Bhí jab agam, is bhí cailín
Bhí rud éigin agam, mister, i mo shaol
Chailleas mo jab sa chlós adhmaid faraor
Shearg ár ngrá, bhí sé dian
Oibrím anois ag ní gluaisteán
Agus uisce de shíor ón spéir
Is nach mothaíonn tú mar phaisinéir leat féin ar thraein.
Ar sise, ‘Jó, slán leat go fóill
An rud ‘bhí ann, níl sé eadrainn níos mó’
Bhíos-sa fágtha ‘na diaidh im’ chadhan
Cheannaigh sí ticéad ar an Central Line
Is mé fá shuan, gabhann feadaíl i mo chluasa
Mothaím a póg ina ceo ón spéir
Is mothaímse i mo phaisinéir liom féin ar thraein
Aréir do chual’ do ghuth
Tú ag caoineadh, caoineadh, tú leat féin go deo,
Á rá nár shearg riamh do ghrá
Is tú ag feitheamh liom, a stór
Chuireas orm seaicéad, ritheas tríd an gcoill
Ritheas is mheasas go bpléascfainn faoi dhó
Is faoin ngealach, ár dteach ag lonrú
B’eo mé tríd an gclós, tríd an doras do réab,
Mo cheann lán de phian, an staighre liom suas,
An seomra dubh, an leaba folamh
Ansin chuala fead ag geonaíl
Ar mo ghlúine do thit, chrom mo cheann is chaoin.
Ag luascadh oird a bhímse leis an iarnród
Trascheangail á leagan, is uisce ón spéir
Is nach mothaíonn tú mar phaisinéir leat féin ar thraein.
Downbound Train
I had a job, I had a girl
I had something going mister in this world
I got laid off down at the lumber yard
Our love went bad, times got hard
Now I work down at the carwash
Where all it ever does is rain
Don't you feel like you're a rider on a downbound train
She just said "Joe I gotta go
We had it once we ain't got it any more"
She packed her bags left me behind
She bought a ticket on the Central Line
Nights as I sleep, I hear that whistle whining
I feel her kiss in the misty rain
And I feel like I'm a rider on a downbound train
Last night I heard your voice
You were crying, crying, you were so alone
You said your love had never died
You were waiting for me at home
Put on my jacket, I ran through the woods
I ran till I thought my chest would explode
There in the clearing, beyond the highway
In the moonlight, our wedding house shone
I rushed through the yard, I burst through the front door
My head pounding hard, up the stairs I climbed
The room was dark, our bed was empty
Then I heard that long whistle whine
And I dropped to my knees, hung my head and cried
Now I swing a sledge hammer on a railroad gang
Knocking down them cross ties, working in the rain
Now don't it feel like you're a rider on a downbound train