Tune Req: Van Diemen's Land (from U2)

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Van Diemen's Land (from U2)
From: quokka
Date: 08 Jan 10 - 10:15 PM

I sang this at a session the other night, hadn't looked at the thread since last year so didn't know about this verse above! This song deserves to be better known

Cheers,

Quokka

Subject: RE: Tune Req: U2 Van Dieman's Land
From: GUEST,Woody
Date: 20 Jul 08 - 03:59 AM

"....Does anyone know who wrote this?
Or any info about it - it's a lovely song"

It's written & sung by The Edge - guitarist with U2 - an appears on the album & film titled "Rattle & Hum".

According to wiki...

...the tune is based upon the traditional Scottish folk song "O Waly, Waly," also known as "The Water is Wide". The song is dedicated to Irish poet John Boyle O'Reilly.

There is one additional verse of the song that appears only in the notes with the album:

Still the gunman rules and the widows pay
A scarlet coat now a black beret
They thought that blood and sacrifice
Could out of death bring forth a life

Subject: RE: Tune Req: U2 Van Dieman's Land
From: GUEST,twonk
Date: 19 Jul 08 - 11:06 PM

what happened to

"you whisle it I'll hum it" ?

I grew up only understanding working out tunes by ear..???

Subject: RE: Tune Req: U2 Van Diemen's Land
From: quokka
Date: 19 Jul 08 - 10:47 PM

Here are the rest of the lyrics to this version

Hold me now, oh hold me now
'Til this hour has gone around
And I'm gone on the rising tide
For to face Van Diemen's land

It's a bitter pill I swallow here
To be rent from one so dear
We fought for justice and not for gain
But the magistrate sent me away

Kings will rule and the poor will toil
And tear their hands as they tear the soil
But the day will come in this dawning age
When an honest man sees an honest wage

Rpt 1st verse

Does anyone know who wrote this?
Or any info about it - it's a lovely song

Cheers,
Quokka

Subject: RE: Tune Req: U2 Van Dieman's Land
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 26 Aug 04 - 03:47 AM

Pleasure friend. Best wishes.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: U2 Van Dieman's Land
From: Shanghaiceltic
Date: 25 Aug 04 - 08:52 PM

Thanks Georgiansilver I found it easily once I had the tune name you gave me.

Here it is on the ABC Tune Finder.

The Water is Wide; AKA O Waly Waly

Regards

Frank

Subject: RE: Tune Req: U2 Van Dieman's Land
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 25 Aug 04 - 04:17 AM

If you find the tune for "The Water is Wide" you have almost the tune they use, other than that sorry but can't help' Best wishes.

Subject: Tune Req: U2 Van Diemen's Land
From: Shanghaiceltic
Date: 25 Aug 04 - 03:32 AM

Has anyone got the staff notation for this song? One of the guys at the Blarney here in Shanghai has been singing it but only has the chords. I would like to adpat it to a C or D whistle.

This is not the trad version

Song starts

Hold me now, oh hold me now
Till this hour has gone around
And I'm gone on the rising tide
For to face Van Diemen's Land