This thread title reminded me of a song of that title, but of a very different ilk. It is a reworking of a traditional warhorse. I have it on an LP that was made from tapes supposedly smuggled out of Long Kesh. The only attribution is on the sticker on the vinyl - 'Patterson'. My spelling of the place name in the first stanza is a guess - it is pronounced 'Kill-al-lay'. Judging by their enthusiastic belting out of the refrain at the end of each stanza, the inmates of Long Kesh thoroughly enjoyed Fr McAteer's cheery rendition.

BRIGHT SILVERY LIGHT
(Patterson)

In the town of Kilallae (?), in the merry month of May
When snowdrops and primroses were in bloom
A young lassie passed me by and she gave me the glad eye
By the bright silvery light of the moon

She was my delight, she was such a lovely sight
With her pearly teeth and lovely golden hair
But I was such a loon for we married far too soon
By the bright silvery light of the moon

When she'd squandered all me dough, to her house I did go
What a terrible place to spend your honeymoon
With no fire in the grate-y, you could see right through the slates
By the bright silvery light of the moon

When we started off to bed, I was in an awful dread
I thought that we were going there too soon
But then upon a chair she placed her golden hair
By the bright silvery light of the moon

But there was worse in store when she started off to snore
And nearly blew the blankets from the room
And then upon a peg I saw her wooden leg
By the bright silvery light of the moon

I caught her by the head, I pulled her out of bed
Like a broken doll, she lay there in the gloom
And it nearly broke my heart to look at her spare parts
By the bright silvery light of the moon

So, lads, take my advice and look at your girl twice
For they're often out to fool a poor gossoon
Pull their legs, their teeth and hair and make sure that they're all there
By the bright silvery light of the moon

Source: Fr Barney McAleer 'Bright Silvery Light' on Various Artists 'Smash Internment: Live Recording in Long Kesh' R&O Records (Ireland) LP ROL 3002 [1972].

--Stewie.