Keeping the Old Songs Alive was written by Steve Donnelly. He sings it on Youtube here. I have all the words but about four. Can anyone help me out on those? I'm doing a workshop on song collecting and "keeping the old songs alive" and this song would be a good intro.

Keeping The Old Songs Alive – Steve Donnelly

We meet in our places like drafty back rooms
Guy plays the fiddle and another plays the spoons
There's umpteen guitars and they're all out of tune
Keeping the old songs alive

The girl sings a love song in a voice soft and clear
Of [       ] Island it brings us to tears
She then sings a chanty with a finger in each ear
She's keeping those old songs alive

Keeping the old songs alive
Keeping the old songs alive
She then sings a chanty with a finger in each ear
She's keeping those old songs alive

There's songs about fishing, spinning and sail
Songs about hunting the fox and the whale
Of standing for freedom and landing in jail
Keeping those old songs alive

And I've heard old songs and new songs, poetry and prose
Banging on tables and tapping of toes
On singers' night anything goes
Just keep those old songs alive

Yes, keeping the old songs alive
Keeping the old songs alive
On singers' night, hey, anything goes
Just keep these old songs alive

There's whistles and fiddles and a bohran or two
Neat looking banjos and a sucking kazoo
While knocking the life out of Foggy Mountain Dew
Keeping the old songs alive

Songs from the [       ] and [    ] lair
From Norfolk and Suffolk and [       ] Kildare
Travel the world and never leave you chair
Keeping these old songs alive

Yes, keeping the old songs alive
Keeping the old songs alive
You'll travel the world and never leave you chair
Keeping the old songs alive

They say we're old fashioned, boring and staid
Part of the open-toe sandal brigade
But they've never been here, sung here or played
Keeping the old songs alive

No they've never heard a good chorus song
When the whole of the room starts singing along
You're part of the chain that's centuries strong
Keeping those old songs alive

Yes, keeping the old songs alive
Keeping the old songs alive
You're part of the chain that's centuries strong
Keeping those old songs alive

We meet in odd places like drafty back rooms
Guy plays the fiddle and another plays the spoons
There's umpteen guitars and they're all out of tune
Keeping the old songs alive

Well fashions have come and fashions have gone
But long after hip hop and flip flop are done
These traditional songs will always live one
If we just keep these old songs alive

Yes, keeping the old songs alive
Keeping the old songs alive
Traditional music will always live on
If we just keep these old songs alive

Yes, keeping the old songs alive
Keeping the old songs alive
Traditional music will always live on
If we just keep these old songs alive

Cheers, S. in Seattle