Song Lyrics
WILL YE GO LASSIE GO
(McPeake—Irish version)
Oh the summer time is come
And the trees are sweetly blooming
And the wild mountain thyme
Grows around the blooming heather
Chorus:
Will ye go lassie go, and we'll all go together
To pull wild mountain thyme all around
The blooming heather, will ye go lassie go
I will build my love a bower
By yon cool crystal fountain
And on it I will pile
All the flowers of the mountain
Chorus
I will range through the wild
And the deep glen sae dreary
And return wi' my spoils
To the bower of my dearie
Chorus
If my true love she were gone
Then I'd surely find another
Where the wild mountain thyme
Grows around the blooming heather
Chorus
WILLIAM BLOAT
(Raymond Calvert)
In a mean abode in the Shankill road lived a man named William Bloat
Who had a wife, the bane of life, who always got his goat
So one day at dawn, with her night dress on, he slit her bloody throat
With a razor gash, he settled her hash, and never was crime so quick
But the steady drip on the pillow slip, of her life's blood made him sick
And the pool of gore on the bedroom floor, was clotted, and cold, and thick
Now he was glad he had done what he had, as she lay there stiff and still
Till suddenly awe of the angry law, filled his soul with an awful chill
So to finish the fun, so well begun, he decided himself to kill
So he took the sheet from his wife's cold feet, and twisted it into a rope
And he hanged himself, from the pantry self, 'twas an easy end, let's hope
With his dying breath and he facing death, he solemnly cursed the pope
But the strangest true of this whole concern is only just beginning
He went to Hell, but his wife got well and she's still alive and sinnin'
For the razor blade was German made, but the rope was Belfast linen original publishers - Blackstaff Press
WILLIE JOHN McFADDEN
Wee Willie John McFadden was a loyal Orange prod,
Who thought that Ian Paisley was just one step down from God.
He thought that they ate the children in the back woods of Ardoyne,
And he thought that history started with the battle of the Boyne.
One day he took a brick in his hand and wandered up the Falls
Mumblin' up the rangers and hummin' Derry's walls
He broke a big shop windy, to annoy the Pope of Rome,
Then he took a record player out and then he staggered home.
That night they held a hooley, in the local Orange hall,
And Willie brought his player, to make music for the ball.
He chose a stack of records, of a very loyal kind,
But when the music started up, he nearly lost his mind.
For this Fenian record player was a rebel to the core,
It played the songs the Orange hall had never heard before
For "Dolly's Brae" and "Derry's walls", it didn't give a fig,
And it speeded up "God save the Queen," till it sounded like a jig.
It played the "Woods of Upton" and "The Wearing of the Green"
Such turmoil in an Orange hall has never yet been seen.
It played "The Boys of Wexford" and "The Men of `98"
But when it played "The Soldier's Song" it sealed Wee Willie's fate.
For the boys went clean demented, to the ground Wee Will was thrown
And they kicked his ribs in one by one, to the tune of "Gary Owen"
They through him out the windy, to a song of old Sinn Fein,
And they kicked him all down Sandy Road to "A Nation Once Again"
This Fenian record player was heard no nevermore.
They prodded it with deacon poles and threw it on the floor.
But still it was not finished, `twas the strangest sight you've seen,
For the flashed flying out of it were Orange, White and Green.
Now Willie's in the looney bin, as crazy as a coot.
He sits there in his padded cell and tootles on his flute
But when he tries to play "The Sash" he always gets it wrong.
Halfway through, he always finds he's playing "The Soldiers Song"
There's a moral to this story. What it is I cannot say.
It may be just the ancient one that crime will never pay.
But if you ask Wee Will McFadden, he'll say "Aw, Crimey Blows!
If you want to pinch a record player, do it up the Shankhill Road.
WILLIE JOHN McMENEMY
(Gordon Menzies)
Now Willie John McMenemy, he lived in the Gallow Gates
He got married at an early age tae a bonny lass named Kate
They never had much money, but they never had much strife
They never had an angry word in all their married life
Now Willie John McMenemy, he said tae his wife, "Now Kate,
Oor little room and kitchen we're goin' tae decorate."
He painted the ceiling, the walls and the doors, he did'na miss the rug
Then he said, "Noo Kate, I won't be late. I'm gonna run doon tae the pub."
Chorus:
They never had much money, but they never had much strife
They never had an angry word in all their married life
You see, Willie John went boozing, while Kate she sat at home
"How can I occupy my time while I'm sitting here alone?"
"Willie, he has nae cleaned the brushes, noo that something I can do."
