Lyr Req: When It's Moonlight in Mayo

Subject: moonlight in mayo
From: GUEST,Iain
Date: 30 Jan 00 - 05:08 AM

Can anyone please supply lyrics and maybe chords to this song.

Subject: Lyr Add: WHEN IT'S MOONLIGHT IN MAYO
From: Brakn
Date: 30 Jan 00 - 08:21 AM

WHEN IT'S MOONLIGHT IN MAYO

It's just a year ago today
I left old Erin's Isle
My heart was throbbing in the soft light
Of my colleen's smile
In all my dreams I seem to hear
Her sweet voice soft and low
I know she's waiting where we said
Goodbye in old Mayo

Chorus
For two Irish eyes are shining
And an Irish heart is pining
Where I kissed her and caressed her
In the gloaming long ago
Loving Irish arms will press me
And true Irish love caress me
And sweet Irish lips will bless me
When It's Moonlight In Mayo

Her Irish eyes like beacons shine
All through the darkest night
I know their sweet love beams
Will always fill the world with light
The roses of her cheeks will lend
Enchantment to the scene
And when the shamrocks wear the dew
I'll wed my sweet colleen


Mick Bracken

Subject: RE: moonlight in mayo
From: Snuffy
Date: 30 Jan 00 - 08:26 AM

I've got a version by Josef Locke, but he misses out the second verse - thanks for supplying it, Mick.

Wassail

Snuffy

Subject: Chords Add: WHEN IT'S MOONLIGHT IN MAYO
From: Brakn
Date: 30 Jan 00 - 08:41 AM

I've never heard Josef Locke do it Snuffy. These are the chords that I play....some are unnecessary.

C//G//C//G//
C//G//C//C//
C//Am//G//G#dim//
Am//D7//G//G7//
C//G//C//G//
C//G//C//C//
C//Am//G//G#dim//
Am//D7//G//G7//

Chorus
C//F//C//C//
C//Caug//F//F#dim//
C//F//C//C//
F//Emin//Dmin//G//
C//F//C//C//
C//Caug//F//F#dim//
C//F//C//A7//
D7//G7//C//G7//


Mick Bracken

Subject: RE: moonlight in mayo
From: GUEST,Iain
Date: 31 Jan 00 - 05:05 AM

My thanks to both Brakn and Snuffy. I have had about three lines of the song running round my head for a long time now. Now I can finally do something with it. Thanks again

Subject: Lyr Add: WHEN IT'S MOONLIGHT IN MAYO
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 24 Sep 09 - 09:28 PM

From the sheet music at Indiana University:

(I have boldfaced the words that are different from the lyrics posted above.)


WHEN IT'S MOONLIGHT IN MAYO (TWO IRISH EYES ARE SHINING)
Words, Jack Mahoney. Music, Percy Wenrich.
New York: Leo Feist, Inc., copyright 1914.

1. It's just a year ago today I left old Erin's Isle.
My heart was throbbing in the sunlight of my colleen's smile.
In all my dreams I hear her sweet voice calling soft and low.
I know she's waiting where we said "goodbye" in old Mayo.

CHORUS: Now two Irish eyes are shining
And an Irish heart is pining
Where I kissed her and caressed her in the gloaming long ago.
Loving Irish arms will press me,
With true Irish love caress me,
And sweet Irish lips will bless me
When it's moonlight in Mayo.

2. Her Irish eyes like beacons shine on through the darkest night.
I know their sweet love beams will always fill the world with light.
The roses of her cheeks will lend enchantment to the scene,
And when the shamrocks wed the dew, I'll wed my sweet colleen.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: When It's Moonlight in Mayo
From: Brakn
Date: 25 Sep 09 - 06:04 AM

Thanks for the corrections Jim.

As for the writers every other source gives it as written by Seamus Kavanagh & P.J. Ryan.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: When It's Moonlight in Mayo
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 09 Dec 10 - 10:04 AM

The above-mentioned sheet music from 1914, with the attribution to Mahoney and Wenrich, is also viewable at The Maine Music Box.

However, the National Library of Australia and the National Library of Ireland both have sheet music dated 1948 that is attributed to Seamus Kavanagh and P. J. Ryan. The sheet music is not viewable online and no lyrics are given in the catalogue entries.

The British Library has both.

Go figure.

The same question was asked in 3 other threads, and received similarly incomplete answers, here, here, and here.

YouTube has performances by—

Bridie Gallagher (in an actual video where she seems to be singing while browsing in an antiques shop!)

Derek McCormack

Dan The Street Singer

Bonnie Stewart

James Kilbane

Paddy McManus – from an old 78rpm record

a rather cute unnamed kid

... and a few of others, but I got tired of making links!