LETRAS DEL DISCO

1.

The Raggle Taggle Gypsy

There were three old gypsies came to our hall door

they came brave and boldly-o

And one sang high and the other sang low

and the other sang a raggle taggle gypsy-o

 

It was upstairs downstairs the lady went

put on her suit of leather-o

And there was a cry from around the door

she’s away wi’ the raggle taggle gypsy-o

 

It was late that night when the Lord came in

enquiring for his lady-o

And the servant girl she said to the Lord

«She’s away wi’ the raggle taggle gypsy-o»

 

«Then saddle for me my milk white steed

– my big horse is not speedy-o

And I will ride till I seek my bride

she’s away wi’ the raggle taggle gypsy-o»

 

Now he rode East and he rode West

he rode North and South also

Until he came to a wide open plain

it was there that he spied his lady-o

 

«How could you leave your goose feather bed

your blankeys strewn so comely-o?

And how could you leave your newly wedded Lord

all for a raggle taggle gypsy-o?»

 

«What care I for my goose feather bed

wi’ blankets strewn so comely-o?

Tonight I lie in a wide open field

in the arms of a raggle taggle gypsy-o»

 

«How could you leave your house and your land?

how could you leave your money-o?

How could you leave your only wedded Lord

all for a raggle taggle gypsy-o?»

 

«What care I for my house and my land?

what care I for my money-o?

I’d rather have a kiss from the yellow gypsy’s lips

I’m away wi’ the raggle taggle gypsy-o!»

 

2.

The Star of the County Down

Near Banbridge town, in the County Down

One morning in July

Down a boreen green came a sweet colleen

And she smiled as she passed me by.

She looked so sweet from her two white feet

To the sheen of her nut-brown hair

Such a coaxing elf, I’d to shake myself

To make sure I was standing there.

 

Chorus

From Bantry Bay up to Derry Quay

And from Galway to Dublin town

No maid I’ve seen like the sweet colleen

That I met in the County Down.

 

As she onward sped I shook my head

And I gazed with a feeling rare

And I said, says I, to a passerby

«Who’s the maid with the nut-brown hair?»

He smiled at me, and with pride says he,

«That’s the gem of Ireland’s crown.

She’s young Rosie McCann from the banks of the Bann

She’s the star of the County Down.»

 

Chorus

 

I’ve travelled a bit, but never was hit

Since my roving career began

But fair and square I surrendered there

To the charms of young Rose McCann.

I’d a heart to let and no tenant yet

Did I meet with in shawl or gown

But in she went and I asked no rent

From the star of the County Down.

 

Chorus

 

3.

La Belle s’est Endormie

La Belle s’est endormie, dans son beau lit de roses;

Elle est blanch’ comm’ la neige, elle est bell’ comme le jour,

Ils sont tris capitain’ qui vont y fair’ l’amour.

 

Le plus jeune des trois la prend par sa main blanche;

Il la prend, il l’amène tout droit à son logis,

Il la prend, il l’amène sur l’dos de son cheval gris.

 

Quand la bell’ s’est vu là, dans ces plus hautes chambres,

«soupez, soupez la belle, prenez vos appétits,

Avec votre capitaine vous y passerez la nuit».

 

Tandis ce discours-là, la belle est tombée morte,

«sonnez, sonnez les cloches, elle morte et tombée,

Notre maîtresse, elle est morte, et moi le coeur peiné».

 

Où c’qu’on va l’enterrer, cette jolie princesse-là,

Dans le jardin sus son père, où qu’elle a tant resté,

Dans le jardin sus son père, dessous un vieux pommier.

 

Trois jours après sa mort, son père lui se promène,

«cher père faisons la morte, ma tomb rouvrez, rouvrez,

Trois jours faisons la morte, et moi le coeur peiné»

 

4.

Her Mantle so Green

As I went out walking one morning in June,

To view the fair fields and the valleys in bloom,

I spied a pretty fair maid she appeared like a queen

With her costly fine robes and her mantle so green.

 

Says I, «My pretty fair maid, won’t you come with me

We’ll both join in wedlock, and married we’ll be,

I’ll dress you in fine linnen, you’ll appear like a queen,

With your costly fine robes and your mantle so green.»

