Great Big Sea Album

(written by Alan Doyle, Séan McCann)

I've got a smile on my face, and I've got four walls around me
I've got the sun in the sky, ah, the water surrounds me, oh you know
Yeah, I'll win now but sometimes I'll lose
I've been battered, but I'll never bruise ... it's not so bad.

CHORUS:
And I say way-hey-hey, it's just an ordinary day
And it's all your state of mind
At the end of the day,
You've just got to say ... it's all right.

Janie sings on the corner, what keeps her from dying
Let 'em say what they want, but she won't stop tryin', oh you know
She might stumble, if they push her around
She might fall, but she'll never lie down ... it's not so bad.

CHORUS

'Cause it's alright, it's alright.
It's alright!

(accordion Solo)

In this beautiful life, there's always some sorrow (ooh ooh)
And it's a double edged knife, but there's always tomorrow, oh you know
It's up to you now if you sink or swim,
Just keep the faith and you're ship will come in ... it's not so bad.

CHORUS (x2)

(written by Telfer / Prosser / Jones)
originally performed by Oysterband

I am the fountain of affection
I'm the instrument of joy
And to keep the good times rolling
I'm the boy, I'm the boy,
You know the world could be our oyster,
If you just put your trust in me,
'Cause we'll keep the good times rollin'
Wait and see, wait and see ... oh wait and see!

There's exaltations, a sweet disintegrations
There's a few discolourations, then it comes along
You know up is what he chooses, the kisses and the bruises
There ain't nothing he refuses, then it comes along
It comes along, and I am lifted, I am lifted, I am lifted!

CHORUS:
When I'm up I can't get down
Can't get down, can't get level
When I'm up I can't get down
Get my feet back on the ground
When I'm up I can't get down
Can't get down, can't get level
When I'm up I can't get down
Get my feet back on the ground

He just needs, something to bind him
Something to wind him up
It won't take long to find him
When it comes on strong.

Black skies are grinning, street lights are spinning
The night is just beginning, and then it comes on strong
It comes on strong, and I am lifted, I am lifted, I am lifted!

CHORUS

Oh it comes on strong, and I am lifted.
It comes on strong, and I am lifted.
I am lifted, I am lifted!

CHORUS

Oh, I can't get down
Oh no, no, no, no, no, I can't get down

(Traditional - Arr. GBS)

Oh the night that Paddy Murphy died, is a night I'll never forget
Some of the boys got loaded drunk, and they ain't got sober yet;
As long as a bottle was passed around every man was feelin' gay
O'Leary came with the bagpipes, some music for to play

CHORUS:
That's how they showed their respect for Paddy Murphy
That's how they showed their honour and their pride;
They said it was a sin and shame and they winked at one another
And every drink in the place was full the night Pat Murphy died

As Mrs. Murphy sat in the corner pouring out her grief
Kelly and his gang came tearing down the street
They went into an empty room and a bottle of whiskey stole
They put the bottle with the corpse to keep that whiskey cold

CHORUS

About two o'clock in the morning after empty'ing the jug
Doyle rolls up the ice box lid to see poor Paddy's mug
We stopped the clock so Mrs. Murphy couldn't tell the time
And at a quarter after two we argued it was nine

CHORUS

They stopped the hearse on George Street outside Sundance Saloon
They all went in at half past eight and staggered out at noon
They went up to the graveyard, so holy and sublime
Found out when they got there, they'd left the corpse behind!

CHORUS

Oh the night that Paddy Murphy died, is a night I'll never forget
Some of the boys got loaded drunk and they ain't been sober yet;
As long as a bottle was passed around every man was feelin' gay
O'Leary came with the bagpipes, some music for to play

(Traditional - Arr. GBS)

CHORUS: Way hey and away we go
Donkey riding, donkey riding
Way hey and away we go
Ridin' on a donkey.

Was you ever in Quebec
Launchin' timber on the deck?
Where ya break yer bleedin' neck
Ridin' on a donkey!

