Rant & Roar

Here are the lyrics to Great Big Sea's American release.

Ordinary Day

I've got a smile on my face, and I've got four walls around me
I've got the sun in the sky, all the water surrounds me
I'll win now but sometimes I'll lose
I've been battered, but I never bruise... it's not so bad

Chorus:

And I say way-hey-hey, it's just an ordinary day
and it's all your state of mind
At the end of the day,
You've just got to say... it's all right.

Janie sings on the corner, what keeps her from dying
Let them say what they want, she won't stop trying
She might stumble, if they push her 'round
She might fall, but she'll never lie down

Chorus

In this beautiful life, there's always some sorrow
And It's a double edged knife, but there's always tomorrow
It's up to you now if you sink or swim,
Just keep the faith and you're ship will come in.

Chorus

When I'm Up (I Can't Get Down)

I am the fountain of affection
I'm the instrument of joy
And to keep the good times rolling
I'm the boy, I'm the boy,
You know the world could be our oyster,
You just put your trust in me,
Cause we'll keep the good times rolling
Wait and see, wait and see....oh wait and see!

His exhaltation, a sweet disintegration.
A few discolorations, then it comes along
up is why he chooses, the kisses and the bruises
There ain't nothing he refuses, then it comes along
It comes along, and I am lifted, I am lifted, I am lifted!

Chorus:

When I'm up I can't get down
Can't get down, can't get level
When I'm up I can't get down
Get my feet back on the ground
When I'm up I can't get down
Can't get down, can't get level
When I'm up I can't get down
Get my feet back on the ground

He just needs, something to blind him
Something to wind him up
It won't take long to find him
When it comes on strong.

Wise guys are grinning, street lights are spinning
The night is just beginning, and then it comes on strong
It comes on strong, and I am lifted, I am lifted, I am lifted!

Chorus

Oh it comes on strong, and I am lifted.
It comes on strong, and I am lifted.
I am lifted, I am lifted!

Chorus

Mari-Mac

There's a neat little lass and her name is Mari Mac
Make no mistake, she's the girl I'm gonna track
Lot of other fellas try to get her on her back
But I'm thinking that they'll have to get up early

Chorus:

Mari Mac's mother's making Mari Mac marry me
My mother's making me marry Mari Mac
Well I'm going to marry Mari for when Mari's taking care of me
We'll all be feeling merry when I marry Mari Mac

Now Mari and her mother are an awful lot together
In fact you hardly see the one without the other
And people often wonder if it's Mari or her mother
Or both of them together I am courting

Chorus

Well up among the heather in the hills of Bonifee
Well I had a bonnie lass sitting on me knee
A bumble bee stung me right above me knee
Up among the heather in the hills of Benifee

Chorus

Well I said "Wee bonnie lassie, where you going to spend the day?"
She said "Among the heather in the hills of Benifee"
Where all the boys and girls are making out so free
Up among the heather in the hills of Benifee

Chorus

The wedding's on Wednesday, everything's arranged
Soon her name will be changed to mine unless her mind be changed
And making the arrangements, I'm feeling quite deranged
Marriage is an awful undertaking

Chorus

Sure to be a grand affair, grander than a fair
Going to be a fork and plate for every man that's there
And I'll be a bugger if I don't get my share
If I don't we'll be very much mistaken

Chorus

There's a neat little lass and her name is Mari Mac
Make no mistake, she's the girl I'm gonna track
Lot of other fellas try to get up on her back
I'm thinking that they'll have to get up early

Chorus

End of the World

It's the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine

That's great, it starts with an earthquake, birds,
snakes, an aeroplanes, Lenny Bruce is not afraid.
Eye of a hurricane, listen to yourself churn - world
serves its own needs, dummy serve your own needs. Feed
it off an aux speak, grunt, no, strength, Ladder
start to clatter with fear fight down height. Wire
in a fire, representing seven games, a government
for hire and a combat site. Left of west and coming in
a hurry with the furies breathing down your neck. Team
by team reporters baffled, trumped, tethered cropped.
Look at that low playing! Fine, then. Uh oh,
overflow, population, common food, but it'll do. Save
yourself, serve yourself. World serves its own needs,
listen to your heart bleed dummy with the rapture and
the revered and the right, right. You vitriolic,
patriotic, slam, fight, bright light, feeling pretty
psyched.

Chorus:

It's the end of the world as we know it.
It's the end of the world as we know it.
It's the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine.

