On the quayside at Santurce, our tears they mixed with rain
We held tight until parted, swore that we’d soon meet again,
With a wink and a kiss, as the wind it did blow,
You pressed in my hand, as I turned to go,
A silver duro

And all through that long journey, the Habana did roll and heave
To England we were heading, but for our mothers we grieved
Down below decks, we were pitched to and fro
But my fingers held tight to that treasure bestowed
My silver duro

For eight long years then we travelled, moving from town to town
Enjoying the kindness of strangers, we feared not the xenophobe’s frown
But my thoughts turned to Spain when my spirits ran low,
When staring at rain through a dusty window
Or my silver duro

When at last peace had returned, I started to count the days
(But) with the cruel revenges of Franco, you implored me to stay away
From a boy to a man, ah the years they turned slow
Until all I had left was a faded photo
And that silver duro

When at last we were united, the tears of joy did pour
A dream made real in that moment, a grown man a son once more
Around you then, my arms I did throw
I opened my fist and to you I did show
Our silver duro

And now we are together, we never once more shall part
No writer, painter or poet can capture the love in my heart,
But we’ll never forget that time long ago
When the rain it did fall and the tears they did flow,
Or that silver duro

Sister, you have asked to hear my story,
And, in this calm, it seems a world away,
When heroes fought for principles not glory,
And the sound of battle thundered every day.

Chorus

They knew that, as the day of battle it drew nearer,
And the sun’s bright rays o’ercame the dark of night,
With the armoury of her station gleaming clearer,
‘English Penny’ she stood ready for the fight.

In ‘37, detrained at Albacete,
From there to work with nurses, brave and good,
At Tarancon, Jarama and Brunete,
In the days when Spain was red – with Spanish blood.

Chorus

Unlike this room so peaceful and so calming,
It’s the dreadful sounds of battle still I hear,
The chaos of the transports to the front line,
And the bombing raids when children called in fear.

Chorus

And, unlike the chill nights of an English autumn,
I still feel the cruel Murcian sun,
Working day and night with army surgeons,
All to heal the damage wrought by shell and gun.

Chorus

And unlike the softness of this bed I lie in,
It’s the endless toil of nursing I recall,
Dividing up the living from the dying,
In those makeshift wards in burnt out schools and halls.

Chorus

And quite unlike this sober conversation,
It’s the strutting demagogues that I abhor,
Who play upon the basest of emotions,
All to march young men and women off to war.

Chorus

Three matelots, brisk and bold, fa la la la lee la dee da
Three matelots brisk and bold, went a sailing on the sea
And the wind took their sails, fa la la la lee la dee da
The wind took their sails and pushed them on to Port Launay
On to Port Launay, pushed them on to Port Launay
On to Port Launay, pushed them on to Port Launay

At Mein-ar-veilh they hove to, fa la la la lee la dee da
At Mein-ar-veilh they hove to, and their anchor it was laid
As they strolled down by the mill, fa la la la lee la dee da
As they strolled down by the mill, they met a serving maid
Met a serving maid, they met a serving maiden
Met a serving maid, they met a serving maiden

And unto one she did say, fa la la la lee la dee da
And unto one she did say, “We were lovers you and I!
One market day in Nantes, fa la la la lee la dee da
One market day in Nantes, a gold ring we did buy
A gold ring we did buy, oh a gold ring we did buy,
A gold ring we did buy, oh a gold ring we did buy,

And with that ring, bright and gold, fa la la la lee la dee da
With that ring bright and gold, I gave my love to thee
So my love, though we be poor, fa la la la lee la dee da
(And) so my love though we be poor, it is married we shall be
Married we shall be, oh, its married we shall be,
Married we shall be, oh its married we shall be”

“Ah love, such comforts you enjoy, fa la la la lee la dee da
Ah love, such comforts you enjoy, how could you bear too live instead?
For I’ve no house nor land, fa la la la lee la dee da
No house nor land, nor yet a pillow for your head
A pillow for your head, nor yet a pillow for your head
A pillow for your head, nor yet a pillow for your head

Nor yet a bowl nor a spoon, fa la la la lee la dee da
Nor yet a bowl nor a spoon, nor even flour for our bread!”
“Why, then like partridge we will be, fa la la la lee la dee da
Then like partridge we will be and sleep upon the ground
Sleep upon the cold ground, we will sleep upon the cold ground
Sleep upon the cold ground, we will sleep upon the cold ground

Tri martolod yaouank, fa la la la lee la dee da
Tri martolod yaouank, O voned da veaji
Tri martolod yaouank, fa la la la lee la dee da
Tri martolod yaouank, O voned da veaji
O voned da veaji, ge, O voned da veaji
O voned da veaji, ge, O voned da veaji

