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Donegal Danny

from Loose Cannons by The Jolly Rogers

/

lyrics

I remember the day that he came in;
Windy, cold and damp.
He was a giant of a man in an oilskin coat,
And a bundle which told he was a tramp.
He stood at the bar and called a pint,
And he turned and he gazed into the fire.
On a night like this, to be safe and dry,
Is my one and only desire.
So here's to those that are dead and gone,
To friends that I loved dear.
And here's to you and I'll bid you adieu,
Singin' "Donegal Danny was here, me boys"
Singin’ Donegal Danny was here.
Then in a voice that was hushed and low,
He said "Listen, I'll tell you a tale".
How a man of the sea became a man of the roads,
And never more would set sail.
I fished out of Howth and Killybegs,
Ardglass and Baltimore.
But the cruel sea has defeated me,
And I never sail her no more.
[CHORUS]
That fateful night in the wind and the rain
We set sail from Killybegs town.
There were five of us from sweet Donegal,
And one from county Down.
We were fishermen and we loved the sea,
And we never counted the cost.
But I never thought 'ere that night was done,
That my fine friends would all be lost.
[CHORUS]
Then the storm it broke and it drove the boat,
On the rocks about ten miles from shore.
As we fought the tide, we hoped inside,
To see our homes once more.
Then we struck a rock and hold the bow,
And all of us knew that she'd go down.
So we jumped right into that icy sea,
And prayed to God we wouldn't drown.
But the ragin' sea was a-risin' still,
As we struck out for the land.
And she fought with all her cruelty,
To claim that gallant band.
By Saint John's point in the early dawn,
I dragged myself on the shore.
And I cursed the sea for what she'd done to me,
And vowed to sail her no more.
[CHORUS]
Ever since that day I've been on the road,
Travelin' and trying to forget.
That awful night when I lost my friends,
I can see their faces yet.
Oft’ times at night when the tides are high,
Or the wind is biting at my skin.
I can hear the cries of drowning men,
Floating over the wind.
[CHORUS] x2

credits

from Loose Cannons, released September 1, 2007
w/m: Phil Coulter, Martin

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The Jolly Rogers Kansas City, Missouri

Pirates before pirates were cool. The Jolly Rogers were born as the Earth still cooled, waaaay back in 1991. Bringing maritime music, sea shanties, drinking and bawdy songs to audiences before pirates were all the rage, they've been a main stage act at venues across America and Europe. ... more

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