LYRICS
BEST OF THE BEST (Canadian Olympic Song)
written by Johnny Blue
With the best of the best we stand
And sing to the world “O Canada”
Our home and native land
We’re here to make you proud.
From the west to the eastern shores
From Great Lakes to the Great White North we come
With the spirit they brought before
We’re here, our voices loud.
Shoulder to shoulder, like brothers and sisters
The family cheers us on.
Province through province, together and with us
A family of Canadians.
With the maple leaf at our hearts
We sing strong and loud, “O Canada”
From its many and varied parts
We’re here, our flag held high.
And we say ,“let the games begin”
We play for the honour of Canada
We will shine like Olympic rings
We’re here to make you proud.
From Hudson’s Bay to Mont Pellier
With one voice you will hear us say
“The game’s the thing, we’ve come to play
We’re Canadian, we’ve already won!”
Shoulder to shoulder, like brothers and sisters
The family cheers us on
Province through province, together and with us
A family of Canadians.
With the best of the best we stand
And sing to the world “O Canada”
Our home and native land
We’re here to make you proud.
From mountain peak to cobbled street
From cityscape to prairie wheat
We’ll tell whomever we may meet
“We’re Canadian, we’ve already won!”
BIG BAHOOKIE
(written by John Blue)
When I was a lad, we never dressed in plaid
And I never thought to wonder why we never had
When then I saw a kiltie, I confessed to being guilty
Of thinking him a teuchter from a farm.
When I ventured overseas it was all revealed to me
The culture of the kilt and how liberating it could be
So I wear my plaid with pride, I have not a thing to hide
If you asked I’ll gladly show you what a Scotsman wears inside
Chorus: Sit your big bahookie doon
Since you came into this toon
You’ve done nothing but display it to the people all aroon’
You must be bloody mental
To be going regimental
Go on and sit your big bahookie doon
While in my native garb sometimes I do receive a barb
But mostly the remarks are of a curious regard
And the ladies are delighted sometimes shocked but never slighted
To accept the glimpse of Scotland that this native son provides
Now I feel I must explain the somewhat Calvinist refrain
It’s a phrase I have encountered from fellow Scots time and again
The kind who never show their wares, the ones with fire and brimstone stares
It’s my guess that if you looked you’d find a pickle stuck up there.
Chorus
So I beg all Scots agree, all those who are or want to be
Do not dismiss this peccadillo which is not uniquely me
If a kiltie you should pass give a hoot if he should flash
‘Cause if it’s Scottish you will never see a finer piece of ass
Chorus
DOUGLAS THE SAILOR
Written by: Johnny Blue
I met a Scotsman on a site down in London
We were brick-laying and building a fancy hotel
That summer was warm, we were all working shirtless
Except for old “Douglas the Sailor” himself.
I was green so I asked him to tell.
Chorus: Oh son, you don’t know the half of it
Don’t know the half of what happens at sea
Listen, I’ll tell you a story
It’s true and what’s more, it’s what happened to me.
He undid a few buttons to show me his secret
His broad chest was hairless, but no way was it bare
From sternum to belly and nipple to nipple
He displayed a tattoo that demanded your stare.
He was sixteen and working the Brit Merchant Navy
His third port of call was the docks of Shanghai
Pished drunk and daring, he was determined on getting
A tattoo for Scotland that could knock out an eye.
“And you got it,” I had to reply.
Chorus
The Chinese tattoo-ist was glad for the business
With hand signs and gestures, he asked Douglas to choose
A design from his repertoire of art for the body
But Douglas declined all the standard tattoos.
With pride, Douglas described the thistle of Scotland
The Chinese man nodded and shook Douglas’ hand
He gave the young man a pencil and paper
Saying, “Draw for me picture from bonnie Scotland.”
Chorus
Douglas sketched out a thistle entwined in a banner
Reading “Scotland Forever”
Then passed out from the drink
The tattoo-ist studied the young sailor’s artwork
As the Scottish boy slept, he injected the ink.
Douglas woke from his stupor surrounded by shipmates
Their uproarious laughter had the Scotsman perplexed
He soon learned the source of the others’ amusement
As he followed the fingers and looked at his chest.
He rushed to the mirror to gaze at his image
He gaped with a mixture of horror and awe
A bright purple banner ‘round a golden pineapple
Reading “Scrotrand Forever” was the image he saw.
Chorus x 2
GHOST OF SHANE MACGOWAN
(written by John Blue)
As you hear these words you’ll wonder
Could a ca come from the living?
What is living but to ponder
On the mysteries of heaven
And if heaven spawned a deil
Then it dropped him off in Irie
When we raise a wee bit Hell
It’s then I feel him right beside me.
Chorus: I’ve sung songs of love and far off lands
Of God’s good grace and the devil’s plans
Raised the roof in many a town
And always standing close, I’d feel the ghost of Shane Macgowan
A crooked grin or grimace
And a quick swig of the whiskey
Battering the melody
As if it slurred his mammy
Then shining like a diamond
Swaying in his drunken glory
Showing lesser beings
What he is and always will be
Chorus
Homage is a poofy word
The man would never use it
But it fits no matter how absurd
There is no way to lose it
So charge your glasses one and all
To health we’ll drink our pleasure down
And pray it’s years away
‘Til there’s a ghost of Shane Macgowan
Chorus
THE HORIZON
(written by John Blue)
Eight thousand days by a river where I never learned to swim
Raised by a mother, no other would have done
Praised by a father in his rather quiet way
Sent to Coventry by those dear to me, so in Coventry I stay
I was schooled by priests in an Orangeman’s town
Encouraged to stay standing on the lowly, holy ground
Reminded of my station every time I turned around
For a look beyond the horizon.
Chorus: And it’s slàinte
May the devil never get yi
Here’s to one and aw
Good luck never neglect yi
We will raise a jar
That the angels will protect yi
All the way beyond your horizon.
I was left for dead by people that I love
Marched blindly into Hell, calling curses on above
I gave a friend a hand, received a traitor’s shove
For a look beyond the horizon.
Robbed Peter to pay Paul and was hounded for my crime
With my back against the wall, I defended what was mine
I bet my bottom dollar I’d spend my last dime
For a look beyond the horizon.
Chorus
I have played many parts, I have told many tales
I have broken people’s hearts, I have mended people’s sails
I have floundered in the dark of the belly of the whale
For a look beyond the horizon.
Now I’m back in the saddle riding fast toward the stars
It’s been written in the runes that the journey will be hard
But the light in the eye of mo duinne
Will take me far beyond the horizon
Chorus
CHANGES (IN THE TOWN WHERE I WAS BORN)
(written by John Blue)
There have been changes in the town where I was born
Though the faces are the same it seems the memories have gone
And most of all the old friends have upped and moved along
There have been changes in the town where I was born
The nods of recognition now are few
They’re replaced by furrowed brows that say, “are you someone I once knew?”
I hope they read the sadness in the title of this song
There have been changes in the town where I was born
Bridge: Bring on the changes, don’t the people long for change
Look for a reason to begin again, and again, and again
And again, and again, and again
You grow up and out of old ways and you see
That you can’t buy back the old days with a happy memory
So you think of when the old men said—and you laughed and they would scorn
“There have been changes in the town where I was born”.
"Big Bahookie" CD available on CD baby itunes and Myxer for ringtones.Click links below.
CD Baby
itunes
RINGTONES
>
Folded Flags
GAELHEART the lyrics
The VET/Folded Flags initiative
Continue
.
