Mrs. McGrath

"Mrs. McGrath" (also known as "Mrs. McGraw") is an Irish folk song. The song tells the story of a woman whose son enters the British Army, and returns seven years later having lost his legs to a cannonball fighting against Napoleon in the Peninsular War. The general theme of the song is one of opposition to war, the mother claiming that she would rather have her son as he was. It was very popular among the Irish Volunteers in the years leading up to the 1916 Rising.^[1]

In 1958 the song was recorded by Burl Ives on Decca DL8444 and by The Belafonte Folk Singers on RCA LSP1760 under the name of "The Sergeant and Mrs. McGrath". It was also recorded by the Clancy Brothers on their 1966 album Isn't It Grand Boys under the title "My Son Ted".

"Mrs. McGrath" is also a song by The Dubliners based on the tune of the original folk song. This version of the song tells the story of a country boy who goes to Dublin to college but fails due to spending all his money and time on women and drink

Bruce Springsteen recorded a version of the song on his 2006 album, We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions. Performed frequently on the subsequent Sessions Band Tour, this incarnation was included on the 2007 Bruce Springsteen with The Sessions Band: Live in Dublin audio and video release. In all this, Springsteen changed the traditional lyrics slightly. In the original song, Mrs. McGrath would rather have her "son as he used to be than the King of France and his whole navy." In Springsteen's version, this is changed to "King of America."

My Son John

There is also another version of the song that tells exactly the same story. The difference is that the song is about a boy called John. The text of this version is much shorter.

Lyrics

Mrs McGrath

Now, Mrs McGrath, the sargent said,

Would you like to make a soldier out of your son Ted?

With a scarlet coat and a big cocked hat,

Now Mrs McGrath, wouldn't you like that?

Wi your too-ri-aa, folly diddle-aa

Too-ri, oo-ri, oo-ri-aa

Wi your too-ri-aa, folly diddle-aa

Too-ri, oo-ri, oo-ri-aa.

Now Mrs McGrath lived on the seashore

For the space of seven long years or more,

Till a great big ship came sail into the bay,

Says, It's my son Ted, will you clear the way,

Wi your too-ri-aa, folly diddle-aa

...

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 living or is he dead?

Wi your too-ri-aa, folly diddle-aa

...

Well, up comes Ted, without any legs,

And in their place was some wooden pegs.

She kissed him a dozen times or two,

Saying, Holy Moses, is it you,

Wi your too-ri-aa, folly diddle-aa

...

Now was you drunk, or was you blind,

When you left your two fine legs behind,

Or was it from walking by the sea,

Wore your two fine legs from the knees away?

Wi your too-ri-aa, folly diddle-aa

...

No, I was not drunk, and I was not blind

When I left my two fine legs behind,

A cannon ball on the fifth of May,

Took my two fine legs from the knees away,

Wi your too-ri-aa, folly diddle-aa

...

Oh Teddy, my boy, the widow cried,

Your two fine legs were your mothers pride.

The stumps of a tree won't do at all,

Why didn't you run from the cannon ball?

Wi your too-ri-aa, folly diddle-aa

...

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,

Wi your too-ri-aa, folly diddle-aa

...

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,

Wi your too-ri-aa, folly diddle-aa

...

My Son john

My son John was tall and slim

He had a leg for every limb

But now he's got no legs at all

For he run a race with a cannonball

With me roo rum rar, faddle diddle dar

Whack faddlle liddle with me roo rum rar.

Oh were you deaf, were you blind

When you left your two fine legs behind

Or was it sailing on the sea

Lost your two fine legs right down to the knee

With me roo rum rar etc.

Oh I was not deaf, I was not blind

When I left my two fine legs behind

Nor was it sailing on the sea,

Lost my two fine legs right down to the knee

With me roo rum rar, etc.

For I was tall, I was slim

And I had a leg for every limb,

But now I've got no legs at all,

They were both shot away by a cannonball.

With me roo rum rar, etc.

References

1. ^ Colm O'Lochlainn, Irish Street Ballads (1939)

External links

• Lyrics