Dubliners, The - Mrs. McGrath Lyrics






"Ahhhhh, Mrs. McGrath," the sergeant said
"Would you like to make a soldier out of your son Ted
With a scarlett coat and a big cocked hat
Oh, Mrs. McGrath, wouldn't you like that?"

[Chorus:]
With your too-ri-a, fol-di-diddle-da, too-ri, oor-ri, oor-ri-a
With your too-ri-a, fol-di-diddle-da, too-ri, oor-ri, oor-ri-a

Now, Mrs. McGrath lived by the sea shore
For the space of seven long years or more
`till she saw a big ship sailing into the bay
"Here's my son Ted, wisha clear the way"

[Chorus]

"Oh captain dear, where have you been
Or have you been in the Meditereen
Will you tell me the news of my son Ted
Is the poor boy living or is he dead?"

[Chorus]

Well up comes Ted without any legs
And in their place, he had two wooden pegs
Well she kissed him a dozen times or two
Sayin`:" Glory by the God, sure it couldn`t be you?"

[Chorus]

"Ah then were you drunk, or were you blind
When you left your two fine legs behind?
Or was it while walking on the sea
A big fish ate your 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
Tore my two fine legs from the knees away"

[Chorus]

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

[Chorus]

"Well all foreign wars I do proclaim
Between Don John and the King of Spain
And by herrins I`ll make them rue the time
That they shoot the legs from the child of mine”

[Chorus]





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Dubliners, The Mrs. McGrath Comments
  1. p.... q....

    Sorrow is addressed differently in different cultures. The "up-beat" format can be seen as an ironic treatment of Ireland's long history of tragedy.

  2. I.... A....

    (Slightly more accurate than other comment and including some of the Irish accent)

    "Ahhh Mrs. McGrath" the sergeant said
    "Would ya like to make a soldier outta your son Ted?
    With a scarlet coat and a big cocked hat
    then Mrs. McGrath wouldn't you like that?"

    wit me too rai-ah faddle deedle dah
    oo-rai oo-rai oo-rai-ah
    wit me too rai-ah faddle deedle dah
    oo-rai oo-rai oo-rai-ah

    Well Mrs. McGrath lived by the sea shore
    for the space of seven long years or more
    'till she saw a big ship sailin' into the bay
    "Here's my son Ted will ya's clear away!"

    wit me too rai-ah faddle deedle dah
    oo-rai oo-rai oo-rai-ah
    wit me too rai-ah faddle deedle dah
    oo-rai oo-rai oo-rai-ah

    "Ah captain dear ah where have ya been?
    Have ya's been in the Mediterranean?
    Will ya tell me news of my son Ted?
    Is the poor lad livin' or is he dead?"

    wit me too rai-ah faddle deedle dah
    oo-rai oo-rai oo-rai-ah
    wit me too rai-ah faddle deedle dah
    oo-rai oo-rai oo-rai-ah

    Ah well up comes Ted without any legs
    an' in their place he had two wooden pegs.
    Well she kissed him a dozen times or two
    sayin' "Glory be to God sure it couldn't be you."

    wit me too rai-ah faddle deedle dah
    oo-rai oo-rai oo-rai-ah
    wit me too rai-ah faddle deedle dah
    oo-rai oo-rai oo-rai-ah

    "Ah then were ya drunk or were ya blind
    when ya left yer two fine legs behind?
    Or was it while walkin' on the say (sea)
    a big fish ate yer legs from the knees away?"

    wit me too rai-ah faddle deedle dah
    oo-rai oo-rai oo-rai-ah
    wit me too rai-ah faddle deedle dah
    oo-rai oo-rai oo-rai-ah

    "Well I wasn't drunk an' I wasn't blind
    when I left me two fine legs behind
    but a big cannonball on the fifth of May
    throw me two fine legs from the knees away."

    wit me too rai-ah faddle deedle dah
    oo-rai oo-rai oo-rai-ah
    wit me too rai-ah faddle deedle dah
    oo-rai oo-rai oo-rai-ah

    "Ah Teddy me boy" the poor widow cried
    (The) "Ya two fine legs were yer mammy's pride.
    Those ol' stumps of a tree wouldn't do at all
    Well sure why didn't ya run from the big cannonball?"

    wit me too rai-ah faddle deedle dah
    oo-rai oo-rai oo-rai-ah
    wit me too rai-ah faddle deedle dah
    oo-rai oo-rai oo-rai-ah

    "Well all foreign wars I do proclaim
    Between An Wan and the King of Spain
    An' by heavans I'll make them rue the time
    That they shot the legs off a child of mine"

    ("An Wan" presumebly refers to the Queen of England. "An" is the Irish word for "The" and "The wan" or "Yer wan" is often used to refer to a woman that both people in a conversation know. With other version saying the "Queen of England" it seems pretty safe to conclude this)

    I.... A....

