For the Mission Baby

She was sixteen, handy with a needle and thread
she danced to the Beatles in '65
he was dark and handsome maybe seventeen
they made love one night one breath to be.

chorus
singin' lovely love lil' dark-eyed darlin'
lovely be for the mission baby

now no one knows the sound of submission
when the family whispers down to the mission
too young too poor too free to keep her
and the reckonin' cries and times grow older.

chorus

mountains of the mourne to the Appalachian sisters
the roots run deep for the mission baby.

chorus

now God only knows who's right or wrong
when you're breakin' a heart or keepin' the law.

chorus