When I Grow Too Old To Dream

Kathleen : to pan and terry

Blown like a leaf on a warm summer breeze
A vision approached me as cool as you please
With her strawberry hair and a wink in her eye
To say i was smitten would not be a lie
Gathering courage i started to speak
To ask of her name but my heart felt too weak
Like i'd gone to heaven before i had died
I mumbled the question she calmly replied 'kathleen'
Well i remember my first motorbike
With her riding pillion i'd not heard the like
Of her giggles and squeels as we leaned left and right
And feeling her arms round my chest holding tight
Whilrwind romances were never my speed
But this one took off like a runaway steed
When she said she was having the time of her life
I knew then this vision would soon be my wife, kathleen
Oh kathleen the memories you've left me
They'll be with me through all of my days
Thinking there's safety in numbers no doubt
Acounts for the fact that the wholw town turned out
To behold how serenely she walked down the aisle
But trembled and blushed as i kissed her sweet smile
Picnics on beaches and punts on the lake
Luck seemed to serve us a slice of life's cake
That was more than enought to sustain us through years
When laughter would somehow give way to some tears kathleen
Oh kathleen the memories you've left me
They'll be with me through all of my days
Then at the ball she looked ever so sweet
Heavy with child but still light on her feet
Every head turned our way as we whirled o'er the floor
And i love her more than i'd loved her before
(instrumental)

Two caring children siobhan and marie
A grand little grandchild to bounce on my knee
They're a fine testimonial to all that was right
In keeping our candle of love burning bright, kathleen
Now as my life nears its own eventide
It's almost as though she were here by my side
Such a presence an aura so perfectly made
My beautiful vision that never will fade kathleen

The harp that once : to oombayga and family

The harp that once through tara's halls
The soul of music shed
Now hangs as mute on tara's walls
As if that soul were fled
So sleeps the pride of former days
So glory's thrill is o'er
And the hearts that once beat high for praise
Now feel that pulse no more
No more to chiefs and ladies bright
The harp of tara swells
The chord alone that breaks at night
Its tale of ruin tells
Thus freedom now so seldom wakes
The only throb she gives
Is when some heart indignant breaks
To show that still she lives

Annie laurie: to agnieszka

Maxwellton braes are bonnies where early fa's the dew
And it's there that annie laurie gied me her promise true
Gied me her promise true which n'er forgot shall be
And for bonnie annie laurie i'd lay me down an' dee
Her brow is like the snawdrift ner neck is like the swan
Her face is the fairest that e'er the sun shone on
That e'er e'er the sun shone on and dark blue is her e'e
And for bonnie annie laurie i'd lay me down and dee
Like dew on the gowan lyin' is the fa' of her fairy feet
And like winds in summer sighin' her voice is low and sweet
Her voice is low and sweet and she's a' the worls tae me
And for bonnie annie laurie i'd lay me down and dee
And for bonnie annie laurie i'd lay me down and dee

The spinningwheel : to eilly and teesa in philly

Mellow the moonlight to shine is beginning
Close to the window yound eileen is spinning
Bent over the fire her blind grandmother sitting
Is crooning and moaning and drowsily knitting
Eileen achara i hear someone tapping
'tis the ivy dear mother against the glass flapping
Eilly i surely hear somebody sighing
'tis the sound mother dear of the summer winds dying
(chorus)

Merrily, cheerily, noiselessly whirring
Swings the wheel, spins the wheel while the foot's stirring
Sprightly and brightly and airily ringing
Thrilss the sweet voice of the young maiden singing

What's that noise i hear at the window i wonder
'tis the little birds chirping the holly bush under
What makes you be shovin' and moving your stool on
And singing all wrong that old song of the coolin'
There's a form at the casement the form of her true love
And he whispers with face bent i'm waiting for you love
Get up on your stool through the lattice step lightly
We'll rove in the grove while the moon's shining brightly

(chorus)

The maid shakes her head on her lips lays her fingers
Steals up from her seat longs to go and yet lingers
A frightened glance turns to her drowsy grandmother
Puts one foot on the stool spins the wheel with the other
Lazily, easily swings now the wheel round
Slowly and lowly is heard now the reel's sound
Noisless and light to the lattice above
The maid steps then leap to the arms of her lover

(chorus)

Slower and slower and slower the wheel swings
Lower and lower and lower the reel rings
Ere the reel and the wheel stopped there ringing and moving
Through the grove the young lovers by moonlight are roving

