The PDF of all our lyrics is here. (Sorry, it's not working and I'm trying to fix it. Suggestions?)
Only Remembered
Words: Dr H.Bonar (adapted Tams),Music: Asa Hull or Ira Sankey
Fading away like the stars in the morning
Losing their light in the glorious sun
Thus shall we pass from this earth and its toiling
Only remembered for what we have done
Chorus:
Only remembered only remembered
Only remembered for what we have done
Thus shall we pass from this earth and its toiling
Only remembered for what we have done
Only the truth that in life we have spoken
Only the seed that in life we have sown
These shall pass onwards when we are forgotten
Only remembered for what we have done
Who’ll sing the anthem and who’ll tell the story (high voices)
Will the line hold? Will it scatter and run? (low voices)
Shall we at last be united in glory (everyone)
Only remembered for what we have done
Byker Hill
If I had another penny I would have another gill (it's 'jill' in the north)
I would make the piper play 'The Bonny Lass of Byker Hill'
ch. Byker Hill and Walker Shore, collier lads for ever more
The pitman and the keelman trim, they drink bumble made from gin
And to dance they do begin to the tune of 'Elsie Marley'
When I came to Walker work I had no coat nor no pit shirt
Now I've gotten two or three, Walker pit's done well for me.
Auld Lang Syne
barbershop arrangement by Don Gray
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And days of auld lang syne?
(Chorus)
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet,
For days of auld lang syne.
We twa hae run about the braes
And pu’d the gowans fine;
We’ve wander’d mony a weary foot
Sin days of auld lang syne.
We twa hae paidl’d i’ the burn,
Frae mornin’ sun till dine;
But seas between us braid hae roar’d
Sin days of auld lang syne.
And there’s a hand, my trusty fiere!
And gie’s a hand o’ thine!
We’ll tak a richt guid-willy waught,
For days of auld lang syne.
Alfred, Lord Tennyson, arr. Stephen Taberner
Sunset and evening star, and one clear call for me
And may there be no moaning of the bar
When I put out to sea.
When I put out to sea, when I put out to sea,
And may there be no moaning of the bar
When I put out to sea.
Such tide as moving seems asleep, too full for sound and foam
When that which drew from out the boundless deep
Turns again home.
Turns again home, turns again home,
When that which drew from out the boundless deep
Turns again home.
Twilight and evening bell, and after that the dark
And may there be no sadness of farewell
When I embark.
When I embark, When I embark,
And may there be no sadness of farewell
When I embark.
Tho' out our bourne of Time and Place the flood may bear me far
I hope to see my Pilot face to face
When I have crost the bar.
When I have crost the bar, When I have crost the bar
I hope to see my Pilot face to face
When I have crost the bar.
Unst Boat Song
traditionalStarka virna vestalie Obadeea Obadeea Starka virna vestalie Obadeea monye Stala stoita stonga raer O Whit says du da bunshka baer O Whit says du da bunshka baera Litra mae vee drengie Saina papa wara Obadeea Obadeea Saina papa wara Obadeea monye |
Chi Mi Na Morbheanna / Smile in Your Sleep
traditional/ Jim McLean
O chì, chì mi na mórbheannaO chì, chì mi na córrbheannaO chì, chì mi na coireachanChì mi na sgoran fo chèo | Everyone3part harmony |
Once our valleys were ringing With sounds o' our children singing But now sheep bleat 'till the evening And shielings lie empty and broken | High voices |
Oh chi | Everyone |
We stood, wi heads bowed in prayer While factors laid our cottages bare The flames fired the clear mountain air An' many were dead in the morning | Low voices |
Oh chi | Everyone |
No use pleading or praying For gone, gone is all hope of staying so Hush, hush, the ferry’s awaiting To carry us over the ocean | Everyone |
Hush, hush, time to be sleeping Hush, hush, dreams come a-creeping Dreams o' peace and o' freedom So smile in your sleep, bonny bairnie | Everyone in unison |
O chì, chì mi na mórbheannaO chì, chì mi na córrbheannaO chì, chì mi na coireachanChì mi na sgoran fo chèo | Everyone3 part harmony |
Johnny Don't Go Walking With The Fishes
George Papavgeris
Melody
Spring again has blessed the island. Weather settled for two weeks
And the crews outside the churches for communion line the streets
Hooooo. Doo du-du dooo, dee dee di-di-dee dee dee dee
And five hundred divers bragging, who will bring the big one back
Generations made a living diving naked with the stone
But we didn’t spend too long down there, with the knife one slash and home
Hooo-oo. Doo du-du dooooooo-oo-oo. Dee dee di-di-dee dee dee dee
But the bends have claimed so many
And my fear won’t let me sleep
Your best friend now walks on crutches and his brother cannot speak
And your cousin and my nephew in the churchyard lies asleep
Hooo-oo doo du-du dooooo. Dee dee di-di-dee dee dee dee
and I want my son around me, and grandchildren on my knee
Low part
Hooo-oo Dye-a-doo-oo-oo.
