Oh, Dolours
You were born at the mouth of a war
For your nation, your sex, and your soul
You fought them all the way
When you were younger
You would flirt with the RUCs at the bar
Sneaking snitches and guns in your car
With a wink and a smile
You took arms in the fight
With your sister in spite
All the scars on your family line
All that it cost was
Your body, your blood, and your mind
Oh, Dolours
Oh, Dolours
When you flew to the heart of the crown
Lady Justice came tumbling down
And they found you at Heathrow
That Iron Lady
Wanted someone to shoulder the blame
For playing those patriot games
On legitimate threats
So they fed you to death
Locked you up in your head
But you still wouldn't swallow your pride
All that it cost was
Your body, your blood, and your mind
Oh, Dolours
Oh, Dolours
Ní saoirse go saoirse na mBan
St. Stephen thought you were the one
But you were a bomb
All the vodka and pills
Couldn't help you to kill
All the loneliness left in your eyes
By a cause that had taken
Your body, your blood, and your mind
Was it worth it
Mis-adventuring down to your grave
Will the children remember your name
Or drown it in shame
Oh, Dolours
Oh, Dolours
You were born at the mouth of a war
For your nation, your sex, and your soul
You fought them all the way
When you were younger
You would flirt with the RUCs at the bar
Sneaking snitches and guns in your car
With a wink and a smile
You took arms in the fight
With your sister in spite
All the scars on your family line
All that it cost was
Your body, your blood, and your mind
Oh, Dolours
Oh, Dolours
When you flew to the heart of the crown
Lady Justice came tumbling down
And they found you at Heathrow
That Iron Lady
Wanted someone to shoulder the blame
For playing those patriot games
On legitimate threats
So they fed you to death
Locked you up in your head
But you still wouldn't swallow your pride
All that it cost was
Your body, your blood, and your mind
Oh, Dolours
Oh, Dolours
Ní saoirse go saoirse na mBan
St. Stephen thought you were the one
But you were a bomb
All the vodka and pills
Couldn't help you to kill
All the loneliness left in your eyes
By a cause that had taken
Your body, your blood, and your mind
Was it worth it
Mis-adventuring down to your grave
Will the children remember your name
Or drown it in shame
Oh, Dolours
about
Have you wondered what would happen if Weezer wrote songs about the IRA? "Oh Dolours" is an ode to Dolours Price, a radical feminist and volunteer in the Irish Republican Army. It's an exploration of the sacrifices people make in the name of liberation, and what kinds of compromises are actually worth the cost — particularly for women, who face sexist double standards even in militant resistance. We recruited the singers from Indoor Friends to join us in the third verse, to make sure that women's voices were actually heard.
Ní saoirse go saoirse na mBan.
***
Oh, Dolours
You were born at the mouth of a war
For your nation, your sex, and your soul
You fought them all the way
When you were younger
You would flirt with the RUCs at the bar
Sneaking snitches and guns in your car
With a wink and a smile
You took arms in the fight
With your sister in spite
All the scars on your family line
All that it cost was
Your body, your blood, and your mind
Oh, Dolours
Oh, Dolours
When you flew to the heart of the crown
Lady Justice came tumbling down
And they found you at Heathrow
That Iron Lady
Wanted someone to shoulder the blame
For playing those patriot games
On legitimate threats
So they fed you to death
Locked you up in your head
But you still wouldn't swallow your pride
All that it cost was
Your body, your blood, and your mind
Oh, Dolours
Oh, Dolours
Ní saoirse go saoirse na mBan
St. Stephen thought you were the one
But you were a bomb
All the vodka and pills
Couldn't help you to kill
All the loneliness left in your eyes
By a cause that had taken
Your body, your blood, and your mind
Was it worth it
Mis-adventuring down to your grave
Will the children remember your name
Or drown it in shame
Oh, Dolours
Thom also has an Irish-Americana Folk Rock / Punk project that performs under the name Forfocséic. Recommended if you like the Pogues and liberation, or if you don't like the British Empire. The Roland High Life
Rising Philadelphia band balance oversized pop punk hooks with vivid, intimate lyrics, presenting a raw, honest vision of guitar music. Bandcamp New & Notable Mar 30, 2022
