|
Green Fields of Canada Traditional, Arranged by: Jump, Little Children |
| Studio Recordings: | unknown |
| Releases: | Live at the Dock Street Theatre |
| Tablature: | none |
| First Performance: | unknown |
| Alternate Titles: | Green Fields of Amerikay |
| Song Information: | This song dates back to the 19th century; it tells the story of an Irish emigrant that takes his family to Amerikay (Irish slang for North America) in the midst of Ireland's economic crisis. Traditionally, there are more verses to the song. Jay trims it back to include more instrumental breaks. |
| Lyrical Transcription: | Transcribed by jumplittlechildren.net from the 12/29/04 performance |
Farewell to the
groves of shillelagh and shamrock
Farewell to the wee girls of Ireland all round
May your hearts be as merry as ever I could wish for
When far away across the ocean I'm bound.
Oh, my father is
old and my mother's quite feeble
And to leave their own country it grieves my heart sore
And the tears down their cheeks in great drops are rolling
To think they must die upon some foreign shore.
The sheep run unsheered
[sic] and the land's gone to rushes
And handyman's gone and the winder of creels,
Away across the ocean, good journeyman tailors
And fiddlers that flake out the old mountain reels
Ah and I mind the
day when old Ireland was flourishing,
When lots of her tradesmen did work for good pay
But since our manufacturies have crossed the Atlantic
It's there we must follow to Amerikay.
And so to conclude
and to finish my story
If ever friendless Irishman chances my way
With the best in the house I will greet him, and welcome
Far away on the green fields of Amerikay.