Hoo du-du doo du-du doo. Hooooo.
Fifty boats or more are ready
Hoooo-oo-oo.
And five hundred divers bragging who will bring the big one back
Generations made a living diving naked with the stone
But we didn’t spend too long down there, with the knife one slash and home
Now these diving suits will tempt you to go walking in the deep
But the bends have claimed so many and my fear won’t let me sleep
Hooooo. Dye-a-doo-oo-oo.
Hoo du-du doo du-du doo
Hoo-oo-oo. Hoooo-oo. Hoooooo-oo-oo
And I want my son around me, and grandchildren on my knee.
High part
Hooooo. Dye-a doo
Hoo du-du doo du-du doo
Hooooo.
Hooooo. Fifty captain’s wives wear black
And five hundred divers bragging
Who will bring the big one back.
Generations made a living diving naked with the stone
But we didn’t spend too long down there, with the knife one slash and home
Hoooooo. Hoooooooooo-oo-oo but the bends have claimed so many
and my fear won’t let me sleep
Hooooo. Dye-a-doo
Hoo du-du doo du-du doo
Hooooo.
In the eyes of your sweet Mary, tears like diamonds don’t you see?
And I want my son around me, and grandchildren on my knee
Lay Fallow
Michael Kennedy
Heed the voice in the wind my childLet the land lay fallow
Down below the waste and weed
Dormant lie forgotten seed
Waiting for to have their head
And sow again the ancient bed
Chorus
Long before the jubilee
Wiser heads than ours believed
Offered thanks of fruit and grain
Brought the seasons round again
Chorus
Though your lot seems fair at best
And this plot a poor bequest
When every ounce of gold is found
The prize will lie in fertile ground
Chorus
Born around the birth of flame
The primal wind knows time, knows change
Commands the skies and moves the land
(shhh)
Yet trembles in the human hand
Heed the voice in the wind my child
Leave the field til the grass grows wild
Every blade is borrowed
Let the land lay fallow
Every blade is borrowed
(last line in unison, crescendo last word)
Let the land lay fallow
Unison in Harmony
Jim Boyes
Soaring skywards, leaping sideways, do or die words cleave the air Joy and laughter, mornings after, raise the rafters, we don’t care If the roof’s beyond repair.
Raise the rafters, raise the rafters, raise the rafters, we don’t care If the roof’s beyond repair.
Sisters, brothers, to all others, let that this be our guiding star
Hearts on fire, but no messiah, hear the music from afar
What we sing is what we are.
Hear the music...
Over hills and over valleys, over mountains, over seas Nations shall sing unto nations, until nations cease to be Unison in harmony
Until nations
Anderson’s Coast
by John Warner
Oh Annie, dear, don't wait for me,
I fear I shall not return to thee,
There's naught to do but endure my fate,
And watch the moon, the lonely moon
Light the breakers on wild Bass Strait.
Old Bass Strait roars like some great millrace, And where are you, my Annie?
And the same moon shines on this lonely place,
As shone one day on my Annie's face.
But Annie, dear, don't wait for me, etc
We stole a vessel and all her gear, And where are you, my Annie?
And from Van Diemen's we north did steer,
Till Bass Strait's wild waves wrecked us here.
But Annie, dear, don't wait for me,etc
And somewhere west, Port Melbourne lies, And where are you, my Annie?
Through swamps infested with snakes and flies,
The fool who walks there, surely dies.
We hail no ship though the time, it drags, And where are you, my Annie?
Our chain gang walk and our government rags
All mark us out as Van Dieman's lags.
But Annie, dear, don't wait for me,etc
We fled the lash and the chafing chain,
And where are you, my Annie?
We fled hard labour and brutal pain,
And here we are, and here remain.
But Annie, dear, don't wait for me,
I fear I shall not return to thee,
There's nought to do but endure my fate,
And watch the moon, the lonely moon
Light the breakers on wild Bass Strait.
Light the breakers on wild Bass Strait.
Light the breakers on wild Bass Strait.
As I was walking a' alane
I heard twa corbies makin main
And I heard yin to tither did say O
Whaur s'all we gang and dine the day O
Whaur s'all we gang and dine the day
In behint yon auld fell dyke
I wot there lies a new slain knight
And naeb'dy kens that he lies there O
But his hawk and his hound and his lady fair O
Hawk and his hound and his lady fair
His hawk is tae the hunting gane
His hound tae fetch the wild fowl hame
His lady's ta'en anither mate O
So we may mak our dinner sweit O
We may mak our dinner sweit
Ye'll sit on his white hause-bane
And I'll pick oot his bonny blue een
Wi mony a lock o' his gowden hair O
We'll theek our nest when it grows bare O
We'll theek our nest when it grows bare
Mony an ane for him maks main
But nane shall ken whaur he is gane
O'er his white banes when they are bare O
The wind s'all blaw for evermair O
The wind s'all blaw for evermair
