Lyr Add: Ireland Blocks the Way

Subject: Lyr Add: Ireland Blocks the Way
From: chico
Date: 08 Jan 06 - 01:46 AM

  AIR -- 'Viva La Compagnie'
  
         G                   (D7      G)
  What Gladstone says to the working men
                 D7        G
  Is: "Ireland Blocks the Way"
            G                                (C)
  You must give him your votes he says; and then
  "Ireland Blocks the Way"
  
         G                 C 
  'Tis Ireland first, and Ireland last,
        D7                G
  And [Ireland], Ireland every day
           Em                Am
  And the working man must shift as he can
        D7                 G
  For "Ireland Blocks the Way"
  
  He's in favor of this, in favor of that
  But "Ireland Blocks the Way"
  And nought he will do, he tells us flat
  For "Ireland Blocks the Way"
  
  Toiling millions may suffer wrong
  While "Ireland Blocks the Way"
  They must wait, he says, be it never so long
  For "Ireland Blocks the Way"
  
  We are fools if we wait at his request
  While "Ireland Blocks the Way"
  The "Union" leaders have served us best
  And they've nothing to block the way
  
  CHORUS
  No "Ireland this, no "Ireland that," no [Ireland], Ireland every day
  But they do what they can, for each honest man
  With nothing to block their way
  
  They have served us well in their six years' spell
  No Ireland blocked their way
  For Ireland's self they have governed so well
  No longer it blocks the way
  
  Then Gladstone's train may plead in vain
  While "Ireland Blocks the Way"
  We know our friends, their way is plain
  They've nothing to block their way
  
  CHORUS
  They do not prate of Ireland's wrongs
  They sweep them all away
  But they do what they can, for each honest man
  With nothing to block their way
  
  ["Printed and published by the "Liverpool Corn Trade News" Printing and Publishing Co., Ltd., 4, Brunswick Street." William Ewart Gladstone 
  
  (1809-1898) was a British Liberal Party statesman and Prime Minister (1868–1874, 1880–1885, 1886 and 1892–1894). He introduced home rule for Ireland twice at the cost of delaying other domestic reform agenda, presumably ones wanted by the labouring classes who penned this parody]

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Ireland Blocks the Way
From: chico
Date: 08 Jan 06 - 04:30 PM

From bodelian.

No comments?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Ireland Blocks the Way
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 08 Jan 06 - 06:48 PM

the labouring classes who penned this parody

I very much doubt if this emanated from any friend of "the labouring classes".

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Ireland Blocks the Way
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Jan 06 - 04:55 AM

Why not?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Ireland Blocks the Way
From: Snuffy
Date: 09 Jan 06 - 08:55 AM

The "Union" leaders are nothing to do with organised labour, but the Tory/Conservative party that wanted (and still does?) to maintain the "Union" of Ireland with the rest of the UK. There are still several brands of Unionist party in Northern Ireland with a similar agenda.