ADD: The Green Hills of Kerry

16 Jan 98 - 05:08 AM (#19312)
Subject: Lyr Add: THE GREEN HILLS OF KERRY
From: Wolfgang Hell

Another emigration song. I have no information on its author or date. With the help of a textfile from Ezio, I made this transcription from a tape with Johnny McEvoy singing. It should be very close to being correct.

Wolfgang

GREEN HILLS OF KERRY

1. The palm trees wave on high
out beyond thy fertile shore,
adieu ye hills of Kerry
I never will see you more.
Why did I leave my home
and why did I cross the sea
and leave the small birds singing
around you sweet Tralee.

2. Oh, the palm trees wave on high
out beyond thy fertile shore,
but the dewy hills of Kerry
I never will see no more.
No more the sun will shine
on that blessed harvest morn
or hear our reaper singing
in a golden field of corn.

3. There's a balm for every woe
and a cure for every pain,
But the happiness of my darling girl
I never will see again.
Why did I leave my home
and why did I cross the sea
and leave the small birds singing
around you sweet Tralee.

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07 Feb 01 - 07:57 AM (#392004)
Subject: RE: ADD: The Green Hills of Kerry
From: MartinRyan

Wolfgang

This fits into the "Why left I my hame?", "Path across the ocean" family.

Regards

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07 Feb 01 - 08:02 AM (#392006)
Subject: RE: ADD: The Green Hills of Kerry
From: MartinRyan

Click Here

Regards

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07 Feb 01 - 08:21 AM (#392014)
Subject: RE: ADD: The Green Hills of Kerry
From: Malcolm Douglas

There is a further verse which I came across out there somewhere; it feels like a later addition, though.

The noble and the brave have departed from our shore;
They've gone off to a foreign land where the wild cannons roar.
No more they'll see the shamrock, the plant so dear to me,
Or hear the small birds singing around my sweet Tralee.

Malcolm

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07 Feb 01 - 09:09 AM (#392041)
Subject: RE: ADD: The Green Hills of Kerry
From: Wolfgang

Thanks for the responses (yes, I know, why they came today and not three years ago). I had not spotted the related thread yet and the fourth verse is new to me as well.

Wolfgang

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07 Feb 01 - 10:01 AM (#392072)
Subject: RE: ADD: The Green Hills of Kerry
From: Malcolm Douglas

John in Brisbane posted a tune some time ago; does it belong to these words?

Hills of Kerry

Malcolm

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07 Feb 01 - 11:27 AM (#392149)
Subject: RE: ADD: The Green Hills of Kerry
From: GUEST,Martin Ryan

Wolfgang

Yeah... three years must be nearly the record for slow response!

Regards

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07 Feb 01 - 04:14 PM (#392483)
Subject: RE: ADD: The Green Hills of Kerry
From: GUEST,[e-mail]

Thanks everyone! Such knowledgable people here, I lucked out finding you guys!

mary

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08 Feb 01 - 02:43 AM (#392927)
Subject: Lyr Add: THE HILLS OF KERRY
From: AKS

Hi, I have a photocopied page (from 20 y's back or so, don't remember what book, Irish anyway) that gives the stuff above as follows:

THE HILLS OF KERRY

chorus:
The palm trees wave on high along the fertile shore
adieu the Hills of Kerry I ne'er will see no more
Oh why did I leave my home oh why did I cross the sea
and leave the small birds singing around you sweet Tralee

The noble and the brave have departed from our shore
they've gone off to a foreign land where the wild canyons roar
No more they'll see the shamrock, the plant so dear to me
Or hear the small birds singing around sweet Tralee
repeat ch:

No more the sun will shine on that blessed harvest morn
or hear our reaper singing in a golden field of corn
There's a band for every woe and a cure for every pain
But the happiness of my darling girl I never will see again
repeat ch:

Does it sound less 'added' like this (I can not judge, being non-native in English)?

AKS

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08 Feb 01 - 06:01 AM (#392988)
Subject: RE: ADD: The Green Hills of Kerry
From: Malcolm Douglas

That's the version I found on a couple of websites and got the extra verse from, though I substituted "cannon" for canyon" as a more likely reading; "wild cannon(s)" roar a great deal in songs, whereas canyons usually behave themselves and stick to their proper role as scenery.  Similarly, "band" is someone's mishearing of "balm", as given by Wolfgang.  I am still inclined to suspect the verse as a later addition; it seems out of context to me, and has no equivalent in the original Scottish song, but that is a subjective impression and may easily be wrong.

Malcolm

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