    "An Wan" sounds like "Don Juan" to me, and that's what lyrics say when I google the song. Your interpretation is pretty cool though! I never would've thought of that

  3. p.... r....

    I think its hilarous how people comment how the dubliners and ronnie should sing this song obviously ye were far better singers and musicans than the group lol

  4. a.... g....

    "Ahhhhh, Mrs. McGrath," the sergeant said
    "Would you like to make a soldier out of your son Ted
    With a scarlett coat and a big cocked hat
    Oh, Mrs. McGrath, wouldn't you like that?"

    [Chorus:]
    With your too-ri-a, fol-di-diddle-da, too-ri, oor-ri, oor-ri-a
    With your too-ri-a, fol-di-diddle-da, too-ri, oor-ri, oor-ri-a

    Now, Mrs. McGrath lived by the sea shore
    For the space of seven long years or more
    `till she saw a big ship sailing into the bay
    "Here's my son Ted, wisha clear the way"

    [Chorus]

    "Oh captain dear, where have you been
    Or have you been in the Meditereen
    Will you tell me the news of my son Ted
    Is the poor boy living or is he dead?"

    [Chorus]

    Well up comes Ted without any legs
    And in their place, he had two wooden pegs
    Well she kissed him a dozen times or two
    Sayin`:" Glory by the God, sure it couldn`t be you?"

    [Chorus]

    "Ah then were you drunk, or were you blind
    When you left your two fine legs behind?
    Or was it while walking on the sea
    A big fish ate your 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
    Tore my two fine legs from the knees away"

    [Chorus]

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

    [Chorus]

    "Well all foreign wars I do proclaim
    Between Don John and the King of Spain
    And by herrins I`ll make them rue the time
    That they shoot the legs from the child of mine”

    [Chorus]

  5. A.... S....

    To people saying this version is too upbeat, I take it you're new to celtic (especially irish) folk music. There's a long tradition of taking sad topics and making lively songs out of them.

    A.... S....

    No, it is a somewhat upbeat version. That's not good or bad, just the way the Dubliners chose to do it. As a comparison, listen to Seamus Ennis' version on 'World Library of Folk and Primitive Music: Vol 2'.

  6. H.... W....

    Absolutely love both this version and the Stanfields' version.  Springsteen is great but his version is meh.

  7. 2.... I....

    ppl seem convinced that a song about a gory subject should be slow and solemn. Lowlands of Holland is a similar song, also upbeat. in the british and irish folk traditions this is normal, not disrespectful.

    when the Fureys sang From Clare to Here, ppl also complained it was too up tempo. i think they portrayed the emotions in the song better than all other versions. tempo alone does not make a song bawdy and disrespectful.

  8. B.... B....

    i prefur this version of the song. its easyer to listen to but gets the message across that war does terrible thing to inocent people. ultimately its better then moder music that just doesn't sing about war or the wounded

  9. S.... ....

    Great song!

  10. t.... ....

    What a load of sh**e. Who is making a mockery of anything? What is a drinking song anyway? Do you say that purely because they sing it faster?! Your comments are ridiculous.

  11. S.... S....

    Burl Ives did it better than both the boss and the dubliners.

  12. s.... m....

    the Dubliners f***ed up when released this,as its so far removed from a drinking song(of which they had loads) i think they make a mockery of all the soldiers &veterans who are away for years on end,loosing legs,arm&llives,then come home,alot with PTSD.Their families also suffer as the people they loved have come back different people & they feel powerless to help or comfort them.Any1 who makes such a mockery of what happens in war that they turn antiwar songs in2 drinking ones is clearly v.sick

    s.... m....

    stella maris You’re either making a pathetic attempt at music or else you don’t have a clue about music. Sad events do not have to have slow downbeat music in the same way happy events don’t have to have fast songs. That’s what makes music unique there’s no set rules. A drinking song does not have to be fast or slow, one can drink to anything. I suppose you never heard the expression to ‘drown your sorrows.’ Thankfully life isn’t as simple as you make it out to be.

