The Night Paddy Murphy Died

Lyrics

Oh the night that Paddy Murphy died, is a night I'll never forget

Some of the boys got loaded drunk, and they ain't got sober yet;

As long as a bottle was passed around every man was feelin' gay

O'Leary came with the bagpipes, some music for to play

(Chorus)

And that's how they showed their respect for Paddy Murphy

That's how they showed their honour and their pride

They said it was a sin and a shame and they winked at one another

Now every drink in the wakehouse went, the night Pat Murphy died

Mrs. Murphy sat in the corner, pourin' out her grief

When Kelly and his friends, came roaring down the street

They crept into an empty room and a bottle of whiskey stole

They placed the bottle on the corpse to keep the liquor cold

(Chorus)

At three o'clock in the morning, after emptying the jug

Doyle rose up the coffin lid to see poor Paddy's mug

He stopped the clock so Mrs. Murphy couldn't tell the time

And at a quarter after three, they argued it was nine.

(Chorus)

And everyone got merry, they didn't care for prayer

Mrs. Murphy said she'd wait 'til all the gang were there

Of all the sights I've ever seen that made me shiver with fear

They took the ice right off the corpse, and placed it on the beer

(Chorus)

Now everything was doin' fine, there was no ill at all

'Til Finnegan told Callaghan, "You've got an awful gall."

I thought that that might start a row, And sure enough it did

For Callaghan had carved his name upon the coffin lid

(Chrous)

Then the fight got fierce & strong, everyone was in

Someone knocked the whiskers off poor old Darby Flynn

And Dirty Andy Burke was there, now whadda ya think he done?

He placed the corpse right on its head, in the corner just for fun

(Chorus)

Someone hollered for the cops; they busted down the door

They jumped upon ol' Paddy's back and they laid him on the floor

They knocked him twice behind the ears and they knocked him on the head

When they jumped up from his back, sure they found out he was dead

(Chorus)

Mrs. Murphy started in, battled with them cops

She chased 'em, every one of them; she chased 'em several blocks

A lovely time was had by all, eighteen in court were tried

For having caused a riot on the night Pat Murphy died

(Chorus)

At eight o'clock in the morning, the procession left the house

And everyone but poor ol' Mrs. Murphy was out soused

They stopped on the way to the churchyard at the old Red Door Saloon

They staggered in at nine o'clock and didn't come out 'til noon

(Chorus)

Someone asked ol' Finnegan if anyone had died

"Lou," says he, "I'm not quite sure, I just came for the ride."

They started out for the graveyard, all holy and sublime,

But found out when they got there, they'd left the corpse behind

(Chorus)

Some versions of the song add an additional verse:

It was twenty years ago me boys that old Pat was put underground

And every year to celebrate they all push the jug around

They gather at the graveyard and pour vinegar in his ditch

Cuz everybody hated that lousy son-of-a-bitch

Categories: Canadian folk songs | Folk song stubs