Personal document : song

Paddy's lamentation Sinead O'Connor







Sinéad O'Connor was born on 8 December 1966 in County Dublin. In 1983, her family enrolled her in a boarding school where, with the help of a teacher, she composed and recorded her first songs. When her mother died in February 1985, she decided to leave Ireland for London. There she recorded The Lion and The Cobra, which was released in 1987, and I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got in 1990. The success of her first two albums and her distinctive look allowed her to multiply her collaborations with different artists.

She is considered an icon, a diva of Irish music. This song is considered as one of the most beautiful anti-militarist music.

This song is about the life of a man named Paddy. While his life in Ireland was nothing but misery, he decides to immigrate to America. He sells his animals, his farm and leaves his wife behind. Once there, he is asked to fight in the war for Lincoln in exchange for a pension. In the end he will lose a leg and will not get any pension. The music ends with the advice never to go to America.

We can relate this music to the notion. Because first of all the song relates a journey, a movement from one space to another. And then a life exchange Paddy hopes to change his life through the American dream.

[Verse 1]
Well it's by the hush, me boys
And that's to mind your noise
And listen to poor Paddy's sad narration
I was by hunger stressed
And in poverty distressed
So I took a thought I'd leave
The Irish nation

[Verse 2]
Well I sold me horse and cow
My little pigs and sow
My father's farm of land
I then departed
And me sweetheart Bid McGee
I'm afraid I'll never see
For I left her there that morning
Broken-hearted

[Chorus]
Here ye boys
Now take my advice
To America I'll have ye
Not be coming
There is nothing here but war
Where the murderin' cannons roar
And I wish I was at home
In dear old Dublin

[Verse 3]
Well meself and a hundred more
To America sailed o'er
Our fortunes to be making
We were thinkin'
When we got to yankee land
They put guns into our hands
Saying "Paddy, you must go
And fight for Lincoln"

[Chorus]
Here ye boys
Now take my advice
To America I'll have ye
Not be coming
There is nothing here but war
Where the murderin' cannons roar
And I wish I was at home
In dear old Dublin

[Verse 4]
General Meagher to us he said
If you get shot or lose your head
Every mother's son of youse
Will get a pension
Well in the war I lost me leg
And all I've now's a wooden peg
And by soul it is the truth
To you I mention

[Chorus]
Here ye boys
Now take my advice
To America I'll have ye
Not be coming
There is nothing here but war
Where the murderin' cannons roar
And I wish I was at home
In dear old Dublin

[Verse 5]
Well I think meself in luck
If I get fed on Indianbuck
And old Ireland is the country
I delight in
To the devil I would say
God curse Americay
For in truth I've had enough
Of your hard fightin'

[Chorus]
Here ye boys
Now take my advice
To America I'll have ye
Not be going
There is nothing here but war
Where the murderin' cannons roar
And I wish I was at home
In dear old Dublin

[Outro]
I wish I was at home
I wish I was at home
I wish I was at home
In dear old Dublin

Comments

  1. Philippe Thivillier11 March 2020 at 18:55

    OK Angèle.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Philippe Thivillier13 March 2020 at 20:07

    FORM: 07/10
    CONTENT: 06/10
    OVERALL MARK: 13/20
    Interesting but your commentary on the lyrics is a bit too sketchy.
    Remember that you need to print out the lyrics in case you want to use the song as your personal document for the Bac.

    ReplyDelete

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