DAVID KINCAID - PADDY´S LAMENTATION
I personally like this song very much on account of its honest expression. There are many ballads from this time dealing with emigration to America away from the hunger and deprivation of the famine that devastated Ireland in the 1840's. All of them extoll the praises of the 'Land of Liberty' where there was food and work for all and the 'tyrant landlords' did not exist. This is one of the few ballads that made its way back to Ireland telling a different story from the peace and prosperity which is talked about in other songs. The General Meagher referred to was General Thomas Francis Meagher otherwise known as 'Meagher of the sword' who led the 69th regiment in the American Civil War. The regiment so distinguished itself on the various battlefields that it earned the name of the 'Fighting 69th'. It was all but wiped out at the battle of Gettysburg, and its losses are commemorated by a Celtic cross on the actual battlefield.The title of the song is a corruption of an Irish phrase 'Bí i do thost' or 'be quiet' which in fact is translated in the first line of the song „By the hush me boys and that's to make no noise“. The song is a stinging comment on emigration that reflected many Irish emigrants experiences in America when they arrived as the Civil War 1861-65 was in progress and were conscripted into the Army.
From the live recorded album: David Kincaid and The Brandos perform songs of the Irish Volunteers! Live in Europe! February 2004.
English lyrics:
And it's by the hush, my boys,
I’m sure that's to hold your noise
And listen to poor Paddy's lamentation
I was by hunger pressed and by poverty distressed
When I took a thought I'd leave the Irish nation
So I sold my horse and plough, sold my sheep, and pigs, and sow The little farm of land and I were parted
And my sweetheart Bid McGee, I'm afeared I'll never see
For I left her on that morning quite broken-hearted
And here's you boys, do take my advice
To America I'll have you not be coming
For there’s nothing here but war, where the murdering cannons roar And I wish I was back home in dear old Ireland
So me and a hundred more, to America sailed o'er
Our fortunes to be making we were thinking
But when we landed in Yankee land, they stuck a musket in my hands Saying "Paddy, you must go and fight for Lincoln"
General Meagher to us said, if you get shot or you lose your head Every murdered soul of you will get a pension
But in the war I lost my leg, now all I’ve got’s a wooden peg,
Oh my boy’s it is the truth to you I mention
And here's you boys, do take my advice
To America I'll have you not be coming
For there’s nothing here but war, where the murdering cannons roar And I wish I was back home in dear old Ireland
Oh, there’s nothing here but war, where the murdering cannons roar And I wish I was back home in dear old Ireland
Now I’d have think myself in luck, to be fed with Indian buck
And in Ireland, the land that I delight in
But by the devil I do say, curse Americay
For I’m sure I've had enough of your hard fighting
And here's you boys, do take my advice
To America I'll have you not be coming
For there’s nothing here but war, where the murdering cannons roar And I wish I was back home in dear old Ireland
