A great song! Amazed theres only one comment! I think its, obviously a sort of ode to a dead man, probably at his wake.
The man (Jim Dwyer) is obviously an Irish immigrant or of Irish immigrant stock, the song mentioning Boston PA, a town with a famously large Irish immigrant community, and New York. He also seems to be a bit of a character, getting into fights and so on.
Now I think the man has gone off to fight either in Ireland against the British or in the First World War (probably the first one). I can't explain why but the years around 1916 were turbulent times in Ireland what with the Easter Rising and so on - also I think this might be referenced in the line "made one last trip to the shores where his father's laid" - as his father probably died back in Ireland, the old country.
This is given credence in the last few verses, perhaps Jim saying goodbye to a wife "my loves in amerikay", or friends - which I think is at the same time the narrator's farewell to his good friend Jim. Finally the "call of the rosary" its well known that Ireland is a strongly catholic country, so that might be further evidence.
A great song! Amazed theres only one comment! I think its, obviously a sort of ode to a dead man, probably at his wake.
The man (Jim Dwyer) is obviously an Irish immigrant or of Irish immigrant stock, the song mentioning Boston PA, a town with a famously large Irish immigrant community, and New York. He also seems to be a bit of a character, getting into fights and so on.
Now I think the man has gone off to fight either in Ireland against the British or in the First World War (probably the first one). I can't explain why but the years around 1916 were turbulent times in Ireland what with the Easter Rising and so on - also I think this might be referenced in the line "made one last trip to the shores where his father's laid" - as his father probably died back in Ireland, the old country.
This is given credence in the last few verses, perhaps Jim saying goodbye to a wife "my loves in amerikay", or friends - which I think is at the same time the narrator's farewell to his good friend Jim. Finally the "call of the rosary" its well known that Ireland is a strongly catholic country, so that might be further evidence.
I could be totally wrong, but there you go!
Just going to be that guy and tell you that Boston is in Massachusettes (the abbreviation being MA).
Just going to be that guy and tell you that Boston is in Massachusettes (the abbreviation being MA).