1. IRISH ROVER

In the year of our lord 1806,
We set sail from the fair cove of Cork.
We were bound far away with a cargo of bricks to the fine City Hall of New York.
And our very fine craft, she was rigged fore and aft,
And oh how the wild wind drove her.
She had twenty three masts and withstood several blasts
And we called her The Irish Rover.

There was Barney McGee from the banks of Dundee, there was
Hogan from County Tyrone
And a chap called McGurk who was scared stiff of work and a
Man from Westmeath called Malone.
There was Slugger O’Toole who was drunk as a rule and
Fighting Bill Treacy from Dover.
And your man, Mike McCann from the banks of the
Bann was the skipper of the Irish Rover.

We had one million bales of old billygoat tails
We had two million buckets of stone.
We had three million sides of old blind horses hides,
We had four million packets of bones
We had five million hogs, six million dogs,
Seven million barrels of porter.
We had eight million bags of the best
Sligo rags in the hold of the Irish Rover.

We had sailed seven years when the measles broke out,
And the ship lost her way in the fog.
And the whole of the crew was reduced unto two,
‘Twas meself and the Captain’s old dog.
Then the ship struck a rock – terrible shock.
And then she heeled right over
Turned nine times around and the poor old dog was drowned…
I’m the last of the Irish Rovers.


2. NOTHING CHANGES

It’s Tuesday morning, and it’s about three a.m.
She’s staring out the window at the rain, can’t sleep again.
Tries to clear her head,
Crazy thoughts they’re spinning through her mind.
Of all the things he’s done,
And all the years that they have left behind.

[Chorus:]
Nothing changes, nothing changes.
If you run too fast your life will pass you by.
Nothing changes, you better stop and look at both sides
Take a chance to see,
There’s more to life than meets the eye.

He’s sitting by the phone again, he’s waiting for that call.
From a 30 year old daughter that he don’t see at all.
Spent his whole life working hard, no time to be at home.
Now he’s in his later years they’ve left him,
Just sitting all alone.

[Chorus]


3. HERE I STAND

I don’t know, what can I do
My mind’s made up now something’s got to pull me through
‘Cause I feel the time is right
To make that change, got to get me through this life

Looking back at days gone by, the things I face now
Trying not to choose a side
‘Cause I knew I had to rise, and nothing no
Was going to take away my pride.

[Chorus:]
Here I stand with my back against the wall again
My mind can’t take no more
My heart is strong but there’s something always going wrong
My life is like an open door

Sleepless nights, endless days, wasted time
In life’s never ending maze
‘Cause I feel the time is now, to make that change
Got to get me through somehow

I was told long ago to choose path,
‘Cause I could only make it so
But I knew, afraid to stray, too wrapped up
In what they were gonna say.

[Chorus]

In a world that’s changing,
Don’t lose sight, stand your ground
Even if you have to fight
Your time will come that unknown day
You can’t let your feeling stand in your way.


4. ALIVE

Something inside telling me,
There’s more out there than I can see
Take time to look around,
Don’t let small things get you down
Won’t take it, not today

Try to look up at the sun, just the same as everyone
Something’s got a hold of you,
There’s really not much you can do
I see it, ‘cause everyday

When you’ve got that feeling, you get it deep inside
Got to appreciate it, don’t happen every time
Don’t guess about tomorrow, it’ll be alright,

‘Cause I feel alive. I’m so alive.
I feel alive. I’m so alive

Now the world is full of highs and lows,
That’s just the way it goes
No two people just the same, we all play at different games
Try to make it, and that’s just the way.

Stop and listen to the sound,
‘Cause everything comes back around
Understand now what you do will find
It’s way right back to you
I see it, and that’s just the way.

‘Cause when you get that feeling, you get it deep inside
Stop to appreciate it, don’t happen every time.
Don’t guess about tomorrow, it’ll be alright.

I feel alive. I’m so alive.
I feel alive. I’m so alive


5. GOODBYE MUIRSIN DURKIN

Goodbye Muirsin Durkin, I’m sick and tired of workin’.
No longer I’ll dig praties, no more shall I be cold.
Sure as me name is Carney I’ll be off to California
Instead of digging praties I’ll be diggin’ lumps of gold.

In the days I went to courtin’
I was never tired of resortin’
To an ale house or a playhouse and many’s the house besides.
I told me brother Seamus I’d go off and go right famous.
I never would return again ‘til
I roamed the whole world wide

[Chorus:]
I've courted girls in Blarney, in Kanturk and in Killarney,
In Passage and in Banbridge town, and in the Cobh of Cork.
Goodbye to all me pleasure for I’m off to take me leisure
Next time that you hear from me, is a letter from New York.

[Chorus]

Goodbye to all me boys at home I’m going far across the foam
To try and make me fortune in far Amerikay
There’s gold and jewels aplenty
For the poor and for the gentry
Next time that you hear from me no longer will I say.

[Chorus]


6. LIKE YOU

Lookin’ from the outside ‘cause I thought I had lost my way.
That empty hollow feeling I carried with me every day.
I wasn’t looking for an answer, I had nothing left to say.
I put my feet on the ground without making a sound
Finally moving on straight

[Chorus:]
I’m tired and I’m jaded,
Something inside that I just can’t deny
I had a heartache, but it’s faded
Living a lie and I think I know why
‘Cause I’ve never been this saturated
With this feeling I got from a girl like you
And I don’t want to be separated, with this feeling I’ve got
From a girl like you.

We’re both everyday people,
And we’re living in our everyday lives
We’ve made our share of mistakes now,
Thinking we were doing it right.
Oh I’m not saying that life can’t be perfect
Everybody has the tough times
But the hand you deal can make
You feel that everything will turn out fine

[Chorus]


7. FOLLOW ME UP TO CARLOW

Lift Mac Cahir Og your face,
Brooding o’er the old disgrace,
That black Fitzwilliam stormed your place
And drove you to the Fern.
Grey said victory was sure,
Soon the firebrand he’d secure.
Until he met at Glanmalure
Feach Mac Hugh O’Byrne

See the swords of Glen Imayle,
Flashing o’er the English Pale
See all the children of the Gael,
Beneath O’Byrne’s Banners
Rooster of the fighting stock
Would you let a Saxon cock
Crow upon an Irish rock
Fly up and teach him manners.

Curse and swear Lord Kildare
Feach will do what Feach will dare
Now Fitzwilliam have a care
Fallen is your star low.
Up with halbert, out with sword
On we go for by the Lord
Feach Mac Hugh has given his word
Follow me up to Carlow.

From Tassagart to Clonmore,
Flows a stream of Saxon gore
Och, great is Rory Oge O’More,
At sending loons to Hades.
Whie is sick and Lane is fled,
Now for black Fitzwilliam’s head
We’ll send it over, dripping red,
To Liza and the ladies


8. DARK ISLAND

In the years long gone by, when I first left my home
I was young and I wanted the wide world to roam
But now I am older and wiser you see
And that lovely dark Island is calling to me

Though I’ve wandered away from the land of my birth
And I’ve roved all around to the ends of the earth
Still my heart is at home in a land far away
On that lovely dark island where memories stay