Bruce Springsteen - Mrs. McGrath Lyrics






"Mrs. McGraw," the sergeant said,
"Would you like to make a soldier
Out of your son, Ted?
With a scarlet cloak and a fine cocked hat,
Mrs. McGraw wouldn't you like that?"

Mrs. McGraw lived on the seashore
For the space of seven long years or more
'Till she saw big ship sailing in the bay
"Hallelu, babbelu, I think it's he!"

"Oh, Captain dear, where have you been.
Have you been out sailin' on the Mediteren'.
Have you any tidings of my son Ted.
Is the poor boy livin' or is he dead?"

Now up comes Ted without any legs
And in their place there were two wooden pegs
She kissed him a dozen times or two
Saying "Holly molly could it be you?"

"Now was you drunk or was you blind
When you left your two fine legs behind?
Or was it out walking upon the sea
That tore your legs from the knees away?"

"No I wasn't drunk and I wasn't blind
When I left my two fine legs behind.
For a cannon ball on the fifth of May
Took my two fine legs from the knees away."

"Now Teddy me boy," the old widow cried
"Your two fine legs was your mama's pride
Them stumps of a tree won't do at all
Why didn't you run from the big cannon ball?"

"Now against all war, I do profrain
Between Don Juan and the King of Spain
And, by herrons, I'll make 'em rue the time"





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Bruce Springsteen Mrs. McGrath Comments
  1. I.... D....

    Love the song - only problem is the switch from king of spain to king of america from the original

    I.... D....

    Was it not France?

  2. M.... S....

    What does the chorus' meaning? Is it Gaelic?

  3. K.... M....

    love this song so much

  4. H.... ....

    Dedicated to all Europeans that forgot about their history...

  5. �.... ....

    I am from 🇯🇵
    My father listened every day .
    I love this music.👍😆

    �.... ....

    konnichiwa :)

  6. S.... N....

    This version is great.
    From an Englishman.

  7. M.... L....

    I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR THIS SONG FOR 10 YEARS

  8. B.... C....

    82 dislikes. WHY

    B.... C....

    Probably frenchies or "modern" Europeans that know nothing about their history.

  9. B.... A....

    fuk man watched rebulic of doyle found this never new the boss had done trad irish fukin wonderful

  10. H.... ....

    This is an Irish folk song. Very nice.

  11. C.... 7....

    Wow that is some heart wrenching lyrics. Poweful stuff

  12. B.... B....

    that feeling like crack whenever that bomb ass violin riff drops

  13. R.... L....

    Best song on the album

  14. A.... K....

    Mrs. McGrath
    Bruce Springsteen
    "O Mrs. McGrath, " the sergeant said
    "Would you like a soldier of your son Ted?
    With a scarlet coat and a big cocked hat
    Now Mrs. McGrath would you like that?"
    With your too-ri-aa, fol-did-dle-di-aa, too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa, too-ri-aa, fol-did-dle-di-aa, too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa
    Now Mrs. McGrath lived on the shore
    And after seven years or more
    She spied a ship come into the bay
    With her son from far away
    "O Captain dear where have ye been?
    You been sailing the Mediterranean?
    Have you news from my son Ted?
    Is he living or is he dead?"
    With your too-ri-aa, fol-did-dle-di-aa, too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa, with your too-ri-aa, fol-did-dle-di-aa, too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa
    Then came Ted without any legs
    And in their place two wooden pegs
    She kissed him a dozen times or two
    And said, "My God Ted is it you"?
    Now were ye drunk or were ye blind
    When ye left yer two fine legs behind?
    Or was it walking upon the sea
    That wore your two fine legs away?"
    With a too-ri-aa, fol-did-dle-di-aa, too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa, with a too-ri-aa, fol-did-dle-aa, too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa
    With a too-ri-aa, fol-did-dle-di-aa, too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa, with a too-ri-aa, fol-did-dle-di-aa, too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa
    Now I wasn't drunk and I wasn't blind
    When I left my two fine legs behind
    A cannonball on the fifth of May
    Tore my two fine legs away
    "My, Teddy boy, " the widow cried
    "Yer two fine legs were yer mother's pride
    Stumps of a tree wouldn't do at all
    Why didn't ye run from the cannon ball?"
    With a too-ri-aa, fol-did-dle-di-aa, too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa, with a too-ri-aa, fol-did-dle-di-aa, too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa
    With a too-ri-aa, fol-did-dle-di-aa, too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa, with a too-ri-aa, fol-did-dle-di-aa, too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa
    "All foreign wars I do proclaim
    Live on blood and a mother's pain
    I'd rather have my son as he used to be
    Than the King of America
    And his whole Navy!"
    With a too-ri-aa, fol-did-dle-di-aa, too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa, with a too-ri-aa, fol-did-dle-di-aa, too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa
    With a too-ri-aa, fol-did-dle-di-aa, too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa, with a too-ri-aa, fol-did-dle-di-aa, too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa
    With a too-ri-aa, fol-did-dle-di-aa, too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa, with a too-ri-aa, fol-did-dle-di-aa, too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa
    Songwriters: J Baird / Traditional / Pd Traditional
    Mrs. McGrath lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc

