Oh, happy carillon and bells of my youth, By the river Suir now sounding! How near and how dear to my heart’s truth In quiet moments never-ending.
By Cathedral bells’ sound, One day I was born, Amid musical sounds of a river That sings in my heart, In moments forlorn, And in my happiest moments ever.
To play and to school, My life was to rule, By the bells and the river determined, By green banks and bridge, By the Ursuline school, My earliest life was thus fashioned.
And, however, how often, I may wander away, Be it near or far over the ocean, I shall hear in my mind, The bells peal and play, Their carols of happy emotion.
Carolling, carolling , carolling ever, Always in tune with the song of the river, Oh, bells of my heart and my home now ringing, Ever and ever sweetly singing.
END
Tom Ryan, “Iona”, Rahealty, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.
Lyrics and Vocals: The late, great American country music singer, songwriter, guitarist, and fiddler Merle Haggard(April 6, 1937 – April 6, 2016).
Are The Good Times Really Over ?
I wish a buck was still silver. It was back when the country was strong, Back before Elvis, And before the Vietnam war came along. Before The Beatles and ‘Yesterday’, When a man could still work, still would. The best of the free life behind us now, And are the good times really over for good? Are we rolling down hill, Like a snowball headed for Hell? With no kind of chance, For the Flag or the Liberty Bell*. Wish a Ford and a Chevy, Could still last ten years, like they should. Is the best of the free life behind us now? Are the good times really over for good? I wish Coke was still Cola, And a joint was a bad place to be. It was back before Nixon lied to us all on TV. Before microwave ovens, When a girl could still cook and still would. The best of the free life behind us now, Are the good times really over for good? Are we rolling down hill, Like a snowball headed for Hell? With no kind of chance, For the Flag or the Liberty Bell. Wish a Ford and a Chevy, Could still last ten years, like they should. Is the best of the free life behind us now? Are the good times really over for good? Stop rolling down hill, Like a snowball headed for Hell. Stand up for the Flag, And let’s all ring the Liberty Bell. Let’s make a Ford and a Chevy, That’ll still last ten years like they should. The best of the free life is still yet to come, The good times ain’t over for good.
END
“Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land Unto All the Inhabitants thereof.” * In its early years, the Liberty Bell, (Philadelphia, US State Of Philadelphia) previously called the ‘State House Bell’ or ‘Old State House Bell’, was used to summon lawmakers to legislative sessions and to alert citizens about public meetings and proclamations. The bell was used as a symbol of freedom during the Cold War and was a popular site for protests in the 1960s.
Vocals: American folk singer and social activist Pete Seeger. Lyrics: American folk singer-songwriter Tom Paxton. [The song is about the American school system, that stands accused of misinforming children giving them an optimistic outlook on history and just one of many protest songs written by Tom Paxton].
What Did You Learn In School Today?
What did you learn in school today, Dear little boy of mine? What did you learn in school today, Dear little boy of mine?
I learned that Washington never told a lie, I learned that soldiers seldom die, I learned that everybody’s free, And that’s what the teacher said to me, And that’s what I learned in school today, That’s what I learned in school.
What did you learn in school today, Dear little boy of mine? What did you learn in school today, Dear little boy of mine?
I learned that policemen are my friends, I learned that justice never ends, I learned that murderers die for their crimes, Even if we make a mistake sometime, And that’s what I learned in school today, That’s what I learned in school
What did you learn in school today, Dear little boy of mine? What did you learn in school today, Dear little boy of mine?
I learned our government must be strong; It’s always right and never wrong! Our leaders are the finest men, And we elect them again and again, And that’s what I learned in school today, That’s what I learned in school.
What did you learn in school today, Dear little boy of mine? What did you learn in school today, Dear little boy of mine?
I learned that war is not so bad, I learned about the great once we have had. We fought in Germany and in France And some day I might get my chance. And that’s what I learned in school today, That’s what I learned in school.
As I went out walking, on a fine summer day, Through hills and the valleys, I soon lost my way, ‘Til I came to an old man, kneeling down by a stream. Gazing into the water, like he was lost in a dream In his hand was a painting he clung to for life, His eyes filled with tears as he tried not to cry. Then he looked to the heavens and started to pray, In the quiet country silence, I could hear the man say. Life is a river, I’ll go with the flow, And where it will take me, the Lord only knows. I’ll miss you sweetheart, your kindness and love, But I know one day, we’ll sail away on God’s ocean above. He said, “Now young man, you’re a stranger to me. Could I bother you kindly, for your company? Today I am thinking of a time long ago, And I need to tell someone of a girl I loved so. It’s 42 years today, since Rose took my hand, And proudly I lived life, her husband, her man. ‘Til only last week son, God took her away, As I kissed her softly, these words she did say. “Life is a river, I’ll go with the flow, And where it will take me, the Lord only knows. I’ll miss you sweetheart, your kindness and love, But I know one day, we’ll sail away on God’s ocean above”. And with that, the old man sent me on my way, And sat by the water, I’ll kneel for the day. I look at the river, starting out on its life, It’s where I feel close to my beautiful wife.
Recent Comments