 

Says she now, «You Young man, you must be excused,

For I’ll wed with no man, you must be refused;

To the green woods I will wander to shun all men’s view, …(?)

For the lad that I love fell in famed Waterloo.»

 

«O, then, if you won’t marry, tell me your love’s name,

For I being in battle, I might know the same.»

«Draw near to my garment and there will be seen,

His name is embroidered on my mantle so green.»

 

In raising her mantle there I did behold

His name and his surname in letters of gold;

Young William O’Reilly appeared in my view

He was my chief comrade back in famed Waterloo.

 

But when he was dying I heard his last cry

‘If you were here, Lovely Nancy, contented I’d die;’

Now Peace is proclaimed, and the truth I declare

Here is your love token, the gold ring I wear.»

 

O, Nancy, dear Nancy, ‘tis I won your heart

In your father’s garden that day we did part.

Now the wars are all over, no trouble is seen

And I’ll wed with my true love in her mantle so green.»

 

5.

The Lakes of Pontchartrain

It was on one bright March morning

I bid New Orleans adieu.

And I took the road to Jackson town,

My fortune to renew,

I cursed all foreign money,

No credit could I gain,

Which filled my heart with longing for

The lakes of Pontchartrain.

 

I stepped on board a railroad car,

Beneath the morning sun,

I road the roads till evening,

And I laid me down again,

All strangers there no friends to me,

Till a dark girl towards me came,

And I fell in love with a Creole girl,

By the lakes of Pontchartrain.

 

I said, «My pretty Creole girl,

My money here’s no good,

But if it weren’t for the alligators,

I’d sleep out in the wood».

«You’re welcome here kind stranger,

Our house is very plain.

But we never turn a stranger out,

From the lakes of Pontchartrain.»

 

She took me into her mammy’s house,

And treated me quite well,

The hair upon her shoulder

In jet black ringlets fell.

To try and paint her beauty,

I’m sure it would be in vain,

So handsome was my Creole girl,

By the lakes of Pontchartrain.

 

I asked her if she’d marry me,

She said it could never be,

For she had got another,

And he was far at sea.

She said that she would wait for him

And true she would remain.

Till he returned for his Creole girl,

By the lakes of Pontchartrain.

 

So fare thee well my Creole girl,

I never will see you no more,

But I’ll ne’er forget your kindness

In the cottage by the shore.

To try and paint her beauty,

I’m sure it would be in vain,

So handsome was my Creole girl,

By the lakes of Pontchartrain.

 

6.

Barbara Allen

In Scarlett town where I was born,

There was a fair maid swellin’,

Made all the youths cry well-a-day,

Her name was Barbara Allen.

 

‘Twas in the merry month of may,

And the green buds they here swellin’

Young William Green of his death bed lay

For the love of Barbara Allen.

 

So slowly, slowly she came up,

And slowly she came by him,

The only words she say to him

Were «young man I think you’re dying».

 

Oh mother, oh mother, come make my bed,

Make it long and make it narrow,

Sweet William died for me today,

I’ll die for him tomorrow.

 

They buried her in the old church yard,

They buried him beside her,

And in his grave grew to a red rose,

From her grave a green briar.

 

They grew and they grew very high,

Till they could grow no higher,

And there they twintd in a true love knot,

And the rose grew ‘round the briar.

 

In Scarlett town whre I was born,

There was a fair maid swellin’,

Made all the youths cry well-a-day,

Her name was Barbara Allen.

 

7.

The Foggy Dew

As down the glen one Easter morn

To a city fair rode I

There armed lines of marching men

In squadrons passed me by

No pipe did hum, nor battle drum

Did sound its loud tatoo

But the angelus bells o’er the liffey swells

Rang out in the foggy dew

 

Right proudly high in Dublin town

Hung they out the flag of war

‘Twas better to die ‘neath an Irish sky

Than at Suvla or Sud-El-Bar

And from the plains of Royal Meath

Strong men came hurrying through

While Britannia’s Huns with their long range guns

Sailed in through the foggy dew.