So she cleaned them in some petrol and she coked it doon the loo
Chorus:
They never had much money, but they never had much strife
They never had an angry word in all their married life
Well, three days later in came Willie as drunk as he can get
Straight in tae the toilet and he lights a cigarette
He was sitting on the clutchie, so happy and content
A final drag—upon his fag—and phhft doon the loo in went
The petrol it ignited underneath poor Willie's rump
And the force of the explosion fairly made poor Willie jump
His backside black and blistered and his troosers roond his feet
He cracked his heid on the cistern lid and quickly went to sleep
Chorus:
They never had much money, but they never had much strife
They never had an angry word in all their married life
Now the ambulance was summoned for poor Willie lyin' there
And the stretcher was made ready for to cart him doon the stair
But the ambulance attendant hearing how he came to harm
He laughed that hard and he dropped him and he broke his bloody arm
Final Chorus:
They never had much money, but they never had much strife
Till Willie John got knackered by his ever lovin' wife
WILLIE'S GAN TAE MELVILLE CASTLE
Chorus:
Willie's gan tae Melville Castle, boots and spurs and a'
Tae bid the ladies a' fareweel, afore he gaed awa'
Oh Willie's young and blithe and bonnie lo'ed by ain and a'
And what will all the lassies do when Willie gaes awa'
Well the first he met was lady Gate, she led him thro' the hall
And wi' a sad and sorry heart she let the tear doon fall
Beside the fire stood lady Grace, siad ne'er a word at all
She thought that she sure was of him before he gaed awa'
Chorus:
Willie's gan tae Melville Castle, boots and spurs and a'
Tae bid the ladies a' fareweel, afore he gaed awa'
Oh Willie's young and blithe and bonnie lo'ed by ain and a'
And what will all the lassies do when Willie gaes awa'
Well ben the hoose came lady Bell, guid sakes ye needna cra'
Maybe the lad will fancy me and disappoint ye a'
Then doon the stair came lady Jean, the flower among them a'
Saying lassies trust in providence, and ye'll get husband's a'
Chorus:
Willie's gan tae Melville Castle, boots and spurs and a'
Tae bid the ladies a' fareweel, afore he gaed awa'
Oh Willie's young and blithe and bonnie lo'ed by ain and a'
And what will all the lassies do when Willie gaes awa'
When on his horse he raid awa' they gaithered at the door
And when he raised his bonnet blue they set up sic a roar
Their sighs and tears brought Willie back, he's kissed them ain and a'
Saying lassies bide till I come home and then I'll wed ye a'
Chorus:
Willie's gan tae Melville Castle, boots and spurs and a'
Tae bid the ladies a' fareweel, afore he gaed awa'
Oh Willie's young and blithe and bonnie lo'ed by ain and a'
And what will all the lassies do when Willie gaes awa'
THE WINDS ARE SINGING FREEDOM
(Tommy Makem)
Chorus:
The winds are singing freedom, they sing it everywhere
They sing it on the mountain side and in the city square
They sing of a new day dawning, when are people shall be free
Come and join our song of freedom, let it ring from sea to sea
In the battered streets of Belfast, you can hear the people cry
For justice long denied them and their crying fills the sky
But the winds of change are singing, bringing hope from dark despair
There's a day of justice coming soon, you feel it in the air
Chorus
Too long our people suffered, in their misery and their tears
And foreign rulers used our land for about eight hundred years
It's a long road has no turning and I know that soon we'll see
There's a day of justice dawning, when our people will be free
Chorus
There's a time laid out for laughing, there's a time laid out to weep
There's a time laid out for sowing, there's a time laid out to reap
There's a time to love your brother, there's a time for hate to cease
If you sow the seeds of justice, you can reap the fruits of peace
Chorus
WRAP THE GREEN ROUND ME, BOYS
Wrap the green flag round me, boys, to die were far more sweet
With Ireland's noble emblem, boys, to be my winding sheet
In life I loved to see it wave and follow where it led
But now my eyes grow dim--my hand would grasp its last bright shred
Chorus:
Wrap the green flag round me, boys, to die were far more sweet
With Ireland's noble emblem, boys, to be my winding sheet
And I had hoped to meet, you, on many a well-fought field
When to our sacred banner, boys, the traitorous foe would yield
But now, alas, I am denied my dearest earthly prayer
You'll follow and you'll meet the foe, but I shall not be there
Chorus
But though my body molders, boys, my spirit shall be free
And every comrade's honor, boys, will yet be dear to me
And in the thick and bloody fight, let not your courage lag
For I'll be there and hovering near, around the dear old flag
Chorus
WRECKED AGAIN
(Ian McCalman)
Chorus:
Oh, no I'm wrecked again
Take me away from the pain and the suffering
Oh, no I'm wrecked again
I'll go to the pub no more, oh
I had one drink, then only one more
I finished with three and then I had four
There's no point in lying, I've had it . . . I'm dying
I really don't care anymore He doesn't care anymore
Chorus
I can't stand up, my head is too sore
I'd like to lie down, but I'd fall off the floor
I'm sweating and cold . . . and I'm ill . . . and I'm old
And I'd go but I can't find the door He can't find the door
Chorus
Did . . . I . . . have a good time
Was the killer the whiskey, the beer or the wine
Did . . . I . . . step out of line, yes . . . I . . . stepped out of line
I must have been out of my mind He must've been out of his mind
Chorus
Good-bye cruel world, ring the last bell
One evening in heaven next morning in hell
I'm spinning round bravely but nothing can save me
Adieu, good-bye, fare thee well Good-bye, fare thee well
Chorus