American Old Time Song Lyrics: 21 The Harbor Lights
Theater, Music-Hall, Nostalgic, Irish & Historic Old Songs, Volume 21
THE HARBOR LIGHTS.
Words by Joseph T. Long. Music by Kate Hoyle.
Young Pat had been some years away
From Cork, his native home,
And now with money saved he back
Was journ'ing on the foam;
The days to him like years appear'd,
And endless seem'd the nights,
Till he at last with joy beheld
The famed Cork harbor lights.
Chorus.
The lights of the harbor, the harbor lights
The dream of so many long dreary nights,
Like the bright beaming star, and so near yet SO far,
The lights of the harbor, the harbor lights.
He fancied in those distant lights
His mother he could see,
He pictured her with tearful eyes
E'er wond'ring where was he;
And how delighted she would be
To meet him once again;
He pictured this while gazing at
Those lights across the main.-Chorus.
Pat still those lights kept watching, which
To him seem'd slow to spread,
As onward o'er the mystic deep
The heedless vessel sped;
When, lo! sudden fearful "bang"
Re-echoed thro' the night,
Then all was dark, and e'en those lights
Quite disappeared from sight.-Chorus.
Alas! 'twas not ordained that Pat
That night should safely land,
For soon 'twas found the vessel was
In flames on ev'ry hand;
At length, with all aboard she sank
Beneath the foam like lead,
With Pat on deck and watching still
Those brilliant lights ahead.-Chorus.