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Young Ned Of The Hill

The Pogues
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OriginalVersione inglese della ballata originale in gaelico
YOUNG NED OF THE HILL

Have you ever walked the lonesome hills
And heard the curlews cry
Or seen the raven black as night
Upon a windswept sky
To walk the purple heather
And hear the westwind cry
To know that's where the rapparee must die

Since Cromwell pushed us westward
To live our lowly lives
There's some of us have deemed to fight
From Tipperary mountains high
Noble men with wills of iron
Who are not afraid to die
Who'll fight with gaelic honour held on high

A curse upon you Oliver Cromwell
You who raped our Motherland
I hope you're rotting down in hell
For the horrors that you sent
To our misfortunate forefathers
Whom you robbed of their birthright
"To hell or Connaught" may you burn in hell tonight

Of one such man I'd like to speak
A rapparee by name and deed
His family dispossessed and slaughtered
They put a price upon his head
His name is know in song and story
His deeds are legends still
And murdered for blood money
Was young Ned of the hill

You have robbed our homes and fortunes
Even drove us from our land
You tried to break our spirit
But you'll never understand
The love of dear old Ireland
That will forge and iron will
As long as there are gallant men
Like young Ned of the hill
ÉAMONN OF THE HILL

"Who's that outside
whose voice is urgent,
pounding on my closed door?"

"I'm Éamonn of the hill,
drowned, cold and wet,
from endlessly traveling mountains and glens."

"Dearest love and treasure,
what can I do for you
but cover you with the lap of my dress?"

And black gunpowder will be
fired endlessly at us,
and we will both perish!"

"I've long been outside
in snow and in frost,
not daring to approach anyone.

My fallow unplanted,
my team in need of unyoking,
and I no longer have them at all!

I have no friend—
how that grieves me—
who’d take me in, early or late.

And so I must go
eastward across the sea,
for it’s there I have no kindred."


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