A Fine True Hearted Protestant

I'll sing you an Orange song, made by strange old pate.
Who, loving Papists in his heart, their doctirnes vile did hate,
Of a fine true-hearted Protestant, faithful to Church and State,
And our grand Constitution prized, of Sixteen Eighty-eight;
Like a fine, true-hearted Protestant, one of the olden time.

His heart and purse had ready been, to aid the good old cause,
And his brave right hand drew the sword in aid of King and laws;
When duty urged him into strife, he did not dare to pause,
But taught to save all that he lov'd from Rome's devouring jaws;
Like a fine, true-hearted Protestant, one of the olden time.

And when each year the sun shone out upon that hallowed day
When William drove the tyrant James from Boyne's famed banks away;
Yes, on each twelfth day of July, he'd head the grand array
Of those who bless'd their father's God for crushing Popish sway;
Like a fine, true-hearted Protestant, one of the olden time.

And there were dangers in his path, yet felt he honest pride
In their illustrious names and deeds, who in truth's cause have died;
And trusting only in his God, his bright sword by his side,
Abroad, at home, in peace or strife, Rome's legions he defied:
Like a fine, true-hearted Protestant, one of the olden time.

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A Loyal Protestant

For I am a loyal protestant, Billy Johnson is my name
And being faithful to our loyal crown is my only claim to fame
For I love to watch the Orangemen on the Twelfth day of July
And to watch the bands as they pass your stand and hear the battle.

Chorus:

For we're only loyal protestants, show your flag and fly it high
God bless the Queen, long may she reign, No Surrender is our cry.

Back in Sixty-Nine, the rebels came and tried to chase us from our homes
But they should have known that Ulstermen would never bow to Rome
We have fought against the rebel foe from Tyrone and from Ardoyne
And we fought just like our fathers did with William at the Boyne.

Chorus:

Now take heed you sons of Mary, come and listen to my song
or there'll come a day when we'll have our way, and drive you back where you belong
Many times you've tried to take our land, your attempts have been in vain
For as in the past, we'll fight to the last, till the body's blood does drain.

Chorus

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A Pittance of time

They fought and some died for their homeland
They fought and some died now it’s our land
Look at his little child, there’s no fear in her eyes
Could he not show respect for other dads who have died?

Take two minutes, would you mind?
It’s a pittance of time
For the boys and the girls who went over
In peace may they rest, may we never forget why they died.
It’s a pittance of time

God forgive me for wanting to strike him
Give me strength so as not to be like him
My heart pounds in my breast, fingers pressed to my lips
My throat wants to bawl out, my tongue barely resists

But two minutes I will bide
It’s a pittance of time
For the boys and the girls who went over
In peace may they rest, may we never forget why they died.
It’s a pittance of time

Read the letters and poems of the heroes at home
They have casualties, battles, and fears of their own
There’s a price to be paid if you go, if you stay
Peace is fought for and won in numerous ways

Take two minutes would you mind?
It’s a pittance of time
For the boys and the girls all over
May we never forget our young become vets
At the end of the line it’s a pittance of time

It takes courage to fight in your own war
It takes courage to fight someone else’s war
Our peacekeepers tell of their own living hell
They bring hope to foreign lands that the hatemongers can’t kill.

Take two minutes, would you mind?
It’s a pittance of time
For the boys and the girls who go over
In peacetime our best still don battle dress
And lay their lives on the line.
It’s a pittance of time

In Peace may they rest, lest we forget why they died.
Take a pittance of time

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Absent Friends

(Bluenotes version)

The time has come to say goodnight,for every road must end,
to the ones who care and thier always there, our very special friends,
Lets say goodnight to those we love, and maybe shed a tear,
but before we close lets think of those, we love who cant be here.

Let's raise a glass to absent friends,
For every road must end,
You'll always be there in our hearts,
Our special absent friends.

And when it's time for us to go,
And our long journey ends,
We'll never be alone you see,
We'll be with absent friends.

So, Let's raise a glass to absent friends,
For every road must end,
You'll always be there in our hearts,
Our special absent friends.

So, Let's raise a glass to absent friends,
For every road must end,
You'll always be there in our hearts,
Our special absent friends.

So, Let's raise a glass to absent friends,
For every road must end,
You'll always be there in our hearts,
Our special absent friends.

Our special absent friends.

Our special absent friends.

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Advice to Orangemen

All ye who Orange colours wear,
And wish to be instructed,
Go place the Bible in the chair,
And by it be conducted;
For if Jehovah's voice ye hear,
And are by Him directed,
Your enemies ye need not fear,
For ye will be protected.

