Released on his “Right Side Up” album in 1976, it is considered Ralph’s second most covered song and it has been done by The Furey Brothers, Nanci Griffith, and others; however, my favorite version is McTell’s original. I wonder which of his songs was the most covered. I would guess that “Streets of London,” which was my first experience with McTell’s music probably was his most often covered song.
The reference in the first verse to “the craic” was a Middle English term referring to conversation that was borrowed by the Irish. The original spelling was “crak” which evolved to “crack” was Gaelicized as “craic.” It is the current preferred English spelling.
Lyrics
There's four who share this room and we work hard for the craicAnd sleeping late on Sundays I never get to Mass
(Chorus)
It's a long way from Clare to here
It's a long way from Clare to here
It's a long, long way – it grows further by the day
It's a long way from Clare to here
When Friday comes around Terry's only into fighting
My ma would like a letter home but I'm too tired for writing
Chorus
It almost breaks my heart when I think of Josephine
I told her I'd be coming home with my pockets full of green
Chorus
And the only time I feel alright is when I'm into drinking
It sort of eases the pain of it and levels out my thinking
Chorus
I sometimes hear a fiddle play or maybe it's a notion
I dream I see white horses dance upon that other ocean
Chorus
It's a long, long way from Clare to here.
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