Song of the Week

This week is mostly sponsored by the song....

The Lonesome Boatman-The Fureys

This is my most favourite of my Father In Law's songs it a beautiful haunting instrumental piece of music that was written by Finbar and Eddie Furey

It has become there most popular piece of music....something about this piece of music strikes something in everyone. From the opens sea gull cry to the way tin whistle soars it gives me goose bumps.

I have been lucky to hear it live a number of times and it is even more beautiful live.

There is also a poem called Silent Annie that sometimes is spoken before the piece

the lyrics to that are belown

A song which nearly broke my heart

A tramp lay dying in the park.

I knelt beside him to hear him speak

And the words he spoke, they were oh so weak.

He told me a story of long since past,

Of a sailing ship with its long grey mast,

Of his captain's cap with it's shining braid

And the wonderful voyages that he'd made.

"Silent Annie" was his great ship's name.

Like a token of love he spoke her name.

She sailed 'round the Horn, aye, more that once.

She could cut through the waves like a sharpened lance.

"Believe me," he said. His eyes filled with tears

Like a drunk on a corner, trying to remember his years.

He reached out his hand and I took it in mine.

"I believe you," I said, and he gave a sad smile.

"I remember the day when they towed her away.

Her sides they were sore from the sea's angered spray.

They said she's unfit for to sail out once more

(And they towed her more inward from her own sandy shore)?

And as they broke my Silent Annie. I watched with a sigh.

I remembered her beauty when I was a boy.

She was my one love, my life's only dream,

When we sailed out together as captain and queen."

It started to drizzle, and I felt my hand tight

And he squeezed even harder as he ended the fight.

And a crowd they had gathered, and they watched with dismay

As some ambulance men came, and they took him away.

So I got to my feet, and I walked through that park.

The sun it was gone, but it was not yet dark.

My body was wet, and my clothes were not many,

But my mind was aroused by the ship Silent Annie.