The Poacher (Black Dog Island 2017)
Well the song the Poacher started from a melody I developed from my Octave Mandolin. Writing songs using the mandolin gives me a much bigger range of potential melodies more so than the guitar. While playing this melody one day I began to sing about pouching.
While serving in Lifford Donegal as a soldier poaching at that time on the Foyle and the Finn rivers was very much a way of living for the local indigenous fishermen. So it was no big deal at that time. Some of the local guys had licenses and the ones that didn’t have a licence poached at night. Poaching was a tradition and a means of living and livelihood for poorer families in the region. Anyway I laughed at the idea of putting such a song together and decided to go with it for the crack and see where it would go. It ended up on the Album so it didn’t do so bad. I had all kind of ideas about this song but eventhough we pushed it out on the road side we managed to maintain the melody the way it was created on mandolin.
Lyrics:
KEY: [EM]
VERSE 1:
THE POACHER MAR 2011
JOHNNY BOUGHT A BOAT WAY ON DOWN IN MOATE TO FISH ON THE RIVER FOYLE.
WHERE THE SALMON RUN AND THE SEASONS WE’RE GONNA CAST OUR NETS A WHILE.
WHEN THE TIDE IS FULL MIDNIGHT DULL AND THE MOON IS FULLY OUT.
IN THE DEAD OF NIGHT THE POACHER STRIKES AND THE BAILIFFS LETS A SHOUT...
CHORUS
YES I’M A POACHER LIVE LIKE A POACHER DRINK LIKE A POACHER AND YOU CANT CATCH ME.
IF YOU HEAR THE SOUND OF THE MIDNIGHT POACHER PULLING HIS FISH OUT FROM THE SEA.
I ROW MY BOAT AND HERE I GO ILL TAKE MY FISH TO THE MARKET PLACE
YOU BETTER KEEP AN EYE ON THE MIDNIGHT POACHER THE BAILIFFS OUT MY FISH TO TAKE…
FROM ARANMORE TO INISHMORE OUR BOAT IT TOOK A KNOCK.
OUR GALLENT CREW AND ALL WE KNEW THEY END UP ON THE ROCKS. ALL ALONG THE COAST IN THE UNDERGROWTH A GAFF AND LINE IN HAND.
WHEN THE RIVERS WIDE AND IT’S ON A SPRING TIDE HOW MANY WILL I LAND..
CHORUS
YES I’M A POACHER LIVE LIKE A POACHER DRINK LIKE A POACHER AND YOU CAN’T CATCH ME.
IF YOU HEAR THE SOUND OF THE MIDNIGHT POACHER PULLING HIS FISH OUT FROM THE SEA.
I ROW MY BOAT AND HERE I GO ILL TAKE MY FISH TO THE MARKET PLACE.
YOU BETTER KEEP AN EYE ON THE MIDNIGHT POACHER THE BAILIFFS OUT MY FISH RO TAKE…..
MIDDLE EIGHT
FROM LIFFORD BRIDGE WE’LL SET OUR RIG AND THE SALMONS HEADING SOUTH.
FROM THE RIVER MORN TO THE FINN AND THE FOYLE THERE’S VERY FEW ABOUT.
I LACED MY BOOTS WEAR MY GHILLIE SUIT MY FACE AS BLACK AS COAL.
IN THE DEAD OF NIGHT THE POACHER STRIKES AND THE BAILIFF ON PATROL!
