The House of Orange - Michael Kelly - (Stan Rogers cover)

Описание: My cover of Stan Rogers' evocative and uncharacteristically political song, "The House of Orange". Standing in stark contrast with the Irish rebel songs that I often sing, The House of Orange is a harsh criticism of the Northern Ireland Conflict in general, and specifically of fundraising in Canada for the IRA. Rogers condemns extremism on the parts of both the (Nationalist) Irish Republican Army and the (Loyalist) Ulster Defense League for what he considers an unnecessary legacy of self-perpetuating violence.

The 'House of Orange' mentioned in the song refers to the royal house of William III of England (the 'King Billy' also mentioned), who led the Protestant side of the Williamite-Jacobite war in Ireland. It also represents an analogy for Ireland's modern Loyalist population.

(I was going to go into the history a little more here, but ran into Youtube's video description character limit. I didn't even know they had one before this! I'll include the full summary on my Patreon post for this song, so if you're interested in the subject either check that out, or do a search for 'The Troubles', 'The Glorious Revolution', and/or 'The Jacobite War in Ireland' to learn more.)

Released on Stan Rogers' posthumous album 'From Fresh Water', this was the last song that Rogers wrote before his death.

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"THE HOUSE OF ORANGE" - Written by Stan Rogers

I took back my hand and I showed him the door
No dollar of mine would I part with this day
For fueling the engines of bloody cruel war
In my forefather's land far away

Who fled the first Famine wearing all that they owned
Were called 'Navigators', all ragged and torn
And built the Grand Trunk here, and found a new home
Wherever their children were born

Their sons have no politics. None call recall
Allegiance from long generations before
O'this or O'that name just can't mean a thing
Or be cause enough for to war

And meanwhile my babies are safe in their home
Unlike their pale cousins who shiver and cry
While kneecappers nail their poor Dads to the floor
And teach them to hate and to die

It's those cruel beggars who spurn the fair coin
The peace for their kids they could take at their will
Since the day old King Billy prevailed at the Boyne
They've bombed and they've slain and they've killed

Now they cry out for money and wail at the door
But Home Rule or Republic, 'tis all of it shame;
And a curse for us here who want nothing of war
We're kindred in nothing but name

All rights and all wrongs have long since blown away
For causes are ashes where children lie slain
Yet the damned U.D.I and the cruel I.R.A
Will tomorrow go murdering again

But no penny of mine will I add to the fray
"Remember the Boyne!" they will cry out in vain
For I've given my heart to the place I was born
And forgiven the whole House of Orange
King Billy and the whole House of Orange