Rocky Road to Dublin
Pour les articles homonymes, voir Rocky road.
Rocky Road to Dublin est une chanson traditionnelle irlandaise contant l'histoire d'un homme qui quitte sa ville natale de Tuam pour Liverpool en passant par Dublin.
Les paroles sont supposées avoir été écrites au XIXe siècle par D. K. Gavan pour Harry Clifton, artiste de music hall anglais, qui a popularisé la chanson.Elle est réputée pour sa difficulté d'interprétation du fait de son rythme rapide et sec et du manque de respiration[réf. nécessaire].
De nombreux artistes ont chanté cette chanson depuis, en particulier The Clancy Brothers ou encore The Dubliners dont une version remasterisée a été utilisée pour la bande originale du film Sherlock Holmes en 2009. Elle a aussi été interprétée par le groupe de punk celtique Dropkick Murphys, sur leur album Sing Loud, Sing Proud!.
Paroles[modifier | modifier le code]
Version traditionnelle[modifier | modifier le code]
Cette version est rapportée par Manus O'Connor en 1901[1].
In the merry month of June, when first from home I started,
And left the girls alone, sad and broken-hearted.
Shook hands with father dear, kissed my darling mother,
Drank a pint of beer, my tears and grief to smother ;
Then off to reap the corn, and leave where I was born.
I cut a stout black-thorn to banish ghost or goblin ;
With a pair of bran new brogues, I rattled o'er the bogs —
Sure I frightened all the dogs on the rocky road to Dublin.
For it is the rocky road, here's the road to Dublin;
Here's the rocky road, now fire away to Dublin !
The steam-coach was at hand, the driver said he'd cheap ones.
But sure the luggage van was too much for my ha'pence.
For England I was bound, it would never do to balk it.
For every step of the road, bedad I says I, I'll walk it.
I did not sigh or moan until I saw Athlone.
A pain in my shin bone, it set my heart a-bubbling;
And fearing the big cannon, looking o'er the Shannon,
I very quickly ran on the rocky road to Dublin.
In Mullingar, that night, I rested limbs so weary.
Started by daylight, with spirits light and airy;
Took a drop of the pure, to keep my spirits from sinking,
That's always an Irishman's cure, whenever he's troubled with thinking.
To see the lassies smile, laughing all the while
At my comical style, set my heart a-bubbling.
They axed if I was hired, the wages I required.
Until I was almost tired of the rocky road to Dublin.
In Dublin next arrived, I thought it was a pity
To be so soon deprived of a view of that fine city;
'Twas then I took a stroll, all among the quality,
My bundle then was stole in a neat locality,
Something crossed my mind, thinks I, I'll look behind.
No bundle could I find upon my stick a-wobbling.
Inquiring for the rogue, they said my Connaught brogue.
It wasn't much in vogue on the rocky road to Dublin.
A coachman raised his hand as if myself was wanting,
I went up to a stand, full of cars for jaunting;
“Step up, my boy! says he ; - Ah, ah I that I will with pleasure,
- And to the strawberry beds, I'll drive you at your leisure.
- A strawberry bed? says I, faith, that would be too high!
On one of straw I'll lie, and the berries won't be troubling;”
He drove me out as far, upon an outside car.
Faith! such jolting never wor on the rocky road to Dublin.
I soon got out of that, my spirits never failing,
I landed on the quay, just as the ship was sailing.
The captain at me roared, swore that no room had he.
But when I leaped on board, they a cabin found for Paddy.
Down among the pigs I played such rummy rigs,
Danced some hearty jigs, with water round me bubbling.
But when off Holyhead, I wished that I was dead,
Or safely put in bed, on the rocky road to Dublin.
The boys in Liverpool, when on the dock I landed.
Called myself a fool, I could no longer stand it;
My blood began to boil, my temper I was losing.
And poor old Erin's Isle, they all began abusing.
“Hurrah! my boys”, says I, my shillelagh I let fly.
Some Galway boys were by, they saw I was a hobble in;
Then with a loud “hurrah !” they joined me in the fray.
Faugh-a-ballagh! clear the way for the rocky road to Dublin.
Interprétations récentes[modifier | modifier le code]
La plupart des interprétations du XXe siècle omettent le second et l'antépénultième couplets, et le refrain est remplacé par le suivant :
One two three four five,
Hunt the hare and turn her down the rocky road
And all the way to Dublin, whack follol de rah!
- Traduction
Un deux trois quatre cinq,
Chassant le lièvre et le rabattant sur la route rocailleuse
Et tout au long de la route jusqu'à Dublin, whack follol de rah !
Notes et références[modifier | modifier le code]
- (en) Manus O'Connor, « Song and Ballads from Ireland : Rocky Road to Dublin », Irish come-all-ye's: a repository of ancient Irish songs and ballads, Lipkind, New York, 1901, p.19.
