The Dubliners

[fox69]

"False Hearted Lover"

"False Hearted Lover"



I once loved a maid and I loved her so well
That I hated all others who spoke of her ill;
And now she's rewarded me well for my pains
For she's gone to be wed to another.

I saw my love to the church go
With her maids and bride maidens she made a fine show;
And I followed on with my heart full of woe
For she's to be wed to another.

Then I saw my love sit down to dine
Well I sat down beside her, I poured out her wine
And I drank to the girl that should have been mine
But she was now wed to another

The boys of the forest they ask it of me
How many strawberries grow in the salt sea?
And I ask it them back with a tear in my eye
How many ships sail in the forest?

Go dig me a grave, let you dig it so deep
And cover it over with flowers so sweet;
And close my poor eyelids forever in sleep
And maybe in death I'll forget her

 

[fox69]

"Farewell To Carlingford"

"Farewell To Carlingford"


When I was young and in my prime
And could wander wild and free
There was always a longing in my mind
To follow the call of the sea

[Chorus:]
So, I'll sing farewell to Carlingford
And farewell to Greenore
And I'll think of you both day and night
Until I return once more
Until I return once more

On all of the stormy seven seas
I have sailed before the mast
And on every voyage I ever made
I swore it would be my last

[Chorus]

Now, I had a girl called Mary Doyle
And she lived in Greenore
And the foremost thought was in her mind
Was to keep me safe on shore

[Chorus]

Now, the landsman's life is all his own
He can go or he can stay
But when the sea gets in your blood
When she calls, you must obey

[Chorus]

 

[fox69]

"Fiddlers Green"

"Fiddlers Green"



As I walked by the dockside one evening so fair
To view the salt waters and take in the salt air
I heard an old fisherman singing a song
Oh, take me away boys me time is not long

Wrap me up in me oilskin and Jumber
No more on the docks I'll be seen
Just tell me old shipmates, I'm taking a trip mates
And I'll see you someday on Fiddlers Green

Now Fiddler's Green is a place I've heard tell
Where the fishermen go if they don't go to hell
Where the weather is all clear and the dolphins do play
And the cold coast of Greenland is far, far away

Now when you're in dock and the long trip is through
There's pubs and there's clubs and there's lassies there too
And the girls are all pretty and the beer is all free
And there's bottles of rum growing on every tree.

Where the skies are all clear and there's never a gail
And the fish jump on board with one swish on their tail
Where you lie at your leisure, there's no work to do
And the skipper's below making tea for the crew

Now I don't want a harp nor a halo, not me
Just give me a breeze and a good rolling sea
I'll play me old squeeze-box as we sail along
With the wind in the riggin to sing me a song

 

[fox69]

"Finnegan's Wake"

"Finnegan's Wake"



Tim Finnegan lived in Walkin Street,
a gentle Irishman mighty odd
He had a brogue both rich and sweet,
an' to rise in the world he carried a hod
You see he'd a sort of a tipplers way
but the love for the liquor poor Tim was born
To help him on his way each day,
he'd a drop of the craythur every morn

Whack fol the dah now dance to yer
partner around the flure yer trotters shake
Wasn't it the truth I told you?
Lots of fun at Finnegan's Wake

One morning Tim got rather full,
his head felt heavy which made him shake
Fell from a ladder and he broke his skull,
and they carried him home his corpse to wake
Rolled him up in a nice clean sheet,
and laid him out upon the bed
A bottle of whiskey at his feet
and a barrel of porter at his head

His friends assembled at the wake,
and Mrs Finnegan called for lunch
First she brought in tay and cake,
then pipes, tobacco and whiskey punch
Biddy O'Brien began to cry,
"Such a nice clean corpse, did you ever see
Tim avourneen, why did you die?",
"Will ye hould your gob?" said Paddy McGee

Then Maggie O'Connor took up the job,
"Biddy" says she "you're wrong, I'm sure"
Biddy gave her a belt in the
gob and left her sprawling on the floor
Then the war did soon engage,
t'was woman to woman and man to man
Shillelagh law was all the rage
and a row and a ruction soon began

Mickey Maloney ducked his head when
a bucket of whiskey flew at him
It missed, and falling on the bed,
the liquor scattered over Tim
Bedad he revives, see how he rises,
Timothy rising from the bed
Saying "Whittle your whiskey around
like blazes, t'underin' Jaysus, do ye think I'm dead?"

