Til The Belfast Child Sings Again

Til The Belfast Child Sings Again

Phyllis Hansberry

This is an unusual reference, it appears to be from a song called 'Belfast's Child", by Simple Minds, a quite modern song, but a ballad, almost folk song.

When my love said to me
Meet me down by the gallow tree
For its sad news I bring
About this old town and all that it's suffering
Some say troubles are bound
Someday soon there gonna pull the old town down
One day we'll return here
When the Belfast child sings again

Brother sister where are you now
I don't look for you right through the crowd
All my life here I've spent
With my faith in god our church and the government
Some say troubles are bound
Someday soon there gonna pull the old town down
One day we'll return here
When the Belfast child sings again
When the Belfast child sings again

So come back Billy won't you come on home
Come back Mary you've been away so long
The streets are empty and your momma's gone
The girls are crying it's been oh so long
And your fathers calling come on home
Oh wont you come on home come on home

Oh come back people you've been gone awhile
And the war is raging on the emerald isle
There's flesh and blood there there's flesh and blood
All the girls are crying but all's not lost
Well the streets are empty the streets are cold
Oh wont you come on home come on home
The streets are empty

But life goes on

One day we'll return here
When the Belfast child sings again
When the Belfast child sings again

The song lyrics are very sad. I would be keen to understand why this reference was chosen.