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- THREE SONGS TO THE SAME TUNE
-
- I
- GRANDFATHER sang it under the gallows:
- " Hear, gentlemen, ladies, and all mankind:
- Money is good and a girl might be better.
- But good strong blows are delights to the mind.'
- There, standing on the catt,
- He sang it from his heart.
- i{Those fanatics all that we do would undo;}
- i{Down the fanatic, down the clown;}
- i{Down, down, hammer them down,}
- i{Down to the tune of O'Donnell Abu.}
- "A girl I had, but she followed another,
- Money I had, and it went in the night,
- Strong drink I had, and it brought me to sorrow,
- But a good strong cause and blows are delight.'
- All there caught up the tune:
- "On, on, my darling man'.
- i{Those fanatics all that we do would undo;}
- i{Down the fanatic, down the clown;}
- i{Down, down, hammer them down,}
- i{Down to the tune of O'Donnell Abu.}
- "Money is good and a girl might be better,
- No matter what happens and who takes the fall,
- But a good strong cause' -- the rope gave a jerk there,
- No more sang he, for his throat was too small;
- But he kicked before he died,
- He did it out of pride.
- i{Those fanatics all that we do would undo;}
- i{Down the fanatic, down the clown;}
- i{Down, down, hammer them down,}
- i{Down to the tune of O'Donnell Abu.}
-
- II
- Justify all those renowned generations;
- They left their bodies to fatten the wolves,
- They left their homesteads to fatten the foxes,
- Fled to far countries, or sheltered themselves
- In cavem, crevice, hole,
- Defending Ireland's soul.
- i{"Drown all the dogs,' said the fierce young woman,}
- i{"They killed my goose and a cat.}
- i{Drown, drown in the water-but,}
- <1Drown all the dogs,' said the fierce young woman.
- Justify all those renowned generations,
- Justify all that have sunk in their blood,
- Justify all that have died on the scaffold,
- Justify all that have fled, that have stood,
- Stood or have marched the night long
- Singing, singing a song.
- i{"Drown} all the dogs,' said the fierce young woman.
- i{"They killed my goose and a cat.}
- i{Drown, drown in the water-butt,}
- i{Drown all the dogs,' said the fierce young woman.}
- Fail, and that history turns into rubbish,
- All that great past to a trouble of fools;
- Those that come after shall mock at O'Donnell,
- Mock at the memory of both O'Neills,
- Mock Emmet, mock Parnell:
- All the renown that fell.
- i{"Drown all the dogs,' said the fierce young woman,}
- i{"They killed my goose and a cat.}
- i{Drown, drown in the water-butt,}
- i{Drown all the dogs,' said the fierce young woman.}
-
- III
- The soldier takes pride in saluting his Captain,
- The devotee proffers a knee to his Lord,
- Some back a mare thrown from a thoroughbred,
- Troy backed its Helen; Troy died and adored;
- Great nations blossom above;
- A slave bows down to a slave.
- i{Who'd care to dig em,' said the old, old man,}
- i{"Those six feet marked in chalk?}
- i{Much I talk, more I walk;}
- i{Time I were buried,' said the old, old man.}
- When nations are empty up there at the top,
- When order has weakened or faction is strong,
- Time for us all to pick out a good tune,
- Take to the roads and go marching along.
- March, march -- How does it run? --
- O any old words to a tune.
- i{"Who'd care to dig 'em,' said the old, old man,}
- i{'Those six feet marked in chalk?}
- i{Much I talk, more I walk;}
- i{Time I were buried,' said the old, old man.}
- Soldiers take pride in saluting their Captain,
- Where are the captains that govetn mankind?
- What happens a tree that has nothing within it?
- O marching wind, O a blast of the wind.
- Marching, marching along.
- March, march, lift up the song:
- "i{Who'd care to dig 'em,' said the old, old man.}
- "i{Those six feet marked in chalk?}
- i{Much I talk, more I walk;}
- i{Time I were buried,' said the old, old man.}
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