Followers

Monday 14 August 2023

Rogues Gallery Album 2

Weller Man 

There once was a ship that put to sea the name of the ship was the Billy of Tea
The winds blew up, her bow dipped down O blow, my bully boys, blow
Soon may the Weller Man come to bring us sugar and tea and rum
One day, when the tonguing is done we’ll take our leave and go

She had not been two weeks from shore when down on her a right whale bore
The captain called all hands and swore He’d take that whale in tow
Soon may the Weller Man come to bring us sugar and tea and rum
One day, when the tonguing is done we’ll take our leave and go

Before the boat had hit the water the whale’s tail came up and caught her
All hands to the side, harpooned and fought her when she dived down below
Soon may the Weller Man come to bring us sugar and tea and rum
One day, when the tonguing is done we’ll take our leave and go

No line was cut, no whale was freed The Captain’s mind was not of greed
But he belonged to the whale man's creed She took the ship in tow
Soon may the Weller Man come to bring us sugar and tea and rum
One day, when the tonguing is done we’ll take our leave and go

For forty days, or even more The line went slack, then tight once more
All boats were lost, there were only four but still that whale did go
Soon may the Weller Man come to bring us sugar and tea and rum
One day, when the tonguing is done we’ll take our leave and go

As far as I’ve heard, the fight is still on the line’s not cut and the whale’s not gone
The Weller Man makes his regular call to encourage the Captain, crew, and all
Soon may the Weller Man come to bring us sugar and tea and rum
One day, when the tonguing is done we’ll take our leave and go

She Moved Through The Fair

My young love said to me my mother won't mind
And my father won't slight you for your lack of kind
And she laid her hand on me and this she did say
It will not be long, love till our wedding day

And she went away from me and moved through the fair
And fondly I watched her move here and move there
And then she went onward just one star awake
Like the swan in the evening moves over the lake

The people were saying no two were e'er wed,
But one has a sorrow that never was said,
And I smiled as she passed with her goods and her gear,
And that was the last that I saw of my dear. 

Last night she came to me my dead love came in
So softly she came that her feet made no din
And she laid her hand on me and this she did say
It will not be long, love till our wedding day

A Sailor's Life

A sailor's life, it is a merry life He robs young girls of their heart's delight
Leaving them behind to weep and mourn They never know when they will return

"Well, there's four and twenty all in a row My true love he makes the finest show
He's proper, tall, genteel withal And if I don't have him, I'll have none at all"
"Oh, father build for me a bonny boat that on the wide ocean I may float
And every Queen's ship that we pass by there I'll inquire for my sailor boy"

They had not sailed long upon the deep When a Queen's ship they chanced to meet
"You sailors all, pray tell me true Does my sweet William sail among your crew?""
Oh no, fair maiden, he is not here for he's been drowned, we greatly fear
On yon green island, as we passed it by there we lost sight of your sailing boy"

Well, she rung her hands and she tore her hair She was like a young girl in great despair
And her little boat against a rock did run "How can I live now? My sweet William is gone"

Matty Groves

A holiday, a holiday, and the first one of the year
Lord Darnell's wife came into church, the gospel for to hear
And when the meeting it was done, she cast her eyes about
And there she saw little Matty Groves, walking in the crowd
"Come home with me, little Matty Groves, come home with me tonight
Come home with me, little Matty Groves, and sleep with me till light"

"Oh, I can't come home, I won't come home and sleep with you tonight
By the rings on your fingers I can tell you are Lord Darnell's wife"
"What if I am Lord Darnell's wife? Lord Darnell's not at home
For he is out in the far cornfields bringing the yearlings home"
And a servant who was standing by and hearing what was said
He swore Lord Darnell he would know before the sun would set

And in his hurry to carry the news he bent his breast and ran
And when he came to the broad mill stream he took of his shoes and he swam
Little Matty Groves, he lay down and took a little sleep
When he awoke, Lord Darnell was standing at his feet
Saying "How do you like my feather bed? And how do you like my sheets?
How do you like my lady who lies in your arms asleep?"
"Oh, well I like your feather bed, and well I like your sheets
But better I like your lady gay who lies in my arms asleep"

