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Song for the Twelfth of July

from We For One Another by Emily Groff

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about

by John Frazier and Seán Tyrrell

This song is about the ongoing conflict between Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland. On the 12th of July, the Orangemen hold parades in commemoration of William of Orange's victory over James II at the Battle of the Boyne. This tradition began in the late eighteenth century, and has long been an occasion for sectarian violence. 12th of July celebrations were banned in the 1830's and 40's; soon after their reinstatement, Protestant cabinetmaker John Frazier wrote this poem. Seán Tyrrell wrote to me: "As it happens of all the poems I set to music that is my favourite of all. It is also my favourite love song and I have recorded many."

I'm influenced here by Cathie Ryan's version on her 1997 self-titled album. She made a few minor changes to the melody.

lyrics

Come pledge again your heart and your hand
One grasp that never will sever
Our password be our native land
Our motto love forever
And let the orange lily be
Your badge, my patriot brother
It's the everlasting green for me
And we for one another

Behold how green the gallant stem
On which the flower is blowing
How in one heavenly breeze and beam
Both flower and stem are glowing
The same good soil sustaining both
Makes both united to flourish
But cannot give the orange growth
And cease the green to nourish

The more the hand that plucks that flower
Will vainly strive to cherish
In that hour the stem blooms on
But the flower it begins to perish
Regard them then of equal worth
While lasts their genial weather
The time's at hand when deep in earth
They will both sink together

And though it be in our country's cause
Our party feelings blended
'Till lasting peace from equal laws
On both will have descended
'Till then the orange lily be
Your badge, my patriot brother
It's the everlasting green for me
And we for one another
And we for one another

credits

from We For One Another, released November 8, 2021

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Emily Groff Bainbridge Island, Washington

Harp and voice
Sweet as hell

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