ADD: The Sea Around Us (Dominic Behan)

Subject: Lyr Req: Irish song
From: Leadbelly
Date: 04 Jul 13 - 11:57 AM

Hi,
very long time ago I listened to folk song of which I only can remember the beginning of the refrain.
It goes like this: The sea, oh (?) the sea is (a ?) good guarantee, long it may roll between England and me...
Seemed to be a patriotic song performed by a group with a lady singer.

Anybody out there who knows about it?

Thanks.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Irish song
From: MartinRyan
Date: 04 Jul 13 - 12:05 PM

The Sea Around Us by Dominic Behan.

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Irish song
From: Leadbelly
Date: 04 Jul 13 - 01:04 PM

Thank you very much, Martin. Seems to be very popular.Heard of Behan, but-sorry-I'm from Germany.

Is anybody aware of this special group, singing this song? There was a male lead singer.And the refrain were done by more singers with characteristic clear voice of a lady singer. Sounded a little bit "hysterical".(This is not meant pejorative).

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Irish song
From: GUEST,kenny
Date: 04 Jul 13 - 01:28 PM

I think it may have been "The Ludlows". I had a recording of them singing it on a compilation CD a year or so ago. I think "The Johnstons" may have recorded it too.
The tune is often played as a waltz, with the title "Thank God We're Surrounded By Water".

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Irish song
From: zozimus
Date: 04 Jul 13 - 01:33 PM

Hi Leadbelly,
You must be listening to The Ludlow Trio,a Folk Group from the 60s. When the record was made in 1966, Jim McCann was in the group, along with Margaret O' Brien and Sean Loughran .Their recording of "The Sea Around Us" by Dominic Behan became the first Folk record to get to number one in the Irish charts. It is interesting to note that the Dubliners, which Jim McCann later joined at some time, also released the song as a single at the same time, but the clean-shaven image of the Folk Group aws what people wanted at the time. It took a long time for our Beardy Bousies to get into the charts.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Irish song
From: GUEST,kenny
Date: 04 Jul 13 - 01:36 PM

"The Ludlows" version is on iTunes, [ in among a total of 29 versions ] - you can play an excerpt using the "preview" feature, and that should help you decide whether or not that's the version you're looking for.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Irish song
From: Leadbelly
Date: 04 Jul 13 - 01:57 PM

Hi, kenny and zozimus.
Kenny, you made it. By reading the name "The Johnstons" memory comes back to me! I heard this group long time ago on german radio about folk music. Spontaneously, I liked the tune and lively performance.

Now, I'm going to listen to them and "The Ludlows"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Irish song
From: Leadbelly
Date: 04 Jul 13 - 02:37 PM

Oh my dear,

For some seconds I just listened to the version of "The Ludlows". And indeed, they are the group I was looking for! Obviously, "The Johnstons" presented another song within the programme I was listening to many years ago.

In so far, 10 point to both Mudcaters kenny and zozimus.

Thank you so much,
Manfred from Germany

Subject: Lyr Add: THE SEA AROUND US (Dominic Behan)
From: Jim McLean
Date: 04 Jul 13 - 04:15 PM

THE SEA AROUND US
(Dominic Behan)

They say that the lakes of Killarney are fair
That no stream like the Liffey can ever compare
If it's water you want you'll find nothing more rare
Than the stuff they make down by the ocean

The sea, oh the sea is the gradh geal mo croide
Long may it stay between England and me
It's a sure guarantee that some hour we'll be free
Oh! thank God we're surrounded by water

Tom Moore made his waters meet fame and renown
A great lover of anything dressed in a crown
In brandy the bandy old Saxon he'd drown
But throw ne'er a one into the ocean

The sea, oh the sea is the gradh geal mo croide
Long may it stay between England and me
It's a sure guarantee that some hour we'll be free
Oh! thank God we're surrounded by water

The Scots have their whisky, the Welsh have their speech
And their poets are paid about ten pence a week
Provided no hard words on England they speak
Oh Lord! What a price for devotion!

The sea, oh the sea is the gradh geal mo croide
Long may it stay between England and me
It's a sure guarantee that some hour we'll be free
Oh! thank God we're surrounded by water

The Danes came to Ireland with nothing to do
But dream of the plundered old Irish they slew
"Yeh will in your Vikings", said Brian Boru
And threw them back in the ocean

The sea, oh the sea is the gradh geal mo croide
Long may it stay between England and me
It's a sure guarantee that some hour we'll be free
Oh! thank God we're surrounded by water

Two foreign old monarchs in battle did join
Each wanting their head on the back of a coin
If the Irish had sense they'd drown both in the Boyne
And Partition throw into the ocean

The sea, oh the sea is the gradh geal mo croide
Long may it stay between England and me
It's a sure guarantee that some hour we'll be free
Oh! thank God we're surrounded by water

Subject: Lyr Add: DOLLYMOUNT STRAND (Shay Healy)
From: Noreen
Date: 04 Jul 13 - 05:18 PM

Thanks for this, Manfred- not thought of heard this for many's the year.

What did spring to mind is a 'version' of it which I can hear being sung by the Dubliners- Google tells me it was recorded by Paddy Reilly, written by Shay Healy:


DOLLYMOUNT STRAND

On Dollymount Strand on a cold Winter's night
I put on the handbrake and switched out the light.
I looked at me bird and says I "Are you right?"
Meself and the Architect's daughter...

Chorus'
But the sea, oh the sea, it crept up on me,
And the water was rising up quite rapidly.
Says I to the mot "Get your hand off me knee
Can't you see we're surrounded by water?"

I turned on the ignition and put it in gear:
Could I get it moving? Not so, that I fear,
Not if I was there for the next bloody year.
There was sand in the old carburettor...

With water the car was so filled to the brim,
I said to the mot there "The chances are slim
So let's get them off, sure we'll both have to swim!"
So I leapt out the window and started...

So if ever you go down to Dollymount Strand
Make sure that the tide's out and everything's grand,
For a bird in the bush is worth two in the sand
Regardless of what you are after!...

:)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Sea Around Us (Dominic Behan)
From: GUEST
Date: 03 Jan 24 - 06:55 PM

I have not heard the song, but part of it was in "Borstal Boy" by Brendan Behan