Book of Song

Mrs McGrath

by trad

Now, Missus McGrath, the sergeant said,
Would you like to make a soldier out of your son Ted?
With a scarlet coat and a three cocked hat,
Now Missus Mc- Grath, wouldn't you like that?

(Chorus
With me too-rye-ah, fol the diddle-ah
Too-rye, oo-rye, oo-rye-ah
With me too-rye-ah, fol the diddle-ah
Too-rye, oo-rye, oo-rye-ah.)

Now Missus McGrath lived on the seashore
For the space of seven long years or more,
Till she saw a ship sail into the bay,
Says, It's my son Ted, will you clear the way,

Chorus

Oh captain, dear, where have you been,
Have you been sailing in the Meditereen,
And have you any news of my son Ted,
Is the poor boy alive or is he dead?

Chorus

Well, up comes Ted, without any legs,
And in their place he's got two wooden pegs.
She kissed him a dozen times or two,
Saying, Holy God, it isn't you,

Chorus

Now was you drunk, or was you blind,
When you left your two fine legs behind,
Or was it walking on the sea,
Wore your two fine legs from the knees away?

Chorus

No, I wasn't drunk, and I wasn't blind
When I left my two fine legs behind,
But a big cannon ball on the fifth of May,
Took me two fine legs from the knees away,

Chorus

Oh Teddy, my boy, the widow cried,
Your two fine legs were your mammy's pride.
The stumps of a tree won't do at all,
Why didn't you run from the big cannon ball?

Chorus

All foreign wars, I do proclaim,
Between Don Juan and the King of Spain,
And I'll make them rue the time,
They took two legs from a child of mine,

Chorus

Well then, if I had you back again,
I'd never let you go to fight the King of Spain,
For I'd rather have me Ted as he used to be,
Than the King of France and his whole navy,

Chorus