Lyr ADD: Home, Boys, Home (from The Dubliners)

Subject: Home, boys, home by The Dubliners
From: Pierre
Date: 18 Oct 99 - 07:34 AM

Could anybody help with the lyrics of the rendition of this song by the Dubliners? I have a live recording of it on a CD called "A night out with the Dubliners" but there are words and parts I can't understand. And by the way, is it possible to play this song on the guitar with easy chords? Thanks in advance, and... ...Slainte

Subject: Lyr Add: HOME, BOYS, HOME (from The Dubliners)
From: MudGuard
Date: 18 Oct 99 - 08:19 AM

HOME, BOYS, HOME

Oh well who wouldn't be a sailor lad a-sailing under me
To gain the good will of his captain's good name
He came ashore one evening for to see
And that was the beginning of my own true love and me

Chorus   [after each verse]

And it's home, boys, home, home I'd like to be
Home for a while in my own country
And where the oak and the ash and the bonny rowan tree
Are all a-growing green in the north country

Well I asked her for a candle to light my way to bed
Likewise for a handkerchief to tie around my head
She tended to my knees like the young maid ought to do
So then I says to her now won't you jump in with me too.

Well she jumped into bed and making no alarm
Thinking a young sailor lad to do to her no harm
I hugged her, I kissed her the whole night long
Till she wished the short night had been seven years long.

Well, early next morning the sailor lad arose
And into Mary's apron threw a handful of gold
Saying take this my dear for the damage that I've done
For tonight I fear I've left you with a daughter or a son.

And if it be a girl child send her out to nurse
With gold in her pocket and with silver in her purse
If it be a boy child he'll wear the jacket blue
And go climbing up the rigging like his daddy used to do.

And so, come all of you fair maidens, a warning take by me
Never let a sailor lad an inch above your knee
I trusted one and he beguiled me
He left me with a parrot whence to dangle on my knee

Subject: RE: Home, boys, home by The Dubliners
From: kendall
Date: 18 Oct 99 - 09:21 AM

this is a combination of Bell Bottom trousers and Home Dearie Home.

Subject: Lyr Add: HOME, BOYS, HOME (from The Dubliners)
From: Kevin McGee
Date: 18 Oct 99 - 11:10 AM

Just a few corrections to that:

HOME, BOYS, HOME

Oh well who wouldn't be a sailor lad a-sailing on the main
To gain the good will of his captain's good name
He came ashore one evening for to see
And that was the beginning of my own true love and me

Chorus [after each verse]

And it's home, boys, home, home I'd like to be
Home for a while in my own country
And where the oak and the ash and the bonny rowan tree
Are all a-growing green in the north country

Well I asked her for a candle to light my way to bed
Likewise for a handkerchief to tie around my head
She tended to my needs like the young maid ought to do
So then I says to her now won't you jump in with me too.

Well she jumped into bed and making no alarm
Thinking a young sailor lad could do to her no harm
I hugged her, I kissed her the whole night long
Till she wished the short night had been seven years long.

Well, early next morning the sailor lad arose
And into Mary's apron threw a handful of gold
Saying take this my dear for the damage that I've done
For tonight I fear I've left you with a daughter or a son.

And if it be a girl child send her out to nurse
With gold in her pocket and with silver in her purse
If it be a boy child he'll wear the jacket blue
And go climbing up the rigging like his daddy used to do.

And so, come all of you fair maidens, a warning take by me
Never let a sailor lad an inch above your knee
I trusted one and he beguiled me
He left me with a pair of twins to dandle on my knee.

Subject: RE: Home, boys, home by The Dubliners
From: NSC
Date: 18 Oct 99 - 12:13 PM

Mudguard,

A couple of small corrections to your text.

Verse 2 She tended to my needs as a young maid ought to do

Last Verse Last line.

He left me with a pair of twins to dangle on my knee.

This song must be in the data base.

George

Subject: Lyr Add: HOME, BOYS, HOME (from Clancy Brothers)
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 18 Oct 99 - 12:39 PM

George, the song is in the database but there are quite a few differences between that version and the Dubliners version.

I think that the version I have use came from the Clancey Brothers (I've probably chaged it a bit over the years though with my memory) and it is different again but they all tell the same tale.

They was a young apprentice lived in Strawberry Lane,
Loved by her master and her misteress the same
But when a young sialor came a sailing from the sea
That was the begining of her misery

And it's home boys home
Home I'd like to be
Home for a while in my own country
Where the oak and the ash and the bonny ivy tree
Are all a growin green in my own country

Now this young apprentice, she thought it was no harm
To jump into bed just to keep his back warm
He hugged her and he kissed her and he called her his dear
And she said she hoped that night would last as long as a year

Early net morning the sailor he arose
An into her apron he put handfuls of gold
Saying "take this my darling for the mischief that I've done
Last night I might have left you with a daughter or a son

So if it be a girl child dangle 'er on you knee
And if it be a boy child, name him after me
And when he is a man you can dress him up in blue
And he'll go skipping up the rigging like his daddy used to do.

