20 Original Greatest Hits

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]

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?"

As I was a goin' over the far famed Kerry mountains
I met with captain Farrell and his money he was counting
I first produced my pistol and I then produced my rapier
Saying "Stand and deliver" for he were a bold deceiver

Mush-a ring dum-a do dum-a da
Whack for my daddy-o
Whack for my daddy-o
There’s whiskey in the jar

I counted out his money and it made a pretty penny
I put it in me pocket and I took it home to Jenny
She sighed and she swore that she never would deceive me
But the devil take the women for they never can be easy

Mush-a ring dum-a do dum-a da
Whack for my daddy-o
Whack for my daddy-o
There’s whiskey in the jar

I went up to my chamber, all for to take a slumber
I dreamt of gold and jewels and for sure 't was no wonder
But Jenny drew me charges and she filled them up with water
Then sent for captain Farrell to be ready for the slaughter

Mush-a ring dum-a do dum-a da
Whack for my daddy-o
Whack for my daddy-o
There’s whiskey in the jar

'Twas was early in the morning, just before I rose to travel
Up comes a band of footmen and likewise captain Farrell
I first produced me pistol for she stole away me rapier
I couldn’t shoot the water, so a prisoner I was taken

Mush-a ring dum-a do dum-a da
Whack for my daddy-o
Whack for my daddy-o
There’s whiskey in the jar

Now there’s some take delight in the carriages a-rollin'
And others take delight in the hurling and the bowling
But I take delight in the juice of the barley
And courting pretty fair maids in the morning bright and early

Mush-a ring dum-a do dum-a da
Whack for my daddy-o
Whack for my daddy-o
There’s whiskey in the jar

If anyone can aid me 't is my brother in the army
If I can find his station in Cork or in Killarney
And if he’ll go with me, we’ll go rovin' through Killkenny
And I’m sure he’ll treat me better than my own a-sporting Jenny

Mush-a ring dum-a do dum-a da
Whack for my daddy-o
Whack for my daddy-o
There’s whiskey in the jar

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

I danced in the morning when the world was young
I danced in the moon, and the stars, and the sun
I came down from Heaven and I danced on the Earth
At Bethlehem I had my birth

Dance, then, wherever you may be
I am the lord of the dance said he
And I lead you all wherever you may be
And I lead you all in the dance said he

I danced for the scribes and the pharisees
They wouldn’t dance, they wouldn’t follow me
I danced for the fishermen James and John
They came with me so the dance went on

Dance, then, wherever you may be
I am the lord of the dance said he
And I lead you all wherever you may be
And I lead you all in the dance said he

I danced on the Sabbath and I cured the lame
The holy people said it was a shame
They ripped me and they stripped me and they hung me high
Left me there on the cross to die

Dance, then, wherever you may be
I am the lord of the dance said he
And I lead you all wherever you may be
And I lead you all in the dance said he

I danced on a Friday when the world turned black
It’s hard to dance with the devil on your back
They buried my body; they thought I was gone
But I am the dance, and the dance goes on

Dance, then, wherever you may be
I am the lord of the dance said he
And I lead you all wherever you may be
And I lead you all in the dance said he

Make way for the Molly Maguires
They’re drinkers, they’re liars but they’re men
Make way for the Molly Maguires
You’ll never see the likes of them again

Down the mines no sunlight shines
Those pits they’re black as hell
In modest style they do their time
It’s Paddy’s prison cell
And they curse the day they’ve travelled far
Then drown their tears with a jar

So make way for the Molly Maguires
They’re drinkers, they’re liars but they’re men
Make way for the Molly Maguires
You’ll never see the likes of them again

Backs will break and muscles ache
Down there there’s no time to dream
Of fields and farms, of womans arms
Just dig that bloody seam
Though they drain their bodies underground
Who’ll dare to push them around

So make way for the Molly Maguires
They’re drinkers, they’re liars but they’re men
Make way for the Molly Maguires
You’ll never see the likes of them again

So make way for the Molly Maguires
They’re drinkers, they’re liars but they’re men
Make way for the Molly Maguires
You’ll never see the likes of them again

I am an old-timer, I travel the road,
I sit in me wagon and lumber me load.
Me hotel is the jungle – the caff me abode.
And I`m well known to Blondie and Mary.
Me liquor is diesel oil laced with strong tea
And the old Highway Code was me first ABC
And I cut me eye-teeth on an old AEC
And I`m champion at keeping them rolling.

