The Lovely Ohio
The Dream Of Kildare
How We Got Back To The Woods
Grandfather's Song
The Fair That Summer
High Barbary
The Dockside
When The Shanty Boy Comes Down




The Lovely Ohio

1) Come all you brisk young fellows, who are inclined to roam, all in some foreign country a long, long way from home. All in some foreign country along with me you'll go...
Chorus: When we settle on the banks of the Lovely Ohio, when we settle on the banks of The Lovely Ohio.
2) Come all you pretty fair maids spin us some yarn, and make us all some clothing to keep us all so warm. You can spin and sew my loves while we do reap and mow...chorus:
3) There's fishes in the river all fitted for our use, there's tall and lofty sugar cane that'll give to us it's juice. There's every type of game my boys, always buck and doe...chorus:
4) The grass is always green my friends, the river's clear as glass, there's room for all our familys , for every lad and lass. Such beauty in abundance it's almost just like home...chorus:
5) So come all you brisk young fellows who have a mind to roam, all in some foreign country a long, long way from home. All in some foreign country along with me you'll go...chorus:
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High Barbary

1) There were two lofty ships from Old England came... blow high, blow low and so sailed we... One was the prince of Luther and the other Prince of Wales... Sailin' down the coast of High Barbary.
2) Aloft there, Aloft there our jolly boson cried... / ... Look ahead Look astern Look the weather in the lee...
3) There's naught upon the stern sir nor naught upon the lee... / ... But there's a lofty ship to starboard and she's runnin' fast and free...
4) All hail her, all hail her our gallant Captain cried... / ... Are you a Man-O-War sir or a privateer he cried...
5) I'm not a Man-O-War sir nor a privateer cried he... / ... But I am a salt sea pirate and I'm looking for me fee...
6) Then it's broadside and broadside we fought all on the main... / ... Till at last the Prince of Luther shot the pirates mast away...
7) For quarter, for quarter the saucy pirates cried... / ... But the quarter that we gave them was to sink them in the tide...
8) With cutlass and gun we faught for hours three... / ... But the ship it was their coffin and their grave it was the sea...


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The Fair That Summer

1) I met her there at the fair that summer, 'neath the tent in the old oak grove. She was there for to fetch some water. she didn't even know what a spell she wove.
She was there for to fetch some water, for the horses they rode so far. And some eggs for her dear old father, for he was the baker at the county fair.
Providence or fate I'd say, has led me to this place. Here I am beneath the trees with an angel face to face.
I tried to speak but my words were faulty. I tried to tell her how I did feel. She looked at me and her eyes were shining but she turned around and started for her father's field.
2) I watched her go and my mind was spinning. I couldn't let her leave without a word, so I called to her in a voice still trembling. I wonder if she noticed me or even heard.
To my surprise she turned and smiled and I felt my heart beat like the rushing tide. She said young man will you go with me and help me take these things back to my father's side?
I stood amazed by beauty fair and soft and lovely voice. I knew right then my life had changed and I knew I had no choice.
I found the words and my voice was steady. I said fair maid it would be a delight, to help you with your chores so heavy, to help you take these things back to your father tonight.
3) So across the lawn we were set to travel, I smiled as she took me by her lily white hand. Her fingers in mine and her touch so gentle and my legs they were so weak that I could barely stand.
She laughed out loud when the clouds had parted and the stars shone down on a clear dark night. We started out for her daddy's wagons and we knew right then for us that it was love at first sight.
I thought back to this fine day that started out so sore, would end up with a bride to be and a love for ever more.
We strolled along in the soft white moonlight, hand in hand and our hearts were one. She with the eggs and I with the water and the magic of that moonlit night had only begun.
4) We came upon her warm encampment and we met her daddy sitting by the stove. He looked at me with some suspicion but she quickly said to him that we were both in love.
He looked again and with hesitation, he bid me welcome and he offered his hand. I said kind sir I'm in love with your daughter and we wish to wed as you can understand.
He said young man you are no rogue and that is plain to see. I do believe she has chosen well and my blessing I give to thee.
Wedding bells rang just one week later, family and friends they all were there. Now it's been many years since that fine summer and we're still just as happy as we were at the fair.


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Grandfather's Song

1) I'd sit on his knee and he'd sing songs of wonder, tell stories of legends untold. I'd gaze in his eyes and with a voice just like thunder, the stories of heros unfolded, the stories of heros unfold.
2) He told me of kings and of queens through the ages, of peasants and free men as well. Of champions flying to a fair maidens crying, as heroic legends do tell, as stories of heros do tell.
3) His eyes always shone like the stars with the telling, a glint in the kindling beyond. He would smile, he would cry, he would shiver with laughter, and share with me his secret bond, and share with me his secret bond.
4) But one day I came home and happened to look where he sits there and watches the tide, they said he was upstairs so run like the wind, for he's calling you to his side, he's calling you to his side.
5) He called me down close and he said in a whisper, the end that I feel now is here. Would you take me across that ragin' blue ocean to my homeland that I call so dear, always so far yet so near.
6) So here I am now on a ship bound for Ireland. The wind and the rain and the foam. And I'll scatter his ashes in the wild County Mayo the place that he's always called home, at rest in his beautiful home... the place that he's always called home, at peace in our beautiful home.
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The Dream Of Kildare

