Spanish lady
Firkin Lyrics


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As I went down to Dublin City
At the hour of twelve at night,
Who should I see but a Spanish lady
Washing her feet by candle light.
First she washed them, then she dried them
O'er a fire of amber coal,
In all my life I ne'er did see
A maid so sweet about the sole.
Whack for the toora loora laddy,
Whack for the toora loora lay.
Whack for the toora loora laddy,
Whack for the toora loora lay.

As I went back through Dublin city
As the sun began to set,
Who should I spy but the Spanish lady
Catching a moth in a golden net.
When she saw me then she fled me,
Lifting her petticoat o'er her knee,
In all my life I ne'er did see
A maid so shy as the Spanish lady.

I've wandered north and I've wandered south,
Through Stonybatter and Patrick's Close,
Up and around the Glouster diamond
And back by Napper Tandy's house.
Old age has her hand laid on me,
Cold as a fire of ashy coals,




But in all my life I ne'er did see,
A maid so sweet as the Spanish lady.

Overall Meaning

The verses of Firkin's song Spanish Lady paint a vivid picture of the singer's experiences while wandering the streets of Dublin City. The song recalls the singer's sighting of a Spanish lady down by the riverside washing her feet by candlelight. The singer expresses his admiration for her beauty and the sight of her delicate feet. The lyrics create a poetic image of a woman with a gentle and innocent nature. The phrase "A maid so sweet about the sole" not only describes her physical beauty but her pure inner spirit making her not like any other women he'd seen before.


In the second verse, the singer recalls a second encounter with the Spanish lady some time later. It was sunset, and he saw her catching a moth with a golden net, and when she realized she was being watched, she quickly ran away, elevating her petticoats so as not to impede her movement. This entire verse adds more intrigue to the women's character- highlighting her mysterious and shy side even more as she runs away.


Finally, the third verse, the singer recounts his age and how he has traveled through Dublin City over the years. These experiences have left him musing over the Spanish lady's sweet and gentle nature. The song shows how the beauty of the Spanish lady has left a significant impression on the singer's life.


Line by Line Meaning

As I went down to Dublin City
While visiting Dublin city


At the hour of twelve at night,
Late at night at the stroke of twelve


Who should I see but a Spanish lady
I saw a lady from Spain


Washing her feet by candle light.
She was washing her feet by the light of a candle


First she washed them, then she dried them
She washed and then dried her feet


O'er a fire of amber coal,
Using the heat of burning amber coal


In all my life I ne'er did see
I've never seen before in my life


A maid so sweet about the sole.
A girl with such a charming demeanor


Whack for the toora loora laddy,
A spirited chant


Whack for the toora loora lay.
A lively chorus


As I went back through Dublin city
As I was returning through the city


As the sun began to set,
At the onset of sunset


Who should I spy but the Spanish lady
I saw the Spanish lady again


Catching a moth in a golden net.
She was catching a moth in a net of gold


When she saw me then she fled me,
As soon as she saw me, she ran away


Lifting her petticoat o'er her knee,
She raised her skirt above her knee


In all my life I ne'er did see
I have never seen before in my life


A maid so shy as the Spanish lady.
A girl so timid like the Spanish lady


I've wandered north and I've wandered south,
I've traveled to the north and south


Through Stonybatter and Patrick's Close,
Through the locales of Stonybatter and Patrick's Close


Up and around the Glouster diamond
I've traversed the area around the Glouster diamond


And back by Napper Tandy's house.
And made my way back to Napper Tandy's house


Old age has her hand laid on me,
I'm getting old


Cold as a fire of ashy coals,
My body is as cold as dying coals


But in all my life I ne'er did see,
But still, in my entire life


A maid so sweet as the Spanish lady.
I haven't seen a girl so endearing like the Spanish lady




Contributed by Kaelyn G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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