Mrs. McGrath

Track 3 on We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions

Produced by

“Mrs. McGrath” was originally an Irish folksong written around 1807-1814 during Great Britain’s fight against France, specifically in the Napoleonic Wars. Great Britain… Read More

Apr. 25, 20061 viewer9.1K views

Mrs. McGrath Lyrics

"Mrs. McGrath," the sergeant said
"Would you like to make a soldier
Out of your son, Ted?
With a scarlet cloak and a big cocked hat
Mrs. McGrath, wouldn't you like that?"

With your 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

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

"Oh, Captain dear, where have you been
Have you been out sailing on 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, with your too-ri-aa, fol-did-dle-di-aa, too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa

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

See Bruce Springsteen Live

Get tickets as low as $54

About

“Mrs. McGrath” was originally an Irish folksong written around 1807-1814 during Great Britain’s fight against France, specifically in the Napoleonic Wars.

Great Britain was not known as the United Kingdom back then. France was pushing hard so Britain forcibly took American sailors and used the idea of glory and pride to recruit Irishman and Scots, hence the topic of the song.

Bruce Springsteen recorded this song in the 2006 Seeger Sessions and performed it in his 2007’s Live In Dublin. The song remains closely the same, the only change is Springsteen replaced “King of France” with “King of America.”

Possibly, he changed it to fit in tune with much more recent anti-war sentiments concerning America’s involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan.