Songs Lyrics - Page "I"

Irish Rover
- Traditional

In the year of our Lord, eighteen hundred and six
We set sail from the old cove of Cork.
We were sailing away with a cargo of bricks
For the grand city hall of New York.

'Twas an elegant craft, she was rigged fore-and-aft
And oh, how the trade winds drove her.
She had twenty-three masts and stood 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.
There was Johnny McGurk who was scared stiff of work
And a chap from Westmeath called Malone.
There was Slugger O'Toole who was drunk as a rule
And fighting Bill Tracey from Dover.
And your man Mick McCann from the banks of the Bann
And was skipper of the Irish Rover.

We had one million bags of the best Sligo rags,
We had two million barrels of bone.
We had three million bales of old billy goats' tails ,
We had four million barrels of stone.
We had five million hogs, we had six million dogs,
And seven million barrels of porter.
We had eight million sides of old blind horses hides
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 down to two,
'Twas myself and the captain's old dog.
Then the ship struck a rock, what a terrible shock
And nearly tumbled over,
Turned nine times around, and the poor dog was drowned--
I'm the last of the Irish Rover.

*There are several forms of this song.

I'se the B'y
- traditional

(chorus)
I'se the b'y that builds the boat
I'se the b'y that sails her
I'se the b'y that catches the fish
And brings them home to Lizer

Cods and rinds to cover your flake
Cake and tea for supper
Cod fish in the spring of the year
Fried in maggoty butter

(chorus)

Hip your partner Sally Tibbo
Hip your partner Sally Brown
Fogo, Twillingate, Mortan's Harbour
All around the circle

I don't want your maggoty fish
that's no good for winter
I can buy as good as that
down in Bonavista

I took Lizer to a dance
As fast as she would travel
And every step that she did take
Was up to her knees in gravel

(chorus repeat 2X)

The Islander
- Bruce Moss

(chorus)

I'm a Newfoundlander, born and breed, and I'll be one 'til I die.

I'm proud to be an islander and here's the reason why.

I'm free as the wind and the waves that wash the sand.

There no place I would rather be than here in Newfoundland.

I spent some time in New York state and nearly lost my mind.
The city life is too fast for me, nobody has the time.
Cement and steel and flashing lights are all that I can see.
They maybe good for New York state but it's no damn good for me.

(chorus)

In Montreal, the frenchmen say that they own Labrador,
Including Indian Harbour where me father fished before.
But if they want to fight for her, I'll sure take a stand,
And they regret the day they tried to take my Newfoundland.

(chorus)

Well if oil is on our shore we have to take the time,
To develop it more carefully or else we're going to find.
What could have been the answer to our poor economy.
Has changed our way of living and destroyed our fishery.

(chorus 2X)

Note: a Newfoundland patriot song. Recorded by Fine Crowd on their album "Poverty's Arse".

Ireland
- Stephanie Davis, Jenny Yates, Garth Brooks

They say Mother Earth is breathing
With each wave that finds the shore
Her soul rises in the evening
For to open twilight's doors
Her eyes are the stars in heaven
Watching o'er us all the while
And her heart it is in Ireland
Deep within the Emerald Isle

We were forty against hundreds,
In someone else's bloody war.
We know not why we're fighting,
Or what we're dying for.
They will storm us in the morning,
As the sunlight turns the sky.
Death is waiting for it's dance now,
Fate has sentenced us to die.

(chorus)

Ireland, I am coming home!

I can see your rolling fields of green

And fences made of stone.

I am reaching out, won't you take my hand

I'm coming home, Ireland!

Oh the captain he lay bleeding
And I can hear him calling me
These men are yours now for the leading
Show them to their destiny
And as I looked up all around me
I see the ragged tired and torn
I tell them to make ready
Cause we're not waiting for the morn.

(repeat chorus)

Now the fog is deep and heavy
As we forge the dark and fear
We can hear their horses breathing
As in silence we draw near
And there are no words to be spoken
Just a look to say goodbye
I draw a breath and night is broken
As I scream our battle cry

(chorus)
Yes I am home, Ireland!

If I Was A Blackbird (The Blackbird)
- traditional (add.Andy M. Stewart)

I am a young sailor, my story is sad
For once I was carefree and a bold sailor lad
I courted a lassie by night and by day
But now she has left me and gone far away

(chorus)

Oh if I was a blackbird, could whistle and sing

I'd follow the vessel my true love sails in

And in the top rigging I would there build my nest

And I'd flutter my wings o'er her lily-white breast

Or if I was a scholar and could handle a pen
One secret love letter to my true love I'd send
And I'd tell of my sorrow, my grief and my pain
Since she's gone and left me in yon flowery glen

I sailed o'er the ocean, my fortune to seek
Though I missed her caress and her kiss on my cheek
I returned and I told her my love was still warm
But she turned away lightly and great was her scorn

I offered to take her to Donnybrook Fair
And to buy her fine ribbons to tie up her hair
I offered to marry and to stay by her side
But she said in the morning she sailed with the tide

My parents they chide me, and will not agree
Saying that me and my false love married should never be
Ah but let them deprive me, or let them do what they will
While there's breath in my body, she's the one that I love still

I Had A Hat When I Came In
- traditional

Casey wore his brand new hat to Murphy's wake last night
Someone stole his hat and, bo, it started up a fight
Casey smashed the furniture the radio as well
He nearly woke the corpse up as he began to yell....

(chorus)

I had a hat when I came in

I hung it on the rack

and I'll have a hat when I go out

or I'll break somebody's back!

I'm a peaceful loving man I am,

and I don't want to shout, but

I had a hat when I came in,

and I'll have a hat when I go out!
Casey kept on fighting sure they couldn't keep him quiet
Someone phoned up for the cops to come and stop the riot
Two cops then rushed into the room, but Casey laid them out
As he threw them through the window, they both heard Casey shout....
(chorus)
Casey kept on fighting until one eyed Paddy Flynn
Socked him on the whiskers with a great big rolling pin
He knocked poor Casey senseless, it was an awful clout
As he lay there unconcious Casey kept on shouting out....
(chorus 2x)

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