Six o'clock - TV hour. Don't get caught in foreign
towers. Slash and burn, return, listen to yourself
churn. Locking in, uniforming, book burning, blood
letting. Every motive escalate. Automotive incinerate.
Light a votive, light a candle. Step down, step down.
Watch your heel crush, crushed, uh-oh, this means no
fear cavalier. Renegade steer clear! A tournament,
tournament, a tournament of lies. Offer me solutions,
offer me alternatives and I decline.

Chorus 2x

The other night I dreamt of knives, continental
drift divide. Mountains sit in a line, Leonard
Bernstein. Leonid Brezhnev, Lenny Bruce and Lester
Bangs. Birthday party, cheesecake, jelly bean, boom! You
symbiotic, patriotic, slam book neck, right? Right.

Chorus 2x

Fast As I Can

From the first "Hello" you gave to me
I've done nothing else but smile
And I know you're in a hurry
but its gonna take a while.
So forgive me if we go slow,
but there's something I think you should know

Chorus:

I'm goin fast as I can, please don't make me rush
this feeling's coming on way too fast
I'll tell you all of the things that you'll never forget
But I'm not ready say, "I love you" yet
I'm not ready to say "I love you" yet.

Don't push me in too deep,
I've always been the fool who rushes in.
I know, You've got to take the pieces one-by-one
for you've got everything.
So forgive me if we take time.
but there's something thats been on my mind.

Chorus

Oh! There'll be times when I'm mistaken
there'll be times when we're gonna fight
but you needn't doubt we can work it out
and in time we'll get it right.
So forgive me if we go slow but there's something I think you should know...

Chorus

The Night Pat Murphy Died

Oh the night that Paddy Murphy died, is a night I'll never forget
Some of the boys got loaded drunk, and they ain't got sober yet;
As long as a bottle was passed around every man was feelin' gay
O'Leary came with the bagpipes, some music for to play

Chorus:

That's how they showed their respect for Paddy Murphy
That's how they showed their honour and their pride;
They said it was a sin and shame and they winked at one another
And every drink in the place was full the night Pat Murphy died

As Mrs. Murphy sat in the corner pouring out her grief
Kelly and his gang came tearing down the street
They went into an empty room and a bottle of whiskey stole
They put the bottle with the corpse to keep that whiskey cold

Chorus

About two o'clock in the morning after empty'ing the jug
Doyle rolls up the ice box lid to see poor Paddy's mug
We stopped the clock so Mrs. Murphy couldn't tell the time
And at a quarter after two we argued it was nine

Chorus

They stopped the hearse on George Street outside Sundance Saloon
They all went in at half past eight and staggered out at noon
They went up to the graveyard, so holy and sublime
Found out when they got there, they'd left the corpse behind!

Chorus

Oh the night that Paddy Murphy died, is a night I'll never forget
Some of the boys got loaded drunk and they ain't been sober yet;
As long as a bottle was passed around every man was feelin' gay
O'Leary came with the bagpipes, some music for to play

Chorus

Goin Up

Well come gather all around me
There is something you should know
There's no place quite like this place
If we get it on the go

So, pile your boots up in the corner
Hang your jacket from the door
There's thirty people in the kitchen
And there's always room for more

Chorus:

oh-oh-oh, Come on now
Let's lock the world outside
oh-oh-oh, Come on I tell you now
She's goin' up tonight

Well there'll be music all around you
You should see the way it feels
Come on off we go now
Heel and toe now
To the jigs and reels

'Cause somebody's got a fiddle
And someone else bought a guitar
and we got Bobby on the squeezebox
Grab a chair and mason jar

Chorus

Well there'll be smilin', there'll be laughin'
Well that's good enough for me
There'll be dancing all around you
This is where you want to be

So pile your boots up in the corner
Hang your jacket from the door
There's thirty people in the kitchen
And there's always room, yes there's always room

General Taylor

Well General Taylor gained the day
Walk him along, John, Carry him along
Well General Taylor he gained the day
Carry him to his bury'n ground

Chorus:

Tell me way, hey, you stormy
Walk him along, John, carry him along
Tel me way, hey, you stormy
Carry him to his bury'n ground

We'll dig his grave with a silver spade
Walk him along, John, Carry him along
His shroud of the finest silk will be made
Carry him to his bury'n ground

horus

We'll lower him down on a golden chain
Walk him along, John, Carry him along
On every inch we'll carve his name
Carry him to his bury'n ground

Chorus

General Taylor he's all the go
Walk him along, John, Carry him along
He's gone where the stormy winds won't blow
Carry him to his bury'n ground

Chorus

General Taylor he's dead and he's gone
Walk him along, John, Carry him along
Well General Taylor he's long dead and gone
Carry him to his bury'n ground

Chorus 2x

Dancing With Mrs White

This is an instrumental tune.