Search through that volume and behold.
How His Almighty arm
Preserved the Israelites of old,
And kept them free from harm;
He sent them Moses for their guide,
And fully him instructed.
How Israel through the raging tide
By Him should be conducted.

Next Joshua was forward sent
Fair Canaan to discover,
Across the Jordan first he went
And brought all Israel over;
The heathen fast before them flew,
Convulsed with fear and wonder,
For He who saved His chosen few,
Oft spoke in tones of thunder.

While Israel to the law gave heed,
And on it meditated
Peace, wealth, and honour was their meed,
And Kings their hearts elated:
But turning to idolatry,
They met with desolation,
A high decree caus'd them to be
Dispersed through every nation.

But still the Lord, in darkest age,
Had many true believers,
Who loved to read His holy page,
In spite of all deceivers;
When guilty Rome would to the tomb
Consign His revelation,
A chosen few were still found true
In every Christian nation.

Now since from superstitions sway
The present generation
As yet is saved let us today
make steady preparation
At heaven's command to keep our land
From heathen's pollution,
From foreign yoke, and fatal stroke
Of Popish revolution.

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Apprentice Boys of Derry

Let me tell you all the story,
Of fame and gallantry,
How the 'Prentice Boys of Derry,
They went down in history,
They were only thirteen Derry lads,
And William was their man,
And as King James laid Derry siege,
From the Boys these orders ran.

Place King Williams Orange standard above the city walls,
And close the gates of Derry cried the thirteen 'Prentice Boys,
Till King Williams sword of freedom brings us victory one and all,
We'll hold the gates of Derry cried the thirteen 'Prentice Boys.

So come lift your glasses rightly,
And you'll raise a toast with me,
To every loyal Ulsterman who has fought to keep her free,
To those gallant thirteen Derry lads, And sacred memory,
Come charge your glasses yet again,
This chorus sing with me.

Place King Williams Orange standard above the city walls,
And close the gates of Derry cried the thirteen 'Prentice Boys,
Till King Williams sword of freedom brings us victory one and all,
We will hold the gates of Derry cried the thirteen 'Prentice Boys.
Yes we'll hold the gates of Derry cried the thirteen Apprentice Boys.

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Armagh Brigade

Billy Gray Billy Gray will you not come to me,
Bright light has turned to darkness in this trench I cannot see,
And my sight has just been shattered by the shell that blinded me,
Fighting with the Armagh Brigade.

For I remember when all my associates in arms,
We gathered from towns all our villages and farms,
In answer to the echo of Carsons loud alarm,
We forme up the Armagh Brigade.

We took those smuggled rifles from off the Clyde Valley,
To fight the right for England or whatever enemy,
Who would bring us into bondage or deny our liberty,
We marched with the Armagh Brigade.

I've always been so puzzeled and I cannot understand,
Why we're fighting here in France and not in Ulsters land,
And knowing Englands promises are as firm as drifting sand,
I dont believe a word they say.

Now when we charged that morning with a great and mighty yell,
Right through the German trenches how far I cannot tell,
I prepared myself for heaven but I marched right into hell,
Along with the Armagh Brigade.

I hear the booming thunder and the stutter of the guns,
I hear the angry screaming of Ulsters fallen sons,
In this bloody slaughterhouse of the Battle of the Somme,
Im dyin' with the Armagh Brigade.

For Ulster is my heritage and Ulster is my cause,
I laugh at her futility her glory is a fraud,
But im bleeding heavily and I must go to God,
Im leavin' the Armagh Brigade.

Billy Gray, Billy Gray will you not come to me,
I'm far away from my home my wife and family,
Will you come and speak some comfort and be a friend to me,
If your not dead yet Billy Gray.

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Aughalee Heroes

You Protestants of Ireland,
Give ear to these lines I write down,
Concerning these Aughalee heroes
That marched through sweet Portadown.

It being on the 12th day of July,
Our music so sweetly did play,
And The Protestant Boys and Boyne Water
Were the tunes we played going away.

Like the sons of King William we marched,
Till at length Lurgan town we did view,
Where the Church it was decorated
With Orange, Purple, and Blue.

Round its spires our colours were flying;
Small gun's like cannons did roar -
Long life to these Aughalee heroes!
For they are the boys we adore.

Captain Black, like a bold Orange hero,
Came riding down on his grey steed,
And he asked us what number we carried,
And where did we mean to proceed.

We told him from the County of Antrim -
Our number was six-thirty-two;
We are the bold Aughalee heroes,
That will soon make the rebels subdue.

We took off our hats to salute him,
So boldy he bade us march on;
And he rode like a hero before us,
Till we came to the banks of the Bann.

And when we arrived safe in Aughalee,
The brandy did flow like the Rhine -
Long life to these Aughalee heroes,
For they are the boys crossed the Boyne

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