Folk & Traditional Song Lyrics www.traditionalmusic.co.uk Old Grannau Weal 
Old Grannau Weal 
Old Grannau she arose in the morning so soon She put on her petticoat apron and gown Saying very bad news last night came to me They are wronging my children thats over the main (sea) 
Old Grannau (mounted her gelding) in rage And straight way for Dublin it was her first stage And as she was prancing it was up Dublin street She with lord Cornwall (Conner) had a chance for to meet 
He says noble Grannau come tell me in haste Have you any good news from the East or the West O bad news says Grannau that makes me complain They are wronging my children thats over the main 
That news is to true lord Cornwall (Conner) he said They will bring them to slavery soon I'm afraid Theres lord North and Cranville (Granville) and infamous Bute
 (No North in That brought on the tea act that(s) now in dispute New Gn. Mtn. text) 
(Old Grannau set out with her grand equipage) Pioneer (The weather being wet and her sorrows increas'd) New Gn. Mtn. And straight way for london it was her first (next) stage And as she was prancing it was up london street Twas there with Lord Granville and Bute she did meet 
You are three (two) villains as I understand Who are wronging my children in yon foreign land And it is reported and told as a fact You are the three (two) villains that made the tea act 
(You are wrongly informed says these gentlemen) Pioneer (They say noble granny you're wrongly informed) New Gn. Mtn (To yield to your slavery we never intend) Pioneer (To enslave America we never intend) New Gn. Mtn That land is our kings we solmnly say And we will make laws and your sons must obey 
You are three (two) arrant liars says old Grannau in haste Tis very well known from the east to the west 
My children they ventured their lives o'er the flood And purchased that land with the price of their blood 
They said noble Grannau do'nt give such a vent We'll cool your sons courage and make them repent With our great ships of war and our men in the field We'll cool your sons courage and make them to yield 
I would not have you think for to frighten my sons At Lexington battle they made your men run They are men of experience in every degree They'll turn your proud ships with a hell-a-ma-lee 
O says noble Grannau give me leave for to tell Of a battle that was fought it was nigh Bunker hill Where twelve hundred Britons lay dead on the field And five hundred more have since died of their wounds (rhyme lost) 
O Grannau do'nt tell us about bunker hill For in that battle we gained the field You once had warren but now he is slain (Joseph Warren, killed at You have no more Warren's now over the main (battle of Bunker Hll 
Well well says old grannau though Warren is dead A Washington lives and our armies he'll lead We'll handle your troops as polite as you please And pay them their trouble for crossing the seas 
We cannot deny but your Washington's brave Then only think of what armies we have We'll send over bigsby old Derby and Graves Your sons must submit or we'll make them our slaves 
Well Well says old Grannau go on with your cause Our sons will never submit to your laws And when they've beat you and drove your troops home My sons will be free and make laws of their own 
Too late will you see your desperate crimes And mourn and lament to the end of your times That ever you sent your troops o'er the flood To spill my dear innocent childrens blood 
I have a millions of sons in america born To yield to your slavery they hold it in scorn They are men of experience in every degree They never will yield to your bloody tea Act 
Sing wobaroo bob-a-roo says old Grannau weal The fox is in the trap he's caught by the tail They are men of experience and never will fail Sucess to our sons say old Grannau Weal. 
Hell-a-ma-lee in verse 10 and wobaroo bob-a-roo in the last verse are probably corrupt Gaelic expressions rather than nonsense expressions. One lost Gaelic tune of the middle of the 18th century was entitled "Suba roo roo." 
From <<A Pioneer Songster>>, 1958, with some corrections from <<The New Green Mountain Songster>>, 1939 and 1966 see GRNWALE.NOT WBO Apr98