Ireland - Drops of Green

Driving in my Saab On my way to Ireland It's been a long time It's been a long time Driving with my friends On my way to Ireland It's been a long time It's been a long time So when I was out in the desert And a cowboy tried to lasso me He said you're red and made of clay, a virgin portrait I let him wake me but decided not to stay Driving in my Saab On my way to Ireland It's been a long time It's been a long time Driving with my friends On my way to Ireland It's been a long time It's been a long time Next in New York I fell out with a dragon Of the white collar kind but just as ferocious I remembered Macha running faster than the horses Then an encounter with a voice that caressed me Driving in my Saab On my way to Ireland It's been a long time A long time Driving with my friends On my way to Ireland It's been a long time A long time Wasn't it you who held off a surrender To one spoiled nun who taught you the names Of the mountains on the moon and then a Jesuit Proceeded to arrange your soul while I prayed on my knees Driving in my Saab On my way to Ireland It's been a long time A long time Driving with my friends, yes On my way to Ireland It's been a long time A long time Such a long, long time It's been a long time A long time

I whimper when I see a meadow To think of all that I could be Oh, I'll grab my skirts And I'll run with the wind I am friends with femininity I run my hands through blazing fire My freckles splattered on pearly skin I am swimming naked in pools of starlight How I miss the days of my soulful kin I watch the days pass And my heart aches on To think of all I'm missing And the things I haven't done I'll hold on until my lungs give out And I can breathe again In the sweet, sweet air of Ireland I hear the call from fields of heather My name is whispered on the wind And it promises that we will be together Oh, the Cliffs of Moher are my oldest friends I feel the faerie drums and fiddles Light a match within my soul Oh, I see the magic around me in ripples As it lights the path that will guide me home I watch the days pass And my heart aches on To think of all I'm missing And the things I haven't done I'll hold on until my lungs give out And I can breathe again In the sweet, sweet air of Ireland I feel my ancestors around me Pull me close and hold me tight And it makes me feel just a little less lonely When I walk the glen in my dreams at night

'God save Ireland!' said the heroes 'God save Ireland' said they all Whether on the scaffold high Or the battlefield we die Oh, what matter when for Erin dear we fall! High upon the gallows tree swung the noble-hearted Three By the vengeful tyrant stricken in their bloom But they met him face to face, with the courage of their race And they went with souls undaunted to their doom 'God save Ireland!' said the heroes 'God save Ireland' said they all Whether on the scaffold high Or the battlefield we die Oh, what matter when for Erin dear we fall! (Verse Not In the Luke Kelly Collection) Girt around with cruel foes, still their courage proudly rose For they thought of hearts that loved them for and near Of the millions true and brave o'er the ocean's swelling wave And the friends in holy Ireland ever dear Climbed they up the rugged stair, rang their voices out in prayer Then with England's fatal cord around them cast Close beside the gallows tree kissed like brothers lovingly True to home and faith and freedom to the last 'God save Ireland!' said the heroes 'God save Ireland' said they all Whether on the scaffold high Or the battlefield we die Oh, what matter when for Erin dear we fall! Never till the latest day shall the memory pass away Of the gallant lives thus given for our land But on the cause must go, amidst joy and weal and woe Till we make our Isle a nation free and grand God save Ireland! said the heroes 'God save Ireland' said they all Whether on the scaffold high Or the battlefield we die Oh, what matter when for Erin dear we fall

The old home town looks the same As I step down from the train, And there to meet me is my Mama and Papa. Down the road I look and there runs Mary Hair of gold and lips like cherries. It's good to touch the green, green grass of home. Yes, they'll all come to meet me, arms reaching, smiling sweetly. It's good to touch the green, green grass of home. The old house is still standing tho' the paint is cracked and dry, And there's that old oak tree that I used to play on. Down the lane I walk with my sweet Mary, Hair of gold and lips like cherries. It's good to touch the green, green grass of home. Then I awake and look around me, At four grey walls that surround me And I realize, yes, I was only dreaming. For there's a guard and there's a sad old padre, Arm in arm, we'll walk at daybreak. Again I touch the green, green grass of home. Yes, they'll all come to see me In the shade of that old oak tree As they lay me 'neath the green, green grass of home.

The old home town looks the same As I step down from the train And there to meet me is my mama and my papa Down the road I look, and there comes Mary Hair of gold and lips like cherries It's good to touch the green, green grass of home The old house is still standing Though the paint is cracked and dry And there's the old oak tree that I used to play on Down the lane I walk with my sweet Mary Hair of gold and lips like cherries It's good to touch the green, green grass of home Yes, they'll all come to see me Arms reaching, smiling sweetly It's good to touch the green, green grass of home Then I awake and look around me At the four gray walls that surround me And I realize that I was only dreaming For there's a guard, and there's a sad old padre Arm in arm, we'll walk at daybreak Again, I'll touch the green, green grass of home Yes, they'll all come to see me In the shade of the old oak tree As they lay me 'neath the green, green grass of home

(It's so good to touch the green green grass of home) The old hometown looks the same as I step down from the train And there to meet me is my mama and papa And down the road I look and there runs Mary hair of gold and lips like cherries It's good to touch the green green grass of home Yes they'll all come to meet me arms areaching smiling sweetly It's good to touch the green green grass of home The old house is still standing though the paint is cracked and dry And there's that old oak tree that I used to play on And down the lane I walk with my sweet Mary hair of gold and lips like cherries It's good to touch the green green grass of home Yes they'll all come to meet me arms areaching smiling sweetly It's good to touch the green green grass of home Then I awake and look around me at the cold grey walls that surround me And I realize that I was only dreaming For there's a guard and there's a sad old padre arm in arm we'll walk at daybreak Again I'll touch the green green grass of home Yes they'll all come to see me in the shade of that old oak tree As they lay me neath the green green grass of home

The old hometown looks the same as I step down from the train There to meet me is my mama and papa Down the lane I look and there runs Mary Hair of gold and lips like cherry It's good to touch the green green grass of home The old house is still standing though the paint is cracked and dry There's the old oak tree that I used to play on Down the lane I walk with my sweet Mary Hair of gold and lips like cherry It's so good to touch the green green grass of home Yes, they'll all come to meet me arms outreached smiling sweetly It's so good to touch the green green grass of home Then I awake and look around me at the four gray walls that surround me And I realized that I was only dreaming For there's a guard and there's that sad old padre Arm in arm we'll walk at daybreak And again I'll touch the green green grass of home Yes, they'll all come to see me in the shade of that old oak tree And they lay me 'neath the green green grass of home

The old home town looks the same As I step down from the train And there to meet me is my mama and my papa Down the road I look and there runs Mary Hair of gold and the lips like cherries It's good to touch the green, green grass of home Yes, they'll all come to meet me Arms reachin', smilin' sweetly Oh, it's good to touch the green, green grass of home The old house is still standing Though the paint is cracked and dry And there's that old oak tree that I used to play on Yeah, down the lane I'll walk with my sweet Mary Hair of gold and the lips like cherries It's good to touch the green, green grass of home Yes, they'll all come to meet me Arms reachin', smilin' sweetly Oh, it's good to touch the green, green grass of home Then I awake and look around me At four gray walls that surround me And I realize I was only dreamin' There's a guard and there's a sad old padre Arm and arm we'll walk at daybreak again I'll touch the green, green grass of home Yes, they'll all come to see me In the shade of that old tree As I lay me in the green, green grass of home