Lyr Req: Farewell to Derry (F. Brolly)

Subject: Lyr Req: Farewell to Derry
From: allie kiwi
Date: 15 Oct 03 - 03:59 AM

Being rather hard of hearing when it comes to Irish accents (and Scottish ones for that matter), I've been unable to pick up all the lyrics to 'Farewell to Derry' as sung by Foster and Allen.

I did a Google search, and looked through the lyrics database here, both to no avail.

Does anyone have the lyrics?

Thank you.

Allie
the long absent mudcatter

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Farewell to Derry
From: GUEST,Philippa
Date: 15 Oct 03 - 05:03 PM

Probably the same song written by Francie Brolly of Dungiven, Co Derry and recorded on the album "Farewell to Derry" recorded by Ann and Francie Brolly, Homespun/Outlet Records HRL 138, 1977.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Farewell to Derry
From: allie kiwi
Date: 16 Oct 03 - 01:36 AM

Thanks :-)

I tried Googling that, but there were no matching records for Ann and Francie Brolly with Farewell To Derry.

Drat!

Allie

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Farewell to Derry
From: GUEST,Philippa
Date: 16 Oct 03 - 11:45 AM

well, you cold try making the request via Limavady Borough Council; Ann Brolly is Mayor!
[e-mail] or maybe [e-mail] would pass on the request?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Farewell to Derry
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 16 Oct 03 - 12:38 PM

It appears on Foster and Allen's Maggie and yes, it is the Brolly song. A lot of people round here must have copies of the album; even I have one, and I don't much like their work. Mine is vinyl, though, so I can't play it just at present in order to help directly.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Farewell to Derry
From: GUEST
Date: 16 Oct 03 - 05:23 PM

Try a "google" lyric search - " The Fair Walls of Derry". This should work

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Farewell to Derry
From: allie kiwi
Date: 16 Oct 03 - 05:33 PM

Thanks everyone.

I tried googling that and got "Your search - "The Fair Walls of Derry" lyrics - did not match any documents." (also tried it without 'lyrics' and got the same result). Maybe there is something wrong with my google?

I do have the Maggie album, but some of the lyrics I can't catch. I need to sing the darn thing at birthday party for a 93 year old. Maybe since she wears hearing aides she wont notice if I flub on a few of the words?

*beats head agaisnt a brick wall*

Thanks Phillipa, I think I'll give contacting Brolly through the Limavady Borough Council a try!

Allie

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Farewell to Derry
From: GUEST,Philippa
Date: 17 Oct 03 - 10:36 AM

"the fair walls of Derry" probably refers to an older traditional son, "the high walls of Derry are dismal and gray ...", which I'm fairly sure is somewhere on Mudcat (I may well have posted the lyrics myself). A different song entirely.

Allie, if you do get the words via that contact, you may as well add them to this thread. Meanwhile, perhaps if you type in what you do have, perhaps Malcolm and I might be able to fill in some gaps.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Farewell to Derry
From: allie kiwi
Date: 17 Oct 03 - 07:26 PM

I've emailed the Borough council above, but as it will now be the weekend there, it might take awhile to get a response.

Also, I've discovered my 4 year old son has perfect timing for coming and talking to me at the exact moment a word I'm trying to hear comes up. And since I can only replay the whole song each time, not rewind just a little but, this is very frustrating! Grrrrrr

So this is what I can hear.

Some of the words may be general irish words or slang that perhaps I dont know, which could be adding to my confusion. But there are 2 or 3 lines in particular that just make no sense to me whatsoever - just after "Though kind the Scot" etc. I've put in ... where I'm missing something, with a possibility of what I think I hear in brackets.


