September 2019
Delighted to introduce you to my second album OH LIFE!
They say that a singer needs to ‘up’ the game with the second album. I hope you think that I have done just that! Nine of the songs are my own. Up until 2016 I had never even considered writing songs and then I found my voice and then I started to write songs and then…..well here I am – a songwriter!
OH LIFE
This is a saying of mine and one day, my Songpal, Shona Blake said to me, “Go and write a song about OH LIFE!” So I did!
You never know what the day will bring
Will it make you cry or make you sing
Oh Life – Oh Life
How is your heart as you awake
Is it light and airy or ready to break
Oh Life – Oh Life
How is your mind as you welcome the day
Is it strong or telling you what to say
Oh Life – Oh Life
Look after your heart
Look after your mind
Always be gentle
Always be kind
Look after your heart
Look after your mind
Always be gentle
Always be kind
Love is the answer to all the world’s woes
Send it to the universe see where it goes
Oh Life – Oh Life
At the end of the day as it draws to a close
Heart and Mind can rest in repose
Oh Life – Oh Life
Look after your heart
Look after your mind
Always be gentle
Always be kind
Look after your heart
Look after your mind
Always be gentle
Always be kind
Love is the answer to all the world’s woes
Send it to the universe see where it goes
Oh Life – Oh Life
Oh Life – Love – Life
SUMMER’S DAY
I had the great privilege of being part of the Songs for our Children Project in 2018. This is one of the four songs I wrote. A memory of childhood. I think of my Mammy every time I sing it.
Summer’s day shining sun
Down the lane we go and run
Blossoms smelling oh so sweet
Yeah we’ve landed at the beach
See the waves rolling rolling
On with the togs and we go running
Shouting roaring swimming laughing
Diving splashing racing gasping
Mammy calls the picnic’s ready
We go running hungry hungry
Sandwich and milk so tasty
Back for more swimming laughing
Tired now we head back home
Salty bodies and sunburned arms
What a day so much fun
Tomorrow do it all again
Summer’s day shining sun
Summer’s day shining sun
Oh Oh Oh Oh
MAMMY WHEN ARE WE GOING HOME?
The housing crisis in this rich country of ours is totally heartbreaking and appalling. I am very aware that the child’s voice is not being heard and so I wrote this song.
Mammy When Are We Going Home?
Mammy when are we going home
Very soon love very soon love
Mammy I hate this hotel room
Not much longer love not much longer love
Mammy who’s in our house now
There’s no answer there’s no answer
Mammy can I go out to play
Mammy can Joni come to stay
Mammy I’m hungry
Mammy I miss my room
Daddy can we go play football
Very soon love very soon love
Daddy can we do no homework
You’ve to go to school love go to school love
Daddy can we watch the telly
Daddy I’m hungry
Daddy I’m tired
Daddy I’m afraid to tell my friends that we are homeless
This is our country in 2019
I weep for the children so abandoned and lost
Mammy when are we going home
Very soon love very soon love
SONG OF FREEDOM
When I launched my first album at the Doolin Folk Festival in 2016, there in the audience was a very brave woman, BERNADETTE DEVLIN MCALISKEY. People afterwards asked me – to my amazement – who is she? I wrote this to tell who, and what a great leader she is.
From 1947 up until today
She says – for that which is worth having
You might lose everything
She sings her song she sings her song
Bernadette’s Work of Freedom is her song
She was barely 22 when elected to go fight
Over to Westminster for her people’s rights
Those in Parliament found her tough
Reggie Maudling felt her fury she slapped him for being rough
They tried to kill her and her man they nearly did
She was brave and courageous and they live
She sings her song she sings her song
Bernadette’s Work of Freedom is her song
Across in New York City a key of Freedom it was hers
She flew to San Francisco and gave it to her peer
Black Panther Angela Davis fighting for her people’s rights
She too sings her song
She sings her song she sings her song
She too sings her song
She cares about justice about those who are in need
She tips the apple cart to see how far it falls
She STEPS with her people empowering one and all
Beware the Risen People who will take what you won’t give
She dares to struggle
She dares to get things done
She’s our fearless woman
She dares to get things done
She sings her song she sings her song
Bernadette’s Work of Freedom is her song
We shall overcome
We shall overcome
We shall overcome some day
Deep in my heart
I do believe
We shall overcome some day
She sings her song she sings her song
Bernadette’s Work of Freedom is her song
She sings her song she sings her song
Bernadette’s Work of Freedom is her song
SIT AND SING
Anne Rynne and Sara Ryan
A Kildare woman like myself, Sara Ryan is a marvellous singer songwriter. Her Ma and Da moved to Clare a couple of years ago and I got to know them. It’s magical to sit in her company and sing, so much so, we wrote this song together to celebrate it!
