Laughing Boy (for Brendan Behan)

Laughing boy is drownded
He danced on nimble toes
Angels wept for Caesar’s head
He sang The Old Dark Rose for free
Oh, you should have seen him
Dancing on the tables
Laughing Boy, laughing Boy it’s over

Laughing Boy is drownded
He sailed across the sea
Whisky his daily bread
His like we’ll never see again
Stay awhile, hold your hour
And have another, yeah, it’s just like a play
Laughing Boy, laughing Boy it’s over

Dublin streets are quiet tonight
There’s a shadow on the water
Dublin streets are quiet tonight
There’s a shadow on the water

He can’t stand up, he can’t stay down
But he wants to stay up, he wants to stay down
And he hates himself and he hates the crowd
He wants to be alone, he wants to be surrounded

He can’t stand up, he can’t stay down
He can’t stand up, he can’t stay down
He can’t stand up, he can’t stay down
He can’t stand up, he can’t stay down

Laughing boy is drownded
He danced on nimble feat

Whisky his daily bread
His like we’ll never see again
Stay awhile, hold your hour
And have another, yeah, it’s just like a play

Laughing Boy, laughing Boy it’s over
Laughing Boy, laughing Boy it’s over

Dublin streets are quiet tonight
There’s a shadow on the water
Dublin streets are quiet tonight
There’s a shadow on the water
Dublin streets are quiet tonight
There’s a shadow on the water…

Walking on the water
Walking on the water