LYRADD: Joe McDONNELL

Subject: Lyr Add: JOE McDONNELL (Wolfe Tones)
From: The Fenian
Date: 08 Apr 98 - 01:24 PM

Oh me name is Joe McDonnell
From Belfast town I came
That city I will never see again
For in the Town of Belfast I spent many happy days
I love that town in oh so many ways
For it's there I spent my childhood and found for me a wife
I then set out to make for her a life
But all my young ambitions met with bitter ness and hate
I soon found myself inside a prison gate

Chorus: And how dare you call me a terrorist
While you look down your gun
When I think of all the deeds that you have done
You have plundered many nations, divided many lands
You have terrorized their peoples
You rule with an Iron Hand
And you brought this reign of terror to my land

That's the first verse and the chorus and I'm gonna try posting that before I write the whole thing out for a third time and have the posting fail on me again.

Subject: Second Verse and on
From: The Fenian
Date: 08 Apr 98 - 01:35 PM

The rest of it goes, starting with the second verse

Through those many months internment
In the Maidstone and the Maze
I thought about my land throughout those days
Why my country was divided
Why I was now in jail
Imprisoned without crime or without trial
And though I love my country
I am not a bitter man
I've seen cruelty and injustice at first hand
So one cold October morning
I shook bold freedom's hand
For right or wrong I'd try to free my land

Chorus:

Then one cold October morning trapped in a lion's den
I found myself imprisoned once again
I was committed to the H blocks
For fourteen years or more
On the blanket the conditions they were poor
Then a hunger strike we did commence
For the dignity of men
But it seemed to me that noone gave a damn
Ah but now I am a saddened man
I've watched my comrades die
If only pepole cared or wondered why

Chorus:

So may God shine on you Bobby Sands for the courage you have shown
May your glory and your fame be widely known
And Francis Hughes and Ray McCreesh who died unselfishly
And Patsy O'Hara, the next in line is me
And those who lie behind me
May your courage be the same
And I pray to God my life was not in vain
Ah but sad and bitter was the year of 1981
For everything I've lost and nothin' won

Chorus:

Subject: RE: LYRADD: Joe McDONNELL
From: The Fenian
Date: 08 Apr 98 - 01:36 PM

Got it all in finally and there you go erica that's all of Joe McDonnell or MacDoanld whichever Joe it is.

Subject: RE: LYRADD: Joe McDONNELL
From: Wolfgang Hell
Date: 14 Apr 98 - 10:14 AM

Well, it was a good exercise for me to transcribe these lyrics from a CD and see that The Fenian beat me by days. Anyway, The Fenian's version is definitely better than my version would have been.

So there's nothing left to me than to correct two typos ("Maidstone" in verse 2, "McCreesh" in the last verse) and to direct you to the Irish Hungerstriker memorial page in case you want to know about the historical background or want to know more about Joe McDonnell.
Wolfgang

Subject: RE: LYRADD: Joe McDONNELL
From:
Date: 14 Apr 98 - 04:52 PM

Hey Fenian-- Thanx for the lyrics. When I add them to the database, though, I try to include the contributor's initials (YOUR initials can be immortal!) If your handle consiosts of one name, All I can do is use an X for the missing initial. FX?

Subject: RE: LYRADD: Joe McDONNELL
From: erica
Date: 23 Apr 98 - 12:12 PM

hey guys--that's absolutely brilliant!! thanks a lot for your help on that one, Fenian (and for your willingness, Wolfgang!). having gone away for a bit, it was rather amusing to see all this talk of fish and such spawned from my request...i'm glad you managed to figure out what i was talking about. i have another favour to ask--where can i _hear_ it? someone mentioned transcribing it from a CD (was that you, wolfie?) and as i'd like to do the song sometime, a tune would be helpful! ah, now's when i begin to be a pain in the arse....apologies! seriously, though--thanks!!!

Subject: RE: LYRADD: Joe McDONNELL
From: Wolfgang
Date: 28 Apr 98 - 03:22 AM

Erica, I have it on a double-CD by "The fighting men from Crossmaglen" titled "50 complete Irish rebel songs". Not to recommend for the musical presentation, but nevertheless a large collection of old and new Irish rebel songs, though far from "complete". I cannot yet put the music into a computer-readable form, but if nothing else helps I could send you a tape. Mail me, if you think of that way, but mind you, I read my mail these months only about once a week or once every two weeks. ([e-mail])

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: LYRADD: Joe McDONNELL
From: erica
Date: 28 Apr 98 - 03:22 PM

wolfgang, thanks a lot. i might give a shot at finding the CDs, but depending on both the success of the search and financial mood of the day, i may end up taking you up on your offer of sending the tape. i'll email you if it's going to come to that and try and work this all out! (don't worry about not checking your mail, either; i've been known to abandon my computer for months!! why stress it?) but yeah, thanks for the help...and you'll probably get mail soon-ish! peace.