There’s a lot to be said so much to be heard
Old woman young woman sit down to learn
Their stories different yet the same
Love and kindness in the frame
The stories the songs the tunes they share
Healing of music it floats in the air
Connection flows deeply years don’t exist
Knowing the soul – such a beautiful gift
So very happy to sit and sing
So very happy to sit and sing
Oh
Oh Oh Oh
The trust that was gained the love that was shared
The hurt that was felt the pain that was cleared
The love that was gone but found again
The joy of being – loving the world
The heart that was heard the smile that beamed
The laughter that spread through light and pain
Loving all the joy it brings
How I love to sit here and sing
Old woman young woman share stories of lives
Sipping tea singing songs a feeling sublime
Loving all the joy it brings
How I love to sit here and sing
LA LA LA LA LA – one verse
So very happy to sit and sing
So very happy to sit and sing
OH OH OH OH
WHAT IS TRUTH?
Johnny Cash – 4.31
Watching a documentary, Tricky Dicky (Richard Nixon) and The Man in Black (Johnny Cash), I heard Johnny rap out this song. I was struck by how relevant these forty year old lyrics were to today’s world order. I put the air of Johnny’s classic Forty Shades of Green to them and it fitted like a glove.
The old man turned off the radio
He said where did all the old songs go
Kids sure play funny music these days
They play it in the strangest ways
He said it seems to me like they’ve all gone wild
‘Twas peaceful back when I was a child
Well man could it be that the girls and the boys
Are trying to be heard above your noise
And the lonely voice of youth cries
What is truth?
Little boy of three sitting on the floor
Looks up and says Daddy what is war
Son that’s when people fight and die
Little boy of three says Daddy why
Young man of seventeen in school
Being taught the golden rule
By the time another year has come around
It may be his turn to lay his life down
Can you blame the voice of youth for asking
What is truth?
Young man sitting on the witness stand
The man with the book says
Raise your hand
Repeat after me I solemnly swear
The man looked down at his curly black hair
And although the young man solemnly swore
Nobody seems to hear anymore
It doesn’t really matter if the truth was there
‘Twas the colour of his skin and his curly black hair
And the lonely voice of youth cries
What is truth?
Young girl dancing to the latest beat
Has found new ways to move her feet
The young man speaking at the city square
Trying to tell the people that he cares
These are the ones you’re calling wild
They’re gonna be the leaders in a little while
The whole world is waking to a brand new day
I solemnly swear it will be their way
So you better help the voice of youth find
What is truth?
The old man turned off the radio
He said where did all the old songs go
Kids sure play funny music these days
They play it in the strangest ways
He said it seems to me that they’ve all gone wild
‘Twas peaceful back when I was a child
Well man could it be that the girls and the boys
Are trying to be heard above your noise
And the lonely voice of youth cries
What is truth?
The lonely voice of youth cries
What is truth?
HE KNOWS
This is Donnacha’s song. Our truly amazing warrior son. He is a huge inspiration to us all.
I know a man who cannot move
He breathes in he breathes out
Showers us all with love
He lies there quietly sending out good vibes
To a crazy world
He breathes in
He breathes out
Sending out good vibes
He’s a teacher a guide a shining light
He seldom speaks
He tells it all with his beautiful smiling eyes
The boys and men who struggle to live
Could learn from him what life can give
Dig deep within and find your core
And your spirit will save you
Help your heart to soar
He breathes in
He breathes out
Sending out good vibes
He’s a teacher a guide a shining light
He seldom speaks
He tells it all with his beautiful smiling eyes
Repeat first verse and chorus
ASKING FOR A FRIEND
Catherine Ann Cullen
This is a difficult song to sing but I was determined to include it here. Even though the law in Ireland was changed following the YES to REPEAL the 8th referendum in 2018, it is still a powerful reminder of what women continue to endure around the world.
Grateful to Catherine Ann for the freedom she gave me with this song.
