released on "Broadside Ballads, Vol. 1", 1963 (performed under the name "Blind Boy Grunt").
Influenced by "Mrs. McGrath" (Traditional?). To the tune of "900 Miles", a free adaption of its traditional melody.
Mrs. McGrath [Influenced "John Brown"] / From the singing of Lori Holland (Folkways FG 3518) - "124 Folk Songs As Recorded On Folkways Records by Famous Folk Song Singers" general editor Moses Asch, 1965
>From the songbook "Folk Songs of England, Ireland, Scotland, And Wales", by William Cole: "At the time of England's battle against Napoleon, many destitute Irish boys joined the British forces for the sake of food and shelter. This song is a bitter and ruefully witty commentary on that unfortunate situation, much as is the well-known "Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ye." The lady's name is properly pronounced "McGrah". Note that Dylan covered "Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ye" [aka: Johnny, I Hardly Knew You"] (when?).
"Now Missus 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 Missus McGrath, wouldn't you like that?" Wid yer too-ri-aa, Fol-the-did-dle daa, Too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa, Wid yer too-ri-aa, Fol-the-did-dle daa, Too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa. Now, Mrs. McGrath lived on the seashore For the space of seven long years or more, Till she saw a big ship sailing into the bay, "Here's my son, Ted, wisha, clear the way." Wid yer too-ri-aa, Fol-the-did-dle daa, Too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa, Wid yer too-ri-aa, Fol-the-did-dle daa, Too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa. "Oh, captain, dear, where have you been, Have you been sailing on the Meditereen, And have you any news of my son Ted, Is the poor boy living, or is he dead." Wid yer too-ri-aa, Fol-the-did-dle daa, Too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa, Wid yer too-ri-aa, Fol-the-did-dle daa, Too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa. Well, up comes Ted without any legs, And in their place he's got two wooden pegs; She kissed him a dozen times or two. Saying, "Holy Moses, it isn't you!" Wid yer too-ri-aa, Fol-the-did-dle daa, Too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa, Wid yer too-ri-aa, Fol-the-did-dle daa, Too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa. "Now, were you drunk or were you blind When you left your two fine legs behind, Or was it the walking upon the sea Wore your two fine legs from the knees away?" Wid yer too-ri-aa, Fol-the-did-dle daa, Too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa, Wid yer too-ri-aa, Fol-the-did-dle daa, Too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa. "No, I wasn't drunk and I wasn't blind When I left my two fine legs behind, But a big cannon ball on the fifth of May Took my two fine legs from the knees away." Wid yer too-ri-aa, Fol-the-did-dle daa, Too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa, Wid yer too-ri-aa, Fol-the-did-dle daa, Too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa. "Oh, then Teddy, my boy," the widow cried, "Your two fine legs were you mammy's pride; The stumps of a tree wouldn't do at all, Why didn't you run from the big cannon ball?" Wid yer too-ri-aa, Fol-the-did-dle daa, Too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa, Wid yer too-ri-aa, Fol-the-did-dle daa, Too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa. "All foreign wars I do proclaim Between Don John and the King of Spain, And, my herrins, I'll make them rue the time That they took the legs from a child of mine." Wid yer too-ri-aa, Fol-the-did-dle daa, Too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa, Wid yer too-ri-aa, Fol-the-did-dle daa, Too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-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 my Ted as he used to be Rather the King of France and his whole Navee." Wid yer too-ri-aa, Fol-the-did-dle daa, Too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa, Wid yer too-ri-aa, Fol-the-did-dle daa, Too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa.
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