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Wanderer

by Cara Dillon

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1.
When the Cuckoo is calling over woodland and valley And the Tern and the Swallow flies over our bay Then it’s longing I’ll be for the land of my father Where Bann and black water sweep down to Lough Neagh A home I have made in the land of the stranger And it’s manys a long year since I left Derry quay Still I dream of the blooming and the glens of old Ireland Where Bann and black water sweep down to Lough Neagh And it’s soon I must start and this is my last journey For my eyes they grow dim and hair sparse and grey And it’s soon I must follow the Tern and the Swallow Where Bann and black water sweep down to Lough Neagh I long for to see the dark waters of Lough Neagh And I long for to gaze on Slieve Gallion Braes And I long for to follow the Tern and the Swallow Where Bann and black water sweep down to Lough Neagh And when I return to my native land In the Spring I will hear the Cuckoo sing round Lough Neagh And I’ll be out there waiting for the Tern and Swallow Where Bann and black water sweep down to Lough Neagh And all I ask is a cairn in the land of my father Where Bann and black water sweep down to Lough Neagh
2.
One morning fair I took the air Down by Blackwater side ‘Twas gazing all around me Was the Irish lad I spied All through the first part of that night We lay in sport and play Then this young man arose and gathered his clothes Saying ‘Fare you well today’ That’s not the promise you gave to me When you first lay on my bed And you made me believe with your lying tongue That the sun rose in the west Then go home, go home, to your father’s garden Go home and weep your fill And think upon your own misfortune That you brought with your wanton will There’s not one girl in this whole town As easily led as I When the sky does fall and the seas run dry Why it’s then you’ll marry I Why it’s then you’ll marry I Why it’s then you’ll marry I
3.
Hold out your hand, love We’ll figure this out You don’t need to leave and never look back You take your own time, love But give it a chance There’s life in these fields like there’s rhythm in dance Stay by my side, love And give up your doubt Your brother has gone and my time’s running out The dew’s on the grass We’ve finished the glass The dawn’s on it’s way, love But my son leaves today They whisper your name, son Like they’ve put you to rest They’ve kissed you and blessed you we’ve all done our best And once I could swear, love I heard the wind sing It warned of this day and the cold it would bring These Northern lights shine, love Reflect on the Foyle They’ll light your way back to your own native soil The dew’s on the grass, We’ve finished the glass The dawn’s on it’s way, now But my son leaves today My son leaves today, Lord God help me I pray God help me I pray Slip out the door, love But don’t say goodbye Just take one last look at this Northwestern sky
4.
Oh, I know a wee spot, ’tis a place of great fame And it lies to the North, now I’ll tell you it’s name It’s my own native birthplace, and it’s on Irish soil And they call it lovely Derry on the banks of the Foyle Now, I courted a young man, and his age was nineteen He was the fairest young man that ever you’ve seen He was tall he was handsome and his hair black as coal And he came from lovely Derry on the banks of the Foyle But now cruel misfortune drove me from my own home ’Twas my fate in deep sorrow for to sail o’er the foam And now from dark strangers, in grief I recoil And I pine for lovely Derry on the banks of the Foyle I was fearing another had a place in his heart And that from me my darling forever would part That no more he would brighten with his sweet sunny smile My dear home in lovely Derry on the banks of Foyle But a wee bird came flying from over the sea And he brought me a letter from my true love to see Saying ‘come home, my darling, to your own native soil And we’ll wed in lovely Derry on the banks of the Foyle’ Now when I make a fortune, then it’s home I will go To the dear land of my childhood, to the sweetheart I know And we’ll live in a mansion, and no more will we toil Far away from lovely Derry on the banks of the Foyle Far away from lovely Derry on the banks of the Foyle
5.
What’s the spring-breathing Jasmine and Rose? What’s the summer with all it’s gay train Or the splendour of Autumn to those Who’ve bartered their freedom for gain? Chorus Let the love of our land’s sacred rights To the love of our people succeed Let friendship and honour unite And flourish on both sides the Tweed. No sweetness the senses can cheer Which corruption and bribery bind No brightness the gloom can e’er clear For honour’s the sum of the mind Chorus Let virtue distinguish the brave Place riches in lowest degree Think them poorest who can be a slave Them richest who dare to be free Chorus x 2
6.
Sailor Boy 03:44
