The lyrics to the song "The Mountains of Mourne" were written in 1896 by the 19th Century Irish musician Percy French. It is normally sung to the same tune used by Thomas Moore (1779–1852) for his song "Bendemeer's Stream".
The song is representative of French's many works concerning the Irish diaspora. The Mourne Mountains of the title are located in County Down in present-day Northern Ireland. (Wikipedia)
Oh, Mary, this London's a wonderful sight The people here are working by day and by night They don't sow potatoes, nor barley, nor wheat But there's gangs of them diggin' for gold in the street
to sow – semer barley – l’orge gang – une équipe to dig - creuser
At 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've found there I might as well be In the place where the dark Mournes sweep down to the sea
to take a hand at – s’essayer à to sweep down – vallonner doucement vers
There's beautiful girls here, oh never you mind Beautiful shapes, nature never designed Lovely complexions of roses and cream.
to mind – faire attention à complexion – le teint
But let me remark with regard to the same That if at that those roses you venture to sip The colours might all come away on your lips So I'll wait for the wild roses waitin' for me In the place where the dark Mournes sweep down to the sea.
to venture – hasarder, se risquer à faire to sip - siroter wild roses – he refers to the girls back home
You remember young Davey McClarin of course Well sure, now, he's 'round here with the rest of the force I saw him one day as I was crossing The Strand and he stopped the whole street with a wave of his hand
The Strand – une rue à Londres wave – un signe
And as we stood 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 Mournes sweep down to the sea But for all his great powers he's wishful like me to be back where the dark Mournes sweep down to the sea
"Star of the County Down" is an old Irish ballad set near Banbridge in County Down, in Northern Ireland. The words are by Cathal Garvey, 1866-1927, from Ramelton, County Donegal.The song shares its melody with many other works, including the almost identical English tune "Kingsfold", well known from several popular hymns, such as "Led By the Spirit." The folk tune was the basis for Ralph Vaughan Williams' Five Variants of Dives and Lazarus. The song is notable for its tight rhyme scheme. Each stanza is a double quatrain, and the first and third lines of each quatrain have an internal rhyme on the second and fourth feet: [aa]b[cc]b. The refrain is a single quatrain with the same rhyming pattern.
The song is sung from the point of view of a young man who chances to meet a charming lady by the name of Rose (or Rosie) McCann, referred to as the "star of the County Down". From a brief encounter the writer's infatuation grows until, by the end of the ballad, he imagines wedding the girl.
In Banbridge Town in the County Down One morning last July, From a boreen green came a sweet colleen And she smiled as she passed me by. She looked so sweet from her two bare feet To the sheen of her nut brown hair. Such a coaxing elf, sure I shook myself For to see I was really there.
colleen (mot irlandais) – une fille irlandaise boreen (mot irlandais) un chemin de terre sheen – la brillance coaxing - cajolant
Chorus: From Bantry Bay up to Derry Quay and From Galway to Dublin Town, No maid I've seen like the brown colleen That I met in the County Down.
maid – une demoiselle
At the Harvest Fair she'll be surely there And I'll dress in my Sunday clothes, With my shoes shone bright and my hat cocked right For a smile from my nut brown rose. No pipe I'll smoke, no horse I'll yoke Till my plough turns rust coloured brown. Till a smiling bride, by my own fireside Sits the star of the County Down.
harvest – la récolte cocked – penché to yoke – atteler plough – une charrue rust – la rouille bride – une jeune mariée fireside – le foyer
Chorus
As she onward sped, sure I scratched my head, And I looked with a feelin' rare, And I says, says I, to a passer-by, "Whose the maid with the nut brown hair"? He looked at me and he says, say's he, "That's the gem of Ireland's crown. Young Rosie McCann from the banks of the Bann, She's the star of the County Down".
to speed onward (ici)– continuer à toute allure passer-by – un passant gem – le bijou bank – la rive, le bord
"The Black Velvet Band" is a traditional Irish folk song describing transportation to Tasmania, Australia, a common punishment in 19th century Britain and Ireland. The song tells the story of a tradesman who meets a young woman who has stolen an item and passed it on to him (the lyrics of the song vary from place to place). The man then appears in court the next day, charged with stealing the item and is sent to Van Diemen's Land (Australia) for doing so. This song was adapted in the United States to "The Girl In The Blue Velvet Band." (Wikipedia)
The Black Velvet Band
Well, in a neat little town they call Belfast, apprentice to trade I was bound Many an hours sweet happiness, have I spent in that neat little town A sad misfortune came over me, which caused me to stray from the land Far away from my friends and relations, betrayed by the black velvet band
Her eyes they shone like diamonds I thought her the queen of the land And her hair it hung over her shoulder Tied up with a black velvet band
I took a stroll down Broadway, meaning not long for to stay When who should I meet but this pretty fair maid comes a tripping along the highway She was both fair and handsome, her neck it was just like a swan’s And her hair it hung over her shoulder, tied up with a black velvet band
Her eyes they shone like diamonds I thought her the queen of the land And her hair it hung over her shoulder Tied up with a black velvet band
I took a stroll with this pretty fair maid, and a gentleman passing us by Well I knew she meant the doing of him, by the look in her roguish black eye A gold watch she took from his pocket and placed it right in to my hand And the very first thing that I said was bad luck to the black velvet band
Her eyes they shone like diamonds I thought her the queen of the land And her hair it hung over her shoulder Tied up with a black velvet band
Before the judge and the jury, next morning I had to appear The judge he says to me: "Young man, your case it is proven clear We'll give you seven years penal servitude, to be spent faraway from the land Far away from your friends and companions, betrayed by the black velvet band"
Her eyes they shone like diamonds I thought her the queen of the land And her hair it hung over her shoulder Tied up with a black velvet band
So come all you jolly young fellows a warning take by me When you are out on the town me lads, beware of them pretty colleens For they feed you with strong drink, "Oh yeah", 'til you are unable to stand And the very next thing that you'll know is you've landed in Van Diemen’s Land
Her eyes they shone like diamonds I thought her the queen of the land And her hair it hung over her shoulder Tied up with a black velvet band
