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Donald, Where's Your Troosers?
I just got in from the Isle of Skye,
I'm not very big and I'm awfully shy,
The lassies shout as I go by,
Donald, where's your troosers?
CHORUS:
Let the wind blow high, let the wind blow low,
Down the street in my kilt I go,
All the ladies shout hello,
Donald, where's your troosers?
A lady took me to a ball,
And it was slippery in the hall,
I was afraid that I might fall
Because I wasn't wearing troosers.
CHORUS
To wear the kilt is my delight,
It's never wrong, it's always right.
The Highlanders would get a fright
If they saw me wearing troosers.
CHORUS
They'd like to wed me everyone,
Just let them catch me if they can,
You canna put the brakes on a Highland man
Who doesn't like wearing troosers.
CHORUS
Well I caught a cold and me nose was raw,
I had no handkerchief at all,
So I hiked up my kilt and I gave it a blaw,
Now you can't do that with troosers.
CHORUS
CHORUS
Traditional.
Excursion Round the Bay
Well it was on a Monday morning, and the day be calm and fine,
A Harbor Grace excursion with the boys who had the time.
And just before the sailor took the gangway from the pier,
I saw some fellow haul me wife aboard as a volunteer.
CHORUS:
Oh me, oh my, I heard me old wife cry,
Oh me, oh my, I think I'm gonna die!
Oh me, oh my, I heard me old wife say,
"I wish I'd never taken this excursion around the bay!" HEY!
We had full three hundred souls aboard, oh what a splendid sight!
Left strong and regimental to make our spirits bright,
And meself being in the double, all the funny things they'd say,
They choked themselves from laughing when they'd see us in the bay.
CHORUS
Me wife she came up queasy, she turned a sickly green,
I fed her cake and candy, fat pork and kerosene,
Castor oil and sugar of brandy, I rubbed pure oil on her face,
And I said she'll be a dandy when we reaches Harbor Grace!
CHORUS
My wife she got no better, my wife me darling dear,
The screeches from her truly they could hear in Carbonear!
I tried every place in Harbor Grace, tried every store and shop,
To get her something for a cure or take her to the hop.
CHORUS
She died below the Brandies as we was comin' back,
We buried her in the ocean, wrapped up in a Union Jack.
So now I am a single man, in search of a pretty face
And the woman that says she'll have me, we're off for Harbor Grace!
CHORUS
CHORUS
The Ferryman
Oh, the little boats are gone from the breast of Anna Liffy
The ferryman is stranded on the quay (key)
Sure the Dublin docks are dying and a way of life is gone
And Molly it was part of you and me.
CHORUS:
Where the strawberry beds sweep down to the Liffy,
You'll kiss away the worry from my brow.
Well, I loved you well today and I'll love you more tomorrow,
If you ever loved me Molly love me now.
T'was the only job I knew, it was hard but never lonely
The Liffy ferry made a man of me
Now it's gone without a whisper, all forgotten even now
And it's over Molly, over can't you see?
And now my work is over and I'll spend my days a-rovin',
I'll here them whisper 'Charlie's on the dole.'
But Molly we're still living and by God we're still young,
And the river never owned me heart and soul.
CHORUS
CHORUS (repeat last line X3)
Traditional.
Haul Away Joe
When I was a little lad, so my mother told me,
Way, haul away, we'll haul away, Joe!
That if I did not kiss the girls, me lips would all grow moldy,
Way, haul away, we'll haul away, Joe!
King Louie was the king of France, before the revolution,
Way, haul away, we'll haul away, Joe!
But then he got his head cut off, which spoiled his constitution,
Way, haul away, we'll haul away, Joe!
CHORUS:
Way, haul away, we'll haul for better weather (tell me),
Way, haul away, we'll haul away, Joe!
Way, haul away, we'll haul away together (tell me),
Way, haul away, we'll haul away, Joe!
Saint Patrick was a gentleman, he came from decent people,
Way, haul away, we'll haul away, Joe!
He built a church in Dublin Town and on it put a steeple,
Way, haul away, we'll haul away, Joe!
From Erin's land he drove the snakes, then drank up all the whiskey,
Way, haul away, we'll haul away, Joe!
