Author Unknown
Now Mrs McGrath the sergeant said
Would you like to make a soldier out of your son Ted?
With scarlet coat and cockade hat
Now Mrs. McGrath wouldn’t you like that?
Mrs. McGrath stood by the shore
Waiting for her son for seven years or more
Till she saw a ship sailing into the bay
Here’s my son Ted now musha clear the way
Captain dear where have you been
Have you been sailing on the Med-it-tare-i-in?
Have you got news of my son Ted?
Is the poor fellow living or is he dead
Then up came Ted without any legs
Walking on a pair of wooden pegs
She kissed him a dozen times or two
Mother of God sure it can’t be you
Were you drunk or were you blind
When you left your two fine legs behind
Or was it walking on the say
Took your two fine legs from the knees away
No I wasn’t drunk and I wasn’t blind
When you left your two fine legs behind
But a cannonball on the fifth of May
Took my fine legs from the knees away
Oh Teddy McGrath the widow cried
Your fine legs were your mothers’ pride
Them stumps of trees won’t do at all
Why didn’t you run from the cannonball?
And if I had you back again
I wouldn’t take the shilling the sergeant paid
(I wouldn’t let you go to fight for the King of Spain)
I’d rather have me son as he used to be
Than the King of France and his whole navee