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The Leaving of Nancy
By Eric Bogle
Sung by the Masterless Men
In comes the train,and the whole platform shakes,
It stops with a shudder,and screamin' of brakes,
The parting has come and my weary soul aches,
I'm leaving my Nancy O.
You stand there so calmly, determinedly gay,
And you talk of the weather and events of the day,
Your eyes tell me all that your tongue doesn't say,
Goodbye my Nancy O.
Come a little closer,
Put your head upon my shoulder,
Let me hold you one more time,
Before the whistle blows
My kitpack is lifted and stowed on the train,
While a thousand regrets whirl around in my brain,
This ache in my heart, it's a black sea of pain,
I'm leaving my Nancy O.
You stand there beside me so lovely to see,
And the grip of your hand is an unspoken plea,
You're not fooling yourself, aah you're not fooling me,
Goodbye my Nancy O.
Come a little closer,
Put your head upon my shoulder,
Let me hold you one more time,
Before the whistle blows
Our time has run out, aah the whistle has blown,
And it's here I must leave you all standing alone,
We had so little time and now our time's gone,
I'm leaving my Nancy O.
And as the train starts gently to roll,
I lean out the window to wave and to call,
I see your first tears as they trickle and fall,
Goodbye my Nancy O.
Come a little closer,
Put your head upon my shoulder,
Let me hold you one more time,
Before the whistle blows,
Yes, come a little closer,
Put your head upon my shoulder,
Let me hold you one more time,
Before the whistle blows.
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What this song means to me
I first heard this song in 1986. It was sung by Peter Yeats who was part of the Irish Music Group, "The Old Triangle". Al, our children and I would go to see them each time they were in town.
This song, to me was just a very beautiful song. However it did have a tendency to bring tears, the way Pete would sing it.
After Al died, I had not heard it in about 15 years. Pete now came to town as a single artist. Of course, I requested it. I had no idea how it would affect me.
It seemed to have been written just for Al and myself.
The Leaving of Nancy
"In comes the train" - Al's diagnoisis of cancer that is going to take him away.
"The whole platform shakes" - Stage 4 -the reality hits. I am going to be alone, without my life long love.
"I'm leaving my Nancy O" - now reality sets in. I cried for hours but never let him see.
Did my eyes say all I could not say? Did he know how much I loved him? Did he know he was a part of my soul?
"Come a little closer, Put your head on my shoulder" I could not come closer or I would break.
I wish I had held him "one more time". Let him know how I really felt, "Before the whistle blows"
I stood by him calmly, not wanting him to know how I really felt. I talked of the "weather and events of the day", not revealing my real feelings. We never talked of his impending demise.
It was not till the train had left, that my "regrets filled my brain". Now I could never tell him how much I loved him.
There was no grip of our hands. The was no last words. Yes, our time had run out. He never saw my tears, he never leaned out the of the window. I was not there as he departed.
Now I say,
Let me "come a little closer,"
Let me put my "head on your shoulder"
"Let me hold you one more time"
"Before the whistle blows."
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