Liricí AmhránSong Lyrics

Bata Is Bóthar

Written by John Spillane and Louis de Paor

Arranged by Karan Casey

As recorded by Karan Casey on Distant Shore

Irish English
Ó chaitheas-sa seal i measc na bponcán Oh I spent a time in the land of the yanks
Ag codailt amuigh fé chrann mo dhóchais Sleeping out under the tree of my hope
Ag réabadh fallaí a thóg m'athair romham Tearing down walls my father had built before me
Idir é is an doicheall i bhfuinneog a súl Between himself and the window of suspicion of their eyes
   
Curfá: Chorus:
'Sea thugadar go fial dúinn a raibh acu le tabhairt Yeah, they gave us generously what they had to give
Bata is bóthar is fonn abhaile The stick and the road and the longing to go home
'Sea téir abhaile go h-ifreann Yes, go home to hell
Is fan sa bhaile in Éirinn And stay home in Ireland
   
Is chuas ina dhiaidh sin go Londain groí And I went after that to greater London
Mo dhá láimh liom is mé liom féin My two hands hanging and me on my own
Dá mbeinnse céad bliain ag doras Sheáin Bhuí If I was a hundred years at the door of John Bull
Ní bhfaighinn bheith istigh i ngar dá chroí I wouldn't get in close to his heart
   
Curfá Chorus
   
Is bhíos ag a' deireadh i ndeireadh an domhain And I was in the end at the end of the world
Ag luí béal faoi i bpoll an uaignis Lying face down in the pool of loneliness
Ag scríobadh na cré i dtrínse ró mhór Scratching at the clay in a trench too wide
A bhí chomh cúng le huaigh mo linbh That was as narrow as the grave of my child
   
Curfá Chorus
   
Is bhíos-sa lá i dtír na ndall And one day I went to the land of the blind
Ag iarraidh dídean ó racht na farraige Looking for shelter from the rage of the sea
Ní bhfuaireas-sa ann ach airgead ag méileach All I found there was the bleating of money
Is fliuchadh mo bhéil de mo dheora féin And the wetting of my mouth from my own tears
   
'Sea thugamar go fial dóibh a raibh againn le tabhairt Yeah, we generously them what they had to give
Bata is bóthar is fonn abhaile The stick and the road and the longing to go home
'Sea téir abhaile go h-ifreann Yes, go home to hell
Is fan sa bhaile as Éirinn... And stay home from Ireland...