Category: Lyrics

He stands at the corner of old Bevington Bush
Astride of an old packing case
And the dolls at the end of the board were dancing
As he crooned with a smile on his face:

Chorus
Come day, go day
Wish in me heart it was Sunday
Drinking buttermilk all the week,
And a whisky on a Sunday”

His tired old hands worked the wooden spoon
As the puppets they danced up and down
A far better show than you never will see
In the fanciest theatre in town

In 1902 old Seth Davie died
His voice it was heard no more
The three dancing dolls in the dustbin were thrown
And the board went to mend a back door

If your ever down by old Bevington bush 
With the wind howling in from the sea
You can still hear the voice of old Seth Davie
As he croons to his dancing dolls three

Chorus

Hey Ho and away we’ll go
Bonnie Laddie, Hieland Laddie
Hey ho and away we’ll go
Bonnie Hieland Laddie

Where you ever in Miramshee
Bonnie Laddie, Hieland Laddie
Where you tied up to a tree
Bonnie Hieland Laddie

Where you ever in Baltimore
Bonnie Laddie, hieland Laddie
Dancing on a sanded floor
Bonnie Hieland Laddie

Where you ever in Mobile Bay
Bonnie Laddie, hieland Laddie
Drinking porter all the day
Bonnie Hieland Laddie

Was you ever in Quebec
Hieland Laddie, bonnie Laddie
Stowing timber on the deck
Me bonnie Hieland Laddie

Where you ever in round the horn
Bonnie Laddie, hieland Laddie
Where the weathers fine and warm
Bonnie Hieland Laddie

I danced in the morning when the world was begun,
And I danced in the moon and the stars and the sun,
And I came down from heaven and I danced on the earth,
At Bethlehem I had my birth.

Chorus

Dance, then, wherever you may be,
I am the Lord of the Dance, said he,
And I’ll lead you all, wherever you may be,
And I’ll lead you all in the Dance, said he

I danced for the scribe and the pharisee,
But they would not dance and they wouldn’t follow me.
I danced for the fishermen, for James and John
They came with me and the Dance went on.

I danced on the Sabbath and I cured the lame;
The holy people said it was a shame.
They whipped and they stripped and they hung me on high,
And they left me there on a Cross to die.

I danced on a Friday when the sky turned black
It’s hard to dance with the devil on your back.
They buried my body and they thought I’d gone,
But I am the Dance, and I still go on.

They cut me down and I leapt up high;
I am the life that’ll never, never die;
I’ll live in you If you’ll live in me –
I am the Lord of the Dance, said he.

Now it’s three long years since we made her pay
Sing haul away my laddie O
And the owners say that she’s had her day
And sing haul away my laddie O

So heave away for the final trawl
Sing haul away my laddie O
It’s an easy pull for the catch is small
And sing haul away my laddie O

We’ll join the Venture and the Morning Star
Sing haul away my laddie O
Riding high and empty towards the bar
And sing haul away my laddie O

For I’d rather beach her on the Skerry rock
Sing haul away my laddie O
Than to see her burned in the breaker’s dock
And sing haul away my laddie O

Fiddler’s Green
Sing haul away my laddie O
Where the grub is good, and the bunks are clean
And sing haul away my laddie O

For I’ve fished a lifetime, boy and man
Sing haul away my laddie O
And the final trawl scarcely makes a cran
And sing haul away my laddie O

And sing haul away my laddie O

As I came in by through Dublin City
At the hour of twelve at night
Who should I see but a Spanish lady
Washing her feet by the candlelight

First she washed them, then she dried them
Over a fire of angry coals
In all me life I ne’er did see
A maid so sweet about the soul

Chorus

Whack for the Too Rye, ooh, Ray lady
Whack for the Too Rye, ooh, Rye aye

• I stopped to look but the watchman passed me
• Said young man the night is late
• Off with you home or I will rustle you
• straight right through the Brightwell Gate

I’ve wandered north and I have wonder south
Through Stoney Barter and Patrick’s close
Up and around, by the Gloucester Diamond
And back by Napper Tandys’ house

Auld age has laid her hands on me
Cold as a fire of ashy coal
Where o where is the love of me lady
So neat so sweet about the soul

Whack for the Too Rye, ooh, Ray lady
Whack for the Too Rye, ooh, Rye aye

Whack for the Too Rye, ooh, Ray lady
Whack for the Too Rye, ooh, Rye aye

Well Black Jack Davey is the name of the bear

Been alone in the forest for a long time

But the time has come for a lady to find

And love her hold her singing through the green green trees

.

