In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Here's to the Ronnie, the voice we adore
Like coals from a coal-bucket
Scraping the floor
Sing out his praises in music and march
And if you are not Irish
That isn't your fault
Raise up our voices like dogs in a pack
Thankful for honest man, we never lack
We got them by twenties, we got them by ones
Them and their daughters
And all of their sons
(Hey! Hey)
Here's to you (Hey) , Ronnie Drew (Hey)
Here's to you (Hey) , Ronnie Drew (Hey)
Ronnie Drew
(Hey! Hey) , we love you, yes we do
Here's to you, Ronnie Drew, here's to you
I watched them plenty
Through right and 'er wrong
Whether I'm easy or whether I'm true
But as she lifted her petticoat easy and slow
I rolled up my sleeves for to buckle her shoe
Get up and work from five until five
When the whistle says better
We'll come back alive
He'll sing to the heavens
He's stormy as hell and wherever he goes
We'll be wishing him well
(Hey! Hey)
Here's to you (Hey) , Ronnie Drew (Hey)
(Hey) Here's to you (Hey) , Ronnie Drew (Hey)
Ronnie Drew (Hey) , we love you, yes we do
Here's to you, Ronnie Drew, here's to you
The dawn and the dusk, the unwise
The unjust gives and gets him gaze
The unheard, the unseen, the unwashed
And the clean where the
Streets all have names baggot Street
Meets the street right on
St stephen's Street lovers
And loners who can peer on your shoulders
The gods and the rapers
Immigrants and traders, sing about him
A man for a man and a hand for a hand
Trust in the music, strike up the band
The more that we sing, the less that we find
Time and again, this is brood to be right
Build you a statue on St stephen's Green
No fairer monument there to be seen
A statue of Ronnie Drew, holding the hand
Of a girl with her hair
In a black velvet band
(Hey! Hey)
Here's to you (No stranger to dare)
Ronnie Drew (Or angels to devil)
Here's to you
(A friend of a friend of a friend of a)
Ronnie Drew (A friend to you) ronnie Drew
(Ronnie Drew) , we love you, yes we do
Here's to you, Ronnie Drew, here's to you
Here's to you, Ronnie Drew, here's to you
(Ronnie Drew)
I watched them plenty
Through right and 'er wrong
Whether I'm easy or whether I'm true
But as she lifted her petticoat easy and slow
I rolled up my sleeves for to buckle her shoe
Like coals from a coal-bucket
Scraping the floor
Sing out his praises in music and march
And if you are not Irish
That isn't your fault
Raise up our voices like dogs in a pack
Thankful for honest man, we never lack
We got them by twenties, we got them by ones
Them and their daughters
And all of their sons
(Hey! Hey)
Here's to you (Hey) , Ronnie Drew (Hey)
Here's to you (Hey) , Ronnie Drew (Hey)
Ronnie Drew
(Hey! Hey) , we love you, yes we do
Here's to you, Ronnie Drew, here's to you
I watched them plenty
Through right and 'er wrong
Whether I'm easy or whether I'm true
But as she lifted her petticoat easy and slow
I rolled up my sleeves for to buckle her shoe
Get up and work from five until five
When the whistle says better
We'll come back alive
He'll sing to the heavens
He's stormy as hell and wherever he goes
We'll be wishing him well
(Hey! Hey)
Here's to you (Hey) , Ronnie Drew (Hey)
(Hey) Here's to you (Hey) , Ronnie Drew (Hey)
Ronnie Drew (Hey) , we love you, yes we do
Here's to you, Ronnie Drew, here's to you
The dawn and the dusk, the unwise
The unjust gives and gets him gaze
The unheard, the unseen, the unwashed
And the clean where the
Streets all have names baggot Street
Meets the street right on
St stephen's Street lovers
And loners who can peer on your shoulders
The gods and the rapers
Immigrants and traders, sing about him
A man for a man and a hand for a hand
Trust in the music, strike up the band
The more that we sing, the less that we find
Time and again, this is brood to be right
Build you a statue on St stephen's Green
No fairer monument there to be seen
A statue of Ronnie Drew, holding the hand
Of a girl with her hair
In a black velvet band
(Hey! Hey)
Here's to you (No stranger to dare)
Ronnie Drew (Or angels to devil)
Here's to you
(A friend of a friend of a friend of a)
Ronnie Drew (A friend to you) ronnie Drew
(Ronnie Drew) , we love you, yes we do
Here's to you, Ronnie Drew, here's to you
Here's to you, Ronnie Drew, here's to you
(Ronnie Drew)
I watched them plenty
Through right and 'er wrong
Whether I'm easy or whether I'm true
But as she lifted her petticoat easy and slow
I rolled up my sleeves for to buckle her shoe
Lyrics submitted by young_jables
The Ballad Of Ronnie Drew Lyrics as written by Paul David Hewson David Evans
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Beautiful. I love that Glen Hansard sings the last line over the phone. A man could not ask for a better ballad. Here's to you, Ronnie Drew. Rest in peace.