    A.... K....

    finally found again...

  15. R.... M....

    Apparently, this songs resembles Bob Dylan's 'John Brown'

  16. t.... c....

    I just moved back to the USA after 28 years. I was raised in Canada were I first heard this on a Canadian show called republic of doyle. I have relocated my self to the country of my birth and I cant stop listening to this.

  17. R.... G....

    Bruce sings a horrible version of this song. Give me Tommy Maken would cry.

  18. d.... s....

    "O Mrs. McGrath, " the sergeant said
    "Would you like a soldier of your son Ted?
    With a scarlet coat and a big cocked hat
    Now Mrs. McGrath would you like that?"

    With your too-ri-aa, fol-did-dle-di-aa, too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa, too-ri-aa, fol-did-dle-di-aa, too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa

    Now Mrs. McGrath lived on the shore
    And after seven years or more
    She spied a ship come into the bay
    With her son from far away

    "O Captain dear where have ye been?
    You been sailing the Mediterranean?
    Have you news from my son Ted?
    Is he living or is he dead?"

    With your too-ri-aa, fol-did-dle-di-aa, too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa, with your too-ri-aa, fol-did-dle-di-aa, too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa

    Then came Ted without any legs
    And in their place two wooden pegs
    She kissed him a dozen times or two
    And said, "My God Ted is it you"? 
    Now were ye drunk or were ye blind 
    When ye left yer two fine legs behind? 
    Or was it walking upon the sea 
    That wore your two fine legs away?"

    With a too-ri-aa, fol-did-dle-di-aa, too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa, with a too-ri-aa, fol-did-dle-aa, too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa
    With a too-ri-aa, fol-did-dle-di-aa, too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa, with a too-ri-aa, fol-did-dle-di-aa, too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa

    Now I wasn't drunk and I wasn't blind
    When I left my two fine legs behind
    A cannonball on the fifth of May
    Tore my two fine legs away

    "My, Teddy boy, " the widow cried
    "Yer two fine legs were yer mother's pride
    Stumps of a tree wouldn't do at all
    Why didn't ye run from the cannon ball?"

    With a too-ri-aa, fol-did-dle-di-aa, too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa, with a too-ri-aa, fol-did-dle-di-aa, too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa
    With a too-ri-aa, fol-did-dle-di-aa, too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa, with a too-ri-aa, fol-did-dle-di-aa, too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa

    "All foreign wars I do proclaim
    Live on blood and a mother's pain
    I'd rather have my son as he used to be
    Than the King of America
    And his whole Navy!"

