Streets of New York
Ryan McMullan Lyrics

I was eighteen years old when
Ryan McMullan was 18 years old when he went to Dublin.

With a fistfull of money and
Ryan McMullan went to Dublin with some money and a lot of dreams.

"Take your time", said me father
Ryan McMullan's father told him to take it slow.

"Stop rushing like hell
Ryan McMullan's father warned him not to rush headlong into things.

And remember all is not
Ryan McMullan's father told him that things are not always as they seem.

What it seems to be"
Ryan McMullan's father warned him that appearances can be deceiving.

"For there's fellas who'd cut ye
Ryan McMullan's father warned him that there are people who would do him harm.

For the coat on yer back
Ryan McMullan's father said people would even hurt him for his coat.

Or the watch that ye got from yer mother
Ryan McMullan's father said people might harm him for his mother's watch.

"So take care me young buck-o
Ryan McMullan's father cautioned him to take care.

And mind yourself well
Ryan McMullan's father concluded by telling him to look after himself.

And will ye give this wee note
Before leaving for America, Ryan McMullan's father gave him a note to give to his brother.

To my brother"
Ryan McMullan's father wanted his brother to read the note.

At the time Uncle Benjy
Ryan McMullan's uncle Benjy was a policeman in Brooklyn.

Was a policeman in Brooklyn
Ryan McMullan's uncle was performing his duties as a police officer in Brooklyn at that time.

And my father the youngest
Ryan McMullan's father was the youngest member of the family.

Looked after the farm
Ryan McMullan's father managed the farm while Uncle Benjy was away in Brooklyn.

When a phone call from America
Ryan McMullan's family received a call from the US.

Said 'Send the lad over'
Ryan McMullan was asked to go to the US.

Well the old fella said
Ryan McMullan's father said it wouldn't do any harm for Ryan to go to the US.

"It wouldn't do any harm
Ryan McMullan's father thought it wouldn't cause any problems for Ryan to go to the US.

For I spent me life working
Ryan McMullan's father had worked hard his whole life.

This dirty old ground
Ryan McMullan's father worked hard on the farm.

For a few pints of porter
Ryan McMullan's father worked on the farm so he could have a few beers.

And the smell of a pound
Ryan McMullan's father worked hard to make a little bit of money.

And sure maybe there's something
Ryan McMullan's father thought that perhaps Ryan might learn something useful.

You'll learn or you'll see
Ryan McMullan's father thought Ryan might learn some valuable lessons while in the US.

If you can bring it back home
Ryan McMullan's father wanted him to bring back useful knowledge and experience.

Make it easy on me
Ryan McMullan's father didn't want Ryan's trip to the US to cause him any extra worries.

So I landed at Kennedy and a big yellow taxi
Ryan McMullan landed at JFK airport and took a big, yellow taxi to his destination.

Carried me and me bags
Ryan McMullan's bags were also carried along in the taxi.

Through the streets and the rain
Ryan McMullan travelled through the streets of New York in the rain.

Well my poor heart was thumpin'
Ryan McMullan's heart was pounding with excitement.

Around with excitement
Ryan McMullan was overcome with excitement.

And I hardly even heard
Because of his excitement, Ryan McMullan had trouble concentrating.

What the driver was saying
Ryan McMullan was so preoccupied that he couldn't even hear what the taxi driver was saying.

We pulled in the Shore Parkway
The taxi took the Shore Parkway route.

To the Flatlands of Brooklyn
The taxi took Ryan McMullan to Brooklyn's Flatlands.

To my Uncles apartment on East 53rd
The taxi took Ryan McMullan to his uncle's apartment, which was located at East 53rd.

I was feeling so happy i was humming a song
Ryan McMullan was so happy that he was humming a tune.

And I sang you're as free as a bird'
Ryan McMullan sang out, feeling light as a feather.

What I found out that day
Ryan McMullan discovered something tragic that day.

Was that Benjy got shot down
Ryan McMullan's uncle Benjy had been killed in a shooting.

In an uptown foray
Ryan McMullan's uncle was killed in an uptown shootout.

And while I was flying
While Ryan McMullan was en route to the US,

My way to New York
Ryan McMullan's uncle had been killed in New York.

Poor old Benjy was lying in
Ryan McMullan's uncle Benjy was lying in a cold city morgue.

A cold city morgue
Ryan McMullan's uncle's body was in a just another cold city morgue.

Well I phoned up the old fella
Ryan McMullan called his father to tell him the bad news.

And I told him the news
Ryan McMullan informed his father of Benjy's death.

I could tell he could hardly
Ryan McMullan could tell that his father was very upset.

Stand up in his shoes
Ryan McMullan's father was so overwhelmed that he could hardly stand up.

And he wept as he told me
Ryan McMullan's father cried as he spoke to him.

"Go ahead with the plan
Ryan McMullan's father urged him to continue with his plan to stay in the US.

And you're not to forget to
Ryan McMullan's father insisted that he must not forget.

Be a proud Irishman
Ryan McMullan's father wanted him to always remember that he was an Irishman.

So I went up to Nellies beside Fordham Road
Ryan McMullan went to Nellie's near Fordham Road.

And I started to learn
Ryan McMullan began to learn.

About lifting the load
Ryan McMullan learned about carrying heavy objects.

But the heaviest thing i carried that year
The heaviest thing that Ryan McMullan carried that year was not a physical object.

Was the bittersweet thoughts
Ryan McMullan was weighed down by his mixed feelings.

Of my hometown so dear
Ryan McMullan missed his hometown very much.

I went home that December
Ryan McMullan returned home in December.

'Cause the old fella died
Ryan McMullan's father had passed away.

Had to borrow some money of Phil on the side
Ryan McMullan had to borrow some money from Phil, secretly.

Oh and all the bright flowers
Ryan McMullan received many condolences.

And brass couldn't hide
Even though there were many flowers and brass, they couldn't push away Ryan's sadness.

The poor wasted face of my father
Ryan McMullan was filled with grief over his father's passing.

We sold up the old farmyard
Ryan McMullan's family sold the old farmyard.

For what it was worth
Ryan McMullan's family sold the farm for whatever they could get for it.

And into me bag
Ryan McMullan put a handful of dirt from home.

Stuck a handful of earth
Ryan McMullan put a handful of Irish earth in his bag.

And I boarded a train
Ryan McMullan boarded a train.

And I caught me a plane
Ryan McMullan caught a plane.

And I found myself back in the US again
Ryan McMullan returned to the US.

It's been twenty two years
It has been twenty-two years since Ryan McMullan went to Dublin.

Since I set foot in Dublin
It has been twenty-two years since Ryan McMullan visited Dublin.

My kids know to use
Ryan McMullan's children know how to use

The correct knife and fork
Ryan McMullan's children are accustomed to using the proper utensils.

But I never will forget
Despite his children's good manners, Ryan McMullan will never forget.

The green grass and the rivers
Ryan McMullan remembers the lush, green landscapes and flowing rivers.

As I keep law and order
Ryan McMullan works to keep the peace.

On the streets of New York
Ryan McMullan works as law enforcement on the streets of New York.