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.
