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In memories again I am strolling along,
While the birds in the trees they are singing a song;
To the place of my childhood through valleys and dells,
I am strolling along over old Flatrock Hills.
I am strolling down Windgap along by the shore,
To the church on the hillside and Bowering's grand store;
To the banks of a river where it in the sea spills,
I'm renewing old memories of old Flatrock Hills.
To your old familiar coastline your valleys and streams,
Your gay garden parties on the old Chapel green;
Where happy boys and girls they go out for their thrills,
Sure it's nice to be there on the old Flatrock Hills.
It's the land of my birthplace my happy old home,
Where there I got friends but here I got none;
Where I strayed and I played in her valleys and dells,
In my happy childhood on the old Flatrock Hills.
Where our fathers and mothers were born and were bred,
By the trade of the Beamer and dear old Red Head;
From smiling and toiling and the act of there skills,
For they stayed and they greyed on the old Flatrock Hills.
On the Big River bridge on an evening in June,
To enjoy the village dancing by the light of the moon;
For the happy sound of laughter and the old time quadrille,
Sure is among my happy memories of old Flatrock Hills.
Now, time it will change but the old bridge will stand,
It's the same as when we stood there hand in hand;
It's old stone foundation supporting itself,
And the river still flows o'er the old Flatrock Hills.
To your sons and your daughters who sail o'er the sea,
To find some new adventure in the land of the free;
In the land of America their treasures and thrills,
But their hearts they left behind them on old Flatrock Hills.
From old Flatrock Hills, Oh, why did I part,
Here's a health to your people from the depths of my heart,
May I live again to see your valleys and dells,
Where we strayed and we played on the old Flatrock Hills.
Sung by Bernard Houlihan (b.ca.1885) of Flatrock, NL, and published in MacEdward Leach And The Songs Of Atlantic Canada © 2004 Memorial University of Newfoundland Folklore and Language Archive (MUNFLA). A variant was recorded as Old Flat Rock Hills by Dick Nolan (Happy Anniversary Newfoundland, RCA KCL1-0050, Toronto, 1974).
Note: The outport of Flatrock is located north of St. John's on the Avalon Peninsula.
