The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #8445   Message #56755
Posted By:
01-Feb-99 - 07:40 PM
Thread Name: Lyr Add: Lovely Ann/Loss of the Ship Union
Subject: RE: When I was in My Prime
There's a song from the collection of Dr John Clague in the Isle of Man where he pencils in the first verse. Unfortunately, I can't read all the words. These days it tends to be called "Tra va mee aeg as lajer" which translates as "When I was young and strong". Personally, I'd rather it wasn't, because the lyrics as shown in the Clague manuscript start -

When I was young and in my prime
To sea I had to roam.
......... {lies} .......... they did combine
To drive me from my home.
To Belfast town they did me bring
Without any more delay
On board of a [some sort of a ship]
Bound for Amerikay.

It's obviously a fairly standard forced emigration song. If someone can suggest which particular song this is, I'd be grateful. It isn't one of those in the database collection.

Gura mie eu,

Bobby Bob