Mountains O’Mourne [Live]

Lyrics

[Intro, spoken] *Applause* That's uh, one of a bunch of new songs that I've been messing around with And I sang it in Germany And a kid interviewed me, and uh He said, "Don't you think you You don't have any right to write songs like that" He says, "Your job to make important statements" So, while I was umm tryin' to wake up throughout this conversation I brought into it the notion of what about older songs Songs that aren't brand new Songs that don't fall into the planned obsolescence That uh seems to be everywhere You have to have something brand new Then you wear it out, throw it away That's not the way I view music Uh, to me every emotion is worthy of writing something about If you can grasp it And the old songs if they're good songs are worthy of singing Whether or not they're on the charts or not And I think that, umm, *applause* It's alright This isn't a folk song society, so you're not to get involved but I will show you what I mean [Verse 1] Oh, Mary, this London's a wonderful sight With people here working by day and by night They don't sow potatoes nor barley nor wheat But there's gangs of 'em diggin' for gold in the street Least when I asked them, that's what I was told So, I just took a hand at this diggin' for gold But for all that I found there, I might as well be In the place where the dark Mourne sweeps down to the sea [Instrumental Break] [Verse 2] I believe that when writin' a wish you expressed As to how the fine ladies in London were dressed Well, if you'll believe me, when asked to a ball They don't wear no tops to their dresses at all Oh, I've seen them myself, and you could not in truth Tell it if they were bound for a ball or a bath Don't be startin' them fashions now, Mary McCree In the place where the dark Mourne sweeps down to the sea [Verse 3] There's beautiful girls here, oh, never you mind Beautiful shapes Nature never designed Lovely complexions of roses and cream But let me remark with regard to the same If at those roses you venture to sip The colors might all come away on your lip So, I'll wait for the wild rose that's waitin' for me In the place where the dark Mourne sweeps down to the sea [Instrumental Break] [Verse 4] You remember young Denny McClaren, of course Well, he's over here with the rest of the force I saw him one day as he stood on the Strand Stopped all traffic with a wave of his hand As we were talking of days that are gone The whole town of London stood there to look on But for all his great powers, he's wishful like me To be back where the dark Mourne sweeps down to the sea *Applause*