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Roisin Dubh (Black Rose) Lyrics
Tell me the legends of long ago
When the kings and queens would dance
In the realm of the Black Rose
Play me their melodies I want to know
So I can teach my children, oh
Pray, tell me the story of young Cú Chulainn
How his eyes were dark his expression sullen
And how he'd fight and always won
And how they cried when he was fallen
Oh, tell me the story of the queen of this land
And how her sons died at her own hand
And how fools obey commands
Oh, tell me the legends of long ago
Where the mountains of Mourne
Come down to the sea
Will she no come back to me?
Will she no come back to me?
Oh Shenandoah, I hear you calling
Far away you rolling river
On down the mountain side
All around the blooming heather
Go Lassie go
Oh, tell me the legends of long ago
When the kings and queens would dance
In the realms of the Black Rose
And play me their melodies so that I might know
And I can tell my children, oh
My Roisin Dubh is my one and only true love
It was a joy, that Joyce brought to me
While William Butler waits
And Oscar, he's going Wilde
Ah sure, Brendan where have you Behan?
Looking for a girl with green eyes
My dark Rosaleen is my CAILÍN
That Georgie knows best
Van is the man
Starvation once again
Drinking whiskey in the jar, oh
Synge Playboys of the Western World
As Shaw, Sean I was born and reared there
Where the Mountains of Mourne
Come down to the sea
Is such a long, long way from Tipperary
When the kings and queens would dance
In the realm of the Black Rose
Play me their melodies I want to know
So I can teach my children, oh
How his eyes were dark his expression sullen
And how he'd fight and always won
And how they cried when he was fallen
And how her sons died at her own hand
And how fools obey commands
Oh, tell me the legends of long ago
Come down to the sea
Will she no come back to me?
Will she no come back to me?
Far away you rolling river
On down the mountain side
All around the blooming heather
Go Lassie go
When the kings and queens would dance
In the realms of the Black Rose
And play me their melodies so that I might know
And I can tell my children, oh
It was a joy, that Joyce brought to me
While William Butler waits
And Oscar, he's going Wilde
Looking for a girl with green eyes
My dark Rosaleen is my CAILÍN
That Georgie knows best
Starvation once again
Drinking whiskey in the jar, oh
Synge Playboys of the Western World
Where the Mountains of Mourne
Come down to the sea
Is such a long, long way from Tipperary
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This song is full of Irish cultural references. Roisin Dubh is Irish for Black Rose which is a nickname for Ireland itself. Cuchulainn is a mythical Irish warrior. The Shenandoah is a river in Ireland. James Joyce, William Butler Yeats, Oscar Wilde and Brendan Behan are all Irish authors referenced in clever fashion in this song. Dark Rosaleen is an english translation of Roisin Dubh (so its essentially Dark Rose) I think, although I'm not much of a soccer guy, that George Best was a soccer player in Northern Ireland. Van the Man is Van Morrison, Irish musician. Starvation refers to the great famine. Whiskey in the Jar is a traditional Irish song and Synge is JM Synge is an Irish playwright. Playboy of the Western World was a Synge play. Tipperary is a county in Ireland.
Pretty clever way of paying homage to Thin Lizzy's homeland.
@Twinb1983 Nice description! Except the Shenandoah is in America [the Shannon is in Ireland]. Many Irish people migrated to the region of the Shenandoah which may explain the reference.
@Twinb1983 Nice description! Except the Shenandoah is in America [the Shannon is in Ireland]. Many Irish people migrated to the region of the Shenandoah which may explain the reference.
Love the solo, Gary Moore's best.
The way Lizzy perform it is great, sincere.
As previously stated, this song is essentially a celebration of Ireland.
One must wonder though if the song was written, at least in part, in response to Na TrioblóidÃ, or The Troubles, during which Thin Lizzy existed.
This song is awsome. It brings back so many memories of Ireland
this is sooo beautiful...... It's mourning for a lost life (ancient irish traditions by the tudors (if u wanna b all historical) / a love who made his life like a fairy tale (the "legends"/ king + queen dancing= him n her) but it's still an ace song.... peace xxx
thin lizzy are the greatest, and this is one of their greatest.
Excellent explanation, just wanted to add that 'It's a long way to Tipperary' is a traditional Irish song. Great song, great riff, great solo.
good explanation Twinb1983, but as well as Van refering to Van the man it may have the double meaning of Van Diemen's Land aka Tasmania were so many irish convicts were exciled
I know this song is chock full of Irish cultural and literary references. I always wondered though about the line "Looking for a girl with green eyes." Is that a specific reference to something? If so what?
@MydniteSon I think "Looking for a girl with green eyes." Is a reference to the novel The Lonely Girl by Edna O'Brien that was adapted into the film Girl with Green Eyes.
@MydniteSon I think "Looking for a girl with green eyes." Is a reference to the novel The Lonely Girl by Edna O'Brien that was adapted into the film Girl with Green Eyes.