Subject: RE: Home, boys, home by The Dubliners
From: Bruce O.
Date: 18 Oct 99 - 05:39 PM

A song in Cromeks 'Remains of Nithsdale and Galloway Song', 1810 has as a burden, "Hame, hame, hame, hame fain wad I be, O hame, ham hame, to my ain countrie", and is probably by Allan Cunningham.

We see the model for the chorus in "The Northern Lasses lamentation", (ZN1896) "O the oak, the ash and the bonny ivy tree, Doth flourish at home in my own country", published by P. Brooksby, 1672-84. A condensed version is file NCNTRYM2 in DT. Two tunes for it are B225, and B226 among the broadside ballad tune on my website, although the identification of B225 is a bit shaky.

Two other broadside ballads calling for its tune are ZN1789, and ZN143, the latter being "The Dumb Maid", Laws Q5, and in DT as "Dumb, Dumb, Dumb".

As to the song here, reworked versions are common enough that it's not easy to find prototype traditional versions, or to figure out what is truly traditional about many, including the 3 in DT. A note in 'The Traditional Ballad Index' on the internet sums up the dilema quite nicely: "NOTES: This is a complex of related ballads deserving extended study. - EC Amen! They are grouped together here not because I'm sure they're all the same but because I'm not skilled enough to tell them apart. R.B.W."

Subject: RE: Home, boys, home by The Dubliners
From: Reiver 2
Date: 18 Oct 99 - 07:16 PM

The verses as Kevin has them are the ones I have. Thanks for the corrections -- I was going to comment on those, but you've saved me a lot of time and effort. Obviously, there are many "sources" and versions to this song. It would be fascinating to trace them if one had the time and resources. A great song, nevertheless.

Subject: RE: Home, boys, home by The Dubliners
From: Pierre
Date: 19 Oct 99 - 04:51 AM

Thanks to all. Now I know exactly what I'm going to try to sing. George, the song in the database is the Navy version. Long live Mudcat.

Subject: RE: Home, boys, home by The Dubliners
From: Wotcha
Date: 08 Jul 02 - 09:14 PM

I just completed a trip to the UK and had the pleasure of hearing a version closer to the Dubliner's/Clancey version of "Home, Boys Home" sung at The Top House at the Lizard and The Cove Inn, Cadgwith. The locals sing it with gusto (I guess it is a local anthem of sorts) and it shivers the timbers ... a good one to add to the monthly shanty sing.
The Cornish twist is to sing the following chorus:

> And it's 'ome, boys, 'ome. I'd like to be 'ome for awhile, in the old country
Where the oak, the ash, and the bonny rowan tree
They're all a-growin' greener, in the old country.

By the way, thanks Kernow John and the folks in Cornwall for the great evenings out. A truly remarkable couple of nights ... and I think that Cornwall (thanks to Hangin Johnny) is going to hear a bit more of "No More Fish, No Fishermen ..." which might be a nice change from hearing the Cornish song with similar sentiments: Cornish Lads.
Cheers,
Brian

Subject: RE: Home, boys, home by The Dubliners
From: GUEST,shankmac
Date: 09 Jul 02 - 05:41 AM

I have sung this for a few years and I feel there should be a second verse before "I asked her for a candle" I think it should set up his lodgings for the evening or something similar.

Subject: RE: Home, boys, home by The Dubliners
From: greg stephens
Date: 09 Jul 02 - 07:18 AM

I think Mudguard's line "she tended to my knees"is a classic and should on no account be "corrected". And I think the often performed version of the last line of the penultimate verse is worth consdering:
"And he can climb the rigging like his daddy climbed up you"

Subject: RE: Home, boys, home by The Dubliners
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 09 Jul 02 - 05:58 PM

"She tended to my knees" reminds me of Les Barker's two foot pages (I looked high, and they looked low)

Subject: RE: Home, boys, home by The Dubliners
From: GUEST,JTT
Date: 10 Jul 02 - 12:51 PM

Dandle on the knee, not dangle, unless you want the Crooletty to be called.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Home, Boys, Home (from The Dubliners)
From: Young Buchan
Date: 27 Oct 09 - 05:14 PM

After the shootings in Derry in 1972 and the subsequent report by Lord Justice Widgery I heard a parody of Home Boys Home of which I can only remember the final verse and chorus. No idea who wrote it, though the names of Terry Eagleton and Herbert McCabe have both been suggested. Since Terry is still alive and could sue, but Herbert isn't .... There is a song in the DT called My Little Armalite, which may have been an influence as well. John Hume was leader of the SDLP.

If he be a provo, catch him if you can.
If he's an Official shoot him down like Joe McCann.
But if that he's a para, give him a Widgery
And cover him in glory like the SS used to be.

Hume, boys, Hume, Hume I'd like to see
Hume in the Dail of a single countery,
But the Popes and the dopes and the petit-bourgeoisie
Have made life a hell in the North countery.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Home, Boys, Home (from The Dubliners)
From: meself
Date: 28 Oct 09 - 11:06 AM

I must say, I like Mudguard's notion that the sailor left her with a "parrot" to "dangle on her knee". Much more original than leaving her with twins ....

Subject: RE: Lyr ADD: Home, Boys, Home (from The Dubliners)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 06 Sep 21 - 03:41 PM

Joe-do cleanup