The Contender lyrics

Jimmy MacCarthy

When I was young and I was in my day
Sure I'd steal what woman's heart there was away
And I'd sing into the dawning
Saw a blaze into the morning
Long before I was the man you see today.

I was born beneath the star that promised all
I could have lived my life without Cassandra's call
But the wheel of fortune took me
From the highest point she shook me
By the bottle live by the bottle I shall fall

There in the mirror on the wall
I see the dream is fading
From the contender to the brawl
The ring, the rose, the matador, raving

And when I die I'll die a drunk down on the street
He will count me out to ten in clear defeat
Wrap the Starry Plough around me
Let the piper's air resound me
There I'll rest until the Lord of Love I'll meet

There in the mirror on the wall
I see the dream is fading
From the contender to the brawl
The ring, the rose, the matador, raving

Song Details

Writer: Jimmy MacCarthy - Irish singer songwriter from Macroom, County Cork, Ireland.

Brief: The song is about 1930s Irish boxer, Jack Doyle - also known as The Gorgeous Gael. He was born on the 31st August 1913 in Cobh, Ireland and died on 13th December, 1978 in Paddington, London. He was a tall, good-looking, multi-talented individual: a contender for the British Boxing Championship, a Hollywood actor and an accomplished tenor... his generous nature and love for the drink was to be his downfall.

References:
Cassandra: In Greek Classical Myth & Legend, Cassandra was the daughter of Priam and Hecuba, endowed with the gift of prophecy but fated never to be believed - refers to anyone whose prophecies of doom are unheeded.
The Starry Plough (flag) - banner was originally used by the Irish Citizen Army which was a socialist, Republican movement. James Connolly, co-founder of the movement with Jack White, said the significance of the banner was that a free Ireland would control its own destiny from the plough to the stars.

Category: Irish Folk Ballad

Covers: Christy Moore, Tommy Fleming, Finbar Wright, John McDermott, Ciarán Nagle, Tommy O'Sullivan, Sean Mythen, Mark Forrest, Harry O'Donoghue, Paul Carroll.

The Contender Chords

Key: G major
Time Signature: 4/4
Tempo: 84 bpm (♩)

The song key is highlighted. Transpose to any other key.

Intro:4/4 [G] [C]-[Em] [Am] [D] [G] [Am] [C]-[D] [G] 

1. When [G]I was young and I was in my [C]day [Em]
   Sure I'd [Am]steal what woman's [C]heart there was a-[D]way
   And I'd [G]sing into the dawning
   Saw a [Am]blaze into the morning
   Long be-[C]fore I was the [D]man you see to-[G]day.

2. I was [G]born beneath the star that promised [C]all [Em]
   I could have [Am]lived my life with-[C]out Cassandra's [D]call
   But the [G]wheel of fortune took me
   From the [Am]highest point she shook me
   By the [C]bottle live by the [D]bottle I shall [G]fall

Chorus: [Em] There in the [Am]mirror [D]on the [G]wall
        [G] I see the [Am]dream is [D]fading
        [Em] From the con-[Am]tender [D]to the [G]brawl
        [F] The ring, the rose, the matador, rav-[D]ing

3. And when I [G]die I'll die a drunk down on the [C]street [Em]
   He will [Am]count me out to [C]ten in clear de-[D]feat
   Wrap the [G]Starry Plough around me
   Let the [Am]piper's air resound me
   There I'll [C]rest until the [D]Lord of Love I'll [G]meet

Chorus: [Em] There in the [Am]mirror [D]on the [G]wall
        [G] I see the [Am]dream is [D]fading
        [Em] From the con-[Am]tender [D]to the [G]brawl
        [F] The ring, the rose, the matador, rav-[D]ing

Chorus: [Em] There in the [Am]mirror [D]on the [G]wall
        [G] I see the [Am]dream is [D]fading
        [Em] From the con-[Am]tender [D]to the [G]brawl
        [F] The ring, the rose, the matador, rav-[D]ing

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