CHORUS

Was you ever 'round Cape Horn
Where the weather's never warm?
Wished to God you'd never been born
Ridin' on a donkey.

CHORUS

Was you ever in Miramichi
Where ye tie up to a tree,
An' the girls sit on yer knee?
Ridin' on a donkey

CHORUS

Was you ever in Fortune Bay
See the girls all shout, "Hooray!"?
"Here comes dad with ten weeks pay
Riding on a donkey."

CHORUS

Was you ever in London-town
See the King he does come down?
See the King in his golden crown
Riding on a donkey

(written by Colin Hay)
originally performed by Colin Hay

I Haven't seen you in a long time
Since I've been gone
It always seemed to be the wrong time
Its the same old song
Looks like we'll never be together
Our whole life through
There might be changes in the weather
But not for me and you.

Can you hear me, when I'm calling out to you?
Can you see me, sometimes in the night
When you put out the light?
I haven't seen you in a long time
Since you put me away
I only see you in my dream time,
at the break of day
I know I never ever listen,
my whole life through.
If I had heard your words of wisdom,
I could be with you.

Can you feel me,
When he's making love to you?
Can you hear me,
When your alone, when you hang up the phone,
When its real late at night, and you put out the light!

I still see you
and I still feel you
And when I'm alone
My mind starts to roam
You come in the night
When I turn out the light
I haven't seen you in a long time
Since I've been gone
It always seemed to be the wrong time
It's the same old song
Looks like we'll never be together
Our whole life through
There might be changes in the weather

(written by Berry / Buck / Mills / Stipe)
originally performed by R.E.M.

It's the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine

That's great, it starts with an earthquake,
Birds, snakes, and aeroplanes
Yeah, Lenny Bruce is not afraid.
Eye of a hurricane, listen to yourself churn
World serves its own needs, dummy serve your own needs.
Speed it up a notch speak, grunt, no strength
The ladder starts to clatter with dinner fight down height.
Wire in a fire, representing southern gangs,
A government for hire and a combat site.

Lefty wasn't coming in a hurry
With the furies breathing down your neck.
Team by team reporters baffled, trumped, tethered cropped.
Look at that low plane! Fine, then. Uh oh,
Overflow, population, common food, but it'll do.
Save yourself, serve yourself. World serves its own needs,
Listen to your heart beat
Tell me that the reds are in the reverend in the right?
You patriotic, patriotic, slam, fight, bright light
Feeling pretty psyched.

CHORUS:
It's the end of the world as we know it.
It's the end of the world as we know it.
It's the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine.

Oh, Six o'clock - TV hour. Don't get caught in foreign towers.
Slash and burn, return, listen to yourself churn.
Locking in, uniforming, book-burning, blood-letting.
Every motive escalate. Automotive incinerate.
Light a votive, light a candle. Step down, step down.
Watch your heel crush, crush, uh-oh
This means no fear cavalier. Renegade steer clear!
A tournament, a tournament, a tournament of lies.
Offer me solutions, offer me alternatives and I decline.

CHORUS (x2)

The other night I drifted nice, continental trip to find.
Mountains sit in a line, Leonard Bernstein. Leonid Brezhnev,
Lenny Bruce and Lester Bangs.
Birthday party, cheesecake, jelly beans, boom!
You symbiotic, patriotic, slam foot neck, said right.

(Traditional - Arr. GBS)

Well General Taylor gained the day
Walk him along, John, Carry him along
Well General Taylor he gained the day
Carry him to his bury'n ground

CHORUS:
Tell me way, hey, you stormy
Walk him along, John, carry him along
Tel me way, hey, you stormy
Carry him to his bury'n ground

We'll dig his grave with a silver spade
Walk him along, John, Carry him along
His shroud of the finest silk will be made
Carry him to his bury'n ground

CHORUS

We'll lower him down on a golden chain
Walk him along, John, Carry him along
On every inch we'll carve his name
Carry him to his bury'n ground

CHORUS

General Taylor he's all the go
Walk him along, John, Carry him along
He's gone where the stormy winds won't blow
Carry him to his bury'n ground

