Lyr Req: Changing Your Demeanour (The Chieftains)

Subject: Chieftains lyrics
From: Maelgwyn
Date: 08 Sep 98 - 11:24 AM

I'm looking for lyrics to the song 'Changing Your Demeanor' on the Chieftains CD 'Long Black Veil'.

Subject: RE: Chieftains lyrics^^
From: Joe Offer
Date: 08 Sep 98 - 07:11 PM

Changing Your Demeanour
words & music by Kevin Conneff of the Chieftains
recorded by the Chieftains on "Long Black Veil," 1995

Here we are we've come to call with pipes and flutes and fiddles and all
In case of death we've even brought a keener,
So, if you're glum and feeling down just feel like us
And act the clown and soon there'll be a change in your demeanour.

(lilting)

I put me money on a horse today for with the race he'd run away
Or so a friend that's in the know he told me,
Twenty lengths ahead at most, he proundly cantered pass the post
but, woe was me, he lost the bloomin' jockey!

(lilting, followed by verse-long fiddle and whistle break)

Now of all the places I have seen from China to the Caribbean,
Are all across the goat compared to Ireland,
From Bally Castle to Tralie the Corup to the Liffy
There's no where else on earth but like this island.

(lilting, followed by short piano break)

In Hollywood I long to be, no, not the place across the sea,
But in county Wickloe Ireland's lovely garden.
Where no pretenders will you find but decent people warm and kind,
and flocks of friendly sheep into the bargain.

(lilting, followed by short fiddle and whistle break)

For your ills don't take a pill but take it down the road, the hills
And listen to the larks lovely warbling,
In the evening in the company with music in the key of E
You'll be dancing Kerry sets until the morning.

(lilting, followed by Dancing Kerry sets until the morning)

copied from the International Lyrics Server

Subject: RE: Chieftains lyrics
From: Big Mick
Date: 08 Sep 98 - 11:10 PM

Hi,

There is a songbook out with the arrangements and lyrics for this CD. I got mine at Elderly Instruments. They have a very good mail order department. I believe their website is www.elderly.com

Sla/n,

Mick

Subject: RE: Chieftains lyrics
From: Maelgwyn
Date: 09 Sep 98 - 07:16 PM

Thank you, thank you! :)

Subject: RE: Chieftains lyrics
From: GUEST,Sgodwin
Date: 01 Jan 07 - 10:17 AM

Are you sure about that line:
"Are all across the goat compared to Ireland,"

I've read elsewhere that it's
"are all like bronze to gold compared to Ireland"

which seems to make more sense.

Subject: RE: Chieftains lyrics
From: GUEST,Olan
Date: 16 Apr 07 - 04:14 AM

Hi. I am looking for the lyrics of a song that was performed on the Late Late show by the Chiertans many years ago. It was not accompanied by instruments and was an old English sea-faring / fishermans song. It had the lines "So here's a health to the company and one to my lass, Lets drink and be merry all out of one glass..." I wolud really appreciate any help here guys.

Cheers

Olan

Subject: RE: Chieftains lyrics
From: GUEST,Martin Ryan
Date: 16 Apr 07 - 04:32 AM

Hi Olan!

You'll get quicker results if you put requests like yours in a NEW THREAD!

That said, Click here for the song you want. The words vary a little from version to version.

Regards

Subject: RE: Chieftains lyrics
From: GUEST,Maritn Ryan
Date: 17 Apr 07 - 07:26 AM

Refresh

Subject: RE: Chieftains lyrics
From: GUEST,Olan
Date: 18 Apr 07 - 12:12 PM

Martin Ryan, may God bless your hands and mind for getting me those lyrics. You are a LEGEND. Cheers mate. O

Subject: RE: Chieftains lyrics
From: GUEST,Martin Ryan
Date: 18 Apr 07 - 12:21 PM

You're welcome - do come back for more!

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Changing Your Demeanour (The Chieftai
From: GUEST,CMH
Date: 14 Jul 07 - 03:14 PM

Its not "In case of death we've even brought a keener", but rather:

"In case of DEBT we've even brought a keener"

A keener is a singer, and in the event they ran out of money they would sing at pubs to get free beer and money.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Changing Your Demeanour (The Chieftai
From: Jeri
Date: 14 Jul 07 - 03:33 PM

To keen is to mourn loudly, not sing. (Maybe you can find a reference.)