Something To It

I'm sorry if i ruined your day
I really hope that you understand
I'm a million miles away
Looking for a place to land

My father phoned me yesterday
your time has come, well done my son
tried to think of what to say
when words can heed already gone

Chorus:

I don't know how I got here
there must be something to it
I think I need some time alone
to work my way through it

The moon is in the sky tonight
not very warm but it sheds some light
ask me now and I just might
let the morning come and tell me if its right

Chorus

Soon initial bliss will pass
this precious time might be your last
Like dew upon the morning grass,
good intentions can vanish with the sun

I'm sorry if i ruined your day
I really hope that you understand
I'm a million miles away
looking for a place to land
I'm a million miles away
looking for a place to land

Lukey

Well oh, Lukey's boat is painted green,
Ha, me boys!
Lukey's boat is painted green,
The prettiest boat that you've ever seen,
A-ha, me boys a-riddle-i-day!
A-ha, me boys a-riddle-i-day!

Well oh, Lukey's boat's got a fine fore cuddy,
Ha, me boys!
Lukey's boat's got a fine fore cuddy,
And every seam is chinked with putty,
A-ha, me boys a-riddle-i-day!
A-ha, me boys a-riddle-i-day!

Well I says "Lukey the blinds are down"
Ha, me boys!
I says "Lukey the blinds are down"
"Me wife is dead and she's underground"
A-ha, me boys a-riddle-i-day!
A-ha, me boys a-riddle-i-day

Well I says Lukey "I don't care"
Ha, me boys!
I says Lukey "I don't care"
"I'll get me another in the spring of the year"
A-ha, me boys a-riddle-i-day!
A-ha, me boys a-riddle-i-day!

Oh, Lukey's rolling out his grub,
Ha, me boys!
Lukey's rolling out his grub,
One split pea, and a ten pound tub,
A-ha, me boys a-riddle-i-day!
A-ha, me boys a-riddle-i-day!

Well, Lukey's boat's got high-topped sails,
Ha, me boys!
Lukey's boat's got high-topped sails
The sheet was planted with copper nails,
A-ha, me boys a-riddle-i-day!
A-ha, me boys a-riddle-i-day!

Lukey's boat is painted green,
Ha, me boys!
Lukey's boat is painted green,
It's the prettiest boat that you've ever seen,
A-ha, me boys a-riddle-i-day!
A-ha, me boys a-riddle-i-day!
A-ha, me boys a-riddle-i-day!

The Old Black Rum

I drank sixteen doubles for the price of one
Trying to find the courage to talk to one
I asked her for a dance
Not a second glance
My night had just begun

Well I drink to the father and the holy ghost
I'm kneeling at the alter of my nightly post
So I'll raise a glass, not the first nor last
Come join me in this toast

Chorus:

Because the old black rum's got a hold on me
Like a dog wrapped round my leg
And the old black rum's got a hold on me
Will I live for another day?
Hey, Will I live for another day?

Well the queen of George street just went walking on by
Walking on by with some guy who don't care
That she stood in line
Since half past nine
And spent three hours on her hair (On her hair!)

Well her friend is looking at me with an evil grin
I think the bloody racket might soon begin
I must have said some thing
To the George street queen
The boys are joining in!

Chorus

So I drank all of my money
And I slept out in the rain
Everyday is different but the nights they're all the same
You never see the sun on the old black rum
But I know I'm gonna do it again!

Chorus 2x

Rant & Roar

Chorus:

We'll rant and we'll roar like true Newfoundlanders
We'll rant and we'll roar on deck and below
Until we strikes bottom inside the two sunkers
When straight through the channel to Toslow we'll go

I'm a son of a sea cook, I'm a cook in a trader
I can dance, I can sing, I can reef the main boom
I can handle a jigger, I cuts a fine figure
Whenever I gets in a boats standing room

Chorus

Farewell and adieu to ye young maids of Valen
Oderin and Presque, Fox Hole and Bruley
I'm bound for the westward to the wall with the hole in
I can't marry all or a chokey I'll be

Chorus 2x
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