Luke Kelly The Black Velvet Band
Well, in a neat little town they call Belfast,
apprentice to trade I was bound
Many an hours sweet happiness, have I spent in that
neat little town
A sad misfortune came over me, which caused me to stray
from the land
Far away from my friends and relations, betrayed by the
black velvet band
Her eyes they shone like diamonds
I thought her the queen of the land
And her hair it hung over her shoulder
Tied up with a black velvet band
I took a stroll down Broadway, meaning not long for to
stay
When who should I meet but this pretty fair maid comes
a tripping along the highway
She was both fair and handsome, her neck it was just
like a swans
And her hair it hung over her shoulder, tied up with a
black velvet band
Her eyes they shone like diamonds
I thought her the queen of the land
And her hair it hung over her shoulder
Tied up with a black velvet band
I took a stroll with this pretty fair maid, and a
gentleman passing us by
Well I knew she meant the doing of him, by the look in
her roguish black eye
A goldwatch she took from his pocket and placed it
right in to my hand
And the very first thing that I said was bad luck to
the black velvet band
Her eyes they shone like diamonds
I thought her the queen of the land
And her hair it hung over her shoulder
Tied up with a black velvet band
Before the judge and the jury, next morning I had to
appear
The judge he says to me: "Young man, your case it is
proven clear
We'll give you seven years penal servitude, to be spent
faraway from the land
Far away from your friends and companions, betrayed by
the black velvet band"
Her eyes they shone like diamonds
I thought her the queen of the land
And her hair it hung over her shoulder
Tied up with a black velvet band
So come all you jolly young fellows a warning take by
me
When you are out on the town me lads, beware of them
pretty colleens
For they feed you with strong drink, "Oh yeah", 'til
you are unable to stand
And the very next thing that you'll know is you've
landed in Van Diemens Land
Her eyes they shone like diamonds
I thought her the queen of the land
And her hair it hung over her shoulder
Tied up with a black velvet band
