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Sweet Thames Flow Softly
I met my girl at Woolwich Pier beneath the big crane standing
And all the love I felt for her it passed all understanding
Took her sailing on the river, flow sweet river flow
London town was mine to give her, sweet Thames flow softly
Made the Thames into a crown, flow sweet river flow
Made a brooch of Silver town, sweet Thames flow softly
At London Yard I held her hand, at Blackwell Point I faced her
At the Isle of Dogs I kissed her mouth and tenderly embraced her
Heard the bells of Greenwich ringing, flow sweet river flow
All the time my heart was singing, sweet Thames flow softly
Limehouse Reach I gave her there, flow sweet river flow
As a ribbon for her hair, sweet Thames flow softly
From Putney Bridge to Nine Elms Reach we cheek to cheek were dancing
A necklace made of London Bridge her beauty was enhancing
Kissed her once again at Wapping, flow sweet river flow
After that there was no stopping, sweet Thames flow softly
Gave her Hampton Court to twist, flow sweet river flow
Into a bracelet for her wrist, sweet Thames flow softly
But now, alas, the tide has changed, my love she has gone from me
And winter’s frost has touched my heart and put a blight upon me
Creeping fog is on the river, flow sweet river flow
Sun and moon and stars gone with her, sweet Thames flow softly
Swift the Thames runs to the sea, flow sweet river flow
Bearing ships and part of me, sweet Thames flow softly
Belfast Child
When my love said to me
Meet me down by the gallow tree
For it’s sad news I bring
About this old town and all that it’s offering
Some say troubles abound
Some day soon they’re gonna pull the old town down
One day we’ll return here,
When the belfast child sings again
Brothers sisters where are you now
As I look for you right through the crowd
All my life here I’ve spent
With my faith in God the church and the government
But there’s sadness abound
Some day soon they’re gonna pull the old town down
One day we’ll return here,
When the belfast child sings again
When the belfast child sings again
Some come back billy, won’t you come on home
Come back mary, you’ve been away so long
The streets are empty, and your mother’s gone
The girls are crying, it’s been oh so long
And your father’s calling, come on home
Won’t you come on home, won’t you come on home
Come back people, you’ve been gone a while
And the war is raging, in the emerald isle
That’s flesh and blood man, that’s flesh and blood
All the girls are crying but all’s not lost
The streets are empty, the streets are cold
Won’t you come on home, won’t you come on home
The streets are empty
Life goes on
One day we’ll return here
When the belfast child sings again
When the belfast child sings again
Danny Boy
Oh, Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling
From glen to glen, and down the mountain side.
The summer’s gone, and all the roses falling,
It’s you, it’s you must go and I must bide.
But come ye back when summer’s in the meadow,
Or when the valley’s hushed and white with snow,
It’s I’ll be here in sunshine or in shadow,
Oh, Danny boy, oh Danny boy, I love you so!
But when ye come, and all the flowers are dying,
If I am dead, as dead I well may be,
You’ll come and find the place where I am lying,
And kneel and say an Ave there for me.
And I shall hear, though soft you tread above me,
And all my grave will warmer, sweeter be,
For you will bend and tell me that you love me,
And I shall sleep in peace until you come to me!
