Des Wade Song lyrics

Des Wade was born in Dublin and has lived in Australia for nearly 40 years, most of them in Adelaide.
His Australian odyssey started on the east coast and he spent some years travelling there - often hitch-hiking - from Queensland to Tasmania, usually accompanied by his dog named Boo. He worked professionally in Tassie under the stage name Dez Perrado, The Human Jukebox, before settling in South Australia.
Nowadays Des does not perform live – concentrating on songwriting – and his ambition is to have others perform or record his songs. A few years ago the US group Locklin Road recorded his song Wings of Angels and it spent many weeks high in the cdBaby online folk chart.
On the style of his music, Des describes it as a sort of celtic & western, with some songs floating off into the misty twilight while others could be just as close as the next bar stool.
He is influenced by contemporary songwriters like Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen but, of course, mainly by the incredibly rich tradition of creativity and self-expression of his native land.
As a writer, the words nearly always come to him before the music.
Appropriately enough, he describes himself as a bit of a dreamer – but with both feet planted firmly in the clouds - who started out with nothing and still has most of it!
His Australian odyssey started on the east coast and he spent some years travelling there - often hitch-hiking - from Queensland to Tasmania, usually accompanied by his dog named Boo. He worked professionally in Tassie under the stage name Dez Perrado, The Human Jukebox, before settling in South Australia.
Nowadays Des does not perform live – concentrating on songwriting – and his ambition is to have others perform or record his songs. A few years ago the US group Locklin Road recorded his song Wings of Angels and it spent many weeks high in the cdBaby online folk chart.
On the style of his music, Des describes it as a sort of celtic & western, with some songs floating off into the misty twilight while others could be just as close as the next bar stool.
He is influenced by contemporary songwriters like Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen but, of course, mainly by the incredibly rich tradition of creativity and self-expression of his native land.
As a writer, the words nearly always come to him before the music.
Appropriately enough, he describes himself as a bit of a dreamer – but with both feet planted firmly in the clouds - who started out with nothing and still has most of it!
.Oró tír na nóg Song Lyrics
© Des Wade 2010
APRA & All Rights Reserved
There is an island like a jewel
Set in a silver sea
Where dwell the Clan De Danaan who will
Webs of wonder weave
With arcane charms and spells that tell
How to move the earth like the ocean swell
How to stay the moment as it pass
And hold time’s heartbeat in your grasp
Oró tír na nóg - life is but a dream foretold
Oró tír na nóg - all you desire is what the future holds
There is a kingdom like a gem
Set in hills of velvet green
And in faery fort and elven glen
Live the children of the dream
And there they dance to the old romance
Of songs a-gathered from afar
And the tunes they brought
That they have caught
Between the waterfalling stars
Oró tír na nóg - every wondrous dream foretold
Oró tír na nóg - all you desire is what the future holds
There is a castle like a pearl
Set in a stony crown
Of mountain peaks from which unfurl
Clouds like a lacy gown
Of mist that seems to ebb and flow
In dark valleys deep below
Where síoga folk with flesh of smoke
Gather souls like flowers
In the witching hours
Oró tír na nóg
The spring of youth is never done
Sipped from the pale moon’s bowl
And the golden chalice of the sun.
Other folk songs that mention tír na nóg is
Uncle Nobby's Steamboat by The Wolfe Tones.
Anna Livia Song Lyrics And Chords
Written and recorded by Des Wade.
[D]Once upon a [G]time long gone when [A]it was all be[D]fore us
In those days with [G]voices [D]raised in a [A]joyful, midnight [D]chorus
[G]We were singin’[D] Monto and Will Ye [A]Go, Lassie [Bm]Go
And the [D]world of At-[A]Swim-Two-Birds [G]was home away from [Bm]home,[A],[Bm]
Ah but [G]where is the dance [D]after the dancer and the [G]song when the singer’s a[D]way
I’ll give you a chance to [G]tell me the [D]answer on the [A]Ha’penny [G]bridge to[D]day
Oh but even as you kissed my soul and there was Whiskey in the Jar
You brought me your heart to hold mine sought another star
Like a beggar my love was wearing thin and pulling at my sleeve
And saying at the barroom door saying, I think it's time to leave
And where was the dance after the dancer and the song when the singer took flight
I never went to tell you the answer on the Half penny bridge that night
Anna Livia, Anna Livia
See you moving beneath me
Anna Livia, Anna Livia
Your secrets bequeath me
Anna Livia, Anna Livia
My destiny seeks me
So marry me, carry me
Down to the sea
Oh if we could only change the chart of the voyage our life has sailed
Do you believe within your heart there be better choices made
Still there was a time and it's the truth when by power of song and story
The compass rose of our youth was guiding us to glory
Ah but where is the dance after the dancer and the song when the singer's away
How I'd love the chance to give you the answer on the Halfpenny bridge some day
Anna Livia, Anna Livia How could I betray you
Anna Livia, Anna Livia How could I say you
Anna Livia, Anna Livia
Mean nothing to me
And by forsaking thee
Indifference undo me
© Des Wade 2014
I Said To The Dog Song Lyrics
Written and recorded by Des Wade.
I said to the dog, that’ll be him
I swear to god what a terrible din
But at least he’s singin’ tonight
Go to him, girl, it’s comin’ down
A nasty fog out on the bog
And he might not see the light
And he’ll want you for a guide
Oh I know, girl, I’m just a kid
And no one knows what he did
Except for me and you
Drink’s always been a curse, ay
But never worse than on the day
With her face so full of fear
Me mammy disappeared
Chorus
She always told me, and it’s true
What you can’t endure you must cure
Sometimes you fight till you fall
Other times, do nothin’ at all
Nothin’ at all
Oh listen girl, he’s missed the track
He’ll never find his own way back
Unless you lead him in
So stay here with me in the dark
Don’t even let him hear you bark
For his mood as black as sin
Yes his mood as black as sin
Chorus
Me mammy told me as she cried
When you decide what you can’t abide
That’s when you fight till you fall
Other times do nothin’ at all
Nothin’ at all
The coroner’s verdict handed down
Said he was accidentally drowned
As he struggled in the bog
Now a sunny day awaits us and
We’ll go with gran in her camper van
So get in, I said to the dog
Yeah, get in, I said to the dog
Chorus
Me mammy told me when you’re a man
To be as kind as you can
Sometimes you’ll have to fight till you fall
Other times do nothin’ at all
Nothin’ at all
© Des Wade 2013
APRA & All rights reserved
Wishful Drinkin' Song Lyrics By Des Wade
Josie knows what he hopes she’s feelin’
As he whines on the telephone
And she rolls her eyes up to the ceilin’
When he moans about bein’ alone
And where she wonders (but of course doesn’t say)
Is the man who said freedom was his middle name
Away with his windy oul’ words she’s a-thinkin’
Doin’ some wishful drinkin’
Johnny knows by her tone and what have ye
There’s a chance of gettin’ her back
And by her mumblin’ and maudlin nostalgia
How she misses the booze and craic
And it’s true, she lies, that them days are over
And how much now she enjoys bein’ sober
