1. |
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Oh list, oh list, to me sorrowful lay
Attention give to me song I pray
When you've heard it all you'll say
That I'm an unfortunate tailor
I once was as happy as a bird in a tree
And me Sarah was all in the world to me
Now I'm cut out by a son of the sea
And he's left me here to bewail her
(Chorus)
Oh! How could Sarah serve me so?
No more will I stitch, no more will I sew
Me thimble and me needle to the wind I'll throw
And I'll go and 'list for a sailor
Me days were happy and me nights were the same
'Till a man called Cobb from the ocean came
With his long black hair, and his muscular frame;
A captain on board of a whaler
He spent his money both frank and free
With his tales of the land and his songs of the sea
And he stole me Sarah's heart from me
And he blighted the hopes of the tailor
Chorus
Well once I was with her, when in came Cobb
'AVAST!' He cried, 'You blubbering swab,
If you don't knock off, I'll scuttle your knob'
And Sarah smiled at the sailor
So now I'll cross the raging sea
for me Sarah's proved untrue to me
Me heart's locked up, and she's the key
What a very unfeeling jailer
Chorus
So now good friends I'll bid you adieu
No more me woes to trouble you
I'll travel the country through and through
And I'll go and 'list for a sailor
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2. |
Long Lankin
06:01
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Said the lord unto his lady just as he rode away
'Beware of Long Lankin that lives among the hay
Beware the moss, beware the moor,
Beware of Long Lankin
Be sure the doors, they are bolted well
Lest Lankin does creep in
Long Lankin's come to the castle door, and he's knocked loud and long
And ready was the false nurse, she arose and she let him in
'Oh where is your master?' Long Lankin he cried
'Oh is he here at home?'
'Oh no, he has gone to fair England's shore
For to visit of his son'
'How will we get his lady downstairs on such a night so dark?'
'Stick pins and long needles right through the baby's heart'
Long Lankin rocked the cradle so soft
And the false nurse sang
While the tears and the blood from the baby did poor
And from the cradle ran
The lady she's come on down the stairs not thinking any harm
Long Lankin he stood ready for her and he's catched her in his arms
'Oh spare my life' the lady she cried
'Oh spare my life one hour
And you can have me daughter Jane
Me own bloomin' flower
Oh spare my life Long Lankin! Oh spare my life this day
And I shall give to you all of the gold your horse can carry away'
'Oh you can keep your daughter Jane,
And I do not want your gold
But I will catch your own heart's blood
All in a silver bowl'
Daughter Jane was sitting in the tower so high when her father came riding home
'Oh father! Dear father! Won't you come and see what's been done;
Long Lankin's been and he's killed your wife
And he's killed your own dear son
And for these crimes, her father he swore
Long Lankin should be hung
So he's hunted east and he's hunted west, and he's searched all around,
Until Long Lankin and the nurse, together they were found
And side by side they both were hung
All from the gallows tree
Their heads were from their shoulders torn
And cast into the sea
Beware the moss, beware the moor
Beware of Long Lankin
Be sure the doors are bolted well
Lest Lankin does creep in
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3. |
Barrett's Privateers
02:52
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Oh the year was 1778
(How I wish I was in Sherbrook now!)
A letter of marque came from the king
To the scummiest vessel I've ever seen
(Chorus)
God damn them all!
I was told we'd cruise the seas for American gold
We'd fire no guns, shed no tears
Now I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier;
The last of Barrett's privateers
(Chorus)
Oh, Elcid Barrett cried the town,
(How I wish I was in Sherbrook now!)
For twenty brave men all fishermen who
would make for him the Antelope's crew
(Chorus)
On the 96th day we sailed again,
(How I wish I was in Sherbrook now!)
When a bloody great Yankee hove in sight
With our cracked four pounders we made to fight
(Chorus)
The Yankee lay low down with gold,
(How I wish I was in Sherbrook now!)
She was broad and fat and loose in the stays
But to catch her took the Antelope two whole days
(Chorus)
Then at length we stood two cables away,
(How I wish I was in Sherbrook now!)
Our cracked four-pounders made an awful din
But with one fat ball the Yank stove us in
(Chorus)
The Antelope shook and pitched on her side
How I wish I was in Sherbrook now!
Barrett was smashed like a bowl of eggs
And the maintruck carried off both me legs
(Chorus)
So here I lay in my 23rd year,
How I wish I was in Sherbrook now
It's been 6 years since we sailed away
And I just made Halifax yesterday
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4. |
Crazy Man Michael
03:32
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Within the fire and out upon the sea
Crazy man Michael was walking
He's met with a raven with eyes as black as coal
And the pair of them soon were a-talking
'Your future, your future I'll tell to you
Your future you often have asked me;
Your true love will die by your own right hand
And crazy man Michael will cursed be'
Michael he ranted and Michael he raved
And he beat the four winds with his fists-o
He laughed and he cried, he shouted and he swore
For his mad mind had trapped him with a kiss-o
'You speak with an evil, you speak with a hate
You speak for the devil that haunts me
For is she not the fairest in all the broad land?
Your sorcerers words are to taunt me'
He took out his dagger of fire and of steel
And he struck down the raven through the heart-o
The bird fluttered long and the sky it did spin
And the cold earth did wonder and startle
'Oh where is the raven that I struck down dead?
