The Dubliners

[fox69]

"Sam Hall"

"Sam Hall"



Oh my name it is Sam Hall chimney sweep, chimney sweep
Oh my name it is Sam Hall chimney sweep
Oh my name it is Sam Hall and I've robbed both great
And small
And my neck will pay for all when I die, when I die
And my neck will pay for all when I die

I have twenty pounds in store, that's not all, that's
Not all
I have twenty pounds in store, that's not all
I have twenty pounds in store and I'll rob for twenty
More
For the rich must help the poor, so must I, so must I
For the rich must help the poor, so must I

Oh they took me to Cootehill in a cart, in a cart
Oh they took me to Cootehill in a cart
Oh they took me to Cootehill where I stopped to make my

Will
Saying the best of friends must part, so must I, so
Must I
Saying the best of friends must part, so must I

Up the ladder I did grope, that's no joke, that's no
Joke
Up the ladder I did grope, that's no joke
Up the ladder I did grope and the hangman pulled the
Rope
And ne'er a word I spoke, tumbling down, tumbling down
And ne'er a word I spoke tumbling down

Oh my name it is Sam Hall chimney sweep, chimney sweep
Oh my name it is Sam Hall chimney sweep
Oh my name it is Sam Hall and I've robbed both great
And small
And my neck will pay for all when I die, when I die
And my neck will pay for all when I die

 

[fox69]

"Saxon Shilling"

"Saxon Shilling"



Hark! a martial sound is heard—
The march of soldiers, fifing, drumming;
Eyes are staring, hearts are stirr'd
For bold recruits the brave are coming.
Ribands flaunting, feathers gay
The sounds and sights are surely thrilling,
Dazzl'd village youths to-day
Will crowd to take the Saxon Shilling.

Ye, whose spirits will not bow
In peace to parish tyrants longer
Ye, who wear the villain brow,
And ye who pine in hopeless hunger
Fools, without the brave man's faith
All slaves and starvelings who are willing
To sell yourselves to shame and death
Accept the fatal Saxon Shilling.

Go—to find, 'mid crime and toil,
The doom to which such guilt is hurried;
Go—to leave on Indian soil
Your bones to bleach, accurs'd, unburied!
Go—to crush the just and brave,
Whose wrongs with wrath the world are filling;
Go—to slay each brother slave,
Or spurn the blood-stained Saxon Shilling!

Irish hearts! why should you bleed,
To swell the tide of British glory
Aiding despots in their need,
Who've changed our green so oft to gory?
None, save those who wish to see
The noblest killed, the meanest killing,
And true hearts severed from the free,
Will take again the Saxon Shilling!

Irish youths! reserve your strength
Until an hour of glorious duty,
When Freedom's smile shall cheer at length
The land of bravery and beauty.
Bribes and threats, oh, heed no more
Let nought but Justice make you willing
To leave your own dear Island shore,
For those who send the Saxon Shilling.

 

[fox69]

"School Days Over"

"School Days Over"



School day's over come on then john,
Time to be getting your pit bootson
On with your sark andmoleskintrousers
time you were on yourway
time you were learning thepit man's job
Andearning the pit man'spay

Come on then jim it's time to go
Time you were working down below
Time to be handling a pick and shovel

you start at the pits today
Time you were learning the collier's job
And earning the colliers pay

Come on then dai, it's almost light
Time you were off to the anthracite
The morning mist is on the vally
It's time you were on your way
Time you were learning the miners job
And earning the miners pay

 

[fox69]

"Scorn Not His Simplicity"

"Scorn Not His Simplicity"



See the child
With the golden hair yet eyes that show the emptiness inside
Do we know
Can we understand just how he feels or have we really tried

See him now
As he stands alone and watches children play a children's game
Simple child
He looks almost like the others yet they know he's not the same

Scorn not his simplicity
But rather try to love him all the more
Scorn not his simplicity
Oh no
Oh no

See him stare
Not recognizing the kind face that only yesterday he loved
The loving face
Of a mother who can't understand what she's been guilty of

How she cried tears of happiness
The day the doctor told her it's a boy
Now she cries tears of helplessness
And thinks of all the things he can't enjoy