 

[fox69]

"For What Died The Sons Of Róisín?"

"For What Died The Sons Of Róisín?"



For What Died the Sons of Róisín, was it fame?
For What Died the Sons of Róisín, was it fame?
For what flowed Irelands blood in rivers,
That began when Brian chased the Dane,
And did not cease nor has not ceased,
With the brave sons of ´16,
For what died the sons of Róisín, was it fame?

For What Died the Sons of Róisín, was it greed?
For What Died the Sons of Róisín, was it greed?
Was it greed that drove Wolfe Tone to a paupers death in a cell of cold wet stone?
Will German, French or Dutch inscribe the epitaph of Emmet?
When we have sold enough of Ireland to be but strangers in it.
For What Died the Sons of Róisín, was it greed?

To whom do we owe our allegiance today?
To whom do we owe our allegiance today?
To those brave men who fought and died that Róisín live again with pride?
Her sons at home to work and sing,
Her youth to dance and make her valleys ring,
Or the faceless men who for Mark and Dollar,
Betray her to the highest bidder,
To whom do we owe our allegiance today?

For what suffer our patriots today?
For what suffer our patriots today?
They have a language problem, so they say,
How to write "No Trespass" must grieve their heart full sore,
We got rid of one strange language now we are faced with many, many more,
For what suffer our patriots today?

 

[fox69]

"Four Green Fields"

"Four Green Fields"



'What did I have',
said the fine old woman.
'What did I have',
this proud old woman did say.
'I had four green fields,
each one was a jewel.
But strangers came
and tried to take them from me.
But my fine strong sons
They fought to save my jewels.
They fought and they died
And that was my grief', said she.
'Long time ago',
said the fine old woman,
'Long time ago',
this proud old woman did say.
'There was war and death,
plundering and pillage.
My children starved
by mountain, valley and stream.
And their wailing cries
They reached the very heavens.
And my four green fields
ran red with their blood', said she.
'What have I now',
said the fine old woman.
'What have I now',
this proud old woman did say.
'I have four green fields,
one of them's in bondage.
In strangers' hands,
that try to take it from me.
But my sons have sons
As brave as were their fathers.
And my four green fields
will bloom once again', said she.
And my four green fields
will bloom once again', said she.

 

[fox69]

"Free The People"

"Free The People"



Laws were made for people
And the law can never scorn
The right of a man to be free

Free the people!
Let them have their say
Free the people!
Let them see the light of day

A dismal dawn was breaking when they took her man away
Not knowing what was his crime
Just what he was guilty of not one of them could say
But they'll think of something in time
He says: "Goodbye and remember
We shall overcome"

Free the people!
Let them have their say
Free the people!
Let them see the light of day

Comforting her children softly crying in the night
She tries very hard to explain
You know, your Daddy never did a thing that wasn't right
So soon he's bound to be home again
He is a good man
And he shall overcome

Free the people!
Let them have their say
Free the people!
Let them see the light of day

What does it profit him
The right to be born
If he suffers the loss of liberty?
Laws were made for people
And the law can never scorn
The right of a man to be free
We are the people
And we shall overcome

We are the people
And we shall overcome

Free the people!
Let them have their say
Free the people!
Let them see the light of day!
Free the people!
Let them have their say
Free the people!
Let them see the light of day

 

[fox69]

"Further Along"

"Further Along"



Further along we'll know all about it
Further along we'll understand why
Cheer up my brother, live in the sunshine
We'll understand it all, by and by

Tempted and tried, we're oft made to wonder
Why it should be thus all our days long
While there are others living about us
Never molested though in the wrong

Often I wonder why I must journey
Over a road so rugged and steep
While there are others living in comfort
When with the lost I labour and weep

When death has come and taken our loved ones
Leaving our home so lone' and so drear'
Then do we wonder why others prosper
Living as sinners year after year

Further along we'll know all about it
Further along we'll understand why
Cheer up my brother, live in the sunshine
We'll understand it all, by and by

 

[fox69]

"Gentleman Soldier"

