Christy Moore

[fox69]

"The Crack Was Ninety In The Isle Of Man"

"The Crack Was Ninety In The Isle Of Man"


Well weren't we the rare oul' stock
Spent the evenin' gettin' locked
Up in the Ace O' Hearts
Where the high stools were engaging
Over the Butt Bridge, down by the dock
The boat she sailed at five o'clock
'Hurry boys, now', said Whack
'Or before we're there we're all be back'
Carry him if you can
The crack was ninety in the Isle of Man

Before we reached the Alexander Basin
The ding dong we did surely raise
In the bar of the ship we had great sport
As the boat she sailed out of the port
Landed up in the Douglas Head
Enquired for a vacant bed
The dining room we soon got shown
By a decent woman up the road
'Lads, ate it if you can'
The crack was ninety in the Isle of Man

Next morning we went for a ramble round
Viewed the sights of Douglas Town
Then we went for a mighty session
In a pub they call Dick Darbies
We must have been drunk by half past three
To sober up we went swimmin' in the sea
Back to the digs for the spruce up
And while waitin' for the fry
We all drew up our plan
The crack was ninety in the Isle of Man

That night we went to the Texas Bar
Came back down by horse and car
Met Big Jim and all went in
To drink some wine in Yale's
The Liverpool Judies it was said
Were all to be found in the Douglas Head
McShane was there in his suit and shirt
Them foreign girls he was tryin' to flirt
Sayin', 'Here, girls, I'm your man'
The crack was ninety in the Isle of Man

Whacker fancied his good looks
On an Isle of Man woman he was struck
And he throwin' the jar into her
Whacker thought he'd take a chance
He asked the quare one out to dance
Around the floor they stepped it out
And to Whack it was no bother
Everythin' was goin' to plan
The crack was ninety in the Isle of Man

The Isle of Man woman fancied Whack
Your man stood there till his mates came back
Whack! they all whacked into Whack
Whack was landed on his back
The police force arrived as well
Banjoed a couple of them as well
Landed up in the Douglas jail
Until the Dublin boat did sail
Deported every man
The crack was ninety in the Isle of Man

 

[fox69]

"The Dalesman's Litany"

"The Dalesman's Litany"


It's hard when folks can't get their work where they've been bred and born
When I was young I used to think I'd bide my time 'mid the roots and the corn
But I've been forced to flee the town so here's my litany
From Hull and Halifax and Hell good Lord deliver me

When I was courting Mary Anne the auld squire he said one day
I've got no room for wedded folk choose to wed or stay
I could not leave the girl I loved so town we had to flee
From Hull and Halifax and Hell good Lord deliver me

I've worked in Leeds and Huddersfield where I've addled honest brass
In Bradford, Keightley, Rotherham, I've kept my bairns and lass
I've travelled all three ridings round and once I've been to sea
From Hull and Halifax and Hell good Lord deliver me

I've been through Sheffield lanes at night 'twere just like being in hell
The furnaces thrust out tongues of flame that roared like wind o'er the fell
I've sammed up coal in Barnsley pit with muck up to my knee
From Hull and Halifax and Hell good Lord deliver me

I've seen grey fog creep o'er Leeds Brig as thick as Bastille soup
I've been where folks are stowed away like rabbits in a coup
I've seen snow fall on Bradford Beck as black as ebony
From Hull and Halifax and Hell good Lord deliver me

But now my children all have flown to the country I'll go back
There'll be forty miles of heathery moor 'twixt me and the coal pit slack
And oft at night as I sit round the fire I'll think of the misery
From Hull and Halifax and Hell good lord deliver me

 

[fox69]

"The Dark Eyed Sailor"

"The Dark Eyed Sailor"


