> Folk Music > Songs > I’ll Take You Home Again Kathleen

I’ll Take You Home Again Kathleen

[ Roud 12907 ; Ballad Index RJ19083 ; DT KTHLEN ; Mudcat 4458 ; Thomas Paine Westendorf, 1875]

Bob Hart sang I’ll Take You Home Again Kathleen at his home in Snape, Suffolk on 8 July 1969 to Rod and Danny Stradling. This recording was included in 1998 on his Musical Traditions double CD A Broadside. Rod Stradling noted:

Written by Thomas Paine Westendorf in 1875. It was Joseph Locke’s signature tune, and was always being played on the radio when I was young. Alice Messenger in Blaxhall also sang it.

Charlie Bridger sang I’ll Take You Home Again Kathleen at his home in Stone-in-Oxney, Kent on 15 April 1983 to Andy Turner. This recording was included in 2019 on his Musical Traditions album Won’t You Buy My Pretty Flowers?. Rod Stradling noted:

Written by Thomas P Westendorf in 1875. Despite its popularity on the halls and in the parlours of England, this song was not much taken up by the oral tradition. Of the 35 Roud instances, only 7 are of sound recordings, and that by Bob Hart (MTCD301-2) seems to be the only one available on CD. And, despite the Irish tone of its text, there are no Irish entries.

Michelle Burke learned I’ll Take You Home Again Kathleen from her granny and sang it on her 2009 CD Pulling Threads.

Jon Boden sang I’ll Take You Home Again Kathleen as the 30 January 2011 entry of his project A Folk Song a Day.

Heidi Talbot sang I’ll Take You Home Again Kathleen on her 2026 album Grace Untold. She noted:

At the beginning of this song, you’ll hear my grandmother Kathleen’s voice—a mighty woman who raised nine children, worked tirelessly, and made the most beautiful crocheted blankets and clothes. Her strength, softness and kindness still inspire me. I sing this with my children Jessica and Molly Mae, a thread of voices across three generations.

Lyrics

Bob Hart sings I’ll Take You Home Again Kathleen

I will take you home, o Kathleen dear,
Across the ocean wild and wide.
To where your heart has ever been
Since first you were my blushing bride.
The roses they have left your cheek,
I’ve watched them fade away and die.
Your voice is sad whene’er you speak
And tears are in your loving eye.

Chorus:
O I will take you home, Kathleen,
To where your heart shall feel no pain;
To where the fields are fresh and green;
I will take you to your home again.

I know you love me, Kathleen dear,
Your thoughts were ever fond and true.
I always feel, when you are near,
That life holds nothing dear but you.
The smiles that once you gave to me,
I scarcely ever see them now.
Yet many, many times I see
A darkening shadow on your brow.

To that dear land across the sea
My Kathleen shall again return.
And when thine own folk welcome thee
That loving heart will cease to yearn.
Where laughs that little silver stream
That runs beside your mother’s cot,
And brightest rays of sunshine gleam,
Then all your griefs will be forgot.

Charlie Bridger sings I’ll Take You Home Again Kathleen

I’ll take you home again, Kathleen,
Across the ocean wild and wide
To where your heart has ever been
Since first you were my bonny bride.
The roses all have left your cheek
I watched them fade away and die
Your voice is sad whene’er you speak
And fear stood in your loving eye.

Chorus:
O I will take you back, Kathleen,
To where your heart will feel no pain
And when the fields are fresh and green
I will take you to your home again.

I know you love me, Kathleen dear,
Your heart was ever fond and true.
I always feel when you are near
That life holds nothing dear but you.
The smiles that once you gave to me
I scarcely ever see them now
Though many, many times I see
A darkening shadow on thy brow.

To that dear land beyond the sea
My Kathleen shall again return.
And when thy old friends welcome thee
Thy loving heart will cease to yearn.
Where lush, the little silver stream
Beside your mother’s humble cot
And the brightest rays of sunshine gleam
There all your grief will be forgot.