Greenfields of Amerikay-Pan Morigan

This version of greenfields evolved from my early hearing of the recording by the innovative irish hand, planxty, my study of the paddy tunney version, and 15 years of singing the ballad in many moods. like all great songs, this one takes on a life of its own in every singer's mouth. i found the first line of this version in the new york city public library. For my father, who emigrated from canada Farewell to the groves of the sweet county antrim farewell to the people of old ireland all round may their hearts be as merry as ever i would wish them when far away on the ocean i'm bound Oh my mother is old and my father is failing to leave their own country it grieves their hearts so ah the tears in great drops down their cheeks they are rolling to think they must die, upon a foreign shore But what matter to me where my bones may be buried if in peace and contentment i can spend my life oh the green fields of canada, they daily are looming it's there i'll put an end to my misery and strife The sheep run unsheared, and the land's gone to rushes the handyman's gone and the winders of creels away 'cross the ocean, good journeymen tailors and fiddlers that flail out the old mountain reels But i mind the time when old ireland was flourishing when lots of her tradesmen could work for good pay but soon so many factories had crossed the atlantic it's now we must follow to arnerikay