James Connolly Lyrics

James Connolly lyrics

Marchin' down O'Connell Street with the Starry Plough on high 

There goes the Citizen Army with their fists raised in the sky 

Leading them is a mighty man with a mad rage in his eye 

"My name is James Connolly - I didn't come here to die 



But to fight for the rights of the working man 

And the small farmer too 

Protect the proletariat from the bosses and their screws 

So hold on to your rifles, boys, and don't give up your dream 

Of a Republic for the workin' class, economic liberty" 



Then Jem yelled out "Oh Citizens, this system is a curse 

An English boss is a monster, an Irish one even worse 

They'll never lock us out again and here's the reason why 

My name is James Connolly, I didn't come here to die....." 



And now we're in the GPO with the bullets whizzin' by 

With Pearse and Sean McDermott biddin' each other goodbye 

Up steps our citizen leader and roars out to the sky 

"My name is James Connolly, I didn't come here to die... 



Oh Lily, I don't want to die, we've got so much to live for 

And I know we're all goin' out to get slaughtered, but I just can't take any
more 

Just the sight of one more child screamin' from hunger in a Dublin slum 

Or his mother slavin' 14 hours a day for the scum 

Who exploit her and take her youth and throw it on a factory floor 

Oh Lily, I just can't take any more 



They've locked us out, they've banned our unions, they even treat their animals
better than us 

No! It's far better to die like a man on your feet than to live forever like
some slave on your knees, Lilly 



But don't let them wrap any green flag around me 

And for God's sake, don't let them bury me in some field full of harps and
shamrocks 

And whatever you do, don't let them make a martyr out of me 

No! Rather raise the Starry Plough on high, sing a song of freedom 

Here's to you, Lily, the rights of man and international revolution" 



We fought them to a standstill while the flames lit up the sky 

'Til a bullet pierced our leader and we gave up the fight 

They shot him in Kilmainham jail but they'll never stop his cry 

My name is James Connolly, I didn't come here to die...."