It was nineteen thirty seven, upon the twenty first of May
That we boarded the Habana, and from home we sailed away,
Solo por tres meses, we heard our mothers say
And to England we were taken
And it’s there, for many years we were destined to stay

How well do I remember, those childhood days before the war
They were filled with peaceful pleasures, we thought they’d last forever more
But Mola’s troops pressed harder, and loud the guns did roar
And in silence we retreated
Into the city, where we crowded on every floor

Proud Bilbao was surrounded, blockaded from the sea
And with air raid sirens howling, to the refuge we would flee
As desperation mounted, rumours came to be
That a ship would sail for England
And through the night, our mothers queued to set us free

At the station we assembled, and with tears said our goodbyes
(And) the rain it was our comfort for the bombers they could not fly
And Franco’s ships stayed silent, when Fearless they did espy
And to the stormy Bay of Biscay
Basque children, in their thousands sailed by

When we landed at Southampton, the Sally Army band did play
Our ‘exilio Ingles’, it began that very day
But when we heard that Bilbao had fallen, tears we could not stay
Forlorn and broken hearted,
It was clear, that in England we’d make our way.

It was nineteen thirty seven, upon the twenty first of May
That we boarded the Habana, and from home we sailed away,
Solo por tres meses, we heard our mothers say
And to England we were taken
And it’s there, for many years we were destined to stay

Good day dear heart, I pray that all the world stands well with you –
- but does our love stand true?
Good day dear heart, I pray that all the world stands well with you -
- but does our love stand true?
(For) I’ve called to see, if married we shall be,
And so relieve my pain and misery
I’ve called to see, if married we shall be,
And so relieve my pain and misery

Oh no kind sir, ‘tis never that the two of us shall wed -
For church banns they are read
Oh no kind sir, ‘tis never that the two of us shall wed -
For church banns they are read
To an officer so bold, I’m promised evermore
And so good Sir, I beg you now withdraw
To an officer so bold, I’m promised evermore
And so good Sir, I beg you now withdraw

Oh cruel heart, if I had known our love would finish so -
And to church we would not go,
Oh cruel heart, if I had known our love would finish so -
And to church we would not go,
I’d ne’er have been free and gay, on spending all my pay,
Upon your father at the cabaret
I’d ne’er have been free and gay, on spending all my pay,
Upon your father at the cabaret

All that was spent, t’was only spent because you wished it so -
Galant I beg you go
All that was spent, t’was only spent because you wished it so -
Galant I beg you go
How many times must I grieve your heart full sore,
And so good Sir, I beg you now withdraw
How many times must I grieve your heart full sore,
And so good Sir, I beg you now withdraw

Si j'ai perdu, ah! mes peines et mon temps
J'ai bien passé d'agréables moments
Si j'ai perdu, ah! mes peines et mon temps
J'ai bien passé d'agréables moments
Le verre à la main pour bénir mon chagrin
Les larmes aux yeux, belle faut se dire adieu
Le verre à la main pour bénir mon chagrin
Les larmes aux yeux, belle faut se dire adieu

If I have lost, if I have lost in sorrow and in pain -
Then pleasures I did gain,
If I have lost, if I have lost in sorrow and in pain
Then pleasures I did gain,
And so, with glass in hand, I’ll raise a toast so high,
Tears in my eyes, I’ll bid my love goodbye!
And so, with glass in hand, I’ll raise a toast so high,
Tears in my eyes, I’ll bid my love goodbye

I was my father’s only child,
And upon me he always smiled,
Constantly he implored me to wed,
Ah! but a single life I led.

And one day as I was walking abroad,
I lay with the boy that I adored,
(But) at the rising of the sun,
I was abandoned and he was gone.

And when I found I was with child,
I could think on naught and my mind ran wild,
“(Oh) when this child arrives here on earth,
What will my poor life then be worth?”

And so it was when the child gained life,
Into its wee heart I plunged my knife,
From breast to chin, the knife it did go,
And blood from this poor wee soul did flow.

A sheet of white linen I then did take,
And for this poor form a shroud did make,
And then with silent tears did I weep,
As I buried my son in the wild woods deep.

Alas to the woods that evening did go,
Three large white hounds – as pale as snow,
They scraped and they pawed and the body they found,
And all were aroused by their terrible sound.

The very next day the inquest began,
With girls from the village called one by one,
And the good mothers of the town did agree,
That they should lead this worthy deed.

My innocent father when he heard the decree,
He woke me with news most gently,
“Rise up my darling daughter dear,
Haste to the court and speak without fear” .