That here should lie on the ground-o
I see but my true love with a wound of deep red
Where her lover's heart it should pound-o'
Crazy man Michael, now he wanders and he calls
And he talks to the night and the day-o
But his eyes they are sane, and his speech it is plain
And he longs for to be far away-o
Michael he whistles the simplest of tunes
And he asks the wild woods for their pardon
For his true love is sewn into every flower grown
And he must be keeper of the garden
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5. |
On Board A '98
04:20
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When I was young and scarce eighteen
I drove a roaring trade
And many's the sly trick I have played
On many a pretty maid
Me parents saw this would not do
I soon would use their store
So they declared that i should float
On board a man of war
A bold press gang surrounded me
Their warrant did they show
They said that I should go to see
And face the daring foe
So off they lugged me to the boat
'Twas then I cursed my fate
For then I learnt that i should float
On board a '98
And when I put my foot on board
How did I stand and stare
Our admiral he gave the word
'There is no time to spare!'
So we weighed our anchor, shook our sail
Then off they bore me straight
To face the French in storm and gale
On board a '98
And as times fled I bolder grew
I hardened was to war
I'd run aloft with my ship's crew
And valued not a score
And right well did my duty do
'Till I got bosun's mate
And bless me soon got bosun too
On board a '98
The years rolled by and at Trafalgar
Nelson fought and fell
And when they capsized that hardy tar
I took a rap as well
To Greenwich college I came back
Because I saved my pate
They've only knocked a wing off Jack
On board a '98
So now as I me cocoa take
Me pouch with baccy stored
In my blue coat and my three cocked hat
I'm happy as a lord
For I've done me duty, served my king
And now I bless my fate
But bless me, I'm too old to sing
I'm nearly 98
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6. |
Rambling Comber
03:20
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7. |
Mandalay
05:36
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8. |
The Bloody Gardener
03:39
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Oh it's of a maiden fair, and a shepherd's daughter dear
She was courted by her own dear heart's delight
But his mother laid a snare, and false letters did prepare
Saying 'Meet me in the garden, dear, this night'
So the young girl she arose, and into the garden goes
Expecting for to meet her heart's delight
Well she searched the garden round, but no true love could be found
'Till at last the gardener came all into sight
Says he 'My pretty maid! And what brings you here this way?
Have you come to rob me of my flowers bright?'
Well she cries 'No thief I am, but in search of my young man
For he promised that he'd meet me here this night'
Well the gardener took his knife, and he's took the maiden's life
And he's laid her body bleeding on the ground
Then with flowers fine and gay, this girl he did overlay
In a way her body never should be found
Then her true love arose, and into the garden goes
And a dove came fluttering over where she lay
And with milk white wings, so sweet, flew around the young man's feet
Then lifted up her head and flew away
Oh the dove she flew away, and into the myrtle tree
And the young man followed after full of pain
And it's from the tree so tall, down upon her grave did fall
Fresh blood from off her breast like crimson rain
Well the man in anger rose, and back to his home he goes
Crying 'Cursed be my mother here this day
You have robbed me of my joy, my jewel and my toy
And I rue the life you ever gave to me
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9. |
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10. |
Back To The Army Again
04:25
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11. |
The Bows Of London
04:34
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There were two sisters walking along
Hey, the gay, the grinding
Two little sisters walking along
By the bonny bonny bows of London
The eldest pushed her sister in
Hey, the gay, the grinding
Pushed her sister into the stream
By the bonny bonny bows of London
She pushed her in and she watched her drown
Hey, the gay, the grinding
Watched her body floating down
By the bonny bonny bows of London
She floated up and she floated down
Hey, the gay, the grinding
Floats till she's come to the miller's dam
By the bonny bonny bows of London
Out there come the miller's son
Hey, the gay, the grinding
Father dear here swims a swan!
By the bonny bonny bows of London
They laid her out on the bank to die
Hey, the gay, the grinding
A fool with a fiddle came riding by
By the bonny bonny bows of London
He's took some strands of her long yellow hair
Hey, the gay, the grinding
He made fiddle strings out of this yellow hair
By the bonny bonny bows of London
And he made fiddle pegs from her long finger bones
Hey, the gay, the grinding
Made fiddle pegs from her long finger bones
By the bonny bonny bows of London
And he made a fiddle out of her breastbone
Hey, the gay, the grinding
The sound could pierce a heart of stone
By the bonny bonny bows of London
But the only tune that the fiddle would play
Was all the bows of London
The only tune that the fiddle could play
Was the bonny bonny bows of London
So the fool's gone away to the king's high hall
Hey, the gay, the grinding
There was music, dancing, and all
By the bonny bonny bows of London
He's laid the fiddle all down on a stone
Hey, the gay, the grinding
It played so loud, it played all on it's own
By the bonny bonny bows of London
It sang yonder sits my father the king
Hey, the gay, the grinding
Yonder sites my father the king
By the bonny bonny bows of London
It sang yonder sits my mother the queen
Hey, the gay, the grinding
How she'll weep at my burying
By the bonny bonny bows of London
It sang yonder sits my sister Anne
Hey, the gay, the grinding
She that drownded me in the stream
By the bonny bonny bows of London
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Eddy O'Dwyer Lincolnshire, UK
Lincoln based singer of traditional songs, strummer (and occasionally fingerpicker) of accoustic guitar, and squeezer of concertina, Eddy O'Dwyer is pleased to present this 'debut' album of (mostly) traditional songs.
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