CHORUS

General Taylor he's dead and he's gone
Walk him along, John, Carry him along
Well General Taylor he's long dead and gone
Carry him to his bury'n ground

(written by Bob Hallett)

She left St.John's one day in May
Dressed in her Sunday best
A kind man sat beside her
While she cried her way out West

She moved in with her cousin
Found a job down in the mall
Her friends at home were jealous
Said they'd see her in the fall

CHORUS:
You know that she wants to try, never lets you see her cry
You know that she wants to try, she's got seagulls in her eyes

The people here seem really nice
But the winter's way too long
New friends, they don't understand
Her mother wrote "be strong"

She made some decent money
Yeah, but nothing comes for free
The windy street, just can't compete
With the sky, the rocks and sea

CHORUS

Her parents came at Easter-time
They wanted her to stay
But she went and got a panel van
And moved home on her birthday

The girls in town all said,
"Couldn't make it on your own..."
Now the sky's a little smaller
And it doesn't seem like home

CHORUS (x2)

(written by Bob Hallett / Based on traditional)

Two recruiting sergeants came to the CLB,
For the sons of the merchants, to join the Blue Puttees
So all the hands enlisted, five hundred young men...
Enlist ye Newfoundlanders and come follow me

They crossed the broad Atlantic in the brave Florizel,
And on the sands of Suvla, they entered into hell
And on those bloody beaches, the first of them fell...
Enlist ye Newfoundlanders and come follow me

CHORUS:
So it's over the mountains, and over the sea
Come brave Newfoundlanders and join the Blue Puttees
You'll fight the Hun in Flanders, and at Galipoli
Enlist ye Newfoundlanders and come follow me

The call came from London, for the last July drive
"To the trenches with the regiment, prepare yourselves to die"
The roll call next morning, just a handful survived.
Enlist ye Newfoundlanders and come follow me

CHORUS

The stone men on Water Street still cry for the day
When the pride of the city went marching away
A thousand men slaughtered, to hear the King say
Enlist ye Newfoundlanders and come follow me

CHORUS (x2)

(Traditional - Arr. GBS)

Greenspond is a pretty place,
And so is Pinchard's Island
Mom will buy me a new fur coat
When Da' gets home from swilin'

Here he comes as white as ghosts
Children and their little boats
Women in their petty coats

(written by Séan McCann)

It's not the way that I intended this
I didn't realize, how much I would miss...
But with every parting of our company
I hate to think, what it has done to me

CHORUS:
You didn't see, that I was sorry
This has to be, my apology

When cruelty comes with blind indifference
My humanity becomes my best defense
But if you consider the alternative
I really didn't have that much to give

A tragic victim of my circumstance
Never give the devil a second chance
If you do you know that you never will

(Traditional - Arr. GBS)

When I was a young man I was let astray
I met with a body down in Logy Bay
We went out in a weather
We wore out our shoes,
And up Kingsway road for a drink or two

CHORUS:
Drink 'er up boys its well after ten
Drink 'er up boys its well after ten

Some people say that the pinky is fine
Others will swear by a drop of moonshine
But as for myself I'm a bottle of each,
mixed in with a gallon of dipper or screech

CHORUS

Its the old shavin' lotion thats made me this way
Sweeter than Pepsi and stronger than tea
And when in the evening when we're feeling fine
We'll stop into Jakey's for icon and shine

CHORUS

Its the old shavin' lotion thats made me this way
Sweeter than Pepsi and stronger than tea
And when in the morning when I'm feeling rough
I curse, ol' Jakey who sold me this stuff

CHORUS (x2)

Oh, whisky you're the devil
You're leading me astray
Over hills and mountains
And to Amerikay
You're sweeter, stronger, decenter, you're spunkier than tae

(written by Séan McCann)

Am I leaving you tomorrow, I can't see
Is this how it's going to be?
In the morning must I go,
So let's take a little time, see what's on your mind
Is there something I should know?

