The Chieftains

The hosts of the show:
George Moseshvili

Kind friends and companions, come join me in rhyme
Come lift up your voices in chorus with mine
Let us drink and be merry, all grief to refrain
For we may and might never all meet here again

Here's a health to the company and one to my lass
Let us drink and be merry all out of one glass
Let us drink and be merry, all grief to refrain
For we may and might never all meet here again

Here's a health to the dear lass that I love so well
Her style and her beauty, sure none can excel
There's a smile upon her countenance as she sits on my knee
Sure there's no one in in this wide world as happy as we

Our ship lies at harbor, she's ready to dock
I hope she's safe landed without any shock
If ever we should meet again by land or by sea
I will always remember your kindness to me

No one knows what it's like
To be the bad man
To be the sad man
Behind blue eyes

No one knows what it's like
To be hated
To be fated
To telling only lies

But my dreams
They aren't as empty
As my conscience seems to be

I have hours, only lonely
My love is vengeance
That's never free

No one knows what it's like
To feel these feelings
Like I do
And I blame you

No one bites back as hard
On their anger
None of my pain and woe
Can show through

But my dreams
They aren't as empty
As my conscience seems to be

I have hours, only lonely
My love is vengeance
That's never free

When my fist clenches, crack it open
Before I use it and lose my cool
When I smile, tell me some bad news
Before I laugh and act like a fool

If I swallow anything evil
Put your finger down my throat
If I shiver, please give me a blanket
Keep me warm, let me wear your coat

No one knows what it's like
To be the bad man
To be the sad man
Behind blue eyes

I saw three ships come sailing in
On christmas day, on christmas day,
I saw three ships come sailing in
On christmas day in the morning.

And what was in those ships all three,
On christmas day, on christmas day,
And what was in those ships all three,
On christmas day in the morning ?

Our saviour, christ, and his lady,
On christmas day, on christmas day,
Our saviour, christ, and his lady,
On christmas day in the morning.

And all the bells on earth shall ring
On christmas day, on christmas day,
And all the bells on earth shall ring
On christmas day in the morning.

And all the angels in heaven shall sing
On christmas day, on christmas day,
And all the angels in heaven shall sing
On christmas day in the morning.

And let us all rejoice and sing
On christmas day, on christmas day,
And let us all rejoice and sing
On christmas day in the morning.
On christmas day in the morning.

La da la la la la la la ...

I knew of two sisters whose name it was christmas,
And one was named dawn of course, the other one was named eve.
I wonder if they grew up hating the season,
Of the good will that lasts ‘til the feast of st. stephen

For that is the time to eat, drink, and be merry,
’til the beer is all spilled and the whiskey has flowed.
And the whole family tree you neglected to bury,
Are feeding their faces until they explode.

There’ll be laughter and tears over tia marias,
Mixed up with that drink made from girders.
‘cause it’s all we’ve got left as they draw their last breath,
And it’s nice for the kids, as you finally get rid of them,
In the st stephen’s day murders.

Uncle is garglin’ a heart-breaking air,
While the babe in his arms pulls out all that remains of his hair.
And we’re not drunk enough yet to dare criticize,
The great big kipper tie he’s about to baptize.

His gin-flavoured whiskers and kisses of sherry,
His best crimble shirt slung out over the shop.
While the lights from the christmas tree blow up the telly,
His face closes in like an old cold pork chop.

And the carcass of the beast left over from the feast,
May still be found haunting the kitchen.
And there’s life in it yet, we may live to regret,
When the ones that we poisoned stop twitchin’.

There’ll be laughter and tears over tia marias,
Mixed up with that drink made from girders.
‘cause it’s all we’ve got left as they draw their last breath,
And it’s nice for the kids, as you finally get rid of them,
In the st stephen’s day murders.

Good people all, this Christmas time,
Consider well and bear in mind
What our good God for us has done
In sending his beloved son
With Mary holy we should pray,
To God with love this Christmas Day
In Bethlehem upon that morn,
There was a blessed Messiah born

The night before that happy tide
The noble Virgin and her guide
Were long time seeking up and down
To find a lodging in the town
But mark right well what came to pass
From every door repelled, alas
As was foretold, their refuge all
Was but a humble ox's stall

Near Bethlehem did shepherds keep
Their flocks of lambs and feeding sheep
To whom God's angel did appear
Which put the shepherds in great fear
Arise and go, the angels said
To Bethlehem, be not afraid
For there you'll find, this happy morn
A princely babe, sweet Jesus, born

With thankful heart and joyful mind
The shepherds went the babe to find
And as God's angel had foretold
They did our Saviour Christ behold
Within a manger he was laid
And by his side a virgin maid
Attending on the Lord of Life
Who came on earth to end all strife

There were three wise men from afar
Directed by a glorious star
And on they wandered night and day
Until they came where Jesus lay
And when they came unto that place
Where our beloved Messiah lay
They humbly cast them at his feet
With gifts of gold and incense sweet.

