MRS. McGRATH

"Mrs McGrath", the sergeant said
"Would you like a soldier out of your son, Ted ?
With a scarlet coat and a big cocked hat
Mrs McGrath, will you like that ?"

With your too-ri-aa, fol-did-dle-di-aa, too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa
Too-ri-aa, fol-did-dle-di-aa, too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa

Now Mrs McGrath lived on the shore
And after seven years or more
She spied a ship come into the bay
With her son from far away

"O Captain dear, where have ye been ?
You been sailing the Mediterranean
Have you news of my son, Ted
Is he living or is he dead ?"

With your too-ri-aa, fol-did-dle-di-aa, too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa
Too-ri-aa, fol-did-dle-di-aa, too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa

Then came Ted without any legs
And in their place, two wooden pegs
She kissed him a dozen times or two
And said, "My God, Ted, is it you ?

Now were ye drunk or were ye blind
When ye left your two fine legs behind ?
Or was it walking upon the sea
That wore your two fine legs away ?"

With your too-ri-aa, fol-did-dle-di-aa, too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa
Too-ri-aa, fol-did-dle-di-aa, too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa
With your too-ri-aa, fol-did-dle-di-aa, too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa
Too-ri-aa, fol-did-dle-di-aa, too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa

"Now, I wasn't drunk and I wasn't blind
When I left my two fine legs behind
A cannonball on the fifth of May
Tore my two fine legs away"

"My Teddy boy", the widow cried
"Your two fine legs were yer mother's pride
Stumps of a tree won't do at all
Why didn't ye run from the cannonball ?"

With your too-ri-aa, fol-did-dle-di-aa, too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa
Too-ri-aa, fol-did-dle-di-aa, too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa
With your too-ri-aa, fol-did-dle-di-aa, too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa

All foreign wars I do proclaim
Live on blood and a mother's pain
I'd rather have my son as he used to be
Than the King of America and his whole Navy !"

With your too-ri-aa, foldid-dle-di-aa, too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa
...