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User Name Thread Name Subject Posted
GUEST,Denise Lyr Req: Black Velvet Band (variations) (29) Lyr Add: BLACK VELVET BAND (from The Dubliners) 19 Jun 03


Hello 8o)

I am trying to get this song memorized, but I haven't got a hard copy of the lyrics to match the lyrics from the CD. All I have is the recording on the CD I recently bought, but the music is sung by people with heavy Irish accents (go fig, it was an Irish folk song CD hehehee) and while I have been able to decipher quite a bit of it, I cant find the version it is on the web so far, and was hoping for some help. The album is "Best of Irish Folk" the song is sung on disc two by "The Dubliners" what I have so far is this:

"In a neat little town they call Belfast,
Apprenticed to trade I was bound
And many's the hour of happiness,
I spent in that sweet little town.

'Till sad misfortune came over me,
That forced me to flee from the land,
Far away from my friends and relations,
Betrayed by the black velvet band!

Her eyes they shone like diamonds,
I thought her the queen of the land,
And her hair hung over her shoulders,
Tied up with a black velvet band.

I took a walk with that pretty young girl,
When a gentleman chanced to pass by,
And I knew she intended the doing of him,
By the look in her roguish black eye.

His gold watch she took from his pocket,
And pressed it right into my hand,
And the very last words that I said to her,
Were "bad luck to your black velvet band!" (Considering the accent this line could also be heard as "I'd look to your black velvet band")

Before the judge and the jury,
Next day I was forced to appear,
And the judge he said to me "Young man,
Your case is abundantly clear,"

"I'll give ye ten years penal servitude,
To be spent far away from the land,
Far away from your friends and relations,
And the wench with the black velvet band!"

Chorus

So come all ye gay young fellows,
A warning take from me,
Be sure and stay clear of those pretty young girls,
Whenever you go on a (unknown word rhyming with "we"),
For they'll fill you with strong drink me boys,
Until you're not able to stand,
And then when ye try an' get rid of them,
They'll land you in Van Diemen's Land.

Chorus

So I have it mostly figured out for the version I have, but I am missing a few words or unsure of them, does anybody have the lyrics for this one? I have found a gazillion or so sets of lyrics for this tune, but none for this version, and not a one of them the same as the one before LOL. It almost seems like they condensed this version for the CD, because all the others I have found including the ones on this site seem much longer.

I posted this on another site and was told I may find what I need here, so any help would be appreciated! 8o)


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