As I roved out one evening fair
It bein' the summertime to take the air
I spied a sailor and a lady gay
And I stood to listen
And I stood to listen to hear what they would say
He said "Fair lady, why do you roam
For the day is spent and the night is on"
She heaved a sigh while the tears did roll
"For my dark-eyed sailor
For my dark-eyed sailor, so young and stout and bold"
"'Tis seven long years since he left this land
A ring he took from off his lily-white hand
One half of the ring is still here with me
But the other's rollin'
But the other's rollin' at the bottom of the sea"
He said "You may drive him out of your mind
Some other young man you will surely find
Love turns aside and soon cold has grown
Like the winter's morning
Like the winter's morning, the hills are white with snow"
She said "I'll never forsake my dear
Although we're parted this many a year
Genteel he was and a rake like you
To induce a maiden
To induce a maiden to slight the jacket blue"
One half of the ring did young William show
She ran distracted in grief and woe
Sayin' "William, William, I have gold in store
For my dark-eyed sailor
For my dark-eyed sailor has proved his honour long"
And there is a cottage by yonder lea
This couple's married and does agree
So maids be loyal when your love's at sea
For a cloudy morning
For a cloudy morning brings in a sunny day

 

[fox69]

"The Deportees Club"

"The Deportees Club"


At the Arrividerci Roma night club bar and grill
Standing in the fibre-glass ruin watching time stand still
All your troubles you'll confess
To another faceless, backless dress
Schnapps, Chianti, Porter and Ouzo
Pernod Vodka, Sambuca, I love you so poor deportee
There's a fading beauty talking in riddles
Rome burns down and everybody fiddles
The poor deportee

But a thousand dollars won't buy you a yankee wife, alas
There's a thousand years of history
Drowned in that whiskey glass
Now I wish that she was mine
I could have been a king in 6/8 time – poor deportee
Schnapps, Chianti, Porter and Ouzo
Pernod Vodka, Sambuca, I love you so poor deportee

It's a brittle charm, but the lady's had enough
Still she wrote her number on your paper cuff
It's hard to know when to start and when to stop
Her pillow talk is nothing more than talking shop

When I came here tonight my pockets were overflowing
She stole my return ticket and I didn't even know it
I prayed to the saints and all the martyrs
For the secret life of Frank Sinatra
And all of these things have to come to pass
In America the law is a piece of ass – deportee

Schnapps, Chianti, Porter and Ouzo
Pernod, Vodka, Sambuca, I love you so
Poor deportee
Schnapps, Chianti, Porter and Ouzo
Pernod, Vodka, Sambuca, I love you so – deportee
I love you so poor deportee

 

[fox69]

"The Diamantina Drover"

"The Diamantina Drover"


The faces in the photographs are fading
I can't believe he looks so much like me
For it's been ten long years today since I left for old Cork Station
And I won't be back till the drove is done

For the rain never falls on the dusty Diamantina
The drover finds it hard to change his mind
For the years have surely gone like the drays from old Cork Station
And I won't be back till the drove is done

It seems like the sun comes up each morning
Sets me up then takes it all away
Dreaming by the light of the campfire at night
Ends with the early light of the day

I sometimes think I'll settle back in Sydney
It's been so long and it's hard to change your mind
For the cattle trail rolls on and on, the fences last forever
And I won't be back when the drove is done

 

[fox69]

"The Dying Soldier"

"The Dying Soldier"


"Look at the dying soldier", I heard someone whisper, then I saw the blood come through my shirt
Am I going to die here? I don't wanna die here! Someone come and pick me from the dirt

I don't belong here, I don't wanna die here, oh no...
I don't belong here, don't let me die here, oh no...

My hands are gettin' colder, my thoughts are growing weaker, this must be the way it is
Stop the shootin', don't ya see I'm dying? Someone come and say a prayer

I don't belong here, I don't wanna die here, oh no...
I don't belong here, don't let me die here, oh no...

My eye's are closin', I see someone comin', he turns his back and runs away
They stop shootin', it started rainin', this must be the way

I don't belong here, I don't wanna die here, oh no...
I don't belong here, don't let me die here, oh no...

