Continental Céilí

(album: Ordinary Man - 1985)

Over in McCann's there's a grand type of danceband
A-playing and they're spinning out the Continental Céilí
They're coming in their cars from the bars over in Leitir and Killane
Just to hear the famous Gunther Reynolds playing
Out the Star of Munster with Hans O'Donoghue
Neatly tapping out a tango on the spoons
Such commotion will act like a lotion on the strutting
At the Continental Céilí tonight

Wolfgang's playing on the comb, someone shouts at him go home
Klaus is playing a slow air on the bodhrán
Quinn from Corofin his fiddle tucked beneath his chin
Ssh! He's going to play the Bucks of Oranmore now
And an old-fashioned lady begins to sing a song
Ah! Lads a bit of order over there
Clarinbridge for the chowder, keep your powder dry
For the Continental Céilí tonight

Ciarán closing his eyes pretends he's in disguise
When he sees and old flame coming over
He's singing for the Swedes in their tweeds doing all he can to please
The night's at such a delicate stage
Later on he'll give an audience to one of them or two
He'll sing the the Dying Swan to touch their feelings
Tonight's his night and tomorrow night will be just the same

Ada let me out to the bar where the boys are going far
And they're spinning out the Continental Céilí
Never mind the liquor, the music's in my soul
So long as I can hear the band a-playing
The pipes and the flutes and the fiddles are in tune
Whoo! I'd love to meet a European girl
Ada now me head is going light and the band is playing tight
At the Continental Céilí tonight

All the publicans are there, 'tis like a hiring fair
Trying to figure out how much McCann is making
To keep their pubs outta Stubbs they're lashing out big subs
In a burst of fierce anticipation
Moguls from Muckhill are staring at the till
Trying to get the lowdown on the line-up
They'll be buying free porter for the members of the band
At the Continental Céilí tonight

Over in McCann's there's a grand type of danceband
A-playing and they're spinning out the Continental Céilí
They're coming in their cars from the bars over in Leitir and Killane
Just to hear the famous Gunther Reynolds playing
Out the Star of Munster with Hans O'Donoghue
Neatly tapping out a tango on the spoons
Such commotion will act like a lotion on the strutting
At the Continental Céilí tonight

Over in McCann's there's a grand type of danceband
A-playing and they're spinning out the Continental Céilí
They're coming in their cars from the bars over in Leitir and Killane
Just to hear the famous Gunther Reynolds playing
Out the Star of Munster with Hans O'Donoghue
Neatly tapping out a tango on the spoons
Such commotion will act like a lotion on the strutting
At the Continental Céilí tonight
At the Continental Céilí tonight