 

Their bravest fell and the requiem bell

Rang mournfully and clear

For those who died that Eastertide

In the springing of the year

While the world did gaze with deep amaze

At those fearless men but few

Who bore the fight that freedom’s light

Might shine through the foggy dew

 

As back through the glen I rode again

And my heart with me fell sore

For I parted then with valiant men

Whom I never shall see ‘more

But to and fro in my dreams I go

And I kneel and pray for you

For slavery fled a glorious dead

When you fell in the foggy dew

 

8.

The Fields Of Athenry

By a lonely prison wall,

I heard a young girl calling

Michael they have taken you away,

For you stole trevelyn’s corn

So the young might see the morn,

Now a prison ship lies waiting in the bay

 

Low lie, The Fields Of Athenry

Where once we watched the small free birds fly

Our love was on the wing

We had dreams and songs to sing,

Its so lonely round the Fields of Athenry

 

By a lonely prison wall

I heard a young man calling

‘Nothing matters Mary, when you’re free’

Against the famine and the crown,

I rebelled, they brought me down

Now you must raise our child with dignity

 

Low lie, The Fields Of Athenry

Where once we watched the small free birds fly

Our love was on the wing

We had dreams and songs to sing,

Its so lonely round the Fields of Athenry

 

By a lonely harbour wall

She watched the last star falling

As the prison ship sailed out against the sky

Sure she’ll live in hope and pray

For her love in Botney Bay

Its so lonely round the Fields Of Athenry

 

Low lie, The Fields Of Athenry

Where once we watched the small free birds fly

Our love was on the wing

We had dreams and songs to sing,

Its so lonely round the Fields of Athenry

 

9.

The Black Velvet Band

In a neat little town they called Belfast

Apprentice to trade I was bound

And many an hour’s sweet happiness

Have I spent in that neat little town

As sad misfortune came over me

Which caused me to stray from the land

Far away from me friends and relations

Betrayed by the black velvet band.

 

Her eyes they shown like diamonds

I thought her the queen of the land

And her hair, it hung over her shoulder

Tied up with a black velvet band

 

I took a stroll down broadway

Meaning not long for to stay

When who should I meet but this pretty fair maid

Come a-traipsing along the highway

She was both fair and handsome

Her neck, it was just like a swan

And her hair, it hung over her shoulder

Tied up with a black velvet band

 

Her eyes they shown like diamonds

I thought her the queen of the land

And her hair, it hung over her shoulder

Tied up with a black velvet band

 

I took a stroll with this pretty fair maid

And a gentleman passing us by

Well, I knew she meant the doing of him

By the look in her roguish black eye

A gold watch she took from his pocket

And placed it right into my hand

And the very first thing that I said, was

Bad luck to the black velvet band.

 

Her eyes they shown like diamonds

I thought her the queen of the land

And her hair, it hung over her shoulder

Tied up with a black velvet band

 

Before the judge and the jury

Next morning, I had to appear

The judge, he says to me

«Young man, you’re case it is proven clear

We’ll give you seven years penal servitude

To be spent far away from the land

Far away from your friends and relations

Betrayed by the black velvet band».

 

Her eyes they shown like diamonds

I thought her the queen of the land

And her hair, it hung over her shoulder

Tied up with a black velvet band.

 

10.

J’ai passé devant ta porte

J’ai passé devant ta porte, J’ai crié «bye-bye» à mon beau

Y’a personne qui m’a répondu, Oh yé yaille, mon coeur fait mal

 

Quand je m’ai mis à observer, Là j’ai vu des chandelles allumées

Tout le tour de son cercueil, Oh yé yaille, mon coeur est malade.

 

11.

The Fisherman’s Farewell

(Author : James Kline)

Parting words he said that night

As he lay opun her breast,

When my boat sails out of sight,

Look out to the west.

 

If the wind begins to blow,

And waves begin to crest,

Think of me and know

Remember what I’ve said.

 

Like the colours of a raimbow,

Like footprint in the sand,

Like a river in the moonlight

I’ll be there once again.

 

If the ocean was desire,

And wishes were the wind,

I’d stay with you forever

The storm to you would send.

 

My heart upon the clouds,

Nevermore to grieve,

Like rising misty shrouds,

My words upon the breeze.

 

Like the colours…

 

Into the storm he shouted

And prayed out to the sea,

The waves were all around,

Oh please, do give her peace.

