Tommy Makem – Derry Jail lyrics

Oh, after morning, there comes an evening
And after evening another day
And after a false love, there comes a true one
But it's hard to hold them that will not stay

My love he is as nice a man
As e'er nature framed or the sun shone on
But how to gain him, I do not know
He has got his sentence for to be hung

As he went walking up the streets of Derry
I'm sure he marched up right manfully
He was more like a commanding officer
Than a man to die on the gallows tree

As he went walking up the streets of Derry
His blooming colours began to fail
With mournful cries and with dismal sighs
Is there no releasement from Derry Jail?

The very first step he went up the ladder
His aged mother was standing by
"Come here, come here, my old aged mother
I'd speak a word to you before I die"

The very next step he went up the ladder
His aged faher was standing by
"Come here, come here, my old aged father
I'd speak a word to you before I die"

The very next step he went up the ladder
His loving clergyman was standing by
"Stand back, stand back, you old prosecutor
I'll let you see that he will not die"

"I'll let you see that you dare not hang him
'Till his confession unto me is done
And then again that you dare not hang him
'Till within ten minutes of the setting sun"

What keeps my love, she's so long a coming?
Or what detains her so long from me?
Or does she think it a crime or a scandal
To see me die on the gallows tree?

He looked around and he saw her coming
And she rode swifter than any wind
"Come down, come down off that weary gallows
For I bear pardon all from the Queen"

"Come down, come down off that weary gallows
For I bear pardon all from the Queen
I'll let them see that they dare not hang you
And I'll crown my Willie with a bunch of green"