The spanish lady : to ming and family

As i went down through dublin city
At the hour of twelve at night
Who should i spy but a spanish lady
Washing her feet by candlelight
First she washed them then she dried them
Over a fire of amber coal
In all my life i ne'er did see
A maid so sweet about the soul
(chorus)

Whack fo rthe toora loora lie
Whack for the toora loora lay
Whack fo rthe toora loora lie
Whack for the toora loora lay

As i came back through dublin city
At the hour of half past eight
Who should i spy but the spanish lady
Brushing her hair in the broad daylight
First she brushed it then she tossed it
On her lap was a silver comb
In all my life i ne'er did see
A maid so fair as the spanish lady

(chorus)

As i went back through dublin city
As the sun began to set
Who should i spy but the spanish lady
Catching a moth in a golden net
When she saw me then she fled me
Lifting her petticoat o'er her knee
In all my life i ne'er did see
A maid so fair as the spanish lady

(chorus)

I've wandered north and i've wandered south
Throug stonybatter and patrick's close
Up and around the gloster diamond
And back by napper tandy's house
Old age has laid her hand on me
Cold as a fire of ashy coals
In all my life i ne'er did see
A maid so fair as the spanish lady

(chorus)

When i grow too old to dream : to g

We have been gay going our way
Life has been beautiful we have been young
After you've gone life will go on
Like an old song that we've sung
(chorus)
When i grow too old to dream
I'll have you to remember
When i grow too old to dream
Your love will live in my heart
So kiss me my sweet and so let us part
And when i grow too old to dream
That kiss will live in my heart

After you've gone life will go on
Time will be tenderly melting our tears
Yet will i find you inmy mind
Beckoning over the years


(repeat chorus)

The cliffs of dooneen: to izabella and tadeusz

You may travel far from your own native home
Far away o'er the mountains far away o'er the foam
But of all the fine places that i've ever been
There's none can compare with the cliffs of dooneen
It's a nice place to be on a fine summer's day
Watching all the wild flowers that ne'er do decay
Oh the hare and the pheasant are plain to be seen
Making homes for their young round the cliffs of dooneen
Take a view o'er the mountain fine sites you'll see there
Yes in a high rocky mountain in the west coast of clair
Oh the towns of kilkee and kilrush can be seen
From the high rocky slopes round the cliffs of dooneen
So fare thee well to dooneen fare thee well for a while
And althoug we are parted by the ragin sea wild
Once again i will wander with my irisjh colleen
Round the high rocky slopes of the cliffs of dooneen

Barbara allan to bill and anne mulloy of calgary, alberta

It was in and about the martinmas time
When the green leaves were a fallin'
That sir john graeme o' the west countree
Fell in love wi' barbara allan
He sent his men down thro' the town
To the place where she was dwellin'
O haste and come to my master dear
Gin ye be barbara allan
O hooly hooly rose she up
To the place where he was lyin'
And when she drew the curtain by
Young man i think yer dyin'
Oh it's i am sick and very very sick
And it's a for barbara allan
O the better for me ye se never be
Tho' your hearts blood be spillin'
Remember ye not in the tavern sir
When ye the cups were fillin'
How ye made the healths gae round and round
And slighted barbara allan
He turned his face unto the wa'
And death was with him dealin'
Adieu adieu my dear friands a'
Be kind tae barbara alan
Then hooly hooly raise she up
And slowly slowly left him
And sighing said she could not stay
Since death o'life had reft him
She hadnae gone a mile but twa
When she heard the deid bell knellin'
And every jow tha the deid bell gied
Cried woe tae barbara allan
O mother mother make my bed
O make it fast and narrow
Since my love died for me today
I die for him tomorrow

Believe me if all those endearing young charms : to my mother

Beleive me if all those endearing young charms
Which i gaze on so fondly today
Were to change by tomorrow and fleet in my arms
Like the fairy gifts fading away
Though would still be adored as this moment thou art
Let thy loveliness fade as it will
And around the dear ruin each wish of my heart
Would entwine itself verdantly still
It is not while beauty and youth are thine own
And thy cheeks unprofaned by a tear
That the fervour and faith of a soul can be known
To which time will but make thee more dear
No the heart which has truly loved never forgets
But as truly loves on to the close
As the sunflower turns on her guard when he sets
The same look which she turned when he rose