Well the skin on my hand is like leather I ride

My face is hard from the cold wind

My heart is filled with the song that’ll sing

Will charm her fair lady singing through the green green trees

.

Well fair Eloise rode out that day

From her fine fine home in the morning

At he crack of dawn came a song

A drifting floating singing through the green green trees

.

Well fifteen summers was all that she’d seen

And her skin was soft as the velvet

But she’s forsaken her fine fine home

For Black Jack Davey singing through the green green trees

.

Last night she slept on a fine feathered bed

Far from Black Jack Davey

Tonight she’ll sleep on the cold cold ground

And love him hold him singing through the green green trees

.

Well saddle me up my fine grey mare

Said the lord of the house next morning

For my servants tell me my daughters gone

With Black Jack Davey singing through the green green trees

.

He rode all day and he rode all night

But he never did find his daughter

but he heard from afar a drifting on the wind

Two voices laughing singing through the green green trees

.

OH Davey Davey singing through the green green trees

My Harry was a gallant blade
And stately strayed he owre the plain
But no he’s banished far awa’
And oh he’ll no come back again

Chorus.
Oh for him back again
Oh for him back again
I wad gae a’ Knock Haspie’s land
For Heiland Harry back again

When a’ they have gan tae their bed
I’ll wander dowie up the glen
Sit me doon and greet ma fill
For Heiland Harry back again

Oh were some villains hinged high
And ilka body had their aim
I would see the joyfu’ sight
O’ Heiland Harry back again

Sad was the day and sad the hour
He left me in his native plain
And rushed his injured prince to join
But oh he’ll ne’er come back again

Strong was my Harry’s arm in fight
Unmatched on a’ Culloden Plain
But vengeance has put doon the right
And oh he’ll ne’er come back again

I wish I was in Carrickfergus
Only for nights in Ballygrand
I would swim over the deepest ocean
Only for nights in Ballygrand

But the sea is wide and I cannot swim over
And neither have I the wings to fly
I wish I had a handsome boatsman
To ferry me over my love and I

Now in Kilkenny it is reported
On marble stone there as black as ink
With gold and silver I would support her
But I’ll sing no more now til I get a drink

Well I’m drunk today and I’m seldom sober
A handsome rover from town to town
Ah but I’m sick now my days are numbered
Come all me young men and lay me down

Bonnie Charlie’s now awa’
Safely owre the friendly main;
Mony a heart will break in twa,
Should he ne’er come back again.

Chorus

Will ye no come back again?
Will ye no come back again?
Better lo’ed ye canna be,
Will ye no come back again?

English bribes were aa in vain,
An e’en tho puirer we may be;
Siller canna buy the heart
That beats aye for thine and thee.

Sweet’s the laverock’s note and lang,
Lilting wildly up the glen;
But aye to me he sings ae sang,
Will ye no come back again?

Up aloft amidst the riggin 

Sings each fresh exalting gale

Strong as springtime in the blossom

Filling out each flowing sail

And the wild waves left behind us

Seem to murmur as they flow

Tender hearts are there to greet you

In the land to which we go

Chorus

Rolling home rolling home

Rolling home across the sea

Rolling home to Caledonia 

Rolling home dear land to thee

.

Like a thousand miles behind us 

And a thousand miles from home

Ancient ocean heave’s to bare us 

to that well remembered shore

And fresh breezes waft to guild us

To our childhood native skies

To the glow of friendly faces

And the beam of loving eye’s

.

Sailing eastward ever eastward

To the dawning of the morn

Sailing homeward ever homeward

To the land where we where born

And we’ll join in joyous chorus

Through the watches of the nights

For we’ll see shores of Scotland 

By the dawning of the light