This made him dance and sing and jig, he felt so fine and frisky,
Way, haul away, we'll haul away, Joe!
CHORUS
The cook is in the galley boys, making duff so handy,
Way, haul away, we'll haul away, Joe!
The captain's in his cabin, lads, drinking wine and brandy,
Way, haul away, we'll haul away, Joe!
Once I had a Scottish girl, but she was fat and lazy,
Way, haul away, we'll haul away, Joe!
Now I've got an Irish girl, and she damn near drives me crazy,
Way, haul away, we'll haul away, Joe!
CHORUS
CHORUS
Traditional.
The Hills of Connemara
CHORUS:
Gather up the pots and the old tin can,
The mash, the corn, the barley and the bran,
Run like the devil from the excise man --
Keep the smoke from rising, Barney!
Keep your eyes well peeled today,
The excise men are on their way,
Searching for the mountain tay
In the hills of Connemara.
CHORUS
A gallon for the butcher and a quart for Tom
And a bottle for the poor old Father John
To help the poor old dear along
In the hills of Connemara.
CHORUS
Swing to the left, swing to the right,
The excise man can dance all night.
He's drinkin' up the tay 'til the broad daylight
In the hills of Connemara.
CHORUS
Stand your ground, and don't you wait --
The excise men are at the gate....
Glory be to Jesus, they're drinkin' it straight
In the hills of Connemara.
CHORUS
CHORUS
Traditional.
Irish Rover
In the year of our Lord, eighteen hundred and six
We set sail from the fair cove of Cork.
We were bound far away with a cargo of bricks
For the grand city hall in New York.
Twas an elegant craft, she was rigged fore-and-aft,
And oh, how the trade winds drove her.
She had twenty-three masts and she stood several blasts,
And we called her the Irish Rover.
There was Barney McGee from the banks of the Lee,
There was Hogan from County Tyrone,
There was Johnny McGurk who was scared stiff of work
And a chap from West Meath called Malone.
There was Slugger O'Toole who was drunk as a rule
And fighting Bill Casey from Dover.
And your man Mick MacCann from the banks of the Bann
Was the skipper of the Irish Rover.
We had one million bales of old nanny goats' tails,
We had two million barrels of stones,
We had three million sides of old blind horses hides,
We had four million barrels of bones.
We had five million hogs, six million dogs,
Seven million barrels of porter,
We had eight million bags of the best Sligo rags
In the hold of the Irish Rover.
We had sailed seven years when the measles broke out
And the ship lost her way in a fog,
And the whole of the crew was reduced down to two,
'Twas meself and the captain's old dog.
Then the ship struck a rock, oh what a shock!
And the bulkhead was turned right over,
She spun nine times around, and the poor dog was drowned...
I'm the last of the Irish Rover!
Traditional.
Lily the Pink
Now here's a story, a little bit gory,
A little bit happy, a little bit sad,
Of Lily the Pink and her medicinal compound
And how it slowly drove her to the bad.
Old Ebenezer thought he was Julius Caesar,
So they put him in a home.
There they gave him medicinal compound --
Now he's Emperor of Rome.
CHORUS:
Well, drink a drink a drink
To Lily the pink the pink the pink,
The savior of the human race!
She invented medicinal compound,
Most efficacious in every case.
Freddie Klinger, the opera singer,
Could break glasses with his voice they said.
He rubbed his tonsils with medicinal compound --
Now they break glasses over his head.
CHORUS
Mr. Freers, he had sticky out ears
And it made him awful shy.
So they gave him medicinal compound,
Now he's learning how to fly.
CHORUS
Meet Johnny Hammer who had a t-t-terrible s-stammer
He could hardly s-say a word
So they gave him m-m-medicinal c-compound
Now he's seen, but seldom heard.
CHORUS
Marie Macmillan, she had no children,
Though she loved them awfully dear.
So they gave her medicinal compound,
Now she has them ... twice a year!
CHORUS
Uncle Paul, he was very small.
He was the shortest man in town.
He rubbed his body with medicinal compound,
Now he's six feet, but under the ground.