Scorn not his simplicity
But rather try to love him all the more
Scorn not his simplicity
Oh no
Oh no

Only he knows how to face the future
Hopefully surrounded by despair
He won't ask for your pity or your sympathy
But surely you should care

Scorn not his simplicity
But rather try to love him all the more
Scorn not his simplicity
Oh no
Oh no
Oh no

 

[fox69]

"Seven Deadly Sins"

"Seven Deadly Sins"


Some say that kissing's a sin
But tell me how can that be true
For kissing has been in this world
Since the very first day there was two

[Chorus:]
No if it wasn't legal then the lawyers they would sue
And the prison would be full of folks who had a (...) or two
And if they didn't like it then away the girls would run
And if it wasn't plenty the poor folk would get none

(first time kiss, second time bet,
third time curse, fourth time smoke, fifth time drink)

Some say that gambling's a sin
But I'll bet you 15 to 1
That gambling has been in this world
Since horses and greyhounds could run

[Chorus]

Some say that swearing's a sin
But were is the man that can tell
For sw[Chorus]earing has been in this world
Since the devil was told 'go to hell'

[Chorus]

And some say that smoking's a sin
But a pipe now and then is enough
But smoking has been in this world
Since Adam taught Eve how to puff

[Chorus]

Some say that drinking's a sin
But a gargle is fine now and then
For drinking has been in this world
For ever and ever amen

[Chorus]

 

[fox69]

"Seven Drunken Nights"

"Seven Drunken Nights"



As I went home on Monday night as drunk as drunk could be
I saw a horse outside the door where my old horse should be
Well, I called me wife and I said to her: Will you kindly tell to me
Who owns that horse outside the door where my old horse should be?

Ah, you're drunk,
you're drunk you silly old fool,
still you can not see
That's a lovely sow that me mother sent to me
Well, it's many a day I've travelled a hundred miles or more
But a saddle on a sow sure I never saw before

And as I went home on Tuesday night as drunk as drunk could be
I saw a coat behind the door where my old coat should be
Well, I called me wife and I said to her: Will you kindly tell to me
Who owns that coat behind the door where my old coat should be

Ah, you're drunk,
you're drunk you silly old fool,
still you can not see
That's a woollen blanket that me mother sent to me
Well, it's many a day I've travelled a hundred miles or more
But buttons in a blanket sure I never saw before

And as I went home on Wednesday night as drunk as drunk could be
I saw a pipe up on the chair where my old pipe should be
Well, I called me wife and I said to her: Will you kindly tell to me
Who owns that pipe up on the chair where my old pipe should be

Ah, you're drunk,
you're drunk you silly old fool,
still you can not see
That's a lovely tin whistle that me mother sent to me
Well, it's many a day I've travelled a hundred miles or more
But tobacco in a tin whistle sure I never saw before

And as I went home on Thursday night as drunk as drunk could be
I saw two boots beneath the bed where my old boots should be
Well, I called me wife and I said to her: Will you kindly tell to me
Who owns them boots beneath the bed where my old boots should be

Ah, you're drunk,
you're drunk you silly old fool,
still you can not see
They're two lovely Geranium pots me mother sent to me
Well, it's many a day I've travelled a hundred miles or more
But laces in Geranium pots I never saw before

And as I went home on Friday night as drunk as drunk could be
I saw a head upon the bed where my old head should be
Well, I called me wife and I said to her: Will you kindly tell to me
Who owns that head upon the bed where my old head should be

Ah, you're drunk,
you're drunk you silly old fool,
still you can not see
That's a baby boy that me mother sent to me
Well, it's many a day I've travelled a hundred miles or more
But a baby boy with his whiskers on sure I never saw before

And as I went home on Saturday night as drunk as drunk could be
I saw two hands upon her breasts where my old hands should be
Well, I called me wife and I said to her: Will you kindly tell to me
Who owns them hands upon your breasts where my old hands should be

Ah, you're drunk,
you're drunk you silly old fool,
still you can not see
That's a lovely night gown that me mother sent to me
Well, it's many a day I've travelled a hundred miles or more
But fingers in a night gown sure I never saw before

