Friday, March 18, 2011

clear the Road or Ballad of the Irish Brigade

Clear the Road; clear the road is the phrase i am told
on the green flag i see out there wavin
clear the way; clear the way for the Irish Brigade
clear the way for the brave sons of Erin.

Just a twelve year old lad; scared hungry and sad
when he left in the year of fifty seven.
a few coins from his dad was all that he had
when he stepped on the pier in East Boston.

General Meagher he come 'round to the auld seaport town
was a fifty dollar bounty he promised:
"join for your new land in a brave Irish band
the south's for the rich n the british."
chorus
he stuck to his gun that day at Bull Run
even when the general went down right near him.
he was a man who stood tall that day in the fall
by a Maryland creek called "Antietam".

Little Mac had the "slows"; Abe said he must go.
It was Burnside chosen to replace him.
Next thing they would see was not the banks of the Lee;
but the shores of the old Rappahannock.
chorus
the bearded general in grey stood watchin all the day
as Burnside sent good men to slaughter.
he dodged shot 'n shell and he fought 'till he fell
and that night the northern lights came over.
chorus
[first verse is also the chorus]





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