Moving ballad about the 18th Century Irish prisoners transported to the penal colony of Van Dieman's Land (now Tasmania).
Brand new old songs of the '30s, '40s, '50s and '60s.
Lyrics
Van Dieman’s Land
I wish I were a mourning dove
In Ireland so far away
I’d fly away to my own true love
Singing tural-li-oorah-li-yay.
I wish I may, I wish I might
Be in Ireland so far away
A-Lying with my true love tonight
Singing tural-li-oorah-li-oorah-li-oorah-li,
Tural-li-oorah-li-yay.
I stole the bread, and home I ran
In Ireland so far away
And thus came I to Van Dieman’s Land
Singing tural-li-oorah-li-yay.
However poor, a man’s a man
Back in Ireland so they say
A man’s but a beast in Van Dieman’s Land
Singing tural-li-oorah-li-oorah-li-oorah-li,
Tural-li-oorah-li-yay.
From Brandon Head, from Donegal
From old Ireland so far away
On this rock we are convicts all
Singing tural-li-oorah-li-yay.
We dream of Clare and Ballygrand
Of our Ireland so far away
We living dead of Van Dieman’s Land
Singing tural-li-oorah-li-oorah-li-oorah-li,
Tural-li-oorah-li-yay.
I sleep in chains, I dream of home
Back in Ireland so far away
I swing the pick, I break the stone
Singing tural-li-oorah-li-yay.
One day I’ll slip these chains and fly
Home to Ireland so far away
Sweet Jesus, please let a poor man die
Singing tural-li-oorah-li-oorah-li-oorah-li,
Tural-li-oorah-li-yay.
Comments
The artist currently doesn't allow comments.