As I went home on Sunday night as drunk as drunk could be
I saw a thing in her thing where my old thing should be
Well, I called me wife and I said to her: Will you kindly tell to me
Who owns that thing in your thing where my old thing should be

Ah, you're drunk,
you're drunk you silly old fool,
still you can not see
That's a lovely tin whistle that me mother sent to me
Well, it's many a day I've travelled a hundred miles or more
But hair on a tin whistle sure I never saw before

 

[fox69]

"Sez She"

"Sez She"



"Me loyal subjects" sez she,
"Here's me best respects" sez she,
"And I'm proud this day" sez she,
"Of the elegant way" sez she,
"That they gave me the hand" sez she,
"When I come to the land" sez she,
"There was some people said" sez she,
"They were gently in dread" sez she,
"I'd be murdered or shot" sez she,
"As like or not" sez she,
"But it's mighty clear" sez she,
"That it's not over here" sez she,
"That I have caused to fear" sez she,
"It"s them Belgiums" sez she,
"Thats throwing the bombs" sez she,
"And frightening the life" sez she,
"Out of the son and the wife" sez she,
"But in these parts" sez she,
"They have warm hearts" sez she,
"And they all like me well" sez she,
"Barring the Honour Parnell" sez she,
"I don't know Earl" sez she,
"Whats come over the girl" sez she,
"And that other one" sez she,
"That Maude Gonne" sez she,
"Dressing in black" sez she,
"To welcome me back" sez she,
"Now Maude'll write" sez she,
"That I'd brought the blight" sez she,
"Or changed the season" sez she,
"For me own private reason" sez she,
"And I think there's a slate off that Willie Yeats" sez she,
"He should be at home" sez she,
"French polishing his poems" sez she,
"Instead of writing letters" sez she,
"About his betters" sez she,
"And parading me crimes" sez she,
"In The Irish Times" sez she,
"Ah, but what does it matter" sez she,
"All this magpie chatter" sez she,
"When I heard the welcoming roar" sez she,
"Coming up from the shore" sez she,
"Right over the foam" sez she,
"Sure it was like coming home" sez she,
"And me heart fairly glowed" sez she,
"Along the 'Rock road'" sez she,
"And into Butterstown" sez she,
"And be merrion Round" sez she,
"Until I come to the ridge" sez she,
"Of the Leeson St. Bridge" sez she,
"And was greeted in style by the beautiful smile of me Lord Mayor Pyle" sez she,
"Fate if I'd done right" sez she,
"I'd a made him a knight" sez she,
"And I needn't repeat" sez she,
"How they cheered in each street" sez she,
"Till I come to them lads" sez she,
"Don't you know them undergrads" sez she,
"Oh, and indeed and indeed" sez she,
"I got many a God Speed" sez she,
"But nothing to compare" sez she,
"With what I got here" sez she,
"So pass the jug" sez she,
"And I'll fill each mug" sez she,
"And I'll give you a toast" sez she,
"At which you may boast" sez she,
"Now I've a power of sons" sez she,
"All sorts of ones" sez she,
"Some as quiet as cows" sez she,
"Some always in rows" sez she,
"And the one that causes the most trouble" sez she,
"Sure the mother loves double" sez she,
"So here's to the men" sez she,
"That's gone into win" sez she,
"That's clearing the way" sez she,
"To Petoria today" sez she,
"In the gap of danger" sez she,
"There's a Connaught Ranger" sez she,
"And a fusilier not far" sez she,
"From the heart of the war" sez she,
"And they may talk a lot" sez she,
"And them foreign baboons" sez she,
"May draw their cartoons" sez she,
"But there's one thing they'll never draw" sez she,
"And that's the lions claw" sez she,
"For before our flag is furled" sez she,
"We'll own the world" sez she.

