Willie Goggin’s Hat

Album: The Passing (1997)

Jack Hardy

Met him on the Killorglin road
Thinking mine was a heavy load
Said to stop and rest awhile
Long enough to find your smile
Said I don't know this and I don't know that
But I know what's under Willie Goggin's hat

chorus:
And if it ain't broke don't fix it
But how many of us ain't broke
And how many of us ain't died
A thousand broken hearted lives?
And how many of us, amen
Ain't got a broken heart to mend?

And I may be a tinker and I may be a fool
But I'll fix anything as good as new
I can fix anything but the golden rule
For gold can only fill a tooth
Long as I've got the price of a pint
My hands are rough but I can sleep at night

I learned years ago and years since then
There's no such thing as a common man
Don't work for pay, get paid for work
And on the day I forgot these words
I lost the play and I played a part
And I lost the gift of a golden heart

There are those that always buy things new
And those that always must make do
Here's to Mary-Margaret and Maureen
And all the folks from Cahirciveen
Who'd give you the shirt off their back
And gave me Willie Goggin's hat