Drake goes west (O'Reilly, set by W. Sanderson) (The Lied and Art Song Texts Page: Texts and Translations to Lieder, mélodies, canzoni, and other classical vocal music)


Drake is going West, lad,
His ships are in the bay.
Five and twenty sail all told,
Ready for the fray.
Oh! Hear it pass from lip to lip,
"Drake is off again!"
Aye, Drake's away at break of day
To sweep the Spanish Main.

Then here's to the Spanish Main -
And here's to the foe!
And here's to Drake and his merry, merry men,
Who'll never come back to Devon again
Till they've laid the enemy low.

Drake is going West, lad,
You'd like to go, would you?
Then go you shall, to share the fight
And the glory too!
Before our men the foe shall fall
Like the sickled grain.
Oh! Drake is going Westward, lad,
To sweep the Spanish Main.

Then here's to the Spanish Main.....etc

Some are going West, lad,
Who'll ne'er return again -
Some will sleep their long, long sleep
'Neath the Spanish Main.
But whatsoever be our fate,
Come what may, say I,
With Drake we'll go, for Drake we'll fight,
With Drake we'll win or die!

Then here's to the Spanish Main.....etc

Input by Mike Pearson

Authorship

P. J. O'Reilly

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive)

Wilfred Sanderson (1878-1935)

Date added to the website: 2009-01-01.

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