I`ve sat in the cabin and broiled in the sun
Been snowed up on Shap on the Manchester run.
I`ve crawled through the fog with me twenty-two ton
Of fish that was stinking like blazes.
From London to Glasgow to the Newcastle quay
From Liverpool, Preston and Bristol city
The polones on the road give the thumb sign to me
But I`m champion at keeping them rolling.

You might sing of your your soldiers and sailors so bold
But there`s many and many a hero untold
Who sits at the wheel in the the heat and the cold,
Day after day without sleeping.
So watch out for cops and slow down at the bend
Check all your gauges and watch your big end.
And zig with your lights when you pass an old friend.
You`ll be champion at keeping them rolling.

In my memory I will always see
The town that I have loved so well
Where our school played ball by the Gasyard wall
And we laughed through the smoke and the smell
Going home in the rain running up the dark lane
Past the jail and down behind the Fountain
Those were happy days in so many many ways
In the town I have loved so well

In the early morning the shirt-factory horn
Called women from Creggan, the Moor and the Bog
While the man on the dole played the mother’s role
Fed the children and then trained the dogs
And when times got rough there was just about enough
But they saw it through without complaining
For deep inside was a burning pride
For the town I loved so well

There was music there in the Derry air
Like a language that we could all understand
I remember the day when I earned my first pay
As I played in the small pick-up band
There I spent my youth and to tell you the truth
I was sad to leave it all behind me
For I’d learned 'bout life and I’ve found a wife
In the town I loved so well

But when I returned how my eyes have burned
To see how a town could be brought to its knees
By the armoured cars and the bombed-out bars
And the gas that hangs on to every breeze
Now the army’s installed by that old Gasyard wall
And the damned barbed wire gets higher and higher
With their tanks and their guns, oh my god what have they done
To the town I loved so well

Now the music’s gone but I still carry on
For their spirit’s been bruised never broken
They will not forget for their hearts are aset
On tomorrow and peace once again
For what’s done is done and what’s won is won
And what’s lost is lost and gone forever
I can only pray for a bright brand new day
In the town I loved so well

I remember the night that he came in from the wintery cold and damp
A giant of a man in an oilskin coat and the bundle that told he was a tramp
He stood at the bar and he called a pint then turned and gazed at the fire
On a night like this to be safe and dry is my one and only desire.

[Chorus:]
So here’s to those that are dead and gone
The friends that I loved dear
And here’s to you then I’ll bid you adieu
Saying Donegal Danny’s been here me boys
Donegal Danny’s been here

Then in a voice that was hushed and low he said: Listen I’ll tell you a tale
How a man of the sea became a man of the roads and never more will set sail
I’ve fished out of Howth and Killybegs, Ardglass and Baltimore
But the cruel sea has beaten me and I’ll end my days on the shore

[Chorus]

One fateful night in the wind and the rain we set sail from Killybegs town
There were five of us from sweet Donegal and one from County Down
We were fishermen who worked the sea and never counted the cost
But I never thought when that night was done that my fine friends would all be lost

[Chorus]

Then the storm it broke and drove the boat to the rocks about ten miles from shore
As we fought the tide we hoped inside to see our homes once more
Then we struck a rock and holed the bow and all of us knew that she’d go down
So we jumped right into the icy sea and prayed to God we wouldn’t drown

