow Or when the valley's hushed and white with snow 'tis I'll be there in sunshine or in shadow Oh Danny boy, oh Danny boy, I love you so. And if you come, when all the flowers are dying And I am dead, as dead I well may be You'll come and find the place where I am lying And kneel and say an "Ave" there for me. And I shall hear, tho' soft you tread above me And all my dreams will warm and sweeter be If you'll not fail to tell me that you love me I simply sleep in peace until you come to me.
I'LL TAKE YOU HOME AGAIN, KATHLEEN
l'll take you home again, Kathleen, Across the ocean wild and wide To where your heart has ever been, Since you were first my bonnie bride. The roses all have left your cheek. I've watched them fade away and die; Your voice is sad when e'er you speak, And tears bedim your loving eyes. Chorus: Oh! I will take you back, Kathleen, To where your heart will feel no pain, And when the fields are fresh and green, I'II take you to your home again! I know you love me, Kathleen, dear, Your heart was ever fond and true. I always feel when you are near That life holds nothing, dear, but you. The smiles that once you gave to me I scarcely ever see them now, Though many, many times I see A dark'ning shadow on your brow. Chorus. To that dear home beyond the sea My Kathleen shall again return. And when thy old friends welcome thee Thy loving heart will cease to yearn. Where laughs the little silver stream Beside your mother's humble cot, And brightest rays of sunshine gleam There all your grief will be forgot.
THE IRISH ROVER
In the year of our Lord, eighteen hundred and six We set sail from the fair cove of Cork. We were bound far away with a cargo of bricks For the fine city hall of New York. In a very fine craft, she was rigged fore-and-aft And oh, how the wild winds drove her. She had twenty-three masts and withstood several blasts And we called her the Irish Rover. There was Barney McGee from the banks of the Lee, There was Hogan from County Tyrone. And a chap called McGurk who was scared stiff of work And a chap from West Meade called Mellone. There was Slugger O'Toole who was drunk as a rule And fighting Bill Casey from Dover. There was Dooley from Claire who was strong as a bear And was skipper of the Irish Rover. We had one million bales of old billy goats' tails, We had two million buckets of stones. We had three million sides of old blind horses hides, We had four million packets of bones. We had five million hogs, we had six million dogs, And seven million barrels of porter. We had eight million bags of the best Sligo rags In the hold of the Irish Rover. We had sailed seven years when the measles broke out And the ship lost her way in a fog. And the whole of the crew was reduced unto two, 'Twas myself and the captain's old dog. Then the ship struck a rock with a terrible shock And then she heeled right over, Turned nine times around, and the poor dog was drowned-- I'm the last of the Irish Rover.
Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ral
(Irish Lullaby) (J. R. Shannon) Over in Killarney, Many years ago, Me mither sang a song to me In tones so sweet and low. Just a simple little ditty, In her good ould Irish way, And I'd give the world if she could sing That song to me this day. Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, Too-ra-loo-ra-li, Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, Hush, now don't you cry! Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, Too-ra-loo-ra-li, Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, That's an Irish lullaby.
THE UNICORN SONG
Turn Around
(Reynolds/Belafonte/Greene) Where are you going, my little one, little one? Where are you going, my baby, my own? Turn around and you're two, turn around and you're four, Turn around, you're a young girl going out of my door. Turn around, turn around, You're a young girl going out of my door. Where are you going, my little one, little one? Dirndls and petticoats, where have you gone? Turn around and you're tiny, turn around and you're grown, Turn around, you're a young wife with babes of your own. Turn around, turn around, Turn around, you're a young wife with babes of your own. Where are you going, my little one, little one? Where are you going, my darling, my own? Turn around and you're two, turn around and you're four, Turn around, you're a young boy going out of my door. Turn around, turn around, Turn around, you're a young boy going out of my door.
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