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Eric Bogle wrote this about leaving his native Scotland and his mother Nancy for Australia at the age of 25.
Leaving Nancy
by Eric Bogle
In comes the train and the whole plat-form shakes.
It stops with a shudder and screaming of brakes.
The parting has come and my weary soul aches
I’m leaving my Nancy- O
But you stand there so calmly determinedly gay
And you talk of the weather and events of the day
But your eyes tell me all that your tongue doesn’t say
Good bye my Nancy-O
( Chorus:
And come a little closer
lay your head upon my shoulder
and let me hold you one more time
before the whistle blows. )
My suitcase is lifted and stowed on the train
And thousands regrets whirl in my brain
And the ache in my heart is a black sea of pain
I’m leaving my Nancy-O
And you stand there so calmly so lovely to see
But the grip of your hand is an unspoken plea
You’re not fooling yourself and you’re not fooling me
Goodbye my Nancy-O
Chorus
For our time has run out and the whistle has blown
And here I must leave you standing alone
We have so little time and the time is all gone
Good bye me Nancy-O
And as the train starts gently to roll
And as I lean out to wave and to call
I see your first tears trickle and fall
Good bye my Nancy-O
Repeat Chorus twice
It stops with a shudder and screaming of brakes.
The parting has come and my weary soul aches
I’m leaving my Nancy- O
But you stand there so calmly determinedly gay
And you talk of the weather and events of the day
But your eyes tell me all that your tongue doesn’t say
Good bye my Nancy-O
( Chorus:
And come a little closer
lay your head upon my shoulder
and let me hold you one more time
before the whistle blows. )
My suitcase is lifted and stowed on the train
And thousands regrets whirl in my brain
And the ache in my heart is a black sea of pain
I’m leaving my Nancy-O
And you stand there so calmly so lovely to see
But the grip of your hand is an unspoken plea
You’re not fooling yourself and you’re not fooling me
Goodbye my Nancy-O
Chorus
For our time has run out and the whistle has blown
And here I must leave you standing alone
We have so little time and the time is all gone
Good bye me Nancy-O
And as the train starts gently to roll
And as I lean out to wave and to call
I see your first tears trickle and fall
Good bye my Nancy-O
Repeat Chorus twice