The Hill of Howth

Oh there once was a babe born of fire and ice and Andy was his name oh.

And he vexed his mother for the things he drew all upon her kitchen table.

And he drew in the yard and he drew on the walls,

And he drew on her skirts and he drew on her shawls.

And he drew all over our Queen Vic's halls.

Andy. Andy, Andy, Andy.

And when he was a boy-child, beasts of burden folk would bring.

And he cured them of their ills all and learned them how to sing.

And the priest called him heathen and brute before God.

And he packed up his things and away he did sod.

But he still had time to heal one more dog.

Andy. Andy, Andy, Andy.

And when he was a young man to the Yankees he gave aid.

Sawed bones and sewed their wounds shut and at night the nurses made.

And he sawed off their feet and he sawed off their arms,

And he bound up their wounds with his ointments and balms.

But he washed his hands 'fore he worked his charms.

Andy. Andy, Andy, Andy.

And he became a wise man and through the seas he set to roam.

Felled trees and gathered lumber and carved the ship of stone.

And he threw up the decks with a flick of his wrist,

And he found him a ship that the seas daren't resist

Bent the sails to his will with his mighty fist.

Andy. Andy, Andy, Andy.

And as he was thought an old man, an inn and wife he kept.

And from hill and o'er dale they came and sang and danced and leapt.

And he poured for them porter and he poured for them stout,

And he dished out his council and cooked them his trout.

And he filled up their wives when 'is weren't about.

Andy. Andy, Andy, Andy.

And oh they laid his body down. Way down. And I pray you remember people, I think you do. They laid him out in that big old airship he liked to fly around in all day, having his adventures. Placed brandy bottles at his feet and at his head and all around him until his whole outline was in cognac and bathed in bronze. And they jigged and danced till dawn and sent him on his way into the grey sunrise. His ship did rise and float out to sea and folk cried and they moaned. Andy. Andy. Andy.

And an age went by, another life it did seem.

And all across town folk had the same dream.

And weren't long then till folk said he were seen.

Andy. Andy. Andy.

Andy. Andy. Andy.

And he returned a new man to teach what he did know.

And gathered 'round him students wide and learned them how to grow.

And he found them a college and he built them a school,

And expounded at length about freedom and rule.

And Fridays gave his lectures from the pool.

Andy. Andy, Andy, Andy.

Dark shades on a Lillo like some fool.

Andy. Andy, Andy, Andy.

Andy. Andy, Andy, Andy.

a(n)d(y) Infinitum