It was early, early all in the spring When my love Willy went to serve the king The night being dark and the wind blew high Which parted me from my sailor boy Oh father, father build me a boat For on the ocean I mean to float To watch the big ships as they pass by For I might inquire of my sailor boy She had not sailed there for a week or two When she spied the Captain and all his crew O Captain, Captain come tell me true Does my love Willy sail on board with you? O fair maid, fair maid he is not here He’s lost or drowned that I am afraid On yon green island as we passed by ‘Twas there we lost a fine sailor boy She wrung her hands and she tore her hair Just like a lady in deep despair She called for paper, both pen and ink And every night she did drop a tear And every word she calls Willy here O father, father dig me a grave Go dig it long and go dig it wide Place marble stone on my head and feet That the world may know that I died in grief
7.
A stream like crystal it flows down It’s clear for to be seen And it’s there you’ll find the Irish Oak Trimmed with the Ivy green Where the Shamrock and the Thistle grow The Lily too beside And they flourish all together, boys Along the Faughan side Well it’s about three miles from Derry to The bridge of Drumahoe And it’s there I spent some happy days I’ll have you all to know Where the lambs do sport, fair maids do court And the small fish gently glide There’s a blooming spring on a May morning Along the Faughan side Well if you could see this lovely place All in the summer time Each bush and tree, they look so gay Each meadows in its prime The Blackbird and the golden Thrush Sing there the live long day But now I have a notion of Going to Americay Oh, the leaving of this lovely place It grieves my heart full sore And the leaving of my own true love Sure, it grieves me ten times more But if ever I return again Well it’s her i’d make my bride And I’d roll her in my arms, boys Along the Faughan side
8.
When first to this country a stranger I came I placed my affection on a maid that was young She being fair and tender, her waist small and slender Kind nature that formed her for my overthrow On the banks of the Bann, when first I beheld her She appeared like great Juno the fair Grecian Queen Her eyes shone like diamonds or stars brightly gleaming Her cheeks were like Roses or blood drops on snow ’Twas her cruel parents that first caused our variance All because she was rich and above my degree But I’ll do my whole endeavour for to gain my love’s favour There is no other fair one on Earth I adore Had I all the wealth that’s in the West Indies I’d put rings on her fingers and gold in her ears And there on the lovely banks of the lovely Bann River In all kinds of splendour I’d live with my dear In all kinds of splendour I’d live with my dear
9.
Some have roots and want to stay Others wings that have to fly It matters not the time of year Nor if they hold their lovers near Chorus Some swear the valley is their home Some on the mountains need to roam But in this narrow place in time I watch the lakeside swans go by Into what they might have seen The stirring of forgotten dreams I cannot break his deep sound sleep This gentle calm that runs so deep Chorus Some they’ll say they tried to help Some left before the snows did melt But poor is he who cannot choose Between the lies and the honest truth Chorus Just before the break of day Forgotten words they’ve longed to say An honest heart it knows no bounds Like the lakeside waters sweetest sounds Chorus x 2
10.
Dubhdara 05:18
Dubhdara, he’s a-sailing Far out in the blue ocean Far beyond the misty mountain On the sun stream he’s riding with the wind Lost in a million dips and hollows Swallowed in the racing horses Dubhdara will always return To take me up in his arms Angels hasten into the daylight As the shadows fade away And the rainclouds move among the islands Far down in Clew Bay I am waiting, waiting on the white shell sand In the sea garden drifting far out to sea I’m sailing far out to sea Dubhdara, he’s a-sailing Far out in the blue ocean Flying canvas with the seagulls In the freedom of a kind and gentle wind Angels hasten into the daylight As the shadows fade away And the rainclouds move among the islands Far down in Clew Bay I am waiting, waiting on the white shell sand In the sea garden drifting far out to sea I’m sailing far out to sea I’m sailing far out to sea Sailing far out to sea

credits

released October 13, 2017

Produced by Sam Lakeman
Mixed by Mike 'Spike' Drake and Sam Lakeman
Mastered by Tim Young at Metropolis.
Recorded by Sam Lakeman at Random Sound and Cooper Hall in Somerset.

Art design and layout by Florian Zumfelde.
Photography by Matt Austin.

Heartfelt thanks to everyone who joined us in making this album. John, Kris, Justin, Niall, Ben and Spike... your talents know no bounds; Mark Anstey for still sharing our vision; Morag, Hugh and Fay for such wonderful generosity.

Special thanks to Colm, Noah and Elizabeth for being so very patient and to Odhrán for bringing home that little bit closer.

Cara & Sam 2017

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Cara Dillon

Born in Dungiven in 1975, surrounded and infused with the rich cultural heritage of her native County Derry, Cara has risen to become one of the finest exponents of traditional Irish song anywhere in the world.

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