The Kitchen Band.........Folk Songs.
Links to Irish Folk songs in the pulic domain
(Some are Scottish)
The Galway Shawl
1st- In Orranmore
In the County Galway
One pleasant evening in the month of May
I spied a dancer she was fair and handsome
Her beauty fairly stole me breath away.
Chorus
She wore no jewels no costly diamonds,
No paint or powder, no none at all.
She wore a bonnet with a ribbon on it.
And round her shoulders was a Galway Shawl.
2nd- We kept on walking,
She kept on talking,
Till her fathers cottage came into view
She said come in sir and meet me father,
And play to please him the Foggy Dew.
Chorus
3rd- I played the Blackbird, and the stack of Barley
Rodneys Favourite and the Foggy Dew,
She sang each note sir like an Irish Linet
And the tears rolled down from her eyes of blue.
Chorus
4th- Twas early, early all in the morning
I hit the road for old Donegal,
She said good-by sir,
She cried and kissed me,
But her heart remains with the Galway Shawl.
Chorus
The Shannon Side
Traditional
( '' ) represents changes by T C Arthur)
Original version is twelve verses and can be found in Ords Bothy Ballads and Songs
1 Twas in the month of April one morning by the dawn,
''when winter is receding and summer beckon on.''
When flower's like to a mantle bedeck the fields with pride,
I met a comely damsel upon the Shannon side
2 Say's I my pretty fair maid, why walk you here so soon
and why do you go this way and why are you alone.
With cheeks like blooming roses this maiden then replied,
I go to seek my fathers sheep upon the Shannon side.
3 Say's I my pretty fair maid I'll bare you company,
if you have no objection that I should go with thee.
Oh no kind sir excuse me, but my parents would me chide,
if I were seen with any man upon the Shannon side.
4 I threw my arms around her and gave to her a kiss.
She said young man be civil, what do you mean this
The ground being wet on which she stood, her feet from her did slide
and we both fell down together upon the Shannon side.
5 Three times I kissed her ruby lips as she lay on the ground.
When coming to herself again 'twas then she cried alas.
Now since you've ta'en your will o' me, make me your lawful bride,
and do not leave me here to mourn upon the Shannon side.
6 Say's I my pretty fair maid from mourning aye refrain and we will of
marriage when I come back again.
Don't let your courage fail you what ere may you betide
and I'll come back and see you upon the Shannon side.
7 ''We then kissed and parted as I from her did steer '',
but as I turned myself away, these words I chanced to hear,
I hope twill be a warning, so all fair maids betide,
and never trust a young man upon the Shannon side.
.
The Recruited Collier
1 O' whits like wrang with you my lass,
and whaurs yir dashing Jimmy ?
The soadier boys have picked him up,
and sent him far, far frae me.
Last pye day he gayed into toon,
and them red-coated fellows.
Enticed him in and made him drunk,
and he'd better gane tae the gallows.
2 The very sict of his cockade,
It set us all a-crying.
And me I nearly fainted twice,
I thought that I was dying.
My father would hae paid the smart,
but he ran for the golden guinea.
The sergeant swore he'd kissed the book,
so now they've got young Jimmy.
3 When Jimmy talks aboot the wars,
It's worse than death tae hear him.
I must go out and hide my tears,
because I cannot bear him.
A brigadier or grenadier,
he says they're sure to mack him.
And aye he jibes and cracks his jokes,
and bids me not forsake him.
4 As I walked o'er the stibble field,
Below which runs the seam.
I thought of Jimmy hewing there,
but it was all a dream.
He hewed the very coals we burn,
and when the fire I's lighting,
To think the lumps was in his hands,
It sets my heart to beating.
5 For three long years he followed me,
Now I must live without him.
There's nothing now that I can do,
But weep and think about him.
Sae break, my heart, and then it's o'er,
Sae break, my heart, my dreary.
And I'll lie in the cauld grey grun.
For of single life I'm weary.
The Shearing's No For You
1 It was in the month of May, my bonny lassie O',
It was in the month of May, my bonny lassie O',
It was in the month of May
When the flowers they were gay,
And the lambs did sport and play, my bonny lassie O'.
2 O' the shearing's not for you, my bonny lassie O',
O' the shearing's not for you, my bonny lassie O',
The shearing's not for you
For your back it canna bow,
And your belly's rolling fu', my bonny lassie O'.
3 Don't you mind on yonder hill, my bonny laddie O',
Don't you mind on yonder hill, my bonny laddie O',
Don't you mind on yonder hill
When you swore you would me kill
If you did not get your will, my bonny laddie O'.
4 Don't you mind the banks of Ayr, my bonny laddie O',
Don't you mind the banks of Ayr, my bonny laddie O',
Don't you mind the banks of Ayr
When you drew me in your snare,
And you left me in despair, my bonny laddie O'.
5 Tis you may kill me dead, my bonny laddie O',
Tis you may kill me dead, my bonny laddie O',
Tis I'll not kill you dead
Nor make your body bleed,
Nor marry you with speed, my bonny lassie O'.
6 The fifes do sweetly play, my bonny lassie O',
The fifes do sweetly play, my bonny lassie O',
The fifes do sweetly play
And the troops do march away,
And it's here I will not stay, my bonny lassie O'.
7 O' the shearing's not for you, my bonny lassie O',
O' the shearing's not for you, my bonny lassie O',
The shearing's not for you
For your back it winna bow,
And your belly's rolling fu', my bonny lassie O'.
Rare Willie
1 O' Willy's rare and Willy's fair
And Willy's wondrous bonny,
And Willy says he'll marry me
Gin e'er he marries any.
2 O' came you by yon waterside,
Pulled you the rose or lily,
Or came you by yon meadow green,
Or saw you my sweet Willy ?
3 She sought him east, she sought him west,
She sought him broad and narrow,
Till in the clifting of a crag
She found him drowned in Yarrow.
4 His hair it was three-quarters long,
Three-quarters long and yellow.
She twined it round her lily hand
And drew him out of Yarrow.
5 Yestreen I made my bed full broad,
Tonight I'll make it narrow.
For all the livelong winter's night
I lie twinned of my marrow.