Long Journey Home

Lyrics

If on every ocean the ship is a throne

And for each mast cut down another sapling is grown

Then I could believe that I'm bound to find

A better life than I left behind

But as you ascend the ladder

Look out below where you tread

For the colours bled as they overflowed

Red, white and blue

Green, white and gold

So I had to leave from my country of birth

As for each child grown tall

Another lies in the earth

And for every rail we laid in the loam

There's a thousand miles of the long journey home

But as you ascend the ladder

Look out below where you tread

For the colours bled as they overflowed

Red, white and blue

Green, white and gold

But as you ascend the ladder

Look out below where you tread

For the colours bled as they overflowed

Red, white and blue

Green, white and gold

But as you ascend the ladder

Look out below where you tread

For the colours bled as they overflowed

Red, white and blue

Green, white and gold

Credits

• Written by: Elvis Costello and Paddy Maloney
• Produced by: Paddy Maloney
• Orchestra Arranged and Conducted by: Fiachra Trench
• Chorus Arranged by: Michael McGlynn
• Musicians:

Elvis Costello - vocals

The Chieftains:

Paddy Maloney - tin whistle, uilleann pipes

Kevin Conneff - bodhrán

Derek Bell - harp

Matt Molloy - flute

Martin Fay - fiddle

The Irish Film Orchestra

Anúna - choir

Fiachra Trench - piano

Arty McGlynn - guitar

James Blennerhassett - double bass

Paddy Glackin - fiddle

Robbie Casserly - drums

Discography

Albums:

• none

Singles:

• Long Journey Home, 1998

Collections:

• The Chieftains - The Wide World Over: A 40 Year Celebration, 2002 (radio edit)
• The Chieftains - The Essential Chieftains, 2006 (full-length version)

Soundtracks:

• Long Journey Home, 1998 (full-length version)

Various Artists collections:

• none

Alternate Versions:

• none

Covers

Recorded by:

• none

Bootlegs

• This section is incomplete.