 

[fox69]

"Skibbereen"

"Skibbereen"



Oh father dear, I oft-times hear you speak of Erin's isle
Her lofty hills, her valleys green, her mountains rude and wild
They say she is a lovely land wherein a saint might dwell
So why did you abandon her, the reason to me tell.
Oh son, I loved my native land with energy and pride
Till a blight came o'er the praties; my sheep, my cattle died
My rent and taxes went unpaid, I could not them redeem
And that's the cruel reason why I left old Skibbereen.
Oh well do I remember that bleak December day
The landlord and the sheriff came to take us all away
They set my roof on fire with their cursed English spleen
I heaved a sigh and bade goodbye to dear old Skibbereen.
Your mother too, God rest her soul, fell on the stony ground
She fainted in her anguish seeing desolation 'round
She never rose but passed away from life to immortal dream
She found a quiet grave, me boy, in dear old Skibbereen.
And you were only two years old and feeble was your frame
I could not leave you with my friends for you bore your father's name
I wrapped you in my cóta mór in the dead of night unseen
I heaved a sigh and bade goodbye to dear old Skibbereen.
Oh father dear, the day will come when in answer to the call
All Irish men of freedom stern will rally one and all
I'll be the man to lead the band beneath the flag of green
And loud and clear we'll raise the cheer, Revenge for Skibbereen!

 

[fox69]

"Smith Of Bristol"

"Smith Of Bristol"



Smith was a Bristol man
and a rare old sort was he
With his cutlass and his pistols, heave-ya ho
He'd a noble crew of cut-throats
who used to scour the sea
A plunderin' and a robbin', high and low
He swore 'twas no concern',
he didn't give a herrin'
Bout right or wrong or any holy show
He swore that grabbin' booty
was Britain's foremost duty
Wherever she could get it, heave-ya ho

Heave-ya ho, Heave-ya ho,
He swore that grabbin' booty was Britain's foremost duty
Wherever she could get it, heave-ya ho

Smith had a noble soul
and lofty was his pride
With his cutlass and his pistols, heave-ya ho
He'd watch his beaten foe-men
jump out into the tide
Call ye beggars who had no where else to go
And hanging from his lanyards
swung Portuguese and Spaniards
And beaten Frenchmen jumping to and fro
Right along the blazin' story
shall allure in England's glory
Pirate Smith of Bristol, heave-ya ho

Heave-ya ho, Heave-ya ho,
He swore that grabbin' booty was Britain's foremost duty
Wherever she could get it, heave-ya ho

But accidents they happen even to heroes such as he
With his cutlass and his pistols, heave-ya ho
He was standing on his capstan as happy as could be
Hoping soon to have another prize in tow
When a whistling Spanish bullet
came and caught him in his gullet
And very sad to say it laid him low
He was only ninety-seven,
but his soul has gone to heaven
To rest on Nelson's bosom, heave-ya ho
Heave-ya ho, Heave-ya ho,
He was only ninety seven
But his soul has gone to Heaven
to rest in Nelson's bosom, heave-ya ho

Heave-ya ho, Heave-ya ho,
He swore that grabbin' booty
was Britain's foremost duty
Wherever she could get it, heave-ya ho

 

[fox69]

"Song For Ireland"

"Song For Ireland"



Walking all the day
near tall towers where falcons build their nests
Silver wings they fly,
They know the call for freedom in their breasts,
Saw Black Head against the sky
Where twisted rocks they run down to the sea
Living on your western shore,
Saw summer sun sets, I asked for more,
I stood by your Atlantic Sea,
And I sang a song for Ireland

Drinking all the day,
In old pubs where fiddlers love to play,
Saw one touch the bow,
He played a reel that seamed so grand and gay,
I stood on dingle beach and cast,
In wild foam for Atlantic bass,
Living on your western shore,
Saw summer sunsets, I asked for more,
I stood by your Atlantic Sea,
And sang a song for Ireland

Talking all the day,
With true friends who try to make you stay,
Telling jokes and news,
Singing songs to while the time away,
Watched the galway salmon run,
Like silver dancing, darting in the sun,
living on your western shore,
Saw summer sunsets, I asked for more,
I stood by your Atlantic Sea,
And I sang a song for Ireland

Dreaming in the night,
I saw a land where no-one had to fight,
Waking in your dawn,
I saw you crying in the morning light,
sleeping where the falcons fly,
They twist and turn all in your air-blue sky,
Living on your western shore,
Saw summer sunsets, I asked for more,
I stood by your Atlantic sea,
And I sang a song for Ireland