McNamara's Band

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McNamara's Band is the title of a popular song recorded in late 1945 by legendary crooner Bing Crosby. It's the tongue-in-cheek story of a small Irish band penned by the song writing team of O'Connor and Stanford.

Released on Decca Records in early 1946 the song became a top-ten hit for Crosby. It's still one of Crosby's most popular songs and is sung loudly and often at St. Patrick's Day celebrations in the United States and Ireland.

The tale* is based on an actual band, the St. Mary's Fife and Drum Band [1], formed in Limerick, Ireland in 1885. In the late 1800s the band featured four brothers, Patrick, John, Michael and Thomas McNamara, and became famous for playing shows all across Ireland. [2] In the early 1900s Patrick and Thomas emigrated to the United States and formed the "McNamara's Band" with Patrick "Patsy" Salmon, another Limerick emigre.

After Salmon left the group Patrick and Thomas formed "McNamara's Trio" with Thomas on piccolo, Patrick on violin and Patrick’s daughter, Eileen, on the piano. The trio recorded and released several songs for Voralion Records.

• Note from a direct descendant of Thomas: this version of the story may not be true. The writer, Thomas MacNamara was born in Liverpool in 1878; and his father, John Joseph, was born in Runcorn. The first Irish-born ancestor is Bernard, 1817 - 1868. Full details here: [3]

The following is from documented fact, and outlines the composing ot the song, and the lyrics, English (original) version, and the American version.

There are several versions of the lyrics, mostly with errors. The actual words (and spellings, caps and punctuation) were originally as follows. (Reprinted with permission).

My name is Macnamara, I'm the Leader of the Band,
And tho' we're small in number we're the best in all the land.
Oh! I am the Conductor, and we often have to play
With all the best musicianers you hear about to-day.
      When the drums go bang, the cymbals clang, the horns will blaze away,
      MacCarthy puffs the ould bassoon while Doyle the pipes will play;
      Oh! Hennessy Tennessy tootles the flute, my word 'tis something grand,
      Oh! a credit to Ould Ireland, boys, is Macnamara's Band!

Tra - la la lah, etc.

Whenever an election's on, we play on either side-
The way we play our fine ould airs fills Irish hearts with pride.
Oh! if poor Tom Moore was living now, he'd make yez understand
That none could do him justice like ould Macnamara's Band.
      When the drums go bang, etc.

We play at wakes and weddings, and at every county ball,
And at any great man's funeral we play the "Dead March in Saul,"
When the Prince of Wales to Ireland came, he shook me by the hand,
And said he'd never heard the like of "Macnamara's Band."
      When the drums go bang, etc.

The American version is correctly attributed as 'by Red Latham, Wamp Carlson and Guy Bonham (The Three Jesters) . . . c 1940, Jerry Vogel Music Co., Inc." The words are very different, the politics of "Ould Ireland" are removed; the words are made more "Irish" (e.g. "Me name is . . ." rather than "My name is . . ." ). The stereotypes of the final two verses are completely added, turning it into a comedy song! (Reprinted with permission).

Oh!, me name is Macnamara, I'm the Leader of the Band,
And tho' we're few in numbers we're the finest in the land.
We play at wakes and weddings, and at every fancy ball,
And when we play at funerals we play the march from Saul.
      Oh! the drums go bang, and the cymbals clang, and the horns they blaze away,
      McCarthy pumps the old bazoon while I the pipes do play;
      And, Hennessey Tennessey tootles the flute, and the music 'tis somethin' grand,
      A credit to old Ireland is Macnamara's Band!

Right now we are rehearsin' for a very swell affair, 
The annual celebration, all the gentry will be there. 
When General Grant to Ireland came, he took me by the hand,
Says he, "I never saw the likes of "Macnamara's Band."
      Oh! the drums go bang etc.

Oh me name is Uncle Yulius and from Sweden I have come,
To play with Macnamara's Band and beat the big bass drum, 
And when I march along the street the ladies think I'm grand,
They shout "There's Uncle Yulius playing with an Irish band".

(no chorus here)

Oh! I wear a bunch of shamrocks and a uniform of green,
And I am the funniest looking Swede that you have ever seen.
There's O'Briens and Ryans and Sheehans and Meehans, they come from Ireland,
But by Yimminy I'm the only Swede in Macnamara's Band.

[edit] Trivia

• Thomas McNamara, born in 1865, was the last of the McNamara brothers to pass away. He died in May 1978. Aged 112 or 113?
• John McNamara served with the Royal Munster Fusiliers during the Second Boer War and First World War. He was killed in action on the 9 May 1915 and his body was never recovered after the war, his name is today commemorated on the Le Touret Memorial, France.
• Crosby's backing band on his hit single was The Jesters.
• McNamara's Band is a nickname for fans of Syracuse University basketball star Gerry McNamara.
• MacNamara's Band (note correct spelling) is also the club song for Tottenham Hotspur F.C. a Premier League Football Club in North London. The connection to the club may be that the song was written in Barnet, also North London and not far from the Spurs Ground. Spurs is the well known nickname for Tottenham Hotspur.