Dickens' Dublin (The Palace) Lyrics

joyful mystery the birth of our lord. this night our lady and saint joseph was going up to get registered. and they were going down the road and they met this man. and he said "have you any room?" and he said "no but there's an old stable over there that i owned if yous want to go into it." and they went over and the lord came down from heaven at twelve o'clock and loads of beautiful angels was with them. and when they were walking.

[ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricenter.com/e79026-loreena_mckennitt~dickens_dublin_the_palace_lyrics.html ]
i walk the streets of dublin town it's eighteen forty two
it's snowing on this christmas eve think i'll beg another bob or two
i'll huddle in this doorway here till someone comes along
if the lamp lighter comes real soon maybe i'll go home with him

these three wise kings and they were all from different countries. and they always used to look up in the sky. and they looked up in this night and saw the beautiful star up in the sky. and when they were all going they all meeted together. and they had to pass king herod's not that we much care for him. and they went in and he said "where ye going with your best stitches on ye?"

the horses on the cobbled stones pass by think i'll get one one fine day
and ride into the country side and very far away
but now as the daylight disappears i best find a place to sleep
think i'll slip into the bell tower in the church just down the street

and they said "did ye not hear the news?" and says he says "what news?" he says "this day the saviour is born." and he said to them "when you find him come back and tell me 'cause i want to go and adore him too." and he was only codding them he wanted to kill him. and they when they were going they stopped and they said "surely not this old stable that the king is born in? we was expecting a palace."

maybe on the way i'll find the dog i saw the other night
and tuck him underneath my jacket so we'll stay warm through the night
as we lie in the bell tower high and dream of days to come
the bells overhead will call the hour the day we will find a home

and there was these shepherds and shepherds are fellows that mind the foals and cows and sheeps and little lambs and all. and they hears this beautiful music up in the sky. and they were wondering what was so fun. an angel dissipated them and he said "i was wondering what was so fun." and he said yeah and he said "the saviour is born. if yous want to go see him follow that star up in the sky." and it was a beautiful star.

breaking the silence:
i hear some distant drumbeat a heartbeat pulsing low
is it coming from within? a heartbeat i don't know
a troubled soul knows no peace a dark and poisoned pool
of liberty now lost a pawn an oppressor's tool

but oh my heart be strong and guide when eyes grow dim
when ears grow deaf with empty words when i know there's life within

a gunfire shatters silence where birds once sweetly sang
a mother cradles a child now dead now death where life began
from the troubled heart of south africa nicaragua's festering sore
the turmoil on the streets of china death crying out for more

a change is slow in coming my eyes can scarcely see
the rays of hope come streaming through the smoke of apathy

may the spirit never die though a troubled heart feels pain
when this long winter is over it will blossom once again