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18 Mar 11 - 11:04 PM (#3116792) Subject: Lyr Add: THE TOWN I LOVED SO WELL (Phil Coulter) From: katlaughing I searched the DT and the Forum, the latter of which had a lot of references, but no full lyrics. If I missed them somehow, my apologies: THE TOWN I LOVED SO WELL copyright Phil Coulter As recorded by Phil Coulter on "Words & Music" (2005) In my memory I will always see The town that I have loved so well, Where our school played ball by the gas yard wall And we laughed through the smoke and the smell. Going home in the rain, running up the dark lane Past the jail and down behind the fountain, Those were happy days in so many, many ways In the town I loved so well. In the early morning, the shirt factory horn Called women from Creggan, the Moor and the Bog While the men on the dole played a mother's role, Fed the children and then walked the dog. And when times got tough, there was just about enough, And they saw it through without complaining, For deep inside was a burning pride In the town I loved so well. There was music there in the Derry air Like a language that we all could understand. I remember the day that I earned my first pay When I played in a small pick-up band. There I spent my youth, and to tell you the truth, I was sad to leave it all behind me, For I learned about life and I'd found a wife In the town I loved so well. But when I returned, how my eyes have burned To see how a town could be brought to its knees By the armoured cars and the bombed-out bars And the gas that hangs onto every breeze. Now an army's installed by that old gas-yard wall, And the damned barbed wire gets higher and higher. With their tanks and their guns, oh my God, what have they done To the town I loved so well? Now the music's gone, but they carry on, For their spirit's been bruised, never broken. They will not forget, but their hearts are set On tomorrow and peace once again. For what's done is done, and what's won is won, And what's lost is lost and gone forever. I can only pray for a bright, brand new day In the town I loved so well. |
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19 Mar 11 - 02:23 AM (#3116837) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Town I Loved So Well - Phil Coulter From: michaelr A powerful song. I've sung it on request but it never felt right. Somewhat like the CSN song; "To sing the blues you've got to live them too." Some experiences can't be expressed second-hand. |
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19 Mar 11 - 04:20 AM (#3116863) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Town I Loved So Well - Phil Coulter From: Dave Hanson Minor correction, ' the gas that hangs on every breeze ' Dave H |
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19 Mar 11 - 09:57 AM (#3116954) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Town I Loved So Well - Phil Coulter From: CupOfTea I'm with michaelr - a powerful and lovely song that I've sung in my own living room, not one I'd sing out. It's an interesting facet of taste that there can be songs you clearly love, but don't feel you have the right/background/gender/accent to sing in a genuine way. Joanne in Cleveland |
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19 Mar 11 - 10:49 AM (#3116972) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Town I Loved So Well - Phil Coulter From: mauvepink I seem to recall an interview with PC on the radio. He shared a room with one of the Dubliners, if memory serves, and he penned the song in an afternoon. He played it for his friend and when he looked up he was crying... He said he knew then he had written a great song Cannot find the reference though but I am sure I did hear this. Learning it I could understand why. It's simplicity and devastating message make a powerful combination. I have sung it with Irish folks in the audience and was even thanked one evening for not forgetting the struggles. Brilliant song and always touching, especially when played on piano in Coulter's version. mp |
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19 Mar 11 - 11:44 AM (#3117006) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Town I Loved So Well - Phil Coulter From: Noreen Hi kat, as well as the 'breeze' change, a couple more: 2nd verse: fed the children and then walked the dog 3rd verse: For I learned about life and I'd found me a wife Great song- used to hear it a lot in Liverpool in previous days. |
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19 Mar 11 - 07:12 PM (#3117252) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Town I Loved So Well - Phil Coulter From: RunrigFan Updated lyrics It's trained the dogs ;) and it's found a wife http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GlweCUixao |
