Irish Songs

by Gilda Lyons (b. 1975)

The parting Glass

Language: English

Oh all the money that e'er I had, I spent it in good company,
And all the harm that e'er I done, alas it was to none but me,
And all I've lost for want of wit to mem'ry now I can't recall;
So fill to me this parting glass, Good night and joy be with you all.
If I had money enough to spend, And leisure time to sit awhile,
There is a fair maid in this town, Who sorely has my heart beguiled,
Her rosy cheeks and ruby lips, I own, she has my heart in thrall,
So fill to me this parting glass, Good night, And joy be with you all.
Oh all the comrades e'er I had, They are sorry for my going away,
and all the sweethearts e'er I had, They'd wished me one more day to stay.
But since it falls unto my lot That I should rise and you should not,
I'll gently rise and I'll softly call, Good-night and joy be with you all.

Text Authorship:

from Volkslieder (Folksongs) , as Traditional [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

Set by Gilda Lyons (b. 1975), first performed 2009 [ 2 voices ]
Traditional Irish, adapted by the composer
Researcher for this page: Joost van der Linden [Guest Editor]

Total word count: 172