The Black Velvet Band

from Convicts and Bushrangers by The Queensland Tiger

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about

A traditional Irish ballad, the man in the song is sentenced to seven years transportation to Van Diemen’s Land. One of the harshest penal colonies from the early 1800s to the 1850s, it was renamed Tasmania in 1856 after the cessation of transportation.
Violin by Jessie Morgan.

lyrics

============== LYRICS ==============
The Black Velvet Band
( Traditional )
--------------------------------------------------
[V.1]
In a neat little town they call Belfast apprenticed to trade I was bound
And many an hour of sweet happiness, I spent in that neat little town
Till a sad misfortune came over me and caused me to stray from the land
Far away from me friends and relations and the girl with the black velvet band
----------------------------------------------------------------
[CHORUS]
But her eyes, they shone like diamonds, you'd think she was queen of the land
And her hair hung over her shoulders, tied up with a black velvet band.
--------------------------------------------------
[V.2]
I took a stroll with this pretty fair maid, and a gentleman passing us by
Well I knew she meant the doin’ of him, by the look in her roguish dark eyes
A gold watch she picked from his pocket and placed it right into my hand
But the law it came and arrested me ! Bad luck ! That black velvet band !
--------------------------------------------------
[CHORUS]
But her eyes, they shone like diamonds, you'd think she was queen of the land
And her hair hung over her shoulders, tied up with a black velvet band.
--------------------------------------------------
[V.3]
Before the judge and the jury, next morning I had to appear
The judge he says to me, " Young man, your case it is proven quite clear
We'll give you seven years penal servitude, to be spent far away from the land
Far away from your friends and relations, betrayed by that black velvet band "
------------------------------------------------------------------
[CHORUS]
But her eyes, they shone like diamonds, you'd think she was queen of the land
And her hair hung over her shoulders, tied up with a black velvet band.
--------------------------------------------------
[V.4]
So come all you jolly young fellows a warning take by me
When you are out on the town me lads, beware of them pretty colleens
They’ll fill you with whiskey and porter till you are unable to stand
And the very next thing that you'll know is you've landed in Van Diemen’s Land
------------------------------------------------------------------
[CHORUS]
But her eyes, they shone like diamonds, you'd think she was queen of the land
And her hair hung over her shoulders, tied up with a black velvet band.
========================================

credits

from Convicts and Bushrangers, track released November 20, 2019
Traditional Irish. Violin by Jessie Morgan

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The Queensland Tiger

The Queensland Tiger covers traditional Australian ballads mainly from 19C.: e.g. Henry Lawson, Banjo Paterson, Breaker Morant, Charles Thatcher, etc…. true to the original works.
website : www.thequeenslandtiger.com or Youtube channel : The Queensland Tiger ... more

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