In the background he hears glasses clinkin’
So much for wishful drinkin’
CHORUS
Wishful drinkin’ wishful drinkin’
How their spirits rise up with each one they’re sinkin’
Oh there may be better things than booze
But in the meantime a drink’ll do
And I wish them both luck with every deoch
Yeah with every drop they touch
I fondly remember each one I took
And my regrets don’t add up to much
So Johnny and Josie have one on me
May all your wishes and dreams come to be
And slainte I say to my way of thinkin’
More power to wishful drinkin’
CHORUS
Wishful drinkin’ wishful drinkin’
When ye simply have to get away
You’ll find that all your troubles are shrinkin’
On your alcoholiday
Wishful drinkin’ wishful drinkin’
May your hopes rise up with each one you’re sinkin’
We all need something to believe in, brother
I believe I’ll have another
© Des Wade 2013
Thomas Bang Bang Dudley Song Lyrics By Des Wade,
Am C G Am
As the stagecoach to Medicine Bow leaves the Liberties
F C
Bang Bang takes aim with his trusty key
F C
With John Wayne at the reins they hightail it through The Coombe
G Am
And all the baddies’ bullets - well they can’t do nothin’ to ‘em
For fifty years he rides the range upholding law ‘n’ order
With shoot outs from Clanbrassil Street to the Rio Liffey’s waters
From the prairies of Stephen’s Green to the badlands in between
Bang Bang has the fastest draw that you have ever seen
Chorus
Dm Am
“Bang, bang, you’re dead,” is what you’d hear him shout
E7
With the young ones laughin’, half in fright,
Am
An’ the oul wans givin’ out
Dm Am
Aw Bang Bang, you’re dead but your movie runs and runs
E7
In the memories of Dublin town
Am
You poor oul’ son of a gun
“We’ll head ‘em off at the pass with Johnny Forty Coats
“Before they reach the Phoenix Park,” he says to Skin the Goat
Slug Willard’s gang are on the ridge silhouetted you can see
And tho’ they’ve blocked the Ha’penny Bridge Bang Bang holds the key
Chorus
But even now when I leave the show I sometimes look both ways
Remembering that unique man from those simpler days
When Mr Thomas Dudley with his loaded key
Would come ridin’ on his magic horse shootin’ you and me
Now when the last bus to Medicine Bow left the Liberties
Bang Bang held onto the bar, taking aim with his key
And with his pardner big John Wayne hit the trail for the West
Where time’s silver bullet laid him down to rest
© Des Wade 2015
The Man On The Bridge Song Lyrics
Written By Des Wade. It's about a Dublin street photographer Arthur Fields who, it is estimated, took over 180,000 photos of people on and around O'Connell Bridge for 50 years. How the figure of 180,000 was arrived at. He was on the bridge for 50 years, he worked 365 days a year. He took 10 photos. a day for the 365 days and x that by 50. My own guess is that he took over a million photos. He took my photo outside The Savoy Cinema on O'Connell in 1977. He's give you a ticket after taking the picture and you would go to his office which was located over Eason's book shop on O'Connell Street a few days later where you'd pay a woman behind the counter and she's give you the photo. I watched Arthur work several times and he would take your picture even if you didn't want it taken. Sometimes he would take 10 snaps in a couple of minutes.
A gentleman came from a far away land
And here on the bridge you’d see him each day
With his coat and hat and his camera in hand
He photographed people passing his way
Arthur Fields is the man with the cameras
And for fifty years it’s his pitch
He captures all those from the plain to the glamorous
Who pose for the man on the bridge
Fathers and mothers, sisters and brothers
Uncles and aunties, friends and lovers
Family re-unions and Holy communions
Events great and small - he recorded them all
Tho’ many passed over, lots are still living
And the memories in each picture keep giving
And for us it’s an honour and a rare kind of privilege
To share the life’s work of the man on the bridge
And here’s a young couple engaged to be married
And here’s a baby in arms being carried
The homecoming exile - kids out out on the tear
For all these the man on the bridge was there
Now far and wide his photos are found
In countless collections he figures
We remember the faces time hasn’t worn down
And they still look out from his pictures
Tho’ sadly for some a print that’s long-faded
Of a time and a face may be all that remains
Our world is the better for an archive so rich
As the work done by Arthur - the man on the bridge
© Des Wade 2014
The Seduction Of Oisin Lyrics By Des Wade
Oisin was the greatest poet, musician and storyteller of all and he went to Tir na nOg at the behest of a witch. Mysterious, brooding and gothic – this song imagines he was seduced by her in dreams before they met and his story inspired this sinuous track. The spoken intro in Gaelic means "Oisin is dreaming, is dreaming in the land, in the land between Yes and No".
Wings Of Angels Song Lyrics And Guitar Chords© Des Wade 2010 APRA & All Rights Reserved.
A D A
Could I command the wings of angels
A E
Order them to where you lie
A D A
To lift you up while you are sleeping
E A
And lay you down by my side
A D A
If by my hand the winds of heaven
A E
In cloudy arms transport the rain
A D A
To grace your days with rainbow ribbons
E DA
* And by night wash clean your pain
CHORUS:
D A
You are everything to me
Bm A
Is tú grá geal mo chroí
D A
You are everything to me
Bm A
** Is tú grá geal mo chroí
Could I control the turning seasons
Place the seeds in nature’s room
From my heart the flowers of summer
Would all arise and for you bloom
CHORUS:
* Alternate lines
And in the nighttime ease your pain
And by night sing this refrain
While in the night this truth remains
** Translation
You are the bright love of my heart
Sciatháin na nAingeal (Wings of Angels) (Des Wade/Dónal Dalton)
{Leagan Gaeilge - by Dónal Dalton - of the song Wings of Angels}
1
Dá mbeinnse i bhfeighil, (i) sciatháin na n-aingeal, chuig teach do luí, d'ordóinn iad
If I were tending the wings of the angels, to the house you lie in, I would order them
Is tú chun ardú, i do shuaimhneas, is tú sín(te) siar, i lár mo chroí
To raise you up, in your slumber and to lay you down in the centre of my heart
2
i gcoillte ‘s sléibhte, bheinn cadhan aonair, dá mbeinnse naofa, im Céli Dé
I would be an anchorite in woods and mountains, if I were a saintly Céli Dé
Sheolfainn lon chugat, ó dhrúcht na maidine, le ceoilín aoibhinn, [‘s a] bheith le d' thaobh
I would send to you a blackbird from the dewdrops of the morning with blissful music to keep you company
/ being by your side
Chorus
Is tú damhsa órg[a] an tsaoil, is tú grá geal mo chroí
You are the golden dance of life, you are the bright love of my life (Rpt)
3
Dá mbeinnse i seilbh, i gcas[adh] na séasúr, chuirfinn (na) síolta i ngarraí bán
If I were in possession of the turning of the seasons, I would sow the seeds in a small fallow field
‘s (agus) as mo chroí, (d’fhásfaí) torthaí an tsamhraidh ag sín[eadh] chun póg, béaldath do lá
And from my heart, (would grow) the fruits of summer stretching to kiss, the coloured lips/lipstick of your day.
If The World Was A Rental Song Lyrics
By Des Wade.© Des Wade 2013
If the world was a rental, the landlord would go mental
And I reckon I would too
It was new when we got it but we’ve done our deposit
Oh I guess it’s a mess don’t you?
We were given the freedom to choose
A gift that was heaven sent
But watch out when it falls due
And he comes down to collect the rent
He’ll say what have yiz done to the place?
How can you even show your face”
It was never yours to own it was only out on loan
Why oh why did I create the human race?