"Well, Get up, get up", Lord Darnell cried "Get up as quick as you can
It'll never be said in fair England that I slew a naked man"
"Oh, I can't get up, I won't get up, I can't get up for my life
For you have two long beaten swords and I not a pocket-knife"
"Well it's true I have two beaten swords, and they cost me deep in the purse
But you will have the better of them and I will have the worse"

"And you will strike the very first blow, and strike it like a man
I will strike the very next blow and I'll kill you if I can
So Matty struck the very first blow and he hurt Lord Darnell sore
Lord Darnell struck the very next blow and Matty struck no more
And then Lord Darnell he took his wife and he sat her on his knee
Saying, "Who do you like the best of us, Matty Groves or me?"
And then up spoke his own dear wife, never heard to speak so free
"I'd rather kiss from dead Matty's lips, than you with your finery
Lord Darnell he jumped up and loudly he did bawl
He struck his wife right through the heart and pinned her against the wall
"A grave, a grave!" Lord Darnell cried, "to put these lovers in
But bury my lady at the top for she was of noble kin"

Down Among The Dead Men

Here's a health to the King and a lasting peace to faction an end, to wealth increase.
Come, let us drink it while we have breath for there's no drinking after death.
And he that will this health deny, down among the dead men, 
Down among the dead men,down among the dead men let him lie!

Let charming beauty's health go round with whom celestial joys are found.
And may confusion yet pursue that selfish woman-hating crew.
And he who'd woman's health deny down among the dead men!
Down among the dead men,down among the dead men let him lie!

In smiling Bacchus' joys I'll roll, deny no pleasure to my soul.
Let Bacchus' health round briskly move for Bacchus is a friend to Love;
And they that would this health deny down among the dead men
Down among the dead men,down among the dead men let him lie!

May love and wine their rights maintain and their united pleasures reign.
While Bacchus' treasure crowns the board we'll sing the joy that both afford.
And they that won't with us comply down among the dead men
Down among the dead men,down among the dead men let him lie!

Rose Of England

Grown in one land alone where proud winds have blown
There’s not a flower born of the shower braver than England’s own
Though gales of winter blow piercing hail and snow shining she stays bright as in days of yore
Old England’s pride still blossoms fresh on England's shore

Rose of England thou shall fade not here proud and bright from growing year to year
Red shall thy petals be as rich wine untold shared by thy warriors who served thee of old
Rose of England breathing England’s air flower of chivalry beyond compare
While hand and heart endure to cherish thy prime thou shall blossom to the end of time
Rose of England breathing England’s air flower of liberty beyond compare
While hand and heart endure to cherish thy prime thou shall blossom to the end of time

Roast Beef Of England 

When mighty Roast Beef was the Englishman's food,
It ennobled our veins and enriched our blood.
Our soldiers were brave and our courtiers were good
The Roast Beef of old England and old English Roast Beef!

But since we have learnt from all-pervading France
To eat their ragouts as well as to dance,
We're fed up with nothing but vain complaisance
The Roast Beef of old England and old English Roast Beef!

Our fathers of old were robust, stout, and strong,
And kept open house, with good cheer all day long,
Which made their plump tenants rejoice in this song—
The Roast Beef of old England and old English Roast Beef!

But now we are dwindled to, what shall I name?
A sneaking poor race, half-begotten and tame,
Who sully the honours that once shone in fame.
The Roast Beef of old England and old English Roast Beef!

When good Queen Elizabeth sat on the throne,
Ere coffee, or tea, or such slip-slops were known,
The world was in terror if e'er she did frown.
The Roast Beef of old England and old English Roast Beef!

In those days, if Fleets did presume on the Main,
They seldom, or never, returned back again,
As witness, the Vaunting Armada of Spain.
The Roast Beef of old England and old English Roast Beef!

Oh then we had stomachs to eat and to fight
And when wrongs were cooking to do ourselves right.
But now we're a… I could, but goodnight!
The Roast Beef of old England and old English Roast Beef!

Innsbruck I Must Leave You

Innsbruck, I must leave you; I will go my way to foreign lands
My joy has been taken away from me that I cannot achieve while being abroad.

