The Orange Lilly "O"

The Orange Lilly "O"

Wednesday 14 January 2015

The Somme by Bakerloo Junction (V)

The sun was shinning brightly the sky larks soared above
Their songs were drifting sweetly across the fields of waving corn
Where our Irish boys were lying some sleeping on the ground
Dreaming of their loved ones in far off distant towns

Welcome waves the corn me boys the battle has begun
Welcome waves the corn me boys the battle hymn is sung
Onward Christian soldiers onward now we go
Liberty and freedom our children they must know

On that July morning many brave men fell
As they marched into battle into that smoldering hell
But still they kept on going not a man did flinch
     For peace to give their children they would not move an inch

 And now as I stand at Belfast's City Hall
I think about those men who died at the Somme
The peace that was hard fought for it slowly fades away
         Please God to our country bring a new and peaceful day
 

Tuesday 13 January 2015

Gallant Orange Soldier Boy of 98 (V)

I am a humble Orangeman, my father he was one,
The mantle that the sire once wore has fallen to the son,
He ranks with those who quelled their foes, the foes of church & state,
The gallant Orange soldier boy, who fought in ’98.
The gallant Orange soldier boy, who fought in ’98.

The light which led their spirits on o’er battlefield did shine,
Each breast was freedoms temple pure, each heart was freedoms shrine,
As sinks the day in glorious ray, some song unbrights their fate,
The gallant Orange soldier boy, who fought in ’98.
The gallant Orange soldier boy, who fought in ’98.

To guard the faith which Luther preached, the right which William won,
The Orangeman relies upon his Bible and his gun,
He prays for peace yet war will face, when rebels congregate
Just like the Orange soldier boy, who fought in ’98.
Just like the Orange soldier boy, who fought in ’98.

“Who Fears To Speak of ‘98”, this was the silly note
Of one who was afraid to put his name to what he wrote,
He was afraid, they’re all afraid, they know to guard their prate,
As did the Orange soldier boy, who fought in ’98.
As did the Orange soldier boy, who fought in ’98.

In peace like watchful silent stars do Orangemen remain,
In war their energies are like the surges of the main
And each true hearted Orangeman would smile tho’ death awaits,
As did the Orange soldier boy, who fought in ’98.
As did the Orange soldier boy, who fought in ’98.
 Orange Soldier Boy was written in response to a nationalist political ballad, Who fears to speak of ’98? Originally written as a poem by John Kells Ingram (1824-1907) who was born in Ulster at Templecarne near Pettigo in County Donegal

Friday 9 January 2015

The Crown Of London - Scottish Covenanter's Song (V)

© 2000 Kris Drever from his album, Mark the Hard Earth; Song title: The Crown of London

My name is Jamie Penman, i'm a weaver by trade,
In the the town of Bigger, I was born and bread,
And me and Johnny Rankin, we marched to Bothwell Brig,
By faith and by our conscience, we were led,

Side by side, we stood against the Crown,
But the Covenanting flower, was cut down,
And with tears of frustration, in our eyes turned and fled,

5,000 Covenanters were chaffed, before a wind,
That roared upon us, from the fires of hell,
And Clavourhouse and Monmouth,, for pleasure maimed and killed,
And I saw things no man, should ever tell,

Ah not for me, a martyrs joy,
Only chains of shame, under heaven's eye,
In Greyfriars Kirkyard, to suffer its mocking bell,


And not for the first time I cried,
Angry in the face of my God,
But never a whisper in reply,

Onboard the Crown of London, there's a stinking fever hold,
And we were dragged roughly, crammed inside,
No food or any water, and hardly any air,
For 15 days we sweated, choked and cried,

We thought that ship, was satan's curse,
But when she set sail, it was ten times worse,
And no one gave a damn, if we lived or if we died,

We were bound for Jamaica, to be plantation slaves,
Far from those gentle hills, that held our homes,
But sailing up to Orkney, a black storm ripped the sky,
And on those jagged cliffs, the Crown was thrown,

The ship's crew scrambled, over the rocks,
But the wicked bastards, left the hatches locked,
And abandoned us to drown there, like rats beneath the foam,


And not for the first time i cried,
Angry in the face of my God,
But never a whisper in reply,

And we were being swallowed, by a vicious hungry sea,
The water blasted through, the timbers tore,
In panic and confusion, one hatch was broken wide,
And some of us were spat, towards the shore,

That water seemed so dark and cold,
But not so dark as the flooded hold,
For 200 men who will lie there evermore,

And not for the first time i cried,
Angry in the face of my God,
But this time, the Heaven's opened wide,
With the crash and the roar, of anger and pride,

And i turned from the deep, dragging my feet,
To search in the dark, for the road.