 

By this time tomorrow

She’ll know that I am gone,

Help her in her sorrow,

Reward her with this song.

 

Like the colours…

 

A year has come and gone,

She walks along the shore,

The tide goes up and down,

And she watches evermore.

 

She gazes to the sea,

Until the break of day,

Falls into a dream,

And seems to hear him say.

Like the colours…

 

Images like water,

Often do remind,

How long we do remember

Those we’ve left behind.

 

Some say the fisherman

When all is still and quite,

Still walks upon the sand,

And sings into the night.

 

Like the colours of a raimbow,

Like footprint in the sand,

Like a river in the moonlight

I’ll be there once again.

 

Like the softness of a snowfall

And the morning cloaked in white,

Like a blossom in the springtime,

I’ll be there by your side.

 

12.

The Wild Mountain Thyme

O the summer time has come

And the trees are sweetly bloomin’

And the wild mountain thyme

Grows around the bloomin’ heather

Will you go, lassie, go?

 

Chorus

And we’ll all go together,

To pull wild mountain thyme,

All around the purple heather.

Will you go, lassie, go?

 

I will build my love a bower

By yon cool crystal fountain

And round it I will pile

All the wild flowers o’ the mountain

Will you go, lassie, go?

 

Chorus

And we’ll all go together,

To pull wild mountain thyme,

All around the purple heather.

Will you go, lassie, go?

 

I will range through the wilds

And the deep glen sae dreamy

And return wi’ their spoils

Tae the bower o’ my dearie

Will you go, lassie, go?

 

Chorus

And we’ll all go together,

To pull wild mountain thyme,

All around the purple heather.

Will you go, lassie, go?

 

I will range through the wilds

And the deep glen sae dreamy

And return wi’ their spoils

Tae the bower o’ my dearie

Will you go, lassie, go?

 

Chorus

And we’ll all go together,

To pull wild mountain thyme,

All around the purple heather.

Will you go, lassie, go?

 

If my true love she’ll not come,

Then I’ll surely find another,

To pull wild mountain thyme,

All around the purple heather.

Will you go, lassie, go?

 

Chorus

And we’ll all go together,

To pull wild mountain thyme,

All around the purple heather.

Will you go, lassie, go?

 

13.

On Raglan Road

On Raglan Road on an Autumn Day,

I saw her first and knew

That her dark hair would weave a snare

That I may one day rue.

 

I saw the danger, yet I walked

Along the enchanted way

And I said let grief be a falling leaf

At the dawning of the day.

 

On Grafton Street in November,

We tripped lightly along the ledge

Of a deep ravine where can be seen

The worst of passions pledged.

 

The Queen of Hearts still baking tarts

And I not making hay,

Well I loved too much; by such and such

Is happiness thrown away.

 

I gave her the gifts of the mind.

I gave her the secret sign

That’s known to all the artists who have

Known true Gods of Sound and Time.

 

With word and tint I did not stint.

I gave her reams of poems to say

With her own dark hair and her own name there

Like the clouds over fields of May.

 

On a quiet street where old ghosts meet,

I see her walking now away from me,

So hurriedly. My reason must allow,

For I have wooed, not as I should

A creature made of clay.

 

When the angel woos the clay, he’ll lose

His wings at the dawn of the day.

 

14.

Whiskey in the Jar

As I was a goin’ over the famed Kill 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

Wack fall the daddy-o, wack fall the 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

Wack fall the daddy-o, wack fall the 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

 

Wack fall the daddy-o, wack fall the daddy-o

There’s whiskey in the jar

 

‘twas 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

Wack fall the daddy-o, wack fall the daddy-o

There’s whiskey in the jar.

 

15.

Oh Babe it ain’t no Lie

Some old lady in this town

Keeps telling all them lies on me.

Wish to my soul that old lady would die

Keep a-telling her lies on me

 

Oh babe it ain’t no lie

Oh babe it ain’t no lie

Oh babe it ain’t no lie

this life I lead is mighty high.

 

Been all around this whole wide world

Honey babe I just got back today

I’ve been saving all of my love for you

Honey baby what more can I do

 

Oh babe it ain’t no lie

Oh babe it ain’t no lie

Oh babe it ain’t no lie

this life I lead is mighty high.