CHORUS
Lily died and she went up to Heaven,
All the church bells, they did ring.
She took with her medicinal compound --
Hark the herald angels sing!
CHORUS
CHORUS
Traditional.
Red-Haired Mary
As I was going to the fair in Dingle one fine morning last July,
A fine young man come up behind me, "Red-haired Mary," he did cry.
"Will you come with me, my red-haired Mary, the donkey, he can carry two."
I looked at him, me eyes did twinkle, me cheeks they were a rosy hue.
"Thank you kindly, sir," I answered, then I tossed me light red hair,
Says I, "Will you hold the donkey and I'll ride with you to the Dingle fair."
Oh, when we reached the town of Dingle, he caught me hand to say good-bye,
A tinker came up behind him, hit him right in his left eye.
Saying, "Take your hands off red-haired Mary, she and I are to be wed,
We were with the priest this very morn, tonight we'll lie in our marriage bed."
Well, he was feeling very peevish, his poor eye was sad and sore,
He kicked the tinker with his hobnails, knocked him through Tom Murphy's door.
He galloped off to meet his father, the tallest man you e'er did see,
He tapped him gently with his knuckles and now he's missing two front teeth.
Oh wasn't I the happy cailin, "Man, with you I'll go," I said.
"Never mind the priest this very morn, tonight we'll sleep in Murphy's shed."
"Take your hands off red-haired Mary, she and I are to be wed
We were with the priest this very morn, tonight we'll lie in our marriage bed."
Around the corner came a peeler, told me that I broke the law
The donkey kicked him on the kneecap, he fell down and broke his jaw
Oh, through the fair we roamed together, his black eye and my red hair,
Gazing gaily at the tinker, weren't we the happy pair?
"Take your hands off red-haired Mary, she and I are to be wed,
We were with the priest this very morn, tonight we'll lie in our marriage bed."
"Will you take your hands off red-haired Mary, she and I are to be wed,
We were with the priest this very morn, tonight we'll lie in our marriage bed."
Traditional.
Rocky Road to Dublin
In the merry month of June from me home I started
Left the girls of Tuam nearly broken hearted,
Saluted Father dear, kissed me darling mother,
Drank a pint of beer, me grief and tears to smother,
Then off to reap the corn, leave where I was born,
Cut a stout blackthorn to banish ghosts and goblins,
A brand new pair of brogues for rattlin' o'er the bogs,
Frightenin' all the dogs on the rocky road to Dublin.
CHORUS:
One two three four five
Hunt the hare and turn her down the rocky road
And all the way to Dublin, Whack fol lol le rah!
In Mullingar that night I rested limbs so weary,
Started by daylight me spirits bright and airy,
Took a drop of the pure to keep me heart from sinking,
That's the Paddy's cure whenever he's a-drinking,
To see the lassies smile, laughing all the while
At me curious style, 'twould set your heart a bubblin'
An' asked if I was hired, wages I required
'Till I was nearly tired of the rocky road to Dublin.
CHORUS
In Dublin next arrived, I thought it such a pity
To be soon deprived a view of that fine city,
Well then I took a stroll, all among the quality,
Me bundle it was stole, all in a neat locality,
Something crossed me mind, when I looked behind,
No bundle could I find upon me stick a wobblin',
Enquiring for the rogue, said me Connaught brogue
Wasn't much in vogue on the rocky road to Dublin.
CHORUS
From there I got away, me spirits never failing,
Landed on the quay, just as the ship was sailing,
The captain at me roared, said that no room had he
When I jumped aboard, a cabin found for Paddy,
Down among the pigs, played some hearty rigs,
Danced some hearty jigs, the water round me bubblin',
When off Holyhead wished meself was dead
Or better far instead on the rocky road to Dublin.
CHORUS
The boys of Liverpool, when we safely landed,
Called meself a fool, I could no longer stand it.
Blood began to boil, temper I was losing,
Poor old Erin's isle they began abusing.
"Hurrah me soul!" says I, me shillelagh I let fly,
Some Galway boys were nigh and saw I was a hobblin',
With a loud "Hurray!" joined in the affray,
We quickly cleared the way for the rocky road to Dublin.
CHORUS
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