Black ’47 (Black 47)

“Black ’47” Sheet Music (pdf).
“Black ’47” Karaoke (midi with lyrics).

Lyrics: Larry Kirwan.
Tune: Larry Kirwan.


Everything is still. Not a chicken. Not a body.
Just an awful sickenin’ silence roarin’ in my brain.
And the fog of death deepens and lies upon the land.
An ould wan rolls over on her back.
The grass stains still green upon her chin.
I can still hear her keenin’ and screamin’ in the wind.

God’s curse upon you, Lord John Russell.
May your black-hearted soul rot in hell.
There’s no love left on earth, and God is dead in heaven
In these dark and deadly days of Black ’47.
God’s curse upon you, Lord Trevelyan.
May your great Queen Victoria rot in hell
’Til England and its Empire answer under heaven
For the crimes they committed in Black ’47.

Paudie says, “C’mon now,
Don’t look back. She’s not livin’. She’s a phantom.
And she’ll curse us if we look into her eyes.”
For can’t you see that pack of children up ahead?
The beards of old men sproutin’ from their chins?
Can’t you hear their screams of hunger in the wind?

God’s curse upon you, Lord John Russell.
May your black-hearted soul rot in hell.
There’s no love left on earth, and God is dead in heaven
In these dark and deadly days of Black ’47.
God’s curse upon you, Lord Trevelyan.
May your great Queen Victoria rot in hell
’Til England and its Empire answer under heaven
For the crimes they committed in Black ’47.

Darlin’ Paudie, save me. I think I’m sinkin’ fast.
Me blood is boilin’. Don’t let me die here in a ditch.
If the hunger doesn’t get me, the fever surely will.
Paudie took me up and threw me ’cross his shoulder.
He nursed me every day ’til we reached Amerikay,
Screamin’ and shoutin’ like two madmen at the wind.

God’s curse upon you, Lord John Russell.
May your black-hearted soul rot in hell.
There’s no love left on earth, and God is dead in heaven
In these dark and deadly days of Black ’47.
God’s curse upon you, Lord Trevelyan.
May your great Queen Victoria rot in hell
’Til England and its Empire answer under heaven
For the crimes they committed in Black ’47.


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