"Gentleman Soldier"



Gentleman soldier
Well I saw the gentleman soldier, as a sentry he did stand
He saluted the fair maid by a waving of his hand
So boldly then he kissed her and he passed it off as a joke
He drilled her up to the sentry box
Wrapped up in a soldier's coat

And the drums they go with a rat-a-ta-tat
And the fifes they loudly play
Fare thee well, Polly me dear, I must be going away
All night they tossed and tumbled till daylight did appear
The soldier rose, put on his clothes
Said: 'Fare ey well, me dear'
For the drums they are a sounding
And the fifes they sweetly play
And if it weren't for that, my Polly
Then along with you I'd stay

O come, ye gentleman soldier, 'won't you marry me?'
'Oh no, me dearest Polly such things never can be
For I have a wife already and children I have three
Two wives are allowed in the army
But one is too many for me'

If anyone comes a courting you
You can treat them to a glass
If anyone comes a courting you
You can say you're a country lass
You don't have to tell them
That ever you played this joke
That you were drilled in a sentry box
Wrapped up in a soldier's coat

'Oh come ye gentleman soldier, why didn't you tell me so
My parents will be angry when this they come to know'
And when nine long months had come and passed,
And purgatory got shame
She had a little millitia boy
And she didn't know his name

Well I saw the gentleman soldier, as a sentry he did stand
He saluted the fair maid by a waving of his hand
So boldly then he kissed her and he passed it off as a joke
He drilled her up to the sentry box
Wrapped up in a soldier's coat

And the drums they go with a rat-a-ta-tat
And the fifes they loudly play
Fare thee well, Polly me dear, I must be going away
All night they tossed and tumbled till daylight did appear
The soldier rose, put on his clothes
Said: 'Fare ey well, me dear'
For the drums they are a sounding
And the fifes they sweetly play
And if it weren't for that, my Polly
Then along with you I'd stay

O come, ye gentleman soldier, 'won't you marry me?'
'Oh no, me dearest Polly such things never can be
For I have a wife already and children I have three
Two wives are allowed in the army
But one is too many for me'

If anyone comes a courting you
You can treat them to a glass
If anyone comes a courting you
You can say you're a country lass
You don't have to tell them
That ever you played this joke
That you were drilled in a sentry box
Wrapped up in a soldier's coat

'Oh come ye gentleman soldier, why didn't you tell me so
My parents will be angry when this they come to know'
And when nine long months had come and passed,
And purgatory got shame
She had a little millitia boy
And she didn't know his name

 

[fox69]

"Go To Sea No More"

"Go To Sea No More"



When first I landed in Liverpool, I went upon a spree
Me money alas I spent it fast, got drunk as drunk could be
And when that me money was all gone, 'twas then I wanted more
But a man must be blind to make up his mind to go to sea once more

Once more, boys, once more, go to sea once more
But a man must be blind to make up his mind to go to sea once more

I spent the night with Angeline too drunk to roll in bed
Me watch was new and me money too, in the morning with them she fled
And as I walked the streets about, the whores they all did roar
There goes Jack Spratt, the poor sailorlad, he must go to sea once more

Once more, boys, once more, go to sea once more
There goes Jack Spratt, the poor sailorlad, he must go to sea once more

And as I walked the streets about, I met with the Rapper Brown
I asked him for to take me on and he looked at me with a frown
He said last time you was paid off with me you could no score
But I'll give you a chance and I'll take your advance and I'll send you to see once more

Once more, boys, once more, send you to sea once more
I'll give you a chance and I'll take your advance and I'll send you to see once more

He shipped me on board of a whaling ship bound for the arctic seas
Where the cold winds blow through the frost and snow and Jamaica rum would freeze
But worse to bear, I'd no hard weather gear for I'd spent all money on shore
'twas then that I wished that I was dead and could go to sea no more

No more, boys, no more, go to sea no more
'twas then that I wished that I was dead and could go to sea no more

So come all you bold seafaring men, who listen to me song
When you come off them long trips, I'll have you not go wrong
Take my advice, drink no strong drink, don't go sleeping with them whores
Get married instead and spend all night in bed and go to sea no more

No more, boys, no more, go to sea no more
Get married instead and spend all night in bed and go to sea no more