Lyr Req: Tie Me Down (Allister MacGillivray)

Subject: Lyrics for 'Tie me down'
From: David
Date: 28 Feb 97 - 03:59 PM

I'm looking for the lyrics to the Irish song 'Tie me down'.

The chorus goes something like;

Tie me down, tie me down, I never really meant to play around, If you loved me you'd believe me, And you'd come with me now, We've got to stay together, Tie me down.

Can anyone help?

David.

Subject: Lyr Add: TIE ME DOWN (Allister MacGillivray)
From: ron k
Date: 03 Mar 97 - 06:42 PM

Actually, it is a song from Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia written by Allister MacGillivray. It was first recorded by Ryan's Fancy, a group that usually sings Irish songs. He also wrote "Out On The Mira," "Sea People," and "Coal Town Road" as well as many other songs about living in and leaving Cape Breton. Here are the words.

TIE ME DOWN
(Allister MacGillivray)

CHORUS: Tie me down. tie me down.
You know I never meant to play around.
If you love me, you'll believe me and I'll go with you now,
But we've got to get together. Tie me down.

I've been wheels. I've been rails.
I've been dusty roads and grassy wagon trails.
But I miss the friends that linger in the streets of my hometown.
If you love me, you'll believe me. Tie me down.

I've known some, yes, more than one,
And there's been some things I wish I'd never done.
Once they branded me a devil when I longed to be a clown.
If you love me, you'll believe me. Tie me down.

But if we swore we'd change no more,
There'd be nothing that our hearts would be good for.
Give this some consideration before you turn me down.
If you love me, you'll believe me. Tie me down.


Hope this helps.
ron k

Subject: RE: Lyrics for 'Tie me down'
From: David
Date: 04 Mar 97 - 03:18 PM

Many thanks Ron.

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Subject: Tie Me Down
From: Paul
Date: 03 Jul 97 - 12:54 PM

Can someone help me find the lyrics to Allister MacGillivray's song 'Tie Me Down'. Thanks

Subject: Lyr Add: TIE ME DOWN (Allister MacGillivray)
From: ron k
Date: 07 Jul 97 - 08:48 PM

Let's see if I can remember them.

TIE ME DOWN

CHORUS: Tie me down, tie me down, you know I never meant to play around
If you love me you'll believe me and I'll go with you now
But we've got to get together, tie me down

(V1) I've been wheels and I've been rails,
I've been dusty roads and grassy wagon trails
But I miss the friends who linger in the streets of my hometown. CHORUS

(V2) I've known some, yes more than one
And there's been some things I wish I'd never done
Once they branded me a devil when I longed to be a clown
If you love me you'll believe me, tie me down. CHORUS

(V3) But if we swore we'd change no more
There'd be nothing that our hearts would be good for
Give this some consideration before you turn me down
If you love me you'll believe me, tie me down. CHORUS

(For the record, I had trouble with the last verse and had to look it up)
Have fun with this one, maybe you can sing it at the FANTASY FOLK CIRCLE

HTML line breaks added in place of double spacing. --JoeClone, 3-May-03.

Subject: RE: Tie Me Down
From: Paul
Date: 09 Jul 97 - 05:24 PM

Thanks a lot Ron, I appreciate the lyrics, and will enjoy them very much.

Subject: Lyr Add: TIE ME DOWN (Allister MacGillivray)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 19 Jan 08 - 03:32 PM

Found at GEST Songs of Newfoundland and Labrador. Note the spelling of the songwriter's name.

TIE ME DOWN
Allister MacGillivray

CHORUS: Tie me down, oh, tie me down.
Well, you know I never meant to play around.
If you love me, you'll believe me, and I'll go with you now,
But we've got to get together. Tie me down.

Well, I've been wheels and I've been rails.
I've been dusty roads and grassy wagon trails,
But I miss the friends that linger in the streets of my hometown.
If you love me, you'll believe me. Tie me down. CHORUS

Well, I've known some, yes, more than one,
And there's been some things I wish I'd never done.
Once they branded me a devil when I longed to be a clown.
If you love me, you'll believe me. Tie me down. CHORUS

Ah, but if we swore we'd change no more,
Well, there'd be nothing that our hearts would be good for.
Give this some consideration before you turn around:
If you love me, you'll believe me. Tie me down. CHORUS TWICE

[Arranged by Ryan's Fancy, "A Time With Ryan's Fancy," Boot Records, ©1979.

Also by Allister MacGillivray (b.1948):
AWAY FROM THE ROLL OF THE SEA
COAL TOWN ROAD
HERE'S TO SONG
KITTY BAWN O'BRIEN
SEA PEOPLE
SONG FOR THE MIRA (OUT ON THE MIRA)
TIE ME DOWN

(John) Allister MacGillivray is a songwriter, guitarist, author, folklorist, and record producer born in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia. He received an honourary Doctor of Letters degree in 1997 from University College of Cape Breton. For six years, starting in 1973, he was an accompanist to the Newfoundland / Irish group Ryan's Fancy, also serving as music director from 1974 to 1977 for the group's CBC television series which was broadcast from studios in St. John's, NL.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tie Me Down (Allister MacGillivray)
From: GUEST,richard
Date: 20 Mar 08 - 09:11 AM

does anybody know the guitar chords for tie me down

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tie Me Down (Allister MacGillivray)
From: GUEST
Date: 29 Jun 08 - 07:14 PM

anybody know the chords to this song tie me down!??