I said to Mrs God, you were right, dear, and it’s odd
Men’s big brains don’t make them clever
And for this I got rid of me lovely dinosaurs
I swear to me they’re my worst idea ever
Oh I sent the young lad so everyone would know
How to be nicer to the earth and to each other
Ah but what you did to him was the lowest of the low
Not to mention what it did to his mother
Now as the end of me patience approaches
And I’m at the limit of me tether
I think I’ll hand it all to the roaches
At least they won’t stuff up the weather
I believe the world is a rental and we’ve driven the landlord mental
And like the Garden of Eden it’s my prediction
Between pollution and the bomb
When he comes down we’ll all be gone
For once again he’ll have decided on eviction
So Softly In The Twilight Song Lyrics
By Des Wade. A gentle ballad recalling peaceful, childhood evenings. Vocals- Des Wade, Guitar - Matt Williams
So softly in the twilight I hear my mother singing
Just the two of us at home tonight
And the house so still and dreamy
And as she sings so sweetly, all is calm and easy
And a peaceful summer evening is stealing over me
I count amongst my treasures those twilight times we shared
And when I hear one of those songs I am taken there
Oh yes, I return then - to the house where I was born
And the child I was - I am again
And it’s just like comin’ home
So softly in the twilight at the dimming of the day
So softly in the twilight taking me away
Oh these lovely life-long memories I carry in my heart
Still mean all the world to me
As they have done from the start
And I can be where I loved to be just my mum and I
And her singing, softly singing in the twilight
So softly in the twilight in the silvering of the day
So softly in the twilight taking me away
© Des Wade 2014
My Brother's Shovel Song Lyrics And Chords
Words And Music By Des Wade. A song about killing your brother with his own shovel after he catches you with his wife. But do you end up living happily ever after with his wife ? that's a song for another day. Check out a similar song titled '' Looking The Loan Of A Spade Song '' which recently got covered by Foster And Allen.
[Am]This is my brother’s [C]shovel, the [G]cause of all the [Am]trouble
But when [F]it was bought, who’d have thought [G]what would come to be
It’s [F]balance was so fine and [C]it so stoutly made
And the [G]bright red paint all [Am]shinin’ on the blade
My brother’s shovel was a sign as it leaned against the wall
That if I saw it there – well then I shouldn’t call
Oh I liked my brother’s wife and for years we enjoyed
Many a pleasant hour when he was somewhere else employed
[F]Oh [G]oh oh oh [Am]oh
[*F]Everything that’s hidden may [C]one day be revealed
Well, my [G]brother’s shovel fell and in [Am]the weeds it lay concealed
So I [F]walked along the hall, so [C]sure the coast was clear
But as I [G]kissed her in the kitchen, I [Am]saw him in the mirror
There was nothing we could say the truth was plain as day
He launched himself across the floor and pushed me through the door
He aimed a hammer at my head as I lay there on the ground
I rolled aside and grabbed onto the first thing that I found
I swung my arm around as I held the shovel tight
And struck him on the temple with the blade so sharp and bright
His body twitched once or twice, then it ceased for good
And she stood screamin’ in the yard with her white feet in his blood
I took my brother’s shovel when everything grew dark
And dug his grave out in the wood by the nesting of the lark
So he might hear the sweet birds sing all the live long day
Without a care or worry all the live long day
This is my brother’s shovel, the cause of all the trouble
Like an evil talisman it’s always near at hand
And I hear a ghostly digging tho’ it lies by my side
All in the quiet of the day and the darkness of the night
*This chord structure for this verse only. All others as first verse.
Wings Of Angels Song Lyrics And Guitar Chords
© Des Wade 2010 APRA & All Rights Reserved
A D A
Could I command the wings of angels
A E
Order them to where you lie
A D A
To lift you up while you are sleeping
E A
And lay you down by my side
A D A
If by my hand the winds of heaven
A E
In cloudy arms transport the rain
A D A
To grace your days with rainbow ribbons
E DA
* And by night wash clean your pain
CHORUS:
D A
You are everything to me
Bm A
Is tú grá geal mo chroí
D A
You are everything to me
Bm A
** Is tú grá geal mo chroí
Could I control the turning seasons
Place the seeds in nature’s room
From my heart the flowers of summer
Would all arise and for you bloom
CHORUS:
* Alternate lines
And in the nighttime ease your pain
And by night sing this refrain
While in the night this truth remains
** Translation
You are the bright love of my heart
Sciatháin na nAingeal (Wings of Angels) (Des Wade/Dónal Dalton)
{Leagan Gaeilge - by Dónal Dalton - of the song Wings of Angels}
1
Dá mbeinnse i bhfeighil, (i) sciatháin na n-aingeal, chuig teach do luí, d'ordóinn iad
If I were tending the wings of the angels, to the house you lie in, I would order them
Is tú chun ardú, i do shuaimhneas, is tú sín(te) siar, i lár mo chroí
To raise you up, in your slumber and to lay you down in the centre of my heart
2
i gcoillte ‘s sléibhte, bheinn cadhan aonair, dá mbeinnse naofa, im Céli Dé
I would be an anchorite in woods and mountains, if I were a saintly Céli Dé
Sheolfainn lon chugat, ó dhrúcht na maidine, le ceoilín aoibhinn, [‘s a] bheith le d' thaobh
I would send to you a blackbird from the dewdrops of the morning with blissful music to keep you company
/ being by your side
Chorus
Is tú damhsa órg[a] an tsaoil, is tú grá geal mo chroí
You are the golden dance of life, you are the bright love of my life (Rpt)
3
Dá mbeinnse i seilbh, i gcas[adh] na séasúr, chuirfinn (na) síolta i ngarraí bán
If I were in possession of the turning of the seasons, I would sow the seeds in a small fallow field
‘s (agus) as mo chroí, (d’fhásfaí) torthaí an tsamhraidh ag sín[eadh] chun póg, béaldath do lá
And from my heart, (would grow) the fruits of summer stretching to kiss, the coloured lips/lipstick of your day.
© Des Wade/Dónal Dalton 2013
Another song about Angels worth checking out is Runaround Angle by Johnny McEvoy .
