Walk Tall: Very Best of Val Doonican

Walk tall
Walk tall, walk straight and look the world right in the eye
That's what my mama told me when I was about knee high
She said son, be a proud man and hold your head up high
Walk tall, walk straight and look the world right in the eye

All through the years that I grew up, ma taught these things to me
But I was young and foolish then and much too blind to see
I ignored the things she said as if I'd never heard
Now I see and understand the wisdom of her words

Walk tall, walk straight and look the world right in the eye
That's what my mama told me when I was about knee high
She said, son, be a proud man and hold your head up high
Walk tall, walk straight and look the world right in the eye

I started goin' places where the youngsters shouldn't go
I got to know the kind of girls it's better not to know
I fell in with a bad crowd and laughed and drank with them
Through the laughter mama's words would echo now and then

Walk tall, walk straight and look the world right in the eye
That's what my mama told me when I was about knee high
She said, son, be a proud man and hold your head up high
Walk tall, walk straight and look the world right in the eye

I got in trouble with the law and I'm in prison now
Through these prison bars I see things so much different now
I've got one year left to serve and when my time is done
I'll walk tall and straight and make ma proud to call me son

Walk tall, walk straight and look the world right in the eye
That's what my mama told me when I was about knee high
She said, son, be a proud man and hold your head up high
Walk tall, walk straight and look the world right in the eye
Walk tall, walk straight and look the world right in

You know I peeked in to say goodnight,
When I heard my child in prayer.
She said, "And for me some scarlet ribbons,
Scarlet ribbons for my hair."

All the stores were closed and shuttered,
And all the streets were dark and bare.
In our town, no scarlet ribbons,
Not one ribbon for her hair.

Through the night my heart was aching.
And just before the dawn was breaking,
I peeked in and on her bed,
In gay profusion lying there,
Lovely ribbons, scarlet ribbons.
Scarlet ribbons for her hair.

If I live to be a hundred,
I will never, never know from where,
Came those lovely scarlet ribbons,
Scarlet Ribbons for her hair.

Scarlet ribbons, there's magic in the air.
Scarlet, scarlet ribbons for her hair.

Where sun and wind play on a ring of bright water
Thats where my heartland will be
The deer on the hill in the first snows of winter
the gull in the sky flying free

I wandered away from the dark crowded city,
Leaving my old life behind,
And I came to a place where a ring of bright water,
Dazzled all cares from my mind.

So I live with the wonder of the sky and the sea
And I'll always remember who revealed them to me

But now you are gone with your whirlpools of laughter
Leading me down to the sea
But I'll always smile when a ring of bright water
Echoes your laughter to me.

(key change)

But now you are gone with your whirlpools of laughter
Racing me down to the sea
But I'll always smile when a ring of bright water
Echoes your laughter to me.
Echoes your laughter to me

Put your sweet lips a little closer to the phone.
Let's pretend that we're together, all alone.
I'll tell the man to turn the jukebox way down low,
And you can tell your friend there with you he'll have to go.

Whisper to me, tell me do you love me true,
Or is he holding you the way I do?
Tho' love is blind, make up your mind, I've got to know,
Should I hang up, or will you tell him he'll have to go?

You can't say the words I want to hear
While you're with another man,
If you want me, answer "yes" or "no,"
Darling, I will understand.

Put your sweet lips a little closer to the phone.
Let's pretend that we're together, all alone.
I'll tell the man to turn the jukebox way down low,
And you can tell your friend there with you he'll have to go.