I thought we went through all this yesterday
You said you were okay, you just had to take it slow.
I'm tired of these little games you play, are you here to stay
Is there something I should know?

CHORUS:
Is there something I should know? (x3)

I think everything we've seen, it was just a dream
How did we get so low?
To leave it all behind would be obscene
Where's your self-esteem? Is there something I should know?

CHORUS

We can keep on talking, you know I've got all night
But don't keep telling me, that everything's all right...
it's not all right.

I'm leaving you tomorrow, can't you see
This is how it's got to be,
in the morning I must go...
So let's take a little time, see what's on your mind
Is there something I should know?

(Traditional - Arr. GBS)

Ships may come and ships may go
As long as the sea does roll.
Each sailor lad just like his dad,
He loves the flowing bowl.
A trip on shore he does adore
With a girl who's nice and round.
When the money's gone
It's the same old song,
"Get up Jack! John, sit down!"

CHORUS:
Come along, come along, You jolly brave boys,
There's lots of grog in the jar.
We'll plough the briny ocean
With the jolly roving tar.

When Jack comes in, it's then he'll steer
To some old boarding house.
They'll welcome him with rum and gin,
And feed him on pork and souse.
He'll lend, spend and he'll not offend
Till he's lyin' drunk on the ground
When the money's gone
It's the same old song,
"Get up Jack! John, sit down!"

CHORUS

Jack, he then, oh then he'll sail
Bound down for Newfoundland
All the ladies fair in Placentia there
They love that sailor man.
He'll go to shore out on a tear
And he'll buy some girl a gown.
When the money's gone
It's the same old song,
"Get up Jack! John, sit down!"

CHORUS

When Jack gets old and weatherbeat,
Too old to roam about,
They'll let him stop in some rum shop
'Till eight bells calls him out.
Then he'll raise his eyes up to the skies,
Sayin', "Boys, we're homeward bound."
When the money's gone
It's the same old song,
"Get up Jack! John, sit down!"

(Traditional - Arr. GBS)

Well, I am a little beggarman, a begging I have been
For three score or more in the little isle of green
All over the Liffey and down to Segue
I'm known by the name of auld Johnny Dhu

Of all the trades a going, begging is the best
When a man gets tired he can sit down and rest
Singin' for his supper when there's nothing else to do
When I come around the corner with me old rigadoo

I went to a barn, went down to Currabawn
Got down on the floor and I slept till the dawn
Holes in the roof and the rain seeping thru
Me toes froze together in me little beggar shoes

Buy a pair of leggings and a collar and a tie
A nice old lady you will find by and by
Buy a pair of leggings and I'll color them blue
For a foxy old lady I'll make her too

I met a little flaxen haired girl one day
Good morning little flaxen haired girl, I did say
Good morning little beggarman how do you do
With your bags and your rags and your auld rigadoo

Who should I waken but the woman of the house
With her white spotted apron and her calico blouse
She began to frighten so I said boo
Sure, don't be afraid, it's only Johnny Dhu

Over the road with me pack on me back
Over all the fields with me big heavy sack
Over the hills with the moon peeking through
Singing, skin a ma rink a doodle on me auld rigadoo

I must be going to bed, it's getting late at night
The fire is all out, so out goes the light
Now you've heard the story of the auld rigadoo

(written by Alan Doyle)

"It's a cold day for September", was all I thought to say
When I saw you on the street the other day.
I knew, something had changed between us. All the talk we made was small.
But what do you say to someone when they've heard you say it all?
It's an awkward conversation, in a most peculiar way...

CHORUS:
How did we get from saying "I love you" to "I'll see you around someday"?

It seems like only days ago, we had so much to say
Did we take it all for granted? Did it all get thrown away?
"It calls for rain this afternoon", she finally replied.
And there was such a stuttering silence that I felt my mouth go dry
We'll talk about the weather, 'cause there's not much more to say...

CHORUS (x2)

Has all the ice been broken,
All our surfaces been scratched
Have all the words been spoken,
Have we finally met our match?
'Cause it's an awkward conversation, in a most peculiar way...