Page 93
Roud Folk Song Index #678
Also known as "My Son Ted", or sometimes "Tim". The foreign war referred to is the Peninsular Campaign of 1808-1814 in the Napoleonic Wars and the song was probably created shortly thereafter.
Also known as "My Son Ted", or sometimes "Tim". The foreign war referred to is the Peninsular Campaign of 1808-1814 in the Napoleonic Wars and the song was probably created shortly thereafter.
I pronounce the name "Mc-Grah".
Mrs McGrath
by trad
Now, [F] Missus McGrath, the sergeant [C7] said,
Would you [F] like to make a soldier out of your son Ted?
With a scarlet [C7] coat and a [F] three cocked [C7] hat,
Now [F] Missus Mc-[C7] Grath, wouldn't [F] you like that?
(Chorus
With me [Dm] too-rye-ah, [F] fol the diddle-ah
[Dm] Too-rye, [C] oo-rye, [F] oo-rye-ah
With me [Dm] too-rye-ah, [F] fol the diddle-ah
[Dm] Too-rye, [C] oo-rye, [F] 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
Would you [F] like to make a soldier out of your son Ted?
With a scarlet [C7] coat and a [F] three cocked [C7] hat,
Now [F] Missus Mc-[C7] Grath, wouldn't [F] you like that?
(Chorus
With me [Dm] too-rye-ah, [F] fol the diddle-ah
[Dm] Too-rye, [C] oo-rye, [F] oo-rye-ah
With me [Dm] too-rye-ah, [F] fol the diddle-ah
[Dm] Too-rye, [C] oo-rye, [F] 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