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
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
I 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
Dirty old town
Dirty old town
Leaving Nancy
In comes the train,and the whole platform shakes
It stops with a shudder,and a screaming of brakes
My leaving has come and my weary soul aches
I’m leaving my nancy o
You stand there beside me determinedly gay
We talk of the weather and events of the day
But your eyes tell me all that your lips would’nt say
Goodbye my nancy o
So come a little closer
Put your head upon my shoulder
And let me hold you one more time
Goodbye my nancy o
My suitcase is lifted and stoad on the train
A thousand regrets whirl around in my Brain
The ache in my heart is a black sea of pain
I’m leaving my nancy o
You stand there before me so lovely to see
The grip of your hand is an unspoken plea
You’re not fooling yourself, and your’re not fooling me
Goodbye my nancy o
So come a little closer …
Our time has run out and the whistle has blown
And here i must leave you standing alone
We had so little time and now the times gone
I’m leaving my nancy o
And as the train starts gently to roll
And as i lean out for to wave and to call
I see the first tears trickling forth
Goodbye my nancy o
Loch Lomond
By yon bonnie banks
And by yon bonnie braes
Where the sun shines bright on Loch Lomond
Where me and my true love
Were ever want to gae
On the bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond
Oh! ye’ll take the high road and
I’ll take the low road
And I’ll be in Scotland afore ye;
But me and my true love
Will never meet again
On the bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond
‚Twas then that we parted
In yon shady glen
On the steep, steep side of Ben Lomond
Where in purple hue
The Highland hills we view
And the moon coming out in the gloaming
Oh! ye’ll take the high road and
I’ll take the low road
And I’ll be in Scotland afore ye;
But me and my true love
Will never meet again
On the bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond
Wild Rover
I’ve been a wild rover for many a year
And I’ve spent all my money on whiskey and beer
And now I’m returning with gold in great store
And I never will play the wild rover no more
And it’s no, nay, never
No, nay, never, no more
And I’ll play the wild rover
No never, no more
I went to an alehouse I used to frequent
And I told the landlady my money was spent
I asked her for credit, she answered me, „Nay“
Saying, „Custom like yours, I can have any day“
And it’s no, nay, never …
I took from my pocket ten sovereigns bright
And the landlady’s eyes opened wide with delight
She said, „I have whiskeys and wines of the best
And the words that I told you were only in jest“
And it’s no, nay, never …
I’ll go home to my parents, confess what I’ve done
And I’ll ask them to pardon their prodigal son
And when they have kissed me as oft-times before
I never will play the wild rover no more
And it’s no, nay, never …
Ride On
True you ride the finest horse I’ve ever seen
Standing 16 1″ or 2″ with eyes wild and green
And you ride the horse so well, hands light to the touch
I could never go with you no matter how I wanted to
Ride on, see you, I could never go with you
No matter how I wanted to
When you ride into the night without a trace behind
Run your claw along my gut one last time
I turn to face an empty space where once you used to lie
And look for a smile to light the night through a teardrop in my eye
Ride on, see you, I could never go with you
No matter how I wanted to
Black Is The Color
Black is the color
of my true love’s hair
her lips are like
some roses fair
she’s the sweetest smile
and the gentlest hands
and I love the ground
where on she stands
I love my love
and well she knows
I love the ground
where on she goes
if she on earth no more I’ll see
My life will quickly fade away
I’ll go to the Clyde
and I’ll mourne and weep
for satisfied
I’ll never be
I’ll write her a letter
just a few short lines
and suffer death a 1000 times
Winter’s past and the leaves are green
the time has passed that we have seen
but still I hope the time will come
when she and I will be as one
(Not the same version as Christy Moore sings)
The Christy Moore Version
Black is the Colour
Black is the color
of my true love’s hair
her lips are like
some roses fair
she’s the sweetest smile
and the gentlest hands
and I love the ground
where on she stands
I love my love
and well she knows
I love the ground
where on she goes
I wish the day
It soon would come
When she and I
Could be as one
I go to the Clyde
And I mourne and weep
For satisfied I ne’er can be
I write her a letter
just a few short lines
and suffer death
a thousand times
If Wishes Were Fishes
I wish I was home again at home in my heart again
It’s been a long time since my heart talked to me
Wastin‘ my precious days wishin‘ my life away
If wishes were fishes we’d all cast nets in the sea
And if wishes were wishes I know where I’d be
Casting my net in the dark rolling sea
And if my net’s empty when it comes back to shore
I’ll throw it away and go fishing no more.
And if wishes were wishes …
And I wish I was young again my song still to be sung again
The sweet tunes of my life have gone sour and off key
Writin‘ my tired old rhymes tryin to turn back time
If wishes were fishes we’d all cast nets in the sea
And if wishes were wishes …
I wish I could care again reach out and share again
Mend whats been broken and let it run free
The older I get it seems the more wishin‘ takes the place of dreams
If wishes were fishes we’d all cast nets in the sea