Raise Em High

[Spoken Intro – shouted, crowd noise underneath] "OY! Are ye ready out there?! This one’s for the wild hearts and the late-night sinners! It’s called “Raise ’Em High, Molly O!” If you’ve got a voice, I wanna hear it— If you’ve got a pint, I wanna see it— ONE, TWO, THREE—HEY!" [Verse 1] I was born by the rollin’ sea With the salt wind singin’ over me Da said, “Girl, keep your boots on tight This world’ll test your will to fight” Ma said, “Child, don’t dim your flame Let no man steal your family name” So I learned to laugh and I learned to roar With my back to the pub-house door [Pre-Chorus] When the fiddle cries and the pipes all blow There’s a fire in my blood they’ll never slow [Chorus – big, anthemic] So raise ’em high, Molly O! Let the whole damn harbor know We’re the daughters of the storm and stone And we stand our ground, we hold our own Sing it loud, let the whiskey flow From Dublin town to Sligo We’ll dance all night, let the wild winds blow— Raise ’em high, Molly O! [Verse 2] There’s a scar on me knuckles fair From a fool who thought I’d scare But I looked him square between the eyes Said, “Boy, you don’t know Irish pride” I’ve kissed a sailor, broke his heart Watched his ship and the gray clouds part But I won’t wait on any shore I’ve got my own two feet for more [Pre-Chorus] When the drum beats fast and the floorboards shake It’s a rebel heart they’ll never break [Chorus] So raise ’em high, Molly O! Let the whole damn harbor know We’re the daughters of the storm and stone And we stand our ground, we hold our own Sing it loud, let the whiskey flow From Galway Bay to Mayo We’ll dance all night, let the wild winds blow— Raise ’em high, Molly O! [Bridge – powerful, half-time] Ohhhh— We are the laughter in the rain We are the healing and the pain We are the stories history told In whispers brave and bold No chains, no crowns, no quiet tears We’ve carried hope through hungry years If you try to strike us low— We rise again, don’t you know! [Breakdown – call and response] When I say “Molly!” you say “O!” MOLLY! (O!) MOLLY! (O!) [Final Chorus – full band, high harmony] So raise ’em high, Molly O! Let the bells of freedom toll We’re the daughters of the emerald shore And we’ll sing this song forevermore Sing it loud, let the whiskey flow From Cork to Donegal We’ll stand up tall, we won’t bow low— Raise ’em high, Molly O! [Outro – a cappella start, band crashes in] Raise ’em high… Raise ’em high… Raise ’em high, Molly O!