For wandering man
since time began
Has yearned for native soil
So sorely grieves the man who leaves
His homeland by the ...(?fight)
To preach the word,
face battles danger,
praise the lord,
and serve the stranger
day by day they sail away
and bid farewell to Derry

Sweet... (something Irish) remembered still
when all is...(?gone) this land
In the dawning day of Christian ... (sway?)
Life exiled from this land
Though kind the Scot and high his calling
He ne'er forgot the...   falling
... next few lines??? ending in
and sad farewell to Derry

In later days when battles blazed
engulfed lands large and small
our reckless men left... (foils?) sweet glen
to answer bugles call
left babes and wives for wars furory
and gave their lives for other glory
wanting jobs they took their ...(?bobs/bods)
and bade farewell to Derry

And still they leave
so soon to grieve
for ...(?foil) and friends and home
nor gold nor... (?fail)
...(?e'er) break the claim
of the place from which they're ...
The waterside, the flowing river
the bog and ...(?cragan) haunt forever
wandering ones, the love-torn sons
who bid farewell to Derry

Allie

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Farewell to Derry
From: GUEST,Philippa
Date: 18 Oct 03 - 07:16 AM

I can help you with the place names
His homeland by the FOYLE (River Foyle, estuary), Foyle's sweet glen

The Waterside,the flowing river, the Bog [Bogside], the Creggan [all areas of Derry city] gone forever

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Farewell to Derry
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 18 Oct 03 - 08:06 AM

I unearthed the record deck. Some words are rather mumbled, but, so far as I can tell:

verse 2:

Sweet Colmcille, remembered still   (that is, St Columba)
The noblest of his clan
In the dawning day of Christian sway...

He ne'er forgot the (light? life?) shades falling
By the scenes of grove(s) so green...

verse 3:

war's furore

took their "bobs"   (that is, enlistment bounty; "the King's Shilling")

verse 4:

Nor gold nor fame
E'er break the claim
Of land from which they're lorn   (I think)

Subject: Lyr Add: FAREWELL TO DERRY (Francie Brolly)
From: GUEST,Philippa
Date: 18 Oct 03 - 09:30 AM

You beat me to it, Malcolm, but here is what I already typed ready to paste into Mudcat. I see we have some diferences and you could be right in your choice of words. "furore" is pronounced "furory" in the song, the way Allie typed it. My prepared message for Allie was:

Your "something Irish" is Columbkill (Colm Cille, Dove of the Church, who founded monasteries in Derry and Iona).   "sad farewell" could be "bade farewell" (past tense of bid, rhymes with sad) and you're right about "Christian sway" (sway =influence). I've listened to the Brolly's LP (old and not in good nick) and I think the last lines are
He ne'er forgot the life before him,
Boyhood scenes, oakgroves so green ...

In verse 3, "bob" makes sense because a "bob" used to be colloquial for a shilling. In the 1980s we still called a 5-pence piece a "bob" and talked about 5 or 10 "bob". If the verse is about men serving British or other foreign armies, that could be like saying they "took the King's shilling". Francie Brolly sings "trumpet's call" though Foster and Allan might sing "bugle's call"

You've got the first and last verses okay now that the place names are sorted. We've got a serviceable song now (even if a few words are changed). It would still be nice if you get a good reply to your e-mail, Allie.

FAREWELL TO DERRY
Francie Brolly

For wandering man since time began
Has yearned for native soil,
So sorely grieves the man who leaves
His homeland by the Foyle.
To preach the word, to battle danger,
Praise the Lord, and serve the stranger,
Day by day they sail away
And bid farewell to Derry.

Sweet Colm Cille remembered still
The noblest of his clan
In the dawning day of Christian sway,
Life exiled from this land.
Though kind the Scot and high the calling,
He ne'er forgot the life before him,
Boyhood scenes, oakgroves so green,
And bade farewell to Derry

In later days when battles blazed,
Engulfed lands large and small,
Our reckless men left Foyle's sweet glen
To answer trumpets' call,
Left babes and wives for wars furore,
And gave their lives for others' glory.
Wanting jobs they took their bob,
And bade farewell to Derry.