Master Of The Game Lyrics
D A G D
It was well I knew the legend before I met the the man
A G D
Whose shadow ran before him like a cloud upon the land
G D A Bm
It was a self-fulfilling prophesy, I got the word but all the same
G A G D
He tricked me into playin’ - he was the master of the game
D A G D
On the checkered field that we call day and night
A G D
Each piece has a part to play its moment in the light
G D A Bm
Whether running with the hare or hunting with the hounds
G A G Bm
The master’s hand is always there as we roll these bones around
CHORUS
G D G D
And you don’t get to choose what you win or lose
A G D
It is all the same to the master of the game
D A G D
I had aces in the hole but forgot just as I started
A G D
You shouldn’t try to sell your soul in a buyers market
G D A Bm
I didn’t have to take his bet I got no right to moan
A G Bm
Pride fooled me into gambling for what I already owned
CHORUS
And you don’t get to choose what you win or lose
It is all the same to the master of the game
Bm A G Bm
It’s a world of hints and guessing but I know what’s worse is
A G Bm
I didn’t count my blessings and they turned into curses
D A G Bm
If I returned to the past, went back to the beginning
A G D A
I’m still not sure I’d see what path leads to losing or to winning
CHORUS
And you don’t get to choose what you win or lose
It is all the same to the master of the game
And when you’ve lost in shame he won’t flaunt his gain
He has no need to be vain he’s the master of the game
© Des Wade 2014
The Boy Who Would Be King Lyrics And Chords
Em G D
In a shotgun shack in Mississippi in a town called Tupelo
Em G D Em
When he was young back in the 1950s he fell in love with the songs on the radio
Em G D
Oh all the holy gospel choirs and that country music thing
Em G D Em
Would lift the spirit higher of the boy who would be king
C G
He was meek and he was mild but when he’d raise his voice to sing
D C G D Em
It was like a light was shinin’ upon the boy who would be king
Em G D
Well, he learnt it in night school – hah - on the darker side of town
Em G D Em
Where they knew how to be right cool and to shake it up and all around
C G
While a charisma and a charm all his own
D C G
Were waiting in the wings to lead him to his throne
C G
Where he rocked and ruled in his pomp and majesty
D C G D Em
Still all he ever wanted was to sing for you and me
Em G D
Now the legend lives on in the magic - in the joy that he still brings
Em G D Em
And what he gives us in the music - when we hear him sing
C G
And he touches you and he touches me for he gave everything
D C G D Em
And that’s how we remember him - the boy who would be king
Em G D
Now see him smile at the band and how they love to swing
Em G D Em
And see the child in the man - the boy who would be king
C G
Yes he was humble, he was shy – but when he’d sing
D C G D Em
He could drive them wild - the boy who would be king
© Des Wade 2014
The Sign Of The Claddagh Lyrics And Chords
Copyright Des Wade 2015
A
The wind has set fair for our landfall at daybreak
E D A
Sails gently breathing bring thoughts of the one
A
Who waits on the shore there where fisher folk gather
E D A
To celebrate under the Sign of the Claddagh
In long summer twilights we give thanks for the bounty
Of the ocean whose treasures are vast beyond counting
And for safe harbour home when by stormy winds scattered
All who sail under the Sign of the Claddagh
Bm
Hands held in friendship
A
Hearts held above
G A
For loyalty eternally
Bm A Bm
Crowns our love
As I ride the high tide, I picture you there,
With the sea in your eyes and the moon in your hair
On this rolling road homeward it makes my soul glad that
We'll soon be alone, under the Sign of the Claddagh.
Another folk song about the Claddagh Ring that's well worth learning is The Old Claddagh Ring Song which Irish singer Dermot O'Brien
brough out a few years ago.
Deloraine Lyrics And Chords
Written And Recorded By Des Wade.Nestled in the hills of northern Tasmania in Australia is the town of Deloraine. It was named for a fictional hero – Lord Deloraine - a creation of Robert Louis Stevenson - an author much admired by the Governor who apportioned names to municipalities and domains when this land was first colonised. It is appropriate that in the song Deloraine is an ideal and unattainable entity or state of being as it is named for a non-existent person, and the singer’s destiny is to search for something better than he’ll find.
I [A]hitch-hiked all night to De[F#mloraine
in [A]this dream it’s always cold in [F#m]your domain
And [D]from your window I saw the wind blow[A]
The darkness through the day
I turn[D]ed to find the dawn had taken you and gone
[A]and all I’m left is[E] your name - [A]Deloraine
[A]Between [D]what I can’t re[A]member and [E]what I can’t for[A]get
Is [D]where I wander loo[A]kin’ for my [E]dream and yet
I don’t [D]think I’ll ever [A]get her I feel [E]lost and left be[A]hind
And [D]all my life’s a [A]search for somethin’ [E]better than I’ll [A]find
Deloraine, Deloraine
In this dream I returned to Deloraine I knocked and I called but no one came
Then someone said “This vow is kept and tho’ the bond is met
“It will not break the chain” and all the time an old refrain
On the wind and rain sings over and over again - Deloraine
I hitch hike all night to Deloraine and I know as I go it’s all in vain
Possessed, obsessed and drifting through this life is like a game
In which I don’t know the rules except the one that says - find Deloraine
I’ve travelled west of the sun and south of the moon
And if my quest is not done, I fear it will be soon
Tho’ I know I am a sinner and I don’t believe in prayin’
It was a bad day in heaven when the gods made Deloraine
© Des Wade 2013
The Cop, the Chickens, the Dog and Me
“I’ve come to shoot your dog,” the country copper said
“I caught him in my chicken run, and he left them all for dead”
Well. I was runnin’ from a bigger law, so I was filled with dread
So I nodded to his gun, sayin’, “OK, go right ahead.”
The cop he blinked once or twice and glanced down at his feet
And I looked at the dog and thought, “This is one you’re gonna beat.”
But sure enough the lawman sighed and winced as if in pain, sayin’
“Mate he will surely die, if he’s not kept on a chain.”
We were followin’ the harvest out on the western plains
From North Star to Terry Hie Hie in a sea of golden grain
Ridin’ the big headers ‘n’ takin’ it to the trains
That dog was by my side as we rolled out and back again
I know that hound to me was true and loyal without fail
But because he was stupid too, I wasn’t goin’ to jail
So when I saw the copper check the rego of my car
As soon as he went I grabbed my bedroll and guitar
Well all good things come to and end, as they’re so fond of sayin’
And when it’s time to leave, my friend, there is no point in stayin’
Sometimes you gotta run, sometimes you gotta fly
So I drove into the rising sun and left it all behind
I had to leave without any wages
And at the time I believed that was outrageous
But now I know you gotta live sometimes with loss
You just can’t let it be your boss
Well that puppy he lived on to a ripe old age
And I doubt if he remembered that far-off fateful day
And tho’ I was nearly busted, it’s still a funny tale
About the chickens, the cop and how we got away
© Des Wade 2016
Mad John of the Trees
Lost and exhausted in a green forest deep
I lay down by a stream that sang me to sleep
And I drowned in dreams of the maid of the waters
And I found, it seemed, that the trees were her daughters
Who shed all their leaves, who shed all their bark
And took me entranced in a dance in the dark
‘Til I lay awake in a cold empty dawn
And the place where I was taken had faded and gone
And weird words unspoken in my mind like a bell
Told although I’d awoken, I would always he held
In the darkening woodland as the night air grows thin
And where ends the real world and another begins
For time out of mind through long seasons I’ve traveled
Through hail, rain and thunder as my reason unraveled
Yes, I talk to the trees as they wave to me
And I am haunted and taunted by what only I can see
Oh they shed all their leaves and they shed all their bark
And still entrance me and dance me away in the dark
They shed all their leaves and they shed all their bark
And entrance me and dance me away in the dark
© Des Wade 2016
© Des Wade 2010
APRA & All Rights Reserved
There is an island like a jewel
Set in a silver sea
Where dwell the Clan De Danaan who will
Webs of wonder weave
With arcane charms and spells that tell
How to move the earth like the ocean swell
How to stay the moment as it pass
And hold time’s heartbeat in your grasp
Oró tír na nóg - life is but a dream foretold
Oró tír na nóg - all you desire is what the future holds
There is a kingdom like a gem
Set in hills of velvet green
And in faery fort and elven glen
Live the children of the dream
And there they dance to the old romance
Of songs a-gathered from afar
And the tunes they brought
That they have caught
Between the waterfalling stars
Oró tír na nóg - every wondrous dream foretold
Oró tír na nóg - all you desire is what the future holds
There is a castle like a pearl
Set in a stony crown
Of mountain peaks from which unfurl
Clouds like a lacy gown
Of mist that seems to ebb and flow
In dark valleys deep below
Where síoga folk with flesh of smoke
Gather souls like flowers
In the witching hours
Oró tír na nóg
The spring of youth is never done
Sipped from the pale moon’s bowl
And the golden chalice of the sun.