I must now bear great sorrow that I can only share with my dearest.
Love, hold poor me and in your heart compassion that I must part from you.
My consolation: above all other women, I will forever be yours, always faithful, in true honour.
And now, may God protect you, keep you in perfect virtue, until I shall return. 

From Bruges To London

As the journey begins, the clouds thicken broken hearted and grief stricken
Saying goodbye to the friends you've made recovering from the pints you've slayed
Bag on your back your all done and packed driving through the grass meadows of France
Desperate to have that last glance boarding the train to go back home destined for you personal dome 
All is done the trip is over as you reach the white cliffs of Dover the weather is miserable and so dismal
But as you scroll through your pictures, your mood is changed to something more cheerful. 

She Moved Through the Fair

I once had a sweet-heart, I loved her so well
I loved her far better than my tongue could tell
Her parents they slight me for my want of gear
So adieu to you Molly, since you are not here
I dreamed last night that my true love came in
So softly she came that her feet made no din
She stepped up to me and this she did say
It will not be long, love, till our wedding day 

My young love said to me, my mother won't mind
And my father won't slight you for your lack of kine
And she went away from me and this she did say:
It will not be long now till our wedding day.
She went away from me and she moved through the fair
Where hand-slapping dealers' loud shouts rent the air
The sunlight around her did sparkle and play
Saying it will not be long now till our wedding day.

When dew falls on meadow and moths fill the night
When glow of the Greenhalgh on hearth throws half-light
I'll slip from the casement and we'll run away
And it will not be long love till our wedding day
According to promise at midnight he rose
But all that he found was the downloaded clothes
The sheets they lay empty ''twas plain for to see
And out of the window with another went she.

Dearg Doom

My love is colder than black marble by the sea my heart is older than the cold oak tree.
I am the flash of silver in the sun. when you see me coming you had better run, run, run
From Dearg Doom. From Dearg Doom. From Dearg Doom. From Dearg Doom.

You speak in whispers of the devils I have slain by the fire of my silver Devil's Blade,
And still you dare to flaunt yourself at me I don't want you, I don't need you,I don't love you, can't you see
I'm Dearg Doom. I'm Dearg Doom. I'm Dearg Doom. I'm Dearg Doom.

And when the stars go out you can hear me shout two heads are better than none, one hundred heads are so much better than one
And when the stars go out you can hear me shout two heads are better than none, one hundred heads are so much better than one
I'm a boy who was born blind to pain and, like a hawk, I'll swoop and swoop again.
I am the flash of Hawkeye in the sun. when you see me coming you had better run, run, run
From Dearg Doom. From Dearg Doom. From Dearg Doom. From Dearg Doom.

The Irish Rover

On the fourth of July eighteen hundred and six we set sail from the sweet cove of Cork
We were sailing away with a cargo of bricks for the grand city hall in New York
It was a wonderful craft, she was rigged fore-and-aft and how the wild winds drove her
She'd got several blasts, she'd twenty-seven masts and we called her the Irish Rover
We had one million bags of the best Sligo rags 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, we had six million dogs seven million barrels of porter
We had eight million bails of old nanny goats' tails in the hold of the Irish Rover

There was awl Mickey Coote who played hard on his flute when the ladies lined up for his set
He was tooting with skill for each sparkling quadrille though the dancers were fluttered and bet
With his sparse witty talk he was cock of the walk as he rolled the dames under and over
They all knew at a glance when he took up his stance and he sailed in 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 man from Westmeath called Malone
There was Slugger O'Toole who was drunk as a rule and fighting Bill Tracey from Dover
And your man Mick McCann from the banks of the Bann was the skipper of the Irish Rover

For a sailor it's always a bother in life it's so lonesome by night and by day
Until he launch for the shore and this charming young whore who will melt all his troubles away
All the noise and the rout swollen poitín and stout for him soon the torment is over
Of the love of a maid he's never afraid and old sot from the Irish Rover
We had sailed seven years when the measles broke out and the ship lost it's way in the fog
And that whale of the crew was reduced down to two just myself and the captain's old dog
Then the ship struck a rock Lord what a shock the bulkhead was turned right over
Turned nine times around, and the poor dog was drowned I'm the last of the Irish Rover

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