From allwords.com:

tr & intr especially in Ireland: to lament or mourn in a loud wailing voice.
Dutch: weeklagen
French: chanter une mélopée funèbre
German: (be)klagen
Italian: cantare un lamento
Spanish: lamentar

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Changing Your Demeanour (The Chieftai
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 14 Jul 07 - 07:18 PM

It's a kind of singing.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Changing Your Demeanour (The Chieftains)
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 14 Jul 07 - 07:40 PM

And I'll bet that 'CMH' just misunderstood the accent. 'Death', pronounced with a stress on the 't'.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Changing Your Demeanour (The Chieftai
From: GUEST,Megan
Date: 16 Oct 07 - 04:30 PM

I agree that it's death. Family members in Ireland, generally women I believe, keen following the death of a loved one. I also think that it's Curragh instead of Corup. "From Bally Castle to Tralie the Corup to the Liffy" I'm not sure what Corup would be, but the Curragh is the Irish National Racetrack.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Changing Your Demeanour (The Chieftains)
From: GUEST
Date: 16 Jun 08 - 12:22 AM

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Changing Your Demeanour (The Chieftains)
From: GUEST,BC
Date: 30 Nov 08 - 11:42 PM

I am looking for the notes for this song so I can play it on my Irish Tin Whistle. Any advince?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Changing Your Demeanour (The Chieftains)
From: MartinRyan
Date: 01 Dec 08 - 02:40 AM

Re Megan's cooments: the reference is to the Corrib - river through Galway.

Regards

Subject: Lyr Add: CHANGING YOUR DEMEANOUR (The Chieftains)
From: GUEST,dubhghaill
Date: 12 Dec 09 - 01:04 PM

I know this threads original was copied from somewhere, but the spelling mistakes are a little to abundant for my liking:

Changing Your Demeanour

Here we are we've come to call with pipes and flutes and fiddles and all
In case of death we've even brought a keener,
So, if you're glum and feeling down just feel like us and act the clown
And soon there'll be a change in your demeanour.

I put me money on a horse today for with the race he'd run away
Or so a friend that's in the know he told me,
Twenty lengths ahead at most, he proudly cantered pass the post
but, woe was me, he lost the bloomin' jockey!

Now of all the places I have seen from China to the Caribbean,
Are all across the globe compared to Ireland,
From Ballycastle to Tralee the Corrib to the Liffy
There's no where else on earth quite like this island.

In Hollywood I long to be, no, not the place across the sea,
But in county Wicklow Ireland's lovely garden.
Where no pretenders will you find but decent people warm and kind,
and flocks of friendly sheep into the bargain.

For your ills don't take a pill but take it down the road, the hills
And listen to the larks lovely warbling,
In the evening in the company with music in the key of E
You'll be dancing Kerry sets until the morning.


keening (caoineadh) lamenting for death, not debt or something done in a pub. If you've ever heard it you'll know why.
corup = the river Corrib, Tralie = Tralee, Wickloe = Wicklow,
and I always heard it as 'all across the globe compared to Ireland'. I've never heard anyone say 'across the goat' in English or Irish.

Finally, if anyone's interested in playing this tune it is 'Cronin's hornpipe', a very lovely piece.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Changing Your Demeanour (The Chieftains)
From: GUEST,Rudy Savich
Date: 22 Feb 11 - 11:30 PM

I think it's "take a dander o'er the hills". A dander is a stroll. But what I still can't figure out is the line that sounds like "are all across of gaul compared to Ireland" I just don't buy that it's "goat"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Changing Your Demeanour (The Chieftains)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 27 Feb 11 - 12:22 PM

You can hear the Chieftains singing CHANGING YOUR DEMEANOUR at YouTube.

I've listened, and I agree with Dubhghaill's transcription except:

In verse 3: "Or all across the globe compared to Ireland"

In verse 5: "But take a dander o'er the hills
And listen to the larks' lovely warning."