Other folk songs that mention tír na nóg is
Uncle Nobby's Steamboat by The Wolfe Tones.
Anna Livia Song Lyrics And Chords
Written and recorded by Des Wade.
[D]Once upon a [G]time long gone when [A]it was all be[D]fore us
In those days with [G]voices [D]raised in a [A]joyful, midnight [D]chorus
[G]We were singin’[D] Monto and Will Ye [A]Go, Lassie [Bm]Go
And the [D]world of At-[A]Swim-Two-Birds [G]was home away from [Bm]home,[A],[Bm]
Ah but [G]where is the dance [D]after the dancer and the [G]song when the singer’s a[D]way
I’ll give you a chance to [G]tell me the [D]answer on the [A]Ha’penny [G]bridge to[D]day
Oh but even as you kissed my soul and there was Whiskey in the Jar
You brought me your heart to hold mine sought another star
Like a beggar my love was wearing thin and pulling at my sleeve
And saying at the barroom door saying, I think it's time to leave
And where was the dance after the dancer and the song when the singer took flight
I never went to tell you the answer on the Half penny bridge that night
Anna Livia, Anna Livia
See you moving beneath me
Anna Livia, Anna Livia
Your secrets bequeath me
Anna Livia, Anna Livia
My destiny seeks me
So marry me, carry me
Down to the sea
Oh if we could only change the chart of the voyage our life has sailed
Do you believe within your heart there be better choices made
Still there was a time and it's the truth when by power of song and story
The compass rose of our youth was guiding us to glory
Ah but where is the dance after the dancer and the song when the singer's away
How I'd love the chance to give you the answer on the Halfpenny bridge some day
Anna Livia, Anna Livia How could I betray you
Anna Livia, Anna Livia How could I say you
Anna Livia, Anna Livia
Mean nothing to me
And by forsaking thee
Indifference undo me
© Des Wade 2014
I Said To The Dog Song Lyrics
Written and recorded by Des Wade.
I said to the dog, that’ll be him
I swear to god what a terrible din
But at least he’s singin’ tonight
Go to him, girl, it’s comin’ down
A nasty fog out on the bog
And he might not see the light
And he’ll want you for a guide
Oh I know, girl, I’m just a kid
And no one knows what he did
Except for me and you
Drink’s always been a curse, ay
But never worse than on the day
With her face so full of fear
Me mammy disappeared
Chorus
She always told me, and it’s true
What you can’t endure you must cure
Sometimes you fight till you fall
Other times, do nothin’ at all
Nothin’ at all
Oh listen girl, he’s missed the track
He’ll never find his own way back
Unless you lead him in
So stay here with me in the dark
Don’t even let him hear you bark
For his mood as black as sin
Yes his mood as black as sin
Chorus
Me mammy told me as she cried
When you decide what you can’t abide
That’s when you fight till you fall
Other times do nothin’ at all
Nothin’ at all
The coroner’s verdict handed down
Said he was accidentally drowned
As he struggled in the bog
Now a sunny day awaits us and
We’ll go with gran in her camper van
So get in, I said to the dog
Yeah, get in, I said to the dog
Chorus
Me mammy told me when you’re a man
To be as kind as you can
Sometimes you’ll have to fight till you fall
Other times do nothin’ at all
Nothin’ at all
© Des Wade 2013
APRA & All rights reserved
Wishful Drinkin' Song Lyrics By Des Wade
Josie knows what he hopes she’s feelin’
As he whines on the telephone
And she rolls her eyes up to the ceilin’
When he moans about bein’ alone
And where she wonders (but of course doesn’t say)
Is the man who said freedom was his middle name
Away with his windy oul’ words she’s a-thinkin’
Doin’ some wishful drinkin’
Johnny knows by her tone and what have ye
There’s a chance of gettin’ her back
And by her mumblin’ and maudlin nostalgia
How she misses the booze and craic
And it’s true, she lies, that them days are over
And how much now she enjoys bein’ sober
In the background he hears glasses clinkin’
So much for wishful drinkin’
CHORUS
Wishful drinkin’ wishful drinkin’
How their spirits rise up with each one they’re sinkin’
Oh there may be better things than booze
But in the meantime a drink’ll do
And I wish them both luck with every deoch
Yeah with every drop they touch
I fondly remember each one I took
And my regrets don’t add up to much
So Johnny and Josie have one on me
May all your wishes and dreams come to be
And slainte I say to my way of thinkin’
More power to wishful drinkin’
CHORUS
Wishful drinkin’ wishful drinkin’
When ye simply have to get away
You’ll find that all your troubles are shrinkin’
On your alcoholiday
Wishful drinkin’ wishful drinkin’
May your hopes rise up with each one you’re sinkin’
We all need something to believe in, brother
I believe I’ll have another
© Des Wade 2013
Thomas Bang Bang Dudley Song Lyrics By Des Wade,
Am C G Am
As the stagecoach to Medicine Bow leaves the Liberties
F C
Bang Bang takes aim with his trusty key
F C
With John Wayne at the reins they hightail it through The Coombe
G Am
And all the baddies’ bullets - well they can’t do nothin’ to ‘em
For fifty years he rides the range upholding law ‘n’ order
With shoot outs from Clanbrassil Street to the Rio Liffey’s waters
From the prairies of Stephen’s Green to the badlands in between
Bang Bang has the fastest draw that you have ever seen
Chorus
Dm Am
“Bang, bang, you’re dead,” is what you’d hear him shout
E7
With the young ones laughin’, half in fright,
Am
An’ the oul wans givin’ out
Dm Am
Aw Bang Bang, you’re dead but your movie runs and runs
E7
In the memories of Dublin town
Am
You poor oul’ son of a gun
“We’ll head ‘em off at the pass with Johnny Forty Coats
“Before they reach the Phoenix Park,” he says to Skin the Goat
Slug Willard’s gang are on the ridge silhouetted you can see
And tho’ they’ve blocked the Ha’penny Bridge Bang Bang holds the key
Chorus
But even now when I leave the show I sometimes look both ways
Remembering that unique man from those simpler days
When Mr Thomas Dudley with his loaded key
Would come ridin’ on his magic horse shootin’ you and me
Now when the last bus to Medicine Bow left the Liberties
Bang Bang held onto the bar, taking aim with his key
And with his pardner big John Wayne hit the trail for the West
Where time’s silver bullet laid him down to rest
© Des Wade 2015
The Man On The Bridge Song Lyrics
Written By Des Wade. It's about a Dublin street photographer Arthur Fields who, it is estimated, took over 180,000 photos of people on and around O'Connell Bridge for 50 years. How the figure of 180,000 was arrived at. He was on the bridge for 50 years, he worked 365 days a year. He took 10 photos. a day for the 365 days and x that by 50. My own guess is that he took over a million photos. He took my photo outside The Savoy Cinema on O'Connell in 1977. He's give you a ticket after taking the picture and you would go to his office which was located over Eason's book shop on O'Connell Street a few days later where you'd pay a woman behind the counter and she's give you the photo. I watched Arthur work several times and he would take your picture even if you didn't want it taken. Sometimes he would take 10 snaps in a couple of minutes.
