Two great Mick Hanly ones, one much more well known: "Lets Have One More From The Daddy" (referring to songs in a singaround or family gathering) and the darker "Daddy Come Down" which is a child's-eye view of a drunken father, the child understanding much more than he wants to about what's going on. The coming-down refers to coming down the stairs at home, more often than not the worse for wear. The only bit of its words I can remember is "Daddy come down, Daddy come down, Daddy don't come down with flames on your breath." A great song which I would love to get ahold of but it's not on his website or recorded CD's.

Sorcha, you beat me to it, so just to get even, here are the words to Father Dear Father (nyah nyah) :-)

Father, dear father, come home with me now,
The clock in the steeple strikes one;
You said you were coming right home from the shop
As soon as your day's work was done;
Our fire has gone out, our house is all dark,
And mother's been watching since tea,
With poor brother Benny so sick in her arms
And no one to help her but me,
Come home! come home! come home!
Please father, dear father, come home.

Chorus:
Hear the sweet voice of the child,
Which the night-winds repeat as they roam;
Oh who could resist this most plaintive of prayers
"Please father, dear father, come home."

Father, dear father, come home with me now,
The clock in the steeple strikes two;
The night has grown colder, and Benny is worse
But he has been calling for you:
Indeed he is worse, ma says he will die--
Perhaps before morning shall dawn;
And this is the message she sent me to bring
"Come quickly, or he will be gone."
Come home! come home! come home!
Please father, dear father, come home.

Chorus

Father, dear father, come home with me now,
The clock in the steeple strikes three;
The house is so lonely, the hours are so long,
For poor weeping mother and me;
Yes, we are alone, poor Benny is dead,
And gone with the angels of light;
And these were the very last words that he said
"I want to kiss papa good-night."
Come home! come home! come home!
Please father, dear father, come home.

Chorus