She was fourteen when it happened
Only know it happened hard
Hiding under baggy jumpers
Hearing whispers in the yard
It’s too late to change her story
Might have had a different end
Would you refuse her right to choose
I’m asking for a friend
They were thrilled to be expecting
Soon she knew all hope was gone
But the doctors could not save her
While the foetal heart beat on
It’s too late to change her story
So change the law they would not bend
Would you refuse her right to choose
I’m asking for a friend
She was a mother sick with cancer
Her consultant’s views were clear
Termination was the answer
Go pack your bag can’t happen here
It’s too late to change her story
Might have had a different end
Would you refuse her right to choose
I’m asking for a friend
Oh Savita, Sheelagh, Ann
X and Y, Michelle, Joanne
All the ones we’ll never name
Who lived or died in fear and shame
Oh what woman Oh what man
Would say you can’t and not you can
Would send you to that lonely end
I’m asking for a friend
I’m asking for the girl next door
The family on the second floor
The woman who could take no more
The Magdalen who scrubbed that floor
Would you refuse their right to choose
I’m asking for a friend
I’m asking for a friend
I’m asking for a friend
SNOW
This, from Songs for our Children Project. Another memory of childhood. The air I use is a traditional Donegal song, Bheir Me O.
Oh it’s very cold outside
Put your scarf and mittens on
Slipping sliding all around
Snow is falling on the ground
See the ice down on the road
Sliding up and down we go
Skating like a ballerina
As we skate in circles round
Home it’s teatime we’re so cold
Lovely soup to warm us up
See the snow come floating down
Silent flakes they touch the ground
Hush its very cold outside
Put your scarf and mittens
Slipping sliding all around
Snow is falling hush so quiet
LA LA LA LA LA LA for one verse
HONEST LIFE
Courtney Marie Andrews – 3.28
Flicking around the channels on television one night before I went to bed, I came upon Later with Jools Holland on the BBC and there singing this gem was Courtney. Straight to this ol’ heart it went!
All I’ve ever wanted is an honest life
To be the person that I really am inside
To tell you all the things I did that night
Sometimes it isn’t easy to live an honest life
All I ever needed was a little more time to grow
Time to understand the things that I know
To listen to you lovingly instead of getting up to go
Some people need a little more time to grow
Right when you have it all figured out
LIfe throws you another doubt
My head’s up high I have nothing but time
To work at living an honest life
All I ever asked for was a way to understand
All of life’s lessons the best way I can
How to be honest
How to be wise
How to be a good friend
Somethings take a lifetime to fully understand
Right when you have it all figure out
Life throws you another doubt
My head’s up high I have nothing but time
To work at living an honest life
To work at living an honest life
GIVE IT A TRY –
I wrote this to highlight the hard lives of young people in today’s crazy world: the bullying and the pressure they are under prompted this song. Asking for advice from the oul’ wans seemed appropriate!!
Be a warrior not a worrier
Be a joker not a saint
Be a laugher and a crier
Be yourself not what you ain’t
Here she comes again all serious and sad
Let’s see can we make her laugh and feel glad
She’ll blush and be nervous she might even cry
Yerra all we can do is give it a try
Be a warrior not a worrier
Be a joker not a saint
Be a laugher and a crier
Be yourself not what you ain’t
That lad in the playground is always alone
Lets see if he’ll join us and make him feel at home
Would you look at him laughin’ he’s so happy to be asked
Yerra all we can do is change his mask
Be a warrior not a worrier
Be a joker not a saint
Be a laugher and a crier
Be yourself not what you ain’t
The oul’ wans get lonely they could do with a chat
Go knock on their door and see what they’re at
Ask their advice on how to deal with life today
‘Cos they’ve been through it all before
You’ll be sayin’ No Way!
Be a warrior not a worrier
Be a joker not a saint
Be a laugher and a crier
Be yourself not what you ain’t
LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA
SING
This is the first song I ever wrote, a couple of days after I launched my first album in 2016. It kind of wrote itself. I am astonished at the power and the process of song writing.
You clear your throat and then you just breathe in
You close your eyes and then you start to sing
This voice of mine is soaring
All I want to do all day is sing
Gently gently sing your song
Remember you’re the messenger nothing’s wrong
Remember to let go at the end of the line
Tell them nerves to go away I’m fine
There you all are listening now I smile
I found my voice at 68 oh how I smile
My family and friends they cheer I smile
So grateful that you came to hear I smile
Mam and Daddy guiding me along
Brother shows me how it’s all done
From far and near the words the love flows in
Thank you Míle Buíochas again
There you all are listening now I smile
I found my voice at 68 oh how I smile
My family and friends they cheer I smile
So grateful that you came to hear I smile
You clear your throat and then you just breathe in
You close your eyes and then you start to sing
This voice of mine is soaring
All I want to do all day is sing
There you are all listening now I smile
I found my voice at 68 oh how I smile
My family and friends they cheer I smile
So grateful that you came to hear I smile
All I want to do all day is sing
Thank you míle buÍohas again
Thank you míle buíochas again