The Covenanter Soldier - Scottish Covenanter's Song (V)

Yeh seen ah wus named outlaw, and ah fought against the king, 
Mah wife and weans condemned wae me, feh the praises we did sing 
Four little wurds wee’l niver say, wee’l no say them at ahh
And ah’ll gae mah life fer mah beliefs, again king chairlies law
 

Ah'm a Covenanters sodier and a hod tae mah beliefs 
Against dragoons and lairds sae fine, who are little mair than thiefs
But though ah wus an outlaw, when ah stairted on this fight 
Ah noo stand fer the King sir, on the side of truth an right  

 
At Drumclog and Bothwell Bridge, we tried tae mak a stand
If they caught us. they would hang us, and cut off wer heids and hans
Wae ministers tae lead us and despite the prayers we prayed,
Many died in battle, through the errors that were made

CHORUS
 
It was the Graham of Claverhoose, who herried thru wer land,
Cuttin doon the common fowk, wae bluid upon he’s hans
But little did he know then, that his line was runnin thin 
Fer soon the Covenanters, would be comin aifther him
 
CHORUS

When William and Mary, were crowned the King and Queen 
The Kirk it was put back, tae tha whey that it had been
But Claverhoose, he went and raised, an army frae the north
And this time frae, the King again, we haid tae prove wer worth

CHORUS

We met at Killycrankie and ootnumbered though he wus
Dundee he was experienced, they’d fought in many wars
But even though, he won the day, history will recall
James Stuarts plans were forfeit, when Claverhoose did fall

CHORUS

Mah fightin days wer over, and ahm back hame once again
Av’e been ootlaw and Kings sodier, ave seen mah share o pain
But if mah life and mah beliefs, are once mair under threat
Then rest assured, that once mair, ahll defend them tae the death.

CHORUS

Thursday 8 January 2015

John Craig the Covenanter - Scottish Covenanters Song (V)

John Craig was a man of noble birth
Nae greater preacher, roamed the earth
He swore the Covenant was worth, far mair than royal laws
But John was mair, than a preacher man
If danger raised, it's icy han
Above them ahh, John Craig would stan
In battle, for he's cause

When John found that, he'd been betrayed
New plans in Strathaven toon were laid
The toonsfolk did, just what John said
Alang wae all toons men
Dragoons arrived, so self assured
At the meeting place, before the aur
No realisin the'd been lured
Right intae John Craig's den


John Craig the Covenanter, was an orator of note
And he's congregation hung on every wurd, that left he's throat
But when danger threatened and it put him tae the test
As a military tactician, he's the best


The altars men, all sang so lood
The sodiers thought, they'd found the crowd
And swore they'd soon, be in their shrouds
Fer flauntin royal law
Before they set aff, fer the vale
Tae tak their plunder, fae the kill
Tae quench their thirst, wie good strong ale
Their swords wer set tae draw

Their muskets left, beside the road
Primed wae ball, and powder load
No need they thought, tae set a trap
For who would dare attack?
The toonsfolk then, at Craig's Command
Crept silently, on knee and hand
And there wae muskets, raised did stand
Behind the sodiers back

John Craig the Covenanter, was an orator of note
And he's congregation hung on every wurd, that left he's throat
But when danger threatened and it put him tae the test
As a military tactician, he's the best


They took the sodiers, by surprise
The look of terror, in their eyes
No one could hear, their fearful cry's
That what might be, their fate
The laughter fre, the toonsfolk rose
Craig ordered them, remove their clothes
The sodier left, in drawers and hose
They did humiliate

So doon the road the sodiers run
Wae nae defence, nae sword nae guns
To cheers and shouts, fae every man
They were just glad tae flee
The service followed, full o praise
Fer God's deliverance, on that day
Fae the Covenanters enemies
And John Craig's, wurds o cheer 


John Craig the Covenanter, was an orator of note
And he's congregation hung on every wurd, that left he's throat
But when danger threatened and it put him tae the test
As a military tactician, he's the best


Repeat