And still they leave,
So soon to grieve for Foyle and friends and home;
Nor gold nor fame e're break the claim
Of the place from which they roam.
The Waterside, the flowing river,
The Bog and Creggan haunt forever
Wandering ones, the love-torn sons
Who bid farewell to Derry.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Farewell to Derry
From: GUEST,Philippa
Date: 18 Oct 03 - 10:01 AM

Six ears work better than two. I listened to the Brolly LP just once more and this time I've settled on "He ne'er forgot the light shades falling / Boyhood scenes, oakgroves so green, ..." , a mix of what Malcolm and I had suggested.

I still think Francie sings "Of the place from which they roam.", though of course I can't say whether the words are the same on the Foster and Allan record.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Farewell to Derry
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 18 Oct 03 - 12:32 PM

Foster and Allen have indeed changed a few words, but it is "roam"; try as I might, I couldn't hear it that way (though it fitted the rhyme scheme) until Philippa mentioned it. Now I do! "Boyhood" and "oakgroves" I now hear as well. The man does mumble a bit, doesn't he...

Where Philippa's readings differ from mine, hers are to be preferred as what the writer intended, I think; except for "battle's blaze" and "bobs", which better fit the rhyme scheme.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Farewell to Derry
From: allie kiwi
Date: 18 Oct 03 - 07:55 PM

Thank you both so much! It's good to know what it is I'm singing about as well - your explanations much appreciated.

I'll let you know if I get a reply to my email.

Allie
going off to practice without flubbing through the words *grin*

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Farewell to Derry
From: allie kiwi
Date: 24 Oct 03 - 01:41 AM

I recieved an email from the Limavady Borough Council yesterday, with an attachment of the lyrics. Sadly my computer is behaving badly and wont open the attachment, but I'll try accessing it a friends place, since I know it is just my MS works sulking.

I'm so pleased the got back to me! I wonder how often they get odd requests like that from the other side of the world?

Thanks everyone!

Allie

Subject: Lyr Add: FAREWELL TO DERRY (F. Brolly)
From: allie kiwi
Date: 30 Oct 03 - 11:27 PM

Ok, here are the oficial lyrics I received C/- the Limavady Borough Council. (I had to reinstall MS word in order to open the attachment. COMPUTERS!)

Farewell to Derry
By F. Brolly

Poor wandering man since time began
Has yearned for native soil;
So sorely grieves the man who leaves
His homeland by the Foyle,
To preach the Word, face battle's danger,
Praise the Lord and serve the stranger;
Day by day they sail away
And bid farewell to Derry.

Great Colmcille, remembered still,
The noblest of his clan,
In the dawning day of Christian sway
Self-exiled from this land;
Though kind the Scot and high his calling
He ne'er forgot till life's shades' falling
Boyhood's scene, oak groves to green,
And said farewell to Derry.

In later days when battle's blaze
Engulfed lands, large and small,
Our reckless men left Foyle's sweet glen
To answer bugle's call;
Left babes and wives for war's furore
And gave their lives for others' glory;
Wanting jobs, they took their 'bobs'
And bade farewell to Derry

And still they leave, once more to grieve,
For Foyle and friends and home;
Nor gold, nor fame 'eer break the claim
Of the place from which them roam:
The Waterside, the flowing river,
The 'Bog' and Creggan haunt forever
Wandering ones, those love-torn sons,
Who bid farewell to Derry.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Farewell to Derry
From: GUEST,Anon
Date: 12 Apr 11 - 08:34 PM

I think some of your ears and eyes are a bit 'off' gentlemen. However I would at the moment jut point out that joiing the army in what the time setting for this haunting song seems to be, was a shilling or a bob, so the reference to "wanting jobs they took their bobs and said farewell to Derry" is most probably a referce to taking the King's shilling, or joining the army.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Farewell to Derry
From: GUEST,Asgard
Date: 22 Oct 13 - 02:31 AM

Saint Columcille remembered still
The noblest of his clan
In the early days of Christian sway
Life exile from his land
Though kind the Scot
and high his calling
he neér forgot the lamp light falling
On bended knees and rosaries
And sad farewells to Derry