1. |
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Fare thee well dearest Nancy 'tis now I must leave youShip
To the burning West Indies my course for to steer
I know very well that this parting will grieve you
But love, I'll return in the spring of the year
Oh don't talk of leaving, my own dearest jewel
Oh, don't talk of leaving me here on the shore
For it is your sweet company that I do desire, love
I will sigh till I die, if I ne'er see you more
In sailor's apparel I'll dress and go with you
In the midst of all danger I will be your friend
And when that the cold stormy winds are a-blowing
My love, I'll be with you to wait on you then
Your lily-white hands they can't handle a cable
Your neat little feet to the topmast can't go
Your delicate form the cruel gales can't endure, dear
Therefore dearest Nancy, to the ocean don't go
As she stood a-wailing, the ship set a-sailing
And the tears down her fair cheeks in torrents did flow
Her lily-white hands she in sorrow was wringing
Crying, Oh ! my dear jewel, will I ne'er see you more
Come all you young maidens, by me take a warning
Ne'er trust a sailor but heed what I say
For first he will court you, then love you and leave you
For ever lamenting in sorrow and pain
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2. |
The Well Dressing Song
02:33
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Give thanks and give praiseWell
Now that the water it doth flow
It brings us good health and life
And helps us all to grow, so
Dress the well with colours gay
Beat the drum and sing hooray
Praise be we can see the water flow today
On palettes of clay
Seasons' colours dress the well
We crafted the scenes of village life
Our tale to tell, so...
It was long, long ago
When it started, who can say?
But each year you'll find us here
It's our well dressing day, so...
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3. |
Jimmy Whelan
03:59
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Come all you ladies and you gentlemenLumberjack
I pray you lend an ear
'Tis of a terrible accident
You are about to hear.
'Tis of a young and active youth
Jimmy Whelan he was called
He was drownded on McClellan's drive
All on the Upper Falls.
The fierce and the raging main,
The waters they ran high
And the foreman said to Whelan
"This jam you will have to try."
"You've always been an active youth
While danger's lurking near
So you’re the man I want to help
To keep these waters clear."
Whelan he made answer
Unto his comrades bold
"Supposing if there's danger
We will do as we are told."
"We'll obey our foreman's orders
As noble men should do"
Just as he spoke the jam it broke
And let poor Whelan through.
The raging main it tossed and tore
Those logs from shore to shore
And here and there his body went
A-tumbling o'er and o'er.
No earthly man could ever live
In such a raging main
Poor Whelan struggled hard for life
But he struggled all in vain.
There were three of them in danger
But two of them were saved
It was noble-hearted Whelan
That met with a watery grave.
So come all you young and active youths
A warning from me take
And try and shun all danger
Before it gets too late.
For death is drawing nearer
And trying to destroy
The pride of some poor mother's heart
And his father's only joy.
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4. |
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Last night the pale moon was shining
Last night when all was still
I wandered alone in sadness
Out among the woodland hills.
I heard the birds a-singing
Out among the trees and views
And all the birds, my darling
Were singing, were singing of you.
Were singing, singing of you, my love
Were singing, were singing of you
And all the birds, my darling
Were singing, were singing of you.
I think of you in the daytime
I dream of you at night
I wake and wish you were here, love,
And tears are blinding my sight.
The flowers that slumber so sweetly
The stars above the blue
Oh heaven itself, my darling
Is thinking, is thinking of you.
Is thinking, is thinking of you, my love
Is thinking, is thinking of you
Oh heaven itself, my darling
Is thinking, is thinking of you.
I opened my window so gently
Looked out on the dreaming view
And all the world, my darling
Was sighing, was sighing for you.
Was sighing, was sighing for you, my love
Was sighing, was sighing for you
And all the world, my darling
Was sighing, was sighing for you
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5. |
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Come, married and single, together pray mingleHeart
And listen a-while to these lines I relate
You single who tarried, make haste and get married
Before you have loitered until it's too late.
No pleasure is found in a lifetime of roving
Young man, take a partner and join hand in hand
Believe me there’s nothing can equal a woman
For woman's the joy and the pride of the land.
When a man gets his wages, temptation engages
His time for to squander, to ramble and roam
Like a ship in full motion that's tossed on the ocean
No comfort abroad and no pleasure at home.
No one to condole him, no wife to console him
To nurse him in sickness and at his side stand
No man can live happy unless with a woman
For woman's the joy and the pride of the land.
There's many a man will speak ill of a woman
And call her vile names when she's not in the wrong
Backbite her and slander and loud reprimand her
And say that her tongue is too sharp or too long.
But watch when that man from his wife he is parted
So quick does he fall and so low does he stand
That man is an ass that would frown on a woman
For woman's the joy and the pride of the land.
So now to conclude and to finish my story
You men that would happily travel through life
You that single do tarry, why, speedily marry
And you that be married be true to your wife.
Then like birds of a feather united together
Till death do you part will you walk hand in hand
Here's a health to all women, the glory of nature
For woman’s the joy and the pride of the land.
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6. |
Following the Old 'oss
04:14
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Here’s adieu to Winter’s wailingOss
From now on it’s plain sailing
Summer is a coming today
As we welcome the first of May
Following the old ‘oss through the town
Following the old ‘oss Padstow round
All on a bright May morning
All on the first of May
And we’ll rise in the morning early
And remember Merv and Charlie
By the Golden Lion we’ll stand and greet
The old ‘oss onto the street
And there’ll be no cries nor cribbin’
And we’ll not wear blue ribbons
It’s the old red ‘oss and a crate of beer
That brings us our good cheer
And we’ll sing from morn ‘til night time
For our song it’s the right time
Only in Padstow will you hear
The day song loud and clear
So good friends don’t ignore us
Join in the May day chorus
Dance with the old ‘oss, it’s no sin
To sing the Summer in
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Ian Robb Ottawa, Ontario
Self-described “singer and writer of old songs”, Ian Robb started out singing in English folk clubs in the 1960s, before emigrating to Canada in 1970. Since then, he has sung with Finest Kind, The Friends of Fiddler’s Green, Jiig, Arrowsmith:Robb Trio and most recently, with James Stephens. In 2005 he was awarded one of the first Canadian Folk Music Awards for “Best Singer: Traditional”. ... more
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