I still recall the day I left the lovely Erin's isle
I bid a sad farewell at Derry's quay
And after all these years, I still see my mother's tears
As I sailed off to far Americay
I'll return to the land that I was born in
Where the water tumbles clearly down the stream
Where the birds sport and play above the green fields
I'll return there, if only in my dreams
And when we landed in New York, in wonder I did stare
At the strangest sights I'd ever seen before
Sure, the buildings grew so high that they covered up the sky
And horseless carts that made a dreadful roar
I'll return to the land that I was born in
Where the water tumbles clearly down the stream
Where the birds sport and play above the green fields
I'll return there, if only in my dreams
Relations on my mother's side were there to welcome me
With open arms, they kindly took me in
And old Ireland sheds a tear, for all her young ones are all here
And living in this place they call Brooklyn
I'll return to the land that I was born in
Where the water tumbles clearly down the stream
Where the birds sport and play above the green fields
I'll return there, if only in my dreams
I joined a gang of navvies; on the railway we did toil
In the tunnels down below old New York town
And I nearly broke my back laying miles of railway track
For the trains that rumbled underneath the ground
I'll return to the land that I was born in
Where the water tumbles clearly down the stream
Where the birds sport and play above the green fields
I'll return there, if only in my dreams
And now the years have passed me by, and my memory's growin' dim
But thoughts of Ireland never fade away
And to see my mother's smile when I reach the Emerald Isle
Will fill my heart with gladness on that day
I'll return to the land that I was born in
Where the water tumbles clearly down the stream
Where the birds sport and play above the green fields
I'll return there, if only in my dreams
I'll return to the land that I was born in
Where the water tumbles clearly down the stream
Where the birds sport and play above the green fields
I'll return there, if only in my dreams
I'll return there, if only in my dreams