Come and sit by my side little darling
Come and lay your sweet head close to mine
And promise me that you will never
Be nobody's darling but mine

Be nobody's darling but mine love
Be honest be faithful and be kind
And promise me that you will never
Be nobody's darling but mine

You're as sweet as the flowers in springtime
You're as pure as the dew on the rose
And I'd rather be somebody's darling
Than a poor boy that nobody knows

If it hadn't been for cotton-eye joe
I'd been married long time ago
Where did you come from. Where did you go?
Where did you come from cotton-eye joe?

Instrumental

Seal da rabhas im' mhaighdean sheimh,
'S anois im' bhaintreach chaite threith,
Mo cheile ag treabhadh na dtonn go trean
De bharr na gcnoc is i n-imigcein.

Curfa:
'Se mo laoch, mo Ghile Mear,
'Se mo Chaesar, Ghile Mear,
Suan na sean ni bhfuaireas fein
O chuaigh i gcein mo Ghile Mear.

For a while I was a gentle maiden
And now a spent worn-out widow
My spouse ploughing the waves strongly
Over the hills and far away.

Chorus:
He is my hero, my dashing darling
He is my Caesar, dashing darling.
I've had no rest from forebodings
Since he went far away my darling.

I was dancing with my darlin' to the Tennessee Waltz
When an old friend I happened to see
Introduced him to my Darlin'
And while they were dancing
My friend stole my sweetheart from me

I remember the night and the Tennessee Waltz
Now I know just how much I have lost
Yes, I lost my little darlin'
The night they were playing
The beautiful Tennessee Waltz

I remember the night and the Tennessee Waltz
Now I know just how much I have lost
Yes, I lost my little darlin'
The night they were playing
The beautiful Tennessee Waltz

Yes, I lost my little darlin'
The night they were playing
The beautiful, the wonderful, the marvelous, the glorious, the beautiful Tennessee Waltz

Instrumental

Ten years ago on a cold dark night
Someone was killed 'neath the town hall light
Just a few at the scene, and they all did agree
That the man who ran looked a lot like me

The judge said "Son, what's your alibi?
If you were somewheres else, then you won't have to die"
But I spoke not a word, tho' it meant my life
For I'd been in the arms of my best friend's wife

She walks these hills in a long black veil
Visits my grave when the night winds wail
Nobody knows, nobody sees
Nobody knows, but me

The scaffold is high, eternity near
She stands in the crowd, she sheds not a tear
But sometimes at night when the cold winds moan
In a long black veil, she cries o'er my bones

When first I came to Irelend some pleasure there to find,
A damsel fair from Lexington was pleasing my mind.
Her cherry cheeks and ruby lips, like arrows pierced my breast,—
They called her Handsome Mary, the Lily ot the West.

I courted her awhile, in hopes her love to gain,
But she proved false to me which caused me much pain.
She robbed me of my liberty, deprived me of my rest,—
They called her Handsome Mary, the Lily of the West.

One evening as I rambled, down by a shady grove,
I saw a man of low degree conversing with my love.
They were singing songs of melody, while I was sore distressed,
O faithless, faithless Mary, the Lily of the West!

I stepped up to my rival, my dagger in my band.
I caught him by the collar, and boldly bade him stand ;
Being driven to desperation, I stabbed him in the breast,
But was betrayed by Mary, the Lily of the West!

At length the day of trial came, I boldly made my plea,
But the judge and jury they soon convicted me.
To deceive both judge and jury so modestly she dressed,
And there she swore my life away, the Lily of the West.

Here we are we've come to call with pipes and flutes and fiddles and all
In case of death we've even brought a keener,
So, if you're glum and feeling down just feel like us
And act the clown and soon there'll be a change in your demeanour.
(lilting)
I put me money on a horse today for with the race he'd run away
Or so a friend that's in the know he told me,
Twenty lengths ahead at most, he proundly cantered pass the post
but, woe was me, he lost the bloomin' jockey!
(lilting, followed by verse-long fiddle and whistle break)
Now of all the places I have seen from China to the Caribbean,
Are all across the goat compared to Ireland,
From Bally Castle to Tralie the Corup to the Liffy
There's no where else on earth but like this island.
(lilting, followed by short piano break)
In Hollywood I long to be, no, not the place across the sea,
But in county Wickloe Ireland's lovely garden.
Where no pretenders will you find but decent people warm and kind,
and flocks of friendly sheep into the bargain.
(lilting, followed by short fiddle and whistle break)
For your ills don't take a pill but take it down the road, the hills
And listen to the larks lovely warbling,
In the evening in the company with music in the key of E
You'll be dancing Kerry sets until the morning.
(lilting, followed by Dancing Kerry sets until the morning)