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tie Me Down (Allister MacGillivray)
From: GEST
Date: 12 Aug 09 - 09:54 PM

Guitar chords for Tie Me Down from GEST Songs of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tie Me Down (Allister MacGillivray)
From: GUEST,Spud Murphy
Date: 19 Jul 11 - 09:47 PM

I think John Allan Cameron recorded it before Ryan's Fancy.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tie Me Down (Allister MacGillivray)
From: meself
Date: 19 Jul 11 - 10:41 PM

Yup.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tie Me Down (Allister MacGillivray)
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 19 Jul 11 - 10:43 PM

Spud Murphy, you may well be correct! Allister played with John Allen's band before he joined Ryan's Fancy. My first recollection of hearing it was from John Allen and he surely sang it earlier than Ryan's Fancy but I am unsure of recording dates.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tie Me Down (Allister MacGillivray)
From: GUEST
Date: 11 Aug 11 - 01:44 PM

they start the song in Eb or on capo 1 D capo 4 C take ur pick what ever is the easiest for u. but allister goes to Eb, Bb, Cm, Eb i hope this helps you.

Subject: RE: Sea People (Allister MacGillivray)
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Oct 11 - 07:31 PM

I've been trying to get the chords to the ong Sea People but can't seem to find them anywhere. anyone help

Subject: Lyr/Chords Add: SEA PEOPLE (Allister MacGillivray)
From: Bob Landry
Date: 25 Oct 11 - 10:34 PM

Here ya go, Guest, from the Cape Breton Song Collection, compiled, arranged and edited by Allister MacGillivray (3rd printing, 1992)


SEA PEOPLE
Allister MacGillivray

Intro chords:   A | E | B7 | C# | A | C#m | F#m   F#7 | B

[B7] They go [E] down with their [B7] nets to the [E] shore; [Esus4]
They go [E] down like their [B7] fathers be [E] fore [Esus4]
[B7] And the [E] sea seems to [E7] say, "If you [A] ride me to [C#m] day,
I will [E] grant you the [E] wealth of the [B] store."

Chorus:
[B7] They are [E] sea [Esus4] peo [E] ple, the [B] pride of the land,
[A] Strong of the spirit and [E] rough of the [B7] hand.
[E] Sea [Esus4] peo [E] ple the [B] waters com [F#m] mand
From their [A] rocky old [E] steeds [B7] of the [E] strand.

E7 | A | E B7 | E

[Esus4] As the waves rise to tumble and fall
In the face of a wild summer's squall,
All the traps will be cast and the courses held fast
For they brave through the worst of it all.

Chorus

If you walk the cold beaches alone
As the first light of morning is born,
All adrift in the haze where the white seagull strays,
You might catch a glimpse on the foam

Chorus
Of the sea people …

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tie Me Down (Allister MacGillivray)
From: GUEST
Date: 10 Sep 17 - 07:04 PM

so thankful for this post!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tie Me Down (Allister MacGillivray)
From: GUEST,Marcia Palmater
Date: 10 Sep 17 - 10:35 PM

Another of Allister's songs was mentioned, but the title was wrong. Perhaps his most famous composition is Song for the Mira, not Out on the Mira. The Mira is a beautiful river in Cape Breton. Definitely not an Irish song!

Subject: (Allister MacGillivray)-
From: GUEST,E. Russell
Date: 29 May 21 - 09:07 AM

looking to contact Allister
Does anyone know his email address?
Thank you

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tie Me Down (Allister MacGillivray)
From: RunrigFan
Date: 29 May 21 - 09:33 AM

Out on the Mira one warm afternoon,
Old men go fishing with black line and spoon
And if they catch nothing they never complain,
I wish I was with them again.

As boys in their boats call to girls on the shore,
Teasing the one that they really adore,
And into the evening the courting begins,
I wish I was with them again.

Can you imagine a piece of the universe
more fit for princes and kings?
I'll give you ten of your cities
for Marion bridge and the pleasure it brings

Out on the Mira on soft summer nights
Bonfires blaze to the children's delight
They dance round the flames singing songs with their friends;
I wish I was with them again.

And over the ashes the stories are told
Of witches and werewolves and Oak Island gold
The stars on the river they sparkle and spin;
I wish I was with them again.

Can you imagine a piece of the universe
more fit for princes and kings?
I'll give you ten of your cities
for Marion bridge and the pleasure it brings

Out on the Mira the people are kind,
They'll treat you to home-brew and help you unwind.
And if you come broken they'll see that you mend
I wish I was with them again.

And thus I conclude with a wish you go well,
Sweet be your dreams, may your happiness swell,
I'll leave you here, for my journey begins,
I'm going to be with them, going to be with them,