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Well Jimmy played harmonica in the pub where I was born
He played it from the night time to the peaceful early morn
He soothed the souls of psychos and the men who had the horn
And they all looked very happy in the morning
Now Jimmy didn't like his place in this world of ours
Where the elephant man broke strong men's necks
When he'd had too many powers
So sad to see the grieving of the people that he's leaving
And he took the road for god knows in the morning
We walked him to the station in the rain
We kissed him as we put him on the train
And we sang him a song of times long gone
Though we knew that we'd be seeing him again
(far away) sad to say I must be on my way
So buy me beer and whiskey 'cause I'm going far away (far away)
I'd like to think of me returning when I can
To the greatest little boozer and to Sally Maclennane
The years passed by the times had changed I grew to be a man
I learned to love the virtues of sweet Sally Maclennane
I took the jeers and drank the beers and crawled back home at dawn
And ended up a barman in the morning
I played the pump and took the hump and watered whiskey down
I talked of whores and horses to the men who drank the brown
I heard them say that Jimmy's making money far away
And some people left for heaven without warning
We walked him to the station in the rain
We kissed him as we put him on the train
And we sang him a song of times long gone
Though we knew that we'd be seeing him again
(far away) sad to say I must be on my way
So buy me beer and whiskey 'cause I'm going far away (far away)
I'd like to think of me returning when I can
To the greatest little boozer and to Sally Maclennane
When Jimmy came back home he was surprised that they were gone
He asked me all the details of the train that they went on
Some people they are scared to croak but Jimmy drank until he choked
And he took the road for heaven in the morning
We walked him to the station in the rain
We kissed him as we put him on the train
And we sang him a song of times long gone
Though we knew that we'd be seeing him again
(far away) sad to say I must be on my way
So buy me beer and whiskey 'cause I'm going far away (far away)
I'd like to think of me returning when I can
To the greatest little boozer and to Sally Maclennane
He played it from the night time to the peaceful early morn
He soothed the souls of psychos and the men who had the horn
And they all looked very happy in the morning
Now Jimmy didn't like his place in this world of ours
Where the elephant man broke strong men's necks
When he'd had too many powers
So sad to see the grieving of the people that he's leaving
And he took the road for god knows in the morning
We walked him to the station in the rain
We kissed him as we put him on the train
And we sang him a song of times long gone
Though we knew that we'd be seeing him again
(far away) sad to say I must be on my way
So buy me beer and whiskey 'cause I'm going far away (far away)
I'd like to think of me returning when I can
To the greatest little boozer and to Sally Maclennane
The years passed by the times had changed I grew to be a man
I learned to love the virtues of sweet Sally Maclennane
I took the jeers and drank the beers and crawled back home at dawn
And ended up a barman in the morning
I played the pump and took the hump and watered whiskey down
I talked of whores and horses to the men who drank the brown
I heard them say that Jimmy's making money far away
And some people left for heaven without warning
We walked him to the station in the rain
We kissed him as we put him on the train
And we sang him a song of times long gone
Though we knew that we'd be seeing him again
(far away) sad to say I must be on my way
So buy me beer and whiskey 'cause I'm going far away (far away)
I'd like to think of me returning when I can
To the greatest little boozer and to Sally Maclennane
When Jimmy came back home he was surprised that they were gone
He asked me all the details of the train that they went on
Some people they are scared to croak but Jimmy drank until he choked
And he took the road for heaven in the morning
We walked him to the station in the rain
We kissed him as we put him on the train
And we sang him a song of times long gone
Though we knew that we'd be seeing him again
(far away) sad to say I must be on my way
So buy me beer and whiskey 'cause I'm going far away (far away)
I'd like to think of me returning when I can
To the greatest little boozer and to Sally Maclennane
Lyrics submitted by black_cow_of_death
Track duration: 02:45
"Sally Maclennane" as written by Shane Patrick Lysaght Macgowan
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, DOWNTOWN MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Anyway, I prefer to think that Jimmy became a hitman, killing people for a living: "Jimmy's making money far away, and some people left for heaven without warning." Maybe for the mob, maybe for "the cause". And it is guilt that makes him drink himself to death.
As I see it, it's a song about the migration from the small towns to the bigger cities, Jimmy takes the train to god knows and later as he is making money far away the call it heaven. When Jimmy cames back to his home town years after, expecting to meet his old friends and acquaintances, he founds out that most of them have departed seeking for a better future, just like he did. He gets depressed because of that, and drinks until he passes out. The next morning he takes the train back home, to his heaven. This is happennig all arround the world.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/…
maclennan was the name of the clan which were related to the myths of the blue men of the minch..irish and scottish history
cs.utk.edu/~mclennan/BA/…
personally i think he is singing about ancient history!..and i am a mclennon
sounds to me like ethnic cleansing..
he committed suicide:(
Jimmy played harmonica (hint) in the pub where I was born...
...He soothed the souls of psychos and the MEN WHO HAD THE HORN
I'm not sure but I'm just saying it could be. Also I think Shane said the elephant man was a real guy who was really big and got drunk and beat the shit out of people. This song is NOT about a girl but rather it's a positive illustration of growing up around a bunch of terrible stuff. In short, it's Irish.
The 2nd and 3rd chourus, as previously said, are largely symbolic since it's a metaphor for an irish wake. At an irish wake, people get drunk and have a big party because going to heaven is supposed to be a good thing. Hence, why they knew they'd "be seeing him again".
It's a really song of loss and death, but captures the high-spirit of the irish/religious belief that one shouldn't be sad at departures since we all end up seeing each other again in the end.