I want to go back home where my friends are, I want to go on livin' days
I want to go back home where my friends are, I want to go on livin' days
I want to go back home where my friends are, I want to go on livin' days

 

[fox69]

"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face"

"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face"


The first time ever I saw your face
I thought the sun rose in your eyes
And the moon and stars were the gifts you gave
To the dark and the endless sky, my love

The first time ever I kissed your mouth
I felt the earth move in my hand
Like a trembling heart of a captive bird
That was there at my command, my love

The first time ever I lay with you
I felt your heart so close to mine
And I knew our joy would fill the earth
And last till the end of time, my love
And last till the end of time

 

[fox69]

"The Foxy Devil"

"The Foxy Devil"


When I was young and handy in my prime
In taverns I would sit and bide my time
It's there I met your company
I'd sit and drink my fill
It's there that you took hold of me
I think you've got me still
You're the foxy devil when you like
You set my mind at ease and then you strike
You set me head a-reeling
You make me shout and sing
My memory flees, I get no ease
Till I have a little drink
You're the crafty rogue and that's for sure
For your company there is no cure
I've squandered all my money
And the best days of my life
All on your charms, in spite of harm
In spite of peace and strife
Whiskey in the morning or at night
Gives strength to sing and dance, to love and fight
And so despite misfortune
I'll take you as you are
The best of friends and enemies
The best I've known by far

 

[fox69]

"The Hackler From Grouse Hall"

"The Hackler From Grouse Hall"


I am a roving hackler lad that loves the shamrock shore
My name is Pat McDonnell and my age is eighty-four
Belov'd and well-respected by my neighbours one and all
On St. Patrick's day I loved to stray round Lavey and Grouse Hall

When I was young I danced and sung and drank good whiskey, too
Each síbín shop that sold a drop of the real old mountain dew
With the poitín still on every hill the peelers had no call
Round sweet Stradone I am well known, round Lavey and Grouse Hall

I rambled round from town to town for hackling was my trade
None can deny I think that I an honest living made
Where e'er I'd stay by night or day the youth wud always call
To have some crack with Paddy Jack, the hackler from Grouse Hall

I think it strange how times have changed so very much of late
Coercion now is all the row and Peelers on their bate
To take a glass is now, alas, the greatest crime of all
Since Balfour placed that hungry beast the Sergeant of Grouse Hall

The busy tool of Castle rule he travels night and day
He'll seize a goat just by the throat for want of better prey
The nasty skunk, he'll swear you're drunk tho' you took none at all
There is no peace about the place since he came to Grouse Hall

'Twas on pretence of this offence he dragged me off to jail
Alone to dwell in a cold cell my fate for to bewail
My hoary head on a plank bed, such wrongs for vengeance call
He'll rue the day he dragged away the hackler from Grouse Hall

He haunts the League just like a plague, and shame for to relate
The priest can't be on Sunday free the Mass to celebrate
It's there he'll kneel encased in steel prepared on duty's call
For to assail and drag to jail our clergy from Grouse Hall

Down into hell he'd run pell-mell to hunt for poitín there
And won't be loath to swear an oath 'twas found in Killinkere
He'll search your bed from foot to head, sheets, blankets, tick and all
Your wife, undressed, must leave the nest for Jemmy of Grouse Hall

He fixed a plan for one poor man who had a handsome wife
To take away without delay her liberty and life
He'd swear quite plain that he's insane and got no sense at all
As he has done of late with one convenient to Grouse Hall

Thank God the day's not far away when Home Rule will be seen
And brave Parnell at home will dwell and shine in College Green
Our policemen will all be then our nation's choice and all
Old Balfour's pack will get the sack and banished from Grouse Hall

Let old and young clear out their lungs and sing this little song
Come join with me and let him see you all resent the wrong
And while I live I'll always give a prayer for his downfall
And when I die I don't deny I'll haunt him from Grouse hall

 

[fox69]

"The January Man"

"The January Man"


The January man he goes around in woollen coat and boots of leather
The February man still shakes the snow from of 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 new comer
In July the man in cotton short he sits and thinks and being idle
The August man in thousands takes the road to find the sun and watch the sea
September man is standing near to saddle up another year
And Autumn is his bridle
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 ere
December man looks through the snow to let eleven brothers know
They're all a little older
The January man he comes around again in coat and boots of leather
To take another turn and walk along the icy roads he knows so well
The January man is here the start of each and every year
Along the road forever