Irish Songs - Teachers' File: Activity Tips And Recording Scripts Page 3
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4Lyrics to the Irish songs on CD
(pp. 12–13), CD: 10–14
Two Sisters
The miller he took her gay gold ring
Chorus
Sing aye dum, sing aye day
(performed by Clannad)
The miller he took her gay gold ring
It was early the next morning, just before I rose
The boys abound for me
to travel,
There were two sisters side by side
The miller he took her gay gold ring
Out comes a band of footmen and likewise
Sing aye dum, sing aye day
And then he pushed her in again
Captain Farrell.
There were two sisters side by side
I’ll be true unto my love
I just produced my pistol, for she stole away
The boys abound for me
If he’ll be true to me
me rapier,
There were two sisters side by side
And I couldn’t shoot the water, so a prisoner
The eldest for young Johnny cried
The miller he was hanged on the mountain
I was taken.
I’ll be true unto my love
head
If you’ll be true to me
Sing aye dum, sing aye day
Chorus
The miller he was hanged on the mountain
Johnny bought the youngest a gay gold ring
head
Now there’s some take delight in the carriages
Sing aye dum, sing aye day
The boys abound for me
a-rolling,
Johnny bought the youngest a gay gold ring
The miller he was hanged on the mountain
But some take delight in the hurlin’ and the
The boys abound for me
head
bowlin’.
Johnny bought the youngest a gay gold ring
The eldest sister was boiled in lead
But I’ll take delight in the juice of the barley,
He never bought the eldest a single thing
I’ll be true unto my love
And courting pretty fair maids in the morning
I’ll be true unto my love
If he’ll be true to me
bright and early
If you’ll be true to me
Glossary
Chorus
Johnny bought the youngest a beaver hat
to abound – to exist in large numbers or amounts
Sing aye dum, sing aye day
gay – bright and showy
Now if anyone can aid me, it’s me brother in
Johnny bought the youngest a beaver hat
beaver hat – a hat made from beaver fur. A beaver
the army,
is a large rodent with a flat tail which lives in
The boys abound for me
rivers.
And if I can find his station in Cork or in
Johnny bought the youngest a beaver hat
foamy – having a lot of bubbles on top of a liquid
Killarney.
The eldest didn’t think much of that
brim – water
And if he’ll go with me, we’ll go roving in
dam – a wall which slows the flow of a river
I’ll be true unto my love
lead – a kind of metal
Kilkenny,
If you’ll be true to me
And I’m sure he’ll treat me better than me only
Whiskey in the Jar
sporting Jenny
As they were a-walkin’ by the foamy brim
(performed by Noel McLoughlin)
Sing aye dum, sing aye day
Glossary
As they were a-walkin’ by the foamy brim
rapier – a type of long thin sword
As I was going over the Cork and Kerry
The boys abound for me
stand and deliver – an exclamation said by
mountains
As they were a-walkin’ by the foamy brim
robbers in the past (“stop and give us your
money”)
I met with Captain Farrell and his money he
The eldest pushed the youngest in
bold – brave
I’ll be true unto my love
was counting.
deceiver – liar
I first produced my pistol, and then produced
If he’ll be true to me
a pretty penny – a lot of money
my rapier.
devil take… – an exclamation meaning “go to
hell” or “damn”
Saying, “Stand and deliver, for you are a bold
Sister, oh sister give me thy hand
chamber – bedroom
deceiver.”
Sing aye dum, sing aye day
slumber – sleep
Sister, oh sister give me thy hand
drew me charges – took away my pistols
slaughter – killing
Chorus:
The boys abound for me
footman – infantry soldier
Musha ring dumma do damma da
Sister, oh sister give me thy hand
hurling, bowling – types of games
And you can have Johnny and all his land
Whack for my daddy ‘o
juice of the barley – whiskey
Whack for my daddy ‘o
I’ll be true unto my love
to court – to gain the love and affection of sb
to rove – to travel around without a specific
There’s whiskey in the jar
If he’ll be true to me
destination
I counted up his money, and it made a pretty
Oh sister I’ll not give you my hand
PronuncIatIon
penny.
Sing aye dum, sing aye day
Often in the Irish dialect the end of the ‘ing’ is
often pronounced /n/ instead of /N/. To represent
I put it in my pocket and I brought it home to
Oh sister I’ll not give you my hand
this in the spelling the ‘g’ is dropped from the end
Jenny.
The boys abound for me
(e.g. hurlin’, bowlin’).
Oh sister I’ll not give you my hand
She sighed and she swore that she never
would deceive me,
And I’ll have Johnny and all his land
culture PoInt
Irish songs often use nonsense words and
But the devil take the women, for they never
I’ll be true unto my love
expressions in the chorus (e.g. musha ring dumma
can be easy
If he’ll be true to me
do damma da, whack for my daddy ‘o). These convey
no meaning and just serve rhythmic purposes.
Chorus
So away she sank and away she swam
Sing aye dum, sing aye day
And I went into my chamber, all for to take
So away she sank and away she swam
The boys abound for me
a slumber,
I dreamt of gold and jewels and for sure it was
So away she sank and away she swam
no wonder.
Until she came to the miller’s dam
But Jenny drew me charges and she filled
I’ll be true unto my love
them up with water,
If he’ll be true to me
Then sent for Captain Farrell to be ready for
the slaughter.
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