A gentleman came from a far away land
And here on the bridge you’d see him each day
With his coat and hat and his camera in hand
He photographed people passing his way
Arthur Fields is the man with the cameras
And for fifty years it’s his pitch
He captures all those from the plain to the glamorous
Who pose for the man on the bridge
Fathers and mothers, sisters and brothers
Uncles and aunties, friends and lovers
Family re-unions and Holy communions
Events great and small - he recorded them all
Tho’ many passed over, lots are still living
And the memories in each picture keep giving
And for us it’s an honour and a rare kind of privilege
To share the life’s work of the man on the bridge
And here’s a young couple engaged to be married
And here’s a baby in arms being carried
The homecoming exile - kids out out on the tear
For all these the man on the bridge was there
Now far and wide his photos are found
In countless collections he figures
We remember the faces time hasn’t worn down
And they still look out from his pictures
Tho’ sadly for some a print that’s long-faded
Of a time and a face may be all that remains
Our world is the better for an archive so rich
As the work done by Arthur - the man on the bridge
© Des Wade 2014
The Seduction Of Oisin Lyrics By Des Wade
Oisin was the greatest poet, musician and storyteller of all and he went to Tir na nOg at the behest of a witch. Mysterious, brooding and gothic – this song imagines he was seduced by her in dreams before they met and his story inspired this sinuous track. The spoken intro in Gaelic means "Oisin is dreaming, is dreaming in the land, in the land between Yes and No".
Wings Of Angels Song Lyrics And Guitar Chords© Des Wade 2010 APRA & All Rights Reserved.
A D A
Could I command the wings of angels
A E
Order them to where you lie
A D A
To lift you up while you are sleeping
E A
And lay you down by my side
A D A
If by my hand the winds of heaven
A E
In cloudy arms transport the rain
A D A
To grace your days with rainbow ribbons
E DA
* And by night wash clean your pain
CHORUS:
D A
You are everything to me
Bm A
Is tú grá geal mo chroí
D A
You are everything to me
Bm A
** Is tú grá geal mo chroí
Could I control the turning seasons
Place the seeds in nature’s room
From my heart the flowers of summer
Would all arise and for you bloom
CHORUS:
* Alternate lines
And in the nighttime ease your pain
And by night sing this refrain
While in the night this truth remains
** Translation
You are the bright love of my heart
Sciatháin na nAingeal (Wings of Angels) (Des Wade/Dónal Dalton)
{Leagan Gaeilge - by Dónal Dalton - of the song Wings of Angels}
1
Dá mbeinnse i bhfeighil, (i) sciatháin na n-aingeal, chuig teach do luí, d'ordóinn iad
If I were tending the wings of the angels, to the house you lie in, I would order them
Is tú chun ardú, i do shuaimhneas, is tú sín(te) siar, i lár mo chroí
To raise you up, in your slumber and to lay you down in the centre of my heart
2
i gcoillte ‘s sléibhte, bheinn cadhan aonair, dá mbeinnse naofa, im Céli Dé
I would be an anchorite in woods and mountains, if I were a saintly Céli Dé
Sheolfainn lon chugat, ó dhrúcht na maidine, le ceoilín aoibhinn, [‘s a] bheith le d' thaobh
I would send to you a blackbird from the dewdrops of the morning with blissful music to keep you company
/ being by your side
Chorus
Is tú damhsa órg[a] an tsaoil, is tú grá geal mo chroí
You are the golden dance of life, you are the bright love of my life (Rpt)
3
Dá mbeinnse i seilbh, i gcas[adh] na séasúr, chuirfinn (na) síolta i ngarraí bán
If I were in possession of the turning of the seasons, I would sow the seeds in a small fallow field
‘s (agus) as mo chroí, (d’fhásfaí) torthaí an tsamhraidh ag sín[eadh] chun póg, béaldath do lá
And from my heart, (would grow) the fruits of summer stretching to kiss, the coloured lips/lipstick of your day.
If The World Was A Rental Song Lyrics
By Des Wade.© Des Wade 2013
If the world was a rental, the landlord would go mental
And I reckon I would too
It was new when we got it but we’ve done our deposit
Oh I guess it’s a mess don’t you?
We were given the freedom to choose
A gift that was heaven sent
But watch out when it falls due
And he comes down to collect the rent
He’ll say what have yiz done to the place?
How can you even show your face”
It was never yours to own it was only out on loan
Why oh why did I create the human race?
I said to Mrs God, you were right, dear, and it’s odd
Men’s big brains don’t make them clever
And for this I got rid of me lovely dinosaurs
I swear to me they’re my worst idea ever
Oh I sent the young lad so everyone would know
How to be nicer to the earth and to each other
Ah but what you did to him was the lowest of the low
Not to mention what it did to his mother
Now as the end of me patience approaches
And I’m at the limit of me tether
I think I’ll hand it all to the roaches
At least they won’t stuff up the weather
I believe the world is a rental and we’ve driven the landlord mental
And like the Garden of Eden it’s my prediction
Between pollution and the bomb
When he comes down we’ll all be gone
For once again he’ll have decided on eviction
So Softly In The Twilight Song Lyrics
By Des Wade. A gentle ballad recalling peaceful, childhood evenings. Vocals- Des Wade, Guitar - Matt Williams
So softly in the twilight I hear my mother singing
Just the two of us at home tonight
And the house so still and dreamy
And as she sings so sweetly, all is calm and easy
And a peaceful summer evening is stealing over me
I count amongst my treasures those twilight times we shared
And when I hear one of those songs I am taken there
Oh yes, I return then - to the house where I was born
And the child I was - I am again
And it’s just like comin’ home
So softly in the twilight at the dimming of the day
So softly in the twilight taking me away
Oh these lovely life-long memories I carry in my heart
Still mean all the world to me
As they have done from the start
And I can be where I loved to be just my mum and I
And her singing, softly singing in the twilight
So softly in the twilight in the silvering of the day
So softly in the twilight taking me away
© Des Wade 2014
My Brother's Shovel Song Lyrics And Chords
Words And Music By Des Wade. A song about killing your brother with his own shovel after he catches you with his wife. But do you end up living happily ever after with his wife ? that's a song for another day. Check out a similar song titled '' Looking The Loan Of A Spade Song '' which recently got covered by Foster And Allen.
[Am]This is my brother’s [C]shovel, the [G]cause of all the [Am]trouble
But when [F]it was bought, who’d have thought [G]what would come to be
It’s [F]balance was so fine and [C]it so stoutly made
And the [G]bright red paint all [Am]shinin’ on the blade
My brother’s shovel was a sign as it leaned against the wall
That if I saw it there – well then I shouldn’t call
Oh I liked my brother’s wife and for years we enjoyed
Many a pleasant hour when he was somewhere else employed
[F]Oh [G]oh oh oh [Am]oh
[*F]Everything that’s hidden may [C]one day be revealed
Well, my [G]brother’s shovel fell and in [Am]the weeds it lay concealed
So I [F]walked along the hall, so [C]sure the coast was clear
But as I [G]kissed her in the kitchen, I [Am]saw him in the mirror
There was nothing we could say the truth was plain as day
He launched himself across the floor and pushed me through the door
He aimed a hammer at my head as I lay there on the ground
I rolled aside and grabbed onto the first thing that I found
I swung my arm around as I held the shovel tight
And struck him on the temple with the blade so sharp and bright
His body twitched once or twice, then it ceased for good
And she stood screamin’ in the yard with her white feet in his blood
I took my brother’s shovel when everything grew dark
And dug his grave out in the wood by the nesting of the lark
So he might hear the sweet birds sing all the live long day
Without a care or worry all the live long day
This is my brother’s shovel, the cause of all the trouble
Like an evil talisman it’s always near at hand
And I hear a ghostly digging tho’ it lies by my side
All in the quiet of the day and the darkness of the night
*This chord structure for this verse only. All others as first verse.
