I wish that I was in England is in the "Christy Moore songbook" and probably on his web site, you'll find the address if you go into "links". Zoological gardens is in "Folksongs & ballads popular in Ireland" book3.

Slainte

Alison

Oh! thunder and lightning is no lark
When Dublin City is in the dark
If you've got no money go up to the park
And view the Zoological Gardens

Saturday night we had no dough
So I took the mot to see the Zoo
There were lions and tigers and kangaroos
Inside the Zoological Gardens

Well we went out there by Castleknock
Said she to me, "Will we court by the Lough?"
Then I knew she was one of the rare old stock
Inside the Zoological Gardens

Said she to me, "My dear friend Jack,
Shure I'd like a ride......on the elephants back."
Well get outa that or you'll get such a crack
Inside the Zoological Gardens

We went up there on our honeymoon
Said the mot to me, "If you don't come soon
I'll have to sleep with the hairy baboon
Inside the Zoological Gardens

Oh! thunder and lightning is no lark
When Dublin City is in the dark
If you've got no money go up to the park
And view the Zoological Gardens

Traditional Dublin Song
Performed by many but made
famous by the "Dubliners"
This is a naughty to adults
but innocent to younger ears.

"mot" = girlfriend
"ride" = Irish slang for copulation

Alison is quite correct. "I wish I was in England" is in the
Christy Moore song book and it is in fact one of the first songs he worte.

If you cannot get the words from there I shall type them out for you in a day or two.

Best Regards
Frank McGrath

Nenagh Singers Circle

frankmcg@tinet.ie

THE ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS
(Dominik Behan)

Chorus: Thunder and lightnin' it's no lark
When Dublin City is in the dark,
Would yeh care to go to the Phoenix Park
And view the Zoological Gardens?

1. I went up there on my honeymoon,
We saw the lions and the old baboon,
And we strayed for a while 'neath the silv'ry moon
Around the Zoological Gardens.

2. She says to me, me dear friend Jack,
Sure I'd like a ride on the elephant's back,
If yeh don't go outa that I'll give you a smack
Around the Zoological Gardens.

3. But Jack, says she, to give you yer due,
There's nothing jumps around as well as you,
No not even the big Australian kangaroo
Around the Zoological Gardens.

4. Oh Lord says I now don't be daft,
She says it's true and yer not to laugh,
But yer lovely and long like the spotted giraffe,
Up in the Zoological Gardens.

5. We left by the gate at Castleknock,
She says me dear sure we'll court on the lock,
Then I knew she was one of the rare old stock
Outside the Zoological Gardens.

Here's the notes of Dominik Behan (adding to Frank's explanation):

"The Phoenix Park is one of the best loved and most loved parks in Europe. In order to get to the Zoo, lovers have to pass the Hollow, and because anybody wanting a good court would be stupid if he passed the Hollow, very few people ever get as far as the Zoo until they are married with children..."

Wolfgang

I have great respect for Dominic Behan's work and I think he has added brilliant verses to this song. Why not mix the two together Who knows now what the original form of the song took? I sure don't, but as long as it is sung and is enjoyed and stays in the tradition; well to me, that is the most positive thing. And if the song changes a little over the years; well so what?

Sing and enjoy and let the tradition live and thrive.

Frank McGrath

MIDI file: ZOOGDNS.MID

Timebase: 480

Name: THE ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS
TimeSig: 3/4 24 8
Key: D
Tempo: 100 (600000 microsec/crotchet)
Start
0960 1 74 127 0478 0 74 127 0002 1 74 127 0478 0 74 127 0002 1 74 127 0478 0 74 127 0002 1 74 127 0478 0 74 127 0002 1 69 127 0958 0 69 127 0002 1 71 127 0478 0 71 127 0002 1 72 127 0958 0 72 127 0002 1 71 127 0478 0 71 127 0002 1 69 127 0958 0 69 127 0002 1 67 127 0478 0 67 127 0002 1 66 127 0718 0 66 127 0002 1 64 127 0238 0 64 127 0002 1 66 127 0478 0 66 127 0002 1 62 127 0478 0 62 127 0002 1 64 127 0478 0 64 127 0002 1 66 127 0478 0 66 127 0002 1 67 127 0718 0 67 127 0002 1 66 127 0238 0 66 127 0002 1 67 127 0478 0 67 127 0002 1 64 127 0958 0 64 127 0002 1 69 127 0238 0 69 127 0002 1 67 127 0238 0 67 127 0002 1 66 127 0478 0 66 127 0002 1 64 127 0478 0 64 127 0002 1 66 127 0478 0 66 127 0002 1 67 127 0478 0 67 127 0002 1 66 127 0478 0 66 127 0002 1 67 127 0478 0 67 127 0002 1 69 127 0478 0 69 127 0002 1 74 127 0478 0 74 127 0002 1 71 127 0478 0 71 127 0002 1 69 127 0958 0 69 127 0002 1 67 127 0478 0 67 127 0002 1 66 127 0718 0 66 127 0002 1 66 127 0238 0 66 127 0002 1 64 127 0238 0 64 127 0002 1 66 127 0238 0 66 127 0002 1 67 127 0478 0 67 127 0002 1 64 127 0478 0 64 127 0002 1 61 127 0478 0 61 127 0002 1 62 127 1438 0 62 127 0002 1 62 127 0958 0 62 127
End

This program is worth the effort of learning it.

To download the March 10 MIDItext 98 software and get instructions on how to use it click here

ABC format:

X:1
T:The Zoological Gardens
M:3/4
Q:1/4=100
K:D
d6|d2d2d2|A4B2|=c4B2|A4G2|F3EF2|D2E2F2|G3FG2|
E4AG|F2E2F2|G2F2G2|A2d2B2|A4G2|F3FEF|G2E2C2|
D6|D6||

Cheers,
Alan

Slán libh go léir.

Frank McGrath
Nenagh Singers Circle

Oh I wish I was in England, in France or even in Spain
Or wherever dwells my own true love, to hold her near again
Wherever dwells my own true love to hold her near again

Oh long time I had been roaming, in country and in town
But never in my wanderings met, a maid with such renown
No never in my wanderings met, a maid with such renown

Until I met my true love on the shores of Knocknashee
Her brown hair in the howling wind, a-blowing wild and free
Her brown hair in the howling wind, a-blowing wild and free

Oh my true love she did promise me some land with rambling kine
And on her ample pasture land to build a mansion fine
And on her ample pasture land to build a mansion fine

But then my love she left me, and she wandered far away
And I've been searching for my love for many's the night and day
Yes I've been searching for my love for many's the night and day

Oh I wish that I was in England, or wherever she may be
That I could go and call my love, and together we would be
That I could go and call my love and together we would be

Written by Christy Moore

Frank McGrath
Nenagh Singers Circle