  13. s.... m....

    it doesnt matter if the Dubliners sang it first, they obviously did not get what they were singing and in the process turned an old,profound antiwar song into a drunken ole singalong. at least Springsteen understood it and felt the essence of the song because he sang the way it should only be sang. with respect & reverence.So many men &women died so we can sit here entertaining ourselves on laptops or whatever & to chat to people all over the world.We have so much to be thankful for.So so much

  14. s.... m....

    i have 2 disagree with ur remark. MRS McGRATH is an anti war song that dates back to ireland in 1700s which was a hard era to live in.The Dubliners upbeat version belittles the tragedy that song evokes.they sing it as a drinking song¬ the antiwar song it is.
    Springsteens version is the way it should be sang-with respect to all the soldiers&conscripts that fought &died for a better future for all,but also 4 the worry & pain the families of these men went tru-we owe them alot-- people 4get easy

    s.... m....

    men who grew up in Ireland in these times can sing this however they want

  15. T.... ....

    Im sure in going to get hanged for this but it's worth the death. I have never found anything "The Boss" impressive. The Boss of what? This song has been around for a long time. I would take The Dubliners version over Bruce's. anyday. His version is just dull and drawn out.

    T.... ....

    im a HUGE bruce fan but i hate his version of this. Doesnt mean he hasnt put out an amazing catalog of music though.

  16. l.... ....

    I agree with you azangor, but 98 whistler, its just a different approach. The dubliners made it more into a drinking song, while bruce springsteen keeps it in it's original sad folk style.

  17. 9.... ....

    okay so bruce springsteens version of this is so much better because it is done as it is meant to be done this one is bad because it is upbeat and its meant to be a solemn song

  18. a.... ....

    The Dubliners was before Springsteen, like the clash was before Green Day. So your analogy falls apart.

  19. 9.... ....

    bruce springsteens version is just so much better in my opinion its powerful the dubliners just massacred it like green day massacred the clash's i fought the law

  20. b.... ....

    im irish and love the dubliners and this version love da bosses version too but this isnt the original version...the song mrs mc grath or mrs. mc graw is 250 years old irish folk song just the dubliners updated it very well followed by bruce but theirs been loads of covers of it over the years ... try the clancy brothers version " my son ted" very funny

  21. A.... c....

    I think Springsteen's version is to sad, the text is clearly humorous! ;-)

  22. F.... ....

    it sounds well...
    but springsteen did an awesome work with this song which sounds much better!!

  23. C.... M....

    Im a McGrath :) lol

  24. m.... ....

    @NorseWinter Well kids will always be kids, but they do tend to grow up.

    I think many people would like this song but never get the chance becasue they never hear of it.

  25. K.... M....

    Proud 2 be IRISH/a McGrath

  26. S.... ....

    @RicNatureboyFlair lol

  27. S.... ....

    @alyssarangel10 your so ugly you hurt my eyes

  28. G.... ....

    @NorseWinter
    bloody well asked

  29. N.... ....

    I CONNOT fathom why music like this can get 52.000 hits and shit like that Justin Bieber, can get more than 300 mio. There is something seriously wrong with this world.

    N.... ....

    nah - it's perfect that things are this way. Fine wine is only reserved for those who cure the grapes for centuries. Music is the same way. We were raised right by educated people, or at least educated ourselves to find the best in the world. Let the other roaches enjoy the scraps, i like the whole meal, all to myself.

  30. P.... ....

    Here's to you, Ronnie Drew.

  31. t.... ....

    any one no of any good travler poatching/hunting song

  32. N.... M....

    haha my english teacher is mrs mcgrath hahah

  33. F.... ....

    The best version on YT

  34. U.... ....

    I'm also Swedish... it just takes some getting used to but you'll get the hang of it with a little practise ;) Just do like me and become a regular costomer at the local Irish pub and therby getting to know the Irishmen working there :P
    That'll get you used to the Irish accent.

    Though I am part Scottish so I have a little advantage from allready knowing the Scottish accent. But I'm sure you'll be fine with it too, soon enough. Cheers :)

  35. n.... ....

    where i con find lyrics ??

    n.... ....

    same place you can find grammar lessons - da net

  36. b.... ....

    this song is the boyo