Wings Of Angels Song Lyrics And Guitar Chords
© Des Wade 2010 APRA & All Rights Reserved
A D A
Could I command the wings of angels
A E
Order them to where you lie
A D A
To lift you up while you are sleeping
E A
And lay you down by my side
A D A
If by my hand the winds of heaven
A E
In cloudy arms transport the rain
A D A
To grace your days with rainbow ribbons
E DA
* And by night wash clean your pain
CHORUS:
D A
You are everything to me
Bm A
Is tú grá geal mo chroí
D A
You are everything to me
Bm A
** Is tú grá geal mo chroí
Could I control the turning seasons
Place the seeds in nature’s room
From my heart the flowers of summer
Would all arise and for you bloom
CHORUS:
* Alternate lines
And in the nighttime ease your pain
And by night sing this refrain
While in the night this truth remains
** Translation
You are the bright love of my heart
Sciatháin na nAingeal (Wings of Angels) (Des Wade/Dónal Dalton)
{Leagan Gaeilge - by Dónal Dalton - of the song Wings of Angels}
1
Dá mbeinnse i bhfeighil, (i) sciatháin na n-aingeal, chuig teach do luí, d'ordóinn iad
If I were tending the wings of the angels, to the house you lie in, I would order them
Is tú chun ardú, i do shuaimhneas, is tú sín(te) siar, i lár mo chroí
To raise you up, in your slumber and to lay you down in the centre of my heart
2
i gcoillte ‘s sléibhte, bheinn cadhan aonair, dá mbeinnse naofa, im Céli Dé
I would be an anchorite in woods and mountains, if I were a saintly Céli Dé
Sheolfainn lon chugat, ó dhrúcht na maidine, le ceoilín aoibhinn, [‘s a] bheith le d' thaobh
I would send to you a blackbird from the dewdrops of the morning with blissful music to keep you company
/ being by your side
Chorus
Is tú damhsa órg[a] an tsaoil, is tú grá geal mo chroí
You are the golden dance of life, you are the bright love of my life (Rpt)
3
Dá mbeinnse i seilbh, i gcas[adh] na séasúr, chuirfinn (na) síolta i ngarraí bán
If I were in possession of the turning of the seasons, I would sow the seeds in a small fallow field
‘s (agus) as mo chroí, (d’fhásfaí) torthaí an tsamhraidh ag sín[eadh] chun póg, béaldath do lá
And from my heart, (would grow) the fruits of summer stretching to kiss, the coloured lips/lipstick of your day.
© Des Wade/Dónal Dalton 2013
Another song about Angels worth checking out is Runaround Angle by Johnny McEvoy .
Master Of The Game Lyrics
D A G D
It was well I knew the legend before I met the the man
A G D
Whose shadow ran before him like a cloud upon the land
G D A Bm
It was a self-fulfilling prophesy, I got the word but all the same
G A G D
He tricked me into playin’ - he was the master of the game
D A G D
On the checkered field that we call day and night
A G D
Each piece has a part to play its moment in the light
G D A Bm
Whether running with the hare or hunting with the hounds
G A G Bm
The master’s hand is always there as we roll these bones around
CHORUS
G D G D
And you don’t get to choose what you win or lose
A G D
It is all the same to the master of the game
D A G D
I had aces in the hole but forgot just as I started
A G D
You shouldn’t try to sell your soul in a buyers market
G D A Bm
I didn’t have to take his bet I got no right to moan
A G Bm
Pride fooled me into gambling for what I already owned
CHORUS
And you don’t get to choose what you win or lose
It is all the same to the master of the game
Bm A G Bm
It’s a world of hints and guessing but I know what’s worse is
A G Bm
I didn’t count my blessings and they turned into curses
D A G Bm
If I returned to the past, went back to the beginning
A G D A
I’m still not sure I’d see what path leads to losing or to winning
CHORUS
And you don’t get to choose what you win or lose
It is all the same to the master of the game
And when you’ve lost in shame he won’t flaunt his gain
He has no need to be vain he’s the master of the game
© Des Wade 2014
The Boy Who Would Be King Lyrics And Chords
Em G D
In a shotgun shack in Mississippi in a town called Tupelo
Em G D Em
When he was young back in the 1950s he fell in love with the songs on the radio
Em G D
Oh all the holy gospel choirs and that country music thing
Em G D Em
Would lift the spirit higher of the boy who would be king
C G
He was meek and he was mild but when he’d raise his voice to sing
D C G D Em
It was like a light was shinin’ upon the boy who would be king
Em G D
Well, he learnt it in night school – hah - on the darker side of town
Em G D Em
Where they knew how to be right cool and to shake it up and all around
C G
While a charisma and a charm all his own
D C G
Were waiting in the wings to lead him to his throne
C G
Where he rocked and ruled in his pomp and majesty
D C G D Em
Still all he ever wanted was to sing for you and me
Em G D
Now the legend lives on in the magic - in the joy that he still brings
Em G D Em
And what he gives us in the music - when we hear him sing
C G
And he touches you and he touches me for he gave everything
D C G D Em
And that’s how we remember him - the boy who would be king
Em G D
Now see him smile at the band and how they love to swing
Em G D Em
And see the child in the man - the boy who would be king
C G
Yes he was humble, he was shy – but when he’d sing
D C G D Em
He could drive them wild - the boy who would be king
© Des Wade 2014
The Sign Of The Claddagh Lyrics And Chords
Copyright Des Wade 2015
A
The wind has set fair for our landfall at daybreak
E D A
Sails gently breathing bring thoughts of the one
A
Who waits on the shore there where fisher folk gather
E D A
To celebrate under the Sign of the Claddagh
In long summer twilights we give thanks for the bounty
Of the ocean whose treasures are vast beyond counting
And for safe harbour home when by stormy winds scattered
All who sail under the Sign of the Claddagh
Bm
Hands held in friendship
A
Hearts held above
G A
For loyalty eternally
Bm A Bm
Crowns our love
As I ride the high tide, I picture you there,
With the sea in your eyes and the moon in your hair
On this rolling road homeward it makes my soul glad that
We'll soon be alone, under the Sign of the Claddagh.
Another folk song about the Claddagh Ring that's well worth learning is The Old Claddagh Ring Song which Irish singer Dermot O'Brien
brough out a few years ago.
Deloraine Lyrics And Chords
Written And Recorded By Des Wade.Nestled in the hills of northern Tasmania in Australia is the town of Deloraine. It was named for a fictional hero – Lord Deloraine - a creation of Robert Louis Stevenson - an author much admired by the Governor who apportioned names to municipalities and domains when this land was first colonised. It is appropriate that in the song Deloraine is an ideal and unattainable entity or state of being as it is named for a non-existent person, and the singer’s destiny is to search for something better than he’ll find.