But the raging sea was rising still as we struck out for the land
And she fought with all her cruelty to claim that gallant band
By St John’s Point in the early dawn I dragged myself on the shore
And I cursed the sea for what she’d done and vowed to sail her never more

[Chorus]

Ever since that night I’ve been on the road travelling and trying to forget
That awful night I lost all my friends I see their faces yet
And often at night when the sea is high and the rain is tearing at my skin
I hear the cries of drowning men floating over on the wind

[Chorus]

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

I must away now, I can no longer tarry
This morning’s tempest, I have to cross
I must be guided without a stumble
Into the arms, I love the most

And when he came to his true love’s dwelling
He knelt down gently upon a stone
And through her window, he whispered lowly
Is my true lover within, at home?

Wake up, wake up, love, it is thine own true lover
Wake up, wake up, love, and let me in
For I am tired, love, and oh, so weary
And more than near, drenched to the skin

She raised her up on her down soft pillow
She raised her up and she let him in
And they were locked in each other’s arms
Until, that long night was past and gone

And when that long night was past and over
And when the small clouds began to grow
He took her hand and kissed, and parted
And he saddled and mounted, and away he did go

I must away now, I can no longer tarry
This morning’s tempest, I have to cross
I must be guided without a stumble
Into the arms I love the most

As I roved 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 blankets
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 fair 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

I met my love,
By the gas works wall.
Dreamed a dream,
By the old canal.
I kissed my girl,
By the factory wall.

Dirty old town,
Dirty old town.

Clouds are drifting,
Across the moon.
Cats are prowling,
on their beat.
Spring-s-a girl,
From the streets at night.

Dirty old town,
Dirty old town.

I heard a siren,
From the docks.
Saw a train,
Set the night on fire.
Smelled the spring,
On the smoky wind.

Dirty old town,
Dirty old town.

I’m going to make,
Me a good sharp axe;
Shining steel,
Tempered in,
the Fire.
I’ll chop you down,
Like an old dead tree.

Dirty old town,
Dirty old town.

I met my love,
By the gas works wall.
Dreamed a dream,
By the old canal.
I kissed my girl,
by the factory wall.

Dirty old town,
Dirty old town.

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

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

Oh, the first of me downfall I set out the door
I straight made me way on for Carrick-on-Suir
Going out by Rathronan 'twas late in the night
Going out the West Gate for to view the gaslight
Radley fal the diddle ay
Radley fal the diddle airo

I went to the town’s hall to see the big lamp
And who should I meet but a bloody big tramp
I finally stepped over and to him I said:
"Will you kindly direct me to where I’ll get a bed?"
Radley fal the diddle ay
Radley fal the diddle airo

'Twas then he directed me down to Cooks Lane
To where old Buck St John kept an old sleeping cage
From out of the door was a small piece of board
Hung out on two nails with a short piece of cord
Radley fal the diddle ay
Radley fal the diddle airo

I looked up and down till I found out the door
And a queerer old household sure I ne’er saw before
Then the Misses came out and these words to me said:
"If you give me three coppers, sure I’ll give you a bed"
Radley fal the diddle ay
Radley fal the diddle airo

Well I then stood aside with me back to the wall
And the next thing I saw was an oul cobbler’s stall
And there was the cobbler and he mending his brogues
With his hammers and pinchers all laid in a row
Radley fal the diddle ay
Radley fal the diddle airo

Then she brought me upstairs and she put out the light
And in less than five minutes I had to show fight
And in less than five more when the story was best
The fleas came around me and brought me a curse
Radley fal the diddle ay
Radley fal the diddle airo

'Twas all around me body they formed a march
'Twas all around me body they played the Death march
For the bloody oul major gave me such a pick
That he nearly made away with half of me hip
Radley fal the diddle ay
Radley fal the diddle airo

Now I’m going to me study, these lines to pen down
And if any poor traveller should e’er come to town
And if any poor traveller should be nighted like me
Beware of Buck St John and his black cavalry
Radley fal the diddle ay
Radley fal the diddle airo