So, quickly I rose and I made my way,
And unto the court I repaired straightway,
Though in the line stayed to the rear,
To all the good mothers my guilt it was clear.

And so the judge he has made his decree,
That I must die on the gallows tree,
Wrists to be pared and my head shaven bare,
Hanged will I be in the village square.

This track is an instrumental.

"Sally where are you going that you do look so gay

"I know that I've not asked you to take a walk today".

"You have not asked me; well indeed, it's a tidy cheek of you,

"For you think that there's no more young chaps; I've got a dozen or two!

Billy don't you weep for me

I'm going to St. James Park, me cousin Joe to see".

“Cousin Joe, now who is he - he's a soldier I can tell"

For I know that you're fond of lobsters both raw and boiled as well".

 “My Cousin Joe's a guardsman, and he is a handsome chap     

And he wears such fine moustachios, and a stunning furry cap.

Oh Billy don't you weep for me. 

I'm very fond of Cousin Joe, and I’ll sit all on his knee

We're going to the play tonight, Jack Sheppard for to see

And when that it is all over, we'll all have a jolly good spree

I've got money for a pint of stout and when we're short of tin

I'll even go and porn my smock to buy us a bottle of gin

Billy don't you weep for me. 

I'm going after Cousin Joe and I'll sit all on his knee.

“Sally - what is the use of him? - he never can keep you –      

You'll have to work from morn 'til night, that's what you'll have to do.

You'll have to wash shirts at a penny each, or else stand at the tub!

And mark my words, there’s many a day when you’ll go short of grub,

And then, Sally, you'll cry for me. 

But go on back to Cousin Joe, and sit all on his knee!"

“In about a twelve months after, young Sally came back to me,

She said that she was sorry that she'd ever been on that spree

She wanted me to take her back.   Says I, It is no go

For do you think that I'm such a fool? Go back to Cousin Joe!

Sally, I can't come over 

For I see you have a baby to dance all on your knee".

“Oh Billy how can you serve me so? You really drive me mad!

I'll have you up before the beak, and I'll swear you are it's dad.

When you get before the bench they will not let you speak,

And you'll have to keep the young one on 30 pence a week.   

So, Billy, how can you serve me so? 

I'm sure the child belongs to you. And not to Cousin Joe".

Well in a week she gets this summons but she found it was no go,

The magistrate decided that the child belonged to Joe.

She went up to Billy's back yard, and the door she quickly shut,       

And when at last they found her, she'd drowned in the water butt.

So young women take a warning from me, 

Never love a soldier or sit all on his knee.

As sung by Nic jones.  The tune is Nic Jones'

A brave young soldier was travelling homewards from the war,
And as the night it was a-falling, a distant light he saw,
So, he made straight for the inn, and he knocked upon its door.

(And) as the clock drew close to seven, the soldier did enquire,
Asking of his new hostess, to dine beside the fire?
“Why yes, my handsome fellow, whatever you desire”.

And she’s called out to the housemaid, little Jeanneton
“Bring to me our finest dishes, each and every one
To feed this rich young fellow, to feed this rich man’s son”.

(And) as the clock drew close to nine, and tiredness did creep
The soldier asked his new hostess, “Have I a place to sleep?”
“Why yes, my handsome fellow, and I vow you’ll slumber deep”

And she has called out to the housemaid, little Jeanneton
“Escort our guest unto his bedroom, make speed girl now be gone
Take him up to the highest chamber, our most special one”

(And) all the while, the stairs they climbed, the maiden she stepped slow
And as the bedroom came in sight, inside she would not go
“But, my dear and kind young maiden, why weep and moan you so?”

“I’ll tell no lies my brave young soldier, to danger you are led
Your chamber holds the darkest secrets, look there beneath the bed”
And what he saw appalled him, cadavers long since dead

“What can I do, what must I do, to safely pass this night?”
“Take you one of these four corpses, in blankets wrap it tight
And just pray your trick stays hidden by the darkness of the night!”

And as the clock drew close to eleven, in terror the boy did stir
On hearing of his host and hostess climb the darkened stair
And with hammer and a rock they butchered what lay there.

But as the clock drew close to five, our soldier did arise
And with a knife from out the kitchen, his hosts he did surprise
“Return to me my riches - today you win no prize!”

And, so he’s called out to the housemaid, little Jeanneton,
“To you, I owe my own sweet life, this kindly deed you’ve done
But we can no longer stay here, it is time that we were gone”.

“So go and gather up all possessions that stand so dear to thee
And to the church we will repair and married we will be
But not before these villains hang high from the gallows tree”

This track is an instrumental.