Lyr Req: Home Is Where My Friends Are

Subject: Lyr Req: Home Is Where My Friends Are
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 23 Feb 03 - 03:04 PM

I ran across this song by accident while searching for (I think) a different song ("Down in Donegal" by Rory McLeod). I've found two sound files, but no information about it.

This French-Language web page advertises a performer called Bruz, who plays Irish music. There is a link there to a sound file labeled as "Back to Donegal" by Rory McLeod (Click here to play.), but I think it's mislabeled. Most of the singing (which seems to be recorded live in a pub) is unintelligible.

I did catch a few phrases, though, which I plugged into Google and found this at a German site:

HOME IS WHERE MY FRIENDS ARE

Play six and reels and jigs at one time, I just think I'm going fine
I don't care what's going on and I could be alone
Coming through St. Prady's and all the pretty ladies
But none of them is as beautiful as down in Donegal

Chorus

I love ladies, I can't get enough I dance with them 'till my legs fall of
Pretty ladies I see them and side by side we go
I'm drinking 'till I'm pissed of, going 'till I have to mud down
In the bars of Rotterdam I dream of Donegal

Chorus

I love you true Alida but I think I'm gonna leave you
I don't want to sit at your place watching years go by
Sitting with your fatty on your ugly satty
I'm dreaming away the plans I've got when I return in Donegal

The barman rings the bell, in announcement to everybody:
"Have you got no homes to go to"
And I sing: "I ain't got no home in this world anymore
I'm just passing through"

Chorus

(I realize this contains errors, but I have left them uncorrected.)

Searching for "Home Is Where My Friends Are", I found another sound file at an interesting page called Music to fight the good fight by. (Click here to play.)

I have identified the performers as a Dutch band called Rapalje. You can hear the same recording by going to mp3.com and entering "Home Is Where My Friends Are" in the search box. But, alas, that recording is also a "live" performance that is difficult to understand. Below is my attempt at a transcription, which at least is better than the one given above:

HOME IS WHERE MY FRIENDS ARE

I'd like to introduce you to the band who's playing.
All the way where we came from, you don't want to know.
Going down to Dogger, play with pints of lager.
I just want to win the roast, go to Donegal.

CHORUS: Home is where my friends are. You are all part of me.
I leave you with this song. Are you coming? Are you going? Are you trying to stop me?
Home is where my friends are. You are all part of me.
I leave you with this song. Are you coming? Are you going? Are you trying to stop me?

Play six-hand reels and jigs in time, and I just think I'm going fine
I don't care what's going like...
Coming to St. Grady's and all the pretty ladies
None of them is beautiful as down in Donegal. CHORUS

I love ladies. I can't get enough. I dance with them 'til my legs fall off.
Pretty ladies, I see them and side by side we go.
Drink until I'm pissed up, going now to mud down
In the bars of Rotterdam ... Donegal. CHORUS

I love you true, Alida, but I think I'm gonna leave you.
I don't want to sit at your place watching years go by.
Sitting with your fatty on your ugly settee
Dreaming away the plans I've got when I return in Donegal. CHORUS

The barman rings the bell and announces to anybody, "Have you got no homes to go to?"
And I sing: "I ain't got no home in this world anymore. I'm just passing through." CHORUS

I still find the situation thoroughly puzzling. Although the tune is nearly the same, and several phrases occur in both songs, these lyrics still seem quite different from the ones sung by Bruz above. And I still don't know what connection there is, if any, between this song and Rory McLeod's song. Can anyone straighten this out?