    With a too-ri-aa, fol-did-dle-di-aa, too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa, with a too-ri-aa, fol-did-dle-di-aa, too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa
    With a too-ri-aa, fol-did-dle-di-aa, too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa, with a too-ri-aa, fol-did-dle-di-aa, too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa
    With a too-ri-aa, fol-did-dle-di-aa, too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa, with a too-ri-aa, fol-did-dle-di-aa, too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa

  19. D.... S....

    when did Bruce become a folk singer born in Arizona?

  20. 1.... ....

    This song gets my Irish up! A home brew or two and I feel this one head to soul to toe!

  21. D.... B....

    Great cover of the Dubliners Bruce :)

  22. S.... ....

    Selam olsun şehrin tedirgin ruhlarına. 2018/İzmir

  23. N.... I....

    Really good but he really announced the th in mcgrath even tho the Irish surname the th is silent but good song.

  24. M.... ....

    When I sing it as a lullaby, I sing it to the tune of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.
    "Mrs. McGrath," the sergeant said. "Would you like to make a soldier out of your son Ted?
    With a scarlet coat and a fine cocked hat. Mrs. McGrath wouldn't you like that."
    Chorus: Twinkle, twinkle, little star. How I wonder what you are.
    Mrs. McGrath lived on the shore, after seven years or more.
    One a day a ship came into the bay. "It's Ted!" said she. "Will you clear the way?"
    Twinkle, twinkle, little star. How I wonder what you are.
    "Captain dear, where have you been? Have you sailed on the Mediterranean?
    Is there news of my son Ted? Is he living or is he dead?"
    Twinkle, twinkle, little star. How I wonder what you are.
    In comes Ted without any legs, in their place were two wooden pegs.
    She kissed him a dozen times or two saying, "Oh my Lord! Is it really you?"
    Twinkle, twinkle, little star. How I wonder what you are.
    "Were you drunk or were you blind when you left your two fine legs behind?
    Was it walking on the bay when a swimmer took your legs away?"
    Twinkle, twinkle, little star. How I wonder what you are.
    "I wasn't drunk I wasn't blind when I left my two fine legs behind.
    But a cannonball on the fifth of May, tore my fine two legs away."
    Twinkle, twinkle, little star. How I wonder what you are.
    "Teddy 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 cannonball?"
    Twinkle, twinkle, little star. How I wonder what you are.
    Twinkle, twinkle, little star. How I wonder what you are.

    M.... ....

    Mickey In a similar vein, *Born In The USA* fits quite well to the tune of *Twistin The Night Away*:

    Born down in a dead man's town
    First step I took, I hit the ground
    Like a dog that's beat too much
    Spend your life just a-coverin' u-u-up!
    Got in a little hometown jam
    They put a rifle in my hands
    Sent me to a foreign land
    To kill the yellow man, whoa!
    Born in
    Born in
    Born the USA-A-A-A!
    Born in
    Born in
    Born in the US, born in the US!

  25. b.... ....

    Danke Boss für diesen wunderschönen Folk-Song. It is a masterpiece of music and went directly to my heart. A Earworm ;-)

  26. E.... B....

    Nejlepší !!!!! Bruce Springsteen 👍🏻

  27. E.... S....

    This song gets me crazy

  28. S.... S....

    This song would go well together with "Game of Thrones".

    S.... S....

    Schwartz Seymour no...not at all honestly

    S.... S....

    Vikings? More like?

  29. L.... ....

    Who else comes to hear it because of fiddler's green?

    L.... ....

    LeviathanSas
    Not many know about fiddlers green, unless you were a cav trooper.

  30. J.... M....

    One of my favorite songs, for more than the obvious reasons!

  31. C.... 9....

    Stumps of a tree won't do it all why didn't ya run from the cannonball. Favourite lyric

  32. X.... ....

    I used to listen to this song in the car with my mom all the time when I was 6, or 7. I'm 17 today and I can't be more happy to have found this song.

    X.... ....

    Yea man

    X.... ....

    same bro

    X.... ....

    Awesome!!

  33. L.... P....

    do u know other songs of this kind?

    L.... P....

    The