- The Mountains of Mourne
The lyrics to the song "The Mountains of Mourne" were written in
1896 by the 19th Century Irish musicianPercy French . It is normally sung to the same tune used byThomas Moore (1779 –1852 ) for his song "Bendemeer's Stream".The song is representative of French's many works concerning the
Irish diaspora . TheMourne Mountains of the title are located inCounty Down in present-dayNorthern Ireland .Notable versions
*
Baritone Australian singerPeter Dawson popularised this song in the 1920s.*The
Kingston Trio recorded the song in their 1960 album "Sold Out." Nick Reynolds sang the lead.*The song featured on the 1958 album, "The Immortal Percy French", featuring the voice of Irish
tenor ,Brendan O'Dowda .*
Singer-songwriter Don McLean , of "American Pie" fame, recorded a version of this song titled "Mountains O'Mourne".*The song was also recorded by
Tarkio , analt-country band led byColin Meloy later ofDecemberists fame for their self-released EP "Sea Songs for Landlocked Sailors" in 1998, and also included on "Omnibus", a collection of Tarkio's recordings released byKill Rock Stars in 2006.*Spanish composer and guitarist
Fernando Sor set the melody in the second section of opus 6 number 11, one of a set of his celebrated studies for guitar, first published in 1815.*In 2008 Celtic Thunder released the song on their debut self-titled album. Their recording is adapted from Don McLean's version of the song.
Lyrics
:"The Mountains of Mourne":by Percy French (1896)
:Oh, Mary, this London's a wonderful sight,:With people all working by day and by night.:Sure they don't sow potatoes, nor barley, nor wheat,:But there's gangs of them digging for gold in the street.:At least when I asked them that's what I was told,:So I just took a hand at this digging for gold,:But for all that I found there I might as well be:Where the Mountains of Mourne sweep down to the sea.
:I believe that when writing a wish you expressed:As to know how the fine ladies in London were dressed,:Well if you'll believe me, when asked to a ball,:They don't wear no top to their dresses at all,:Oh I've seen them meself and you could not in truth,:Say that if they were bound for a ball or a bath.:Don't be starting such fashions, now, Mary mo chroi,:Where the Mountains of Mourne sweep down to the sea.
:I've seen England's king from the top of a bus:And I've never known him, but he means to know us.:And tho' by the Saxon we once were oppressed,:Still I cheered, God forgive me, I cheered with the rest.:And now that he's visited Erin's green shore:We'll be much better friends than we've been heretofore:When we've got all we want, we're as quiet as can be:Where the mountains of Mourne sweep down to the sea.
:You remember young Peter O'Loughlin, of course,:Well, now he is here at the head of the force.:I met him today, I was crossing the Strand,:And he stopped the whole street with a wave of his hand.:And there we stood talkin' of days that are gone,:While the whole population of London looked on.:But for all these great powers he's wishful like me,:To be back where the dark Mourne sweeps down to the sea.
:There's beautiful girls here, oh never you mind,:With beautiful shapes nature never designed,:And lovely complexions all roses and cream,:But let me remark with regard to the same::That if of those roses you venture to sip,:The colours might all come away on your lip,:So I'll wait for the wild rose that's waiting for me:In the place where the dark Mourne sweeps down to the sea..
External links
* [http://12121.hostinguk.com/mourne.mid Music (MIDI)]
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