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In comes the train and the whole platform shakes,
It stops with a shudder and a screaming of brakes;
The parting has come and my weary soul aches,
I'm leaving my Nancy-O.
But you stand there so calmly, determinedly gay,
And you talk of the weather and events of the day;
But your eyes tell me all that your tongue doesn't say,
Goodbye, Nancy-O.
So come a little closer,
Put your head upon my shoulder;
Let me hold you one more time,
Before the whistle blows.
My suitcase is lifted and stowed on the train,
A thousand regrets now whirl in my brain;
And this ache in my heart is a black sea of pain,
I'm leaving my Nancy-O.
But you stand here so calmly, so lovely to see,
And the grip of your hand is an unspoken plea;
You're not fooling yourself, and you're not fooling me,
I'm leaving my Nancy-O.
Our time has run out and the whistle has blown,
So here I must leave you standing alone;
We had so little time and now the time's gone,
Goodbye my Nancy-O.
And as the train starts gently to roll,
And as I lean out to wave and to call,
I see your first tear drops trickle and fall,
Goodbye, my Nancy-O.
So come a little closer,
Put your head upon my shoulder;
Let me hold you one more time,
Before the whistle blows.
Liner notes: Eric Bogle wrote this song in 1971 about leaving his mother in Scotland while he left for Australia to live. He made her promise not to cry until he was out of sight. This song has a special meaning for us because when our mother comes to see us off at the airport, she can't always hide her tears.