1) It was early in the evening when I took to walking, there I saw her sitting upon the branches fair, that Nightengale singing and the old church bells were ringing, that's when I took to dreaming of the plains of Kildare.
2) It was where I met a blacksmith who worked on my daddy's wagons, his eyes would always search for me though never words did say, for we were for the dockside and bound to take that long ride, across the raging ocean unto Americay.
3) It was when I was a young girl I dreamed about the good life beyond the wild, wild water upon a foreign shore, but now I sit and greive here for I am forced to leave here, wondering if I'll ever see my island home once more.
4)And when the ship weighed anchor I turned around in wonder and gazed at the departing crowd and saw them standing there, all eyes were filled with sorrow for we'll be gone tomorrow, hoping we can return again to Ireland sweet and fair.
5) For when I wish to marry I'll dream about my homeland, 'cause I do want an Irish boy to be my very own, in any type of weather we'll dream of bloomin' heather, and the times we'll be together in our sweet emerald home.
6) But the years have come and gone now, and returning is a dream now, but a dream that never will die as long as I am here, when fortune turns her big wheel it's then that I will appeal, to take another journey to my islan home so dear.


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How We Got Back To The Woods

1) Come all you boys who wish to hear, how we got back to the woods last year, for Arnprior we set out all with John Pratt to show the route...
    Chorus: to me rant ti na fatha diddle da, rantin' roarin' drunk all the way.
2) Oh into the buggy we shoved our boots, you bet our teamster fed long oats, all through the town we rode along, and all joined in a good sing, song..."chorus"
3) You may depend that we felt big, we were in a silver mounted rig, for Dacre town we hoisted our sails they all thought we were the "Prince of Wales"..."chorus"
4) Old Mills came out to welcome us in, he handed us down the wine and gin, the landlords toast went merrily 'round, we all drank a health to Dacre town..."Chorus"
5) Oh supper being ready we took our seats, you bet our foreman he said grace, Johnny Mornin' he thought long to wait but ladderoute Joe shoved up his plate..."chorus"
6) There was Albert Tap and Jack McCahn, you know he was our handy man, the rest of the crew you all do know there was John Pratt and ladderoute Joe..."chorus"


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The Dockside

1) When I was a young man an orphan by name, I travelled the dockside seeking fortune and fame, on a clear crystal moring seeking what might betide a crusty old sailor came up to my side.
He said my young fellow I see that you run from bad luck and misfortune and what might be done, if you seek your adventure on the wide open sea, then come along and come along and set sail with me.
2) Well I looked at his ship and politely declined for sailing the ocean was not on my mind, the ropes they were ragged and the sails they were torn and the wood had been rotten since the day I was born.
But the next thing I knew, I was hit on the head and dragged up the gang plank and stuffed into bed, the next morning they came 'round and I was set free, I found I was ten miles way out on the sea.
Good-bye to cold rain, good-bye to the wind, good-bye to the riggin' that's broke once again, good-bye to the weather that's changing once more, good-bye to my true love on a far distant shore.
3) Well it didn't take much for these sailors to fight after eight months at sea and drinkin' all night, oh the Captain cried warning be-watch and beware for a storm is a-commin' from out of no where.
Oh the sailors ignored their own Captain's voice and the Captain he cried there isn't a choice, but he knew it was useless to so much as try for he knew in his own heart that they're bound to die.
Oh the waves they did rock, and the waves they did roll, and the waves they did terrify down to the soul, but as sure as this island before me I see, they all there did perish excepting for me.
4) As I turned my inland to see what was there my heart was no longer so filled with dispair, I spied a sweet maiden with eyes of deep green, a mother and a father and some kindred between.
Believe I speak truly for what can I say, the Good Lord had smiled upon me that day, all this abundance before me I see, a mother and a father and a sweetheart to be.
Good-bye to the cold rain, good-bye to the wind, good-bye to the riggin' that's broke once again, good-bye to the weather that's changing once mor, good-bye to my true love on a far distant shore.


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When The Shanty Boy Comes Down

1) When the shantyboy comes down in his pockets fifty pounds, he'll look around some pretty girl to find. If he finds her not too shy, with a dark and roving eye, the poor shantyboy is well pleased in his mind.
2) Then the landlady comes in she is neat a very trim, she is like an evening star. If she finds him in good trim she is ready to wait on him, and from one to two they sit out in the bar.
3) When the shanty-boy is done and his money is all gone, the landlady begins for to fret. He says lady don't you fret, I will pay my honest debt, and bid adieu to the girl I had in town.
4) There's a gang there in command so the old folks understand, for the backwoods they are bound. With a whiskey and a song they will shove their canoe along, and bid adieu to the girls they had in town.


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