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19 Mar 11 - 08:09 PM (#3117278) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Town I Loved So Well - Phil Coulter From: Noreen RunrigFan, you linked to the Dubliners version, but Phil Coulter actually sings 'walked the dog'. Lovely, and very moving, to actually see and hear Phil sing this wonderful song. He says: "Of all the songs I have written, this is the one I would like to be remembered for. It's my story...' The Town I Loved So Well- written and sung by Phil Coulter (Thanks, kat, for bringing this song up. What brought it to your attention, if you don't mind me asking?) |
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12 Dec 14 - 12:51 PM (#3685110) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Town I Loved So Well (Phil Coulter) From: Joe Offer How can I contact Phil Coulter for permission to include this song in the Rise Again songbook? Or is there somebody else who controls the rights to this song? -Joe- |
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13 Dec 14 - 11:07 AM (#3685362) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Town I Loved So Well (Phil Coulter) From: GUEST,Desi C I firtst trtied performorming this 5 years ago, just couldn't get it right and also found the words too hard to memorise. But picked it up again 4 weeks ago, worked hard on it and if I say so myself can do it quite well now, maybe I got better with age. Luke Kelly's version is the best for me |
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13 Dec 14 - 11:47 AM (#3685374) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Town I Loved So Well (Phil Coulter) From: GUEST,henryp The song was written before 1982. From Wikipedia - Bill Martin; As successful songwriters, record producers and music publishers Martin and Coulter became a wealthy and powerful partnership in the music industry. Apart from being writers/producers of their own songs, they started a publishing company called Martin-Coulter Music, and signed such other songwriters such as Van Morrison, Billy Connolly, Christy Moore, Donal Lunny, Eric Bogle, Sky, Midge Ure and B. A. Robertson.[4] Although he continued to write music, Martin found himself gravitating to the business side of the music industry by the 1980s. His partnership with Coulter ended in 1983 when Martin bought out Coulter's share of the business. He later sold the company to EMI.[2] |
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13 Dec 14 - 03:11 PM (#3685413) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Town I Loved So Well (Phil Coulter) From: GUEST,henryp http://www.vmusic.com.au/lyrics/phil-coulter-and-ronan-keating/the-town-i-loved-so-well-lyrics-4500355.aspx There was music there In the derriere! Lyrics copyright OBO APRA/AMCOS Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind But it is an Australian site. OBO - on behalf of? http://www.lyricfind.com/services/lyrics-display/ LyricFind's Lyric Display service powers lyrics on hundreds of web sites and services, including sites such as Metrolyrics, Amazon, Clear Channel (iHeartRadio), SongMeanings, LyricsMania, Nokia, HTC, Pandora, and many more. For more information, give us a call at 323-275-1163 or email sales@lyricfind.com. |
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15 Dec 14 - 03:31 AM (#3685788) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Town I Loved So Well (Phil Coulter) From: Joe Offer Thanks for the help, folks. Still looking, but these are good leads. I think I'll try EMI first. -Joe- |
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15 Dec 14 - 04:18 AM (#3685800) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Town I Loved So Well (Phil Coulter) From: Tattie Bogle You do have to be very careful how you sing that line about the Derry air! I put a sort of momentary glottal stop between the y and the a! |
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15 Dec 14 - 04:46 PM (#3686018) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Town I Loved So Well (Phil Coulter) From: GUEST,Tunesmith French singer/guitarist Pierre Bensusan recorded a fine version of the song on his first album in 1976. His French accent and lispy vocal are quite charming. Pierre's 1976 version |
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18 Dec 14 - 02:21 PM (#3686886) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Town I Loved So Well (Phil Coulter) From: GUEST,Joe Costello It's amazing how many websites credit Ronan Keating as co-writer of this song. Quite an achieved, really, as the version mentioned above, by Pierre Bensusan was recorded the year before Ronan was born! |
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18 Dec 14 - 07:32 PM (#3686941) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Town I Loved So Well (Phil Coulter) From: Joe Offer Searching Google for "there was music there in the derriere" brings up 2,030 results - all of them attributed to Ronan Keating, no doubt... |