Mrs. McGrath
| "Mrs. McGrath" | |
|---|---|
| Song | |
| Form | Folk song |
| Writer | Traditional |
| Recorded by |
Burl Ives Clancy Brothers Bruce Springsteen Pete Seeger Fiddler's Green |
"Mrs. McGrath" (also known as "Mrs. McGraw", "My Son Ted", and "The Sergeant and Mrs. McGrath") is an Irish folk song set during the Peninsular War of the early nineteenth century. 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 while fighting against Napoleon presumably at the Battle of Fuentes de Oñoro (fought between 3 and 5 May 1811). The general theme of the song is one of opposition to war. Along with "Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye", it is one of the most graphic of all Irish folk songs that deal with sickness and injuries caused by warfare.[1] Irish folk song collector Colm Ó Lochlainn described "Mrs. Grath" as "known to every true born citizen of Dublin". It was very popular among the Irish Volunteers in the years leading up to the 1916 Rising[2] and has been recorded by many singers and folk groups.
History
Although the song probably dates from the time of the Peninsular Wars between 1807 and 1814, the earliest written account of it in Ireland was in 1876,[3] although it is believed to have been popular with soldiers during the American Civil War (1861-1865).
In 1958 the song was recorded by Burl Ives on Songs of Ireland (Decca DL8444) and by the Belafonte Folk Singers (RCA LSP1760) under the name of "The Sergeant and Mrs. McGrath". It was also recorded by Tommy Makem on his 1961 album, Songs of Tommy Makem. Peg and Bobby Clancy performed it on their LP, As We Roved Out, in 1964. The Clancy Brothers recorded the song on the 1966 album Isn't It Grand Boys under the title "My Son Ted". "Mrs. McGrath" was also sung to new lyrics by The Dubliners to the tune of the original folk song. This version tells the story of a country boy who goes to college in Dublin 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. 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."
Fiddler's Green recorded the song with slightly different lyrics for their 2009 album Sports Day at Killaloe. The Stanfields also recorded the song with modified lyrics for their 2012 album Death & Taxes.
Another version of the song tells the same story about a boy called John. The text of this version is much shorter. Martin Carthy recorded "My Son John" in 2010.
Lyrics
Mrs. McGrath
Now, Mrs. McGrath, the sergeant 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 mother's 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.