Em G D G Em D Near to Banbridge town, in the County Down, one morning in July Em G D G C D Em Down a boreen green came a sweet colleen and she smiled as she passed me by G Am G Em D She looked so neat from her two white feet to the sheen of her nut-brown hair Em G D Em C D Em Such a (Sure the)coaxing elf, I'd to shake myself, to make sure I was standing there
CHORUS:
G Am G Em D From Bantry Bay up to Derry Quay and from Galway to Dublin town Em G D Em C D Em No maid I've seen like the sweet colleen that I met in County Down
Em G D G Em D As she onward sped, sure I shook my head and I gazed with a feeling quare Em G D G C D EmAnd I said, says I to a passer-by, who's the maid with the nut-brown hair? G Am G Em D He smiled at me and with pride says he, that's the gem of Irelands crown Em G D Em C D Em She's young Rosie McCann from the banks of the Bann, she's the star of the County Down
CHORUS:
Em G D G Em D She'd a soft brown eye and a look so sly and a smile like the rose in June Em G D G C D And you held each note from her lily-white throat, as she lilted an Irish tune G Am G Em D At the pattern dance you were in trance as she tripped through a jig or reel Em G D Em C D Em When her eyes she'd roll, she would lift soul as your heart she would likely steal
CHORUS:
Em G D G Em D At the harvest fair she'll be surely there and I'll dress my Sunday clothes Em G D G C D With my shoes shon bright and my hat cocked right for a smile from the nut-brown Rose G Am G Em D No pipe I smoke, no horse I'll yoke, let my plough with the rust turns brown Em G D Em C D Em Till a smiling bride by my own fireside sits the star of the County Down
G
Come and listen for a moment, lads,
C
And hear me tell my tale.
G D
How across the sea from England
C
D
I was conpelled (condemned) to sail.
G
the jury says me guilty,
C
Then says the judge, says he,
G D
"Oh, for life, Jim Jones, I'm sending you
C D G
Across the stormy sea.
C
And take a tip before you ship
G
To join the iron gang.
C
Don't be too gay in Botany Bay,
G D
Or else you'll surely hang.
G
Or else you'll surely hang," says he.
C
"And after that, Jim Jones,
G D
high upon the gallows tree
C G
The crows will pick your bones."
you' ll have no change for missed your thing
remember what i say
they flog the out of you
out there at Botany Bay,
The waves were high upon the see With the
storms ragin' round us,
And the winds a-blowin' gales,
I'd rather have drowned in misery
Than gone to New South Wales.
the waves were high upon the sea
Then pirates came along,
But the soldiers on our convict ship
Were full five hundred strong.
they opened fire and somehow drove
That pirate ship away.
I'd rather joined that pirate ship
Tan come to Botany Bay.
Now it's day and night and the irons clang,
And like poor galley slaves
We toil and toil, and when we die
Must fill dishonored graves,
but by and by I'll break my chains,
Well, into the bush I'll go
And I'll join the bravest rankers there,
Jack Donohue and co.
And some dark night, when everything
Is silent in the town
I'll kill the tyrants one and all,
I'll shoot the flogger down.
Oh, I'll give the low a little shock,
Remember what I say,
And they'll yet regret they've sent Jim Jones
In chains to Botany Bay.