I [A]hitch-hiked all night to De[F#mloraine
in [A]this dream it’s always cold in [F#m]your domain
And [D]from your window I saw the wind blow[A]
The darkness through the day
I turn[D]ed to find the dawn had taken you and gone
[A]and all I’m left is[E] your name - [A]Deloraine
[A]Between [D]what I can’t re[A]member and [E]what I can’t for[A]get
Is [D]where I wander loo[A]kin’ for my [E]dream and yet
I don’t [D]think I’ll ever [A]get her I feel [E]lost and left be[A]hind
And [D]all my life’s a [A]search for somethin’ [E]better than I’ll [A]find
Deloraine, Deloraine
In this dream I returned to Deloraine I knocked and I called but no one came
Then someone said “This vow is kept and tho’ the bond is met
“It will not break the chain” and all the time an old refrain
On the wind and rain sings over and over again - Deloraine
I hitch hike all night to Deloraine and I know as I go it’s all in vain
Possessed, obsessed and drifting through this life is like a game
In which I don’t know the rules except the one that says - find Deloraine
I’ve travelled west of the sun and south of the moon
And if my quest is not done, I fear it will be soon
Tho’ I know I am a sinner and I don’t believe in prayin’
It was a bad day in heaven when the gods made Deloraine
© Des Wade 2013
The Cop, the Chickens, the Dog and Me
“I’ve come to shoot your dog,” the country copper said
“I caught him in my chicken run, and he left them all for dead”
Well. I was runnin’ from a bigger law, so I was filled with dread
So I nodded to his gun, sayin’, “OK, go right ahead.”
The cop he blinked once or twice and glanced down at his feet
And I looked at the dog and thought, “This is one you’re gonna beat.”
But sure enough the lawman sighed and winced as if in pain, sayin’
“Mate he will surely die, if he’s not kept on a chain.”
We were followin’ the harvest out on the western plains
From North Star to Terry Hie Hie in a sea of golden grain
Ridin’ the big headers ‘n’ takin’ it to the trains
That dog was by my side as we rolled out and back again
I know that hound to me was true and loyal without fail
But because he was stupid too, I wasn’t goin’ to jail
So when I saw the copper check the rego of my car
As soon as he went I grabbed my bedroll and guitar
Well all good things come to and end, as they’re so fond of sayin’
And when it’s time to leave, my friend, there is no point in stayin’
Sometimes you gotta run, sometimes you gotta fly
So I drove into the rising sun and left it all behind
I had to leave without any wages
And at the time I believed that was outrageous
But now I know you gotta live sometimes with loss
You just can’t let it be your boss
Well that puppy he lived on to a ripe old age
And I doubt if he remembered that far-off fateful day
And tho’ I was nearly busted, it’s still a funny tale
About the chickens, the cop and how we got away
© Des Wade 2016
Mad John of the Trees
Lost and exhausted in a green forest deep
I lay down by a stream that sang me to sleep
And I drowned in dreams of the maid of the waters
And I found, it seemed, that the trees were her daughters
Who shed all their leaves, who shed all their bark
And took me entranced in a dance in the dark
‘Til I lay awake in a cold empty dawn
And the place where I was taken had faded and gone
And weird words unspoken in my mind like a bell
Told although I’d awoken, I would always he held
In the darkening woodland as the night air grows thin
And where ends the real world and another begins
For time out of mind through long seasons I’ve traveled
Through hail, rain and thunder as my reason unraveled
Yes, I talk to the trees as they wave to me
And I am haunted and taunted by what only I can see
Oh they shed all their leaves and they shed all their bark
And still entrance me and dance me away in the dark
They shed all their leaves and they shed all their bark
And entrance me and dance me away in the dark
© Des Wade 2016

The Seduction Of Oisin Lyrics By Des Wade
Oisin was the greatest poet, musician and storyteller of all and he went to Tir na nOg at the behest of a witch. Mysterious, brooding and gothic – this song imagines he was seduced by her in dreams before they met and his story inspired this sinuous track. The spoken intro in Gaelic means "Oisin is dreaming, is dreaming in the land, in the land between Yes and No". Tir na nOg is also mentioned in the Uncle Nobby's Steamboat Song by The Wolfe Tones.
Oisin was the greatest poet, musician and storyteller of all and he went to Tir na nOg at the behest of a witch. Mysterious, brooding and gothic – this song imagines he was seduced by her in dreams before they met and his story inspired this sinuous track. The spoken intro in Gaelic means "Oisin is dreaming, is dreaming in the land, in the land between Yes and No". Tir na nOg is also mentioned in the Uncle Nobby's Steamboat Song by The Wolfe Tones.
Before The Hunger Song By Des Wade
Des is a songwriter, mainly, and he has no plans to release this himself but perhaps someone among the many followers of this site may consider it worthy of performance so I include lyrics and chords. It's about the Irish famine /great hunger of 1847 -52. The Famine Song by Johnny McEvoy is also worth a listen.
[Am]Were my [C]people youn[Em]ger before the [Am]hunger
Were they[C] lighter in heart and [Am]soul
[Am]Did they[C] fly in the dance and [G]live the ro[Am]mance
And have[C] faith in the[G] stories of [Am]old
How deep was the dread with so many dead
No heroes to heed their cries
From the cradle of the brave none would come to save them
No champions would arise
CHORUS
There were [F]songs for the new day a-[C]dawnin’
And for the [G]twilight’s endless [Am]glow
But [F]none for the cold, empty[C] mornin’s
Of a [G]race without any [Am]hope
Tears and kisses and the last long embraces
The pause at the bend in the road
For one more look at beloved faces
*Croíbhriste faoi bhrón, faoi bhrón
What can a nation do when their destiny is doom
And their future is a holocaust
While the living must leave the misery and ruin
To wander the workl hollowed by loss
Shattered pride – broken lives
The blight that scars us yet
To starve in ditches while our harvest riches
Went to other mouths instead
CHORUS
There were songs for babies a-borning
And laments for the laying to rest
But none for the wakes and the mournin’
And the takin’ of all that was best
Were my people younger before the hunger
Were they lighter in heart and soul
Did they fly in the dance and live the romance
And have faith in the stories of old
*Translation – Brokenhearted with sorrow, with sorrow
Des Wade © 2013
Des is a songwriter, mainly, and he has no plans to release this himself but perhaps someone among the many followers of this site may consider it worthy of performance so I include lyrics and chords. It's about the Irish famine /great hunger of 1847 -52. The Famine Song by Johnny McEvoy is also worth a listen.
[Am]Were my [C]people youn[Em]ger before the [Am]hunger
Were they[C] lighter in heart and [Am]soul
[Am]Did they[C] fly in the dance and [G]live the ro[Am]mance
And have[C] faith in the[G] stories of [Am]old
How deep was the dread with so many dead
No heroes to heed their cries
From the cradle of the brave none would come to save them
No champions would arise
CHORUS
There were [F]songs for the new day a-[C]dawnin’
And for the [G]twilight’s endless [Am]glow
But [F]none for the cold, empty[C] mornin’s
Of a [G]race without any [Am]hope
Tears and kisses and the last long embraces
The pause at the bend in the road
For one more look at beloved faces
*Croíbhriste faoi bhrón, faoi bhrón
What can a nation do when their destiny is doom
And their future is a holocaust
While the living must leave the misery and ruin
To wander the workl hollowed by loss
Shattered pride – broken lives
The blight that scars us yet
To starve in ditches while our harvest riches
Went to other mouths instead
CHORUS
There were songs for babies a-borning
And laments for the laying to rest
But none for the wakes and the mournin’
And the takin’ of all that was best
Were my people younger before the hunger
Were they lighter in heart and soul
Did they fly in the dance and live the romance
And have faith in the stories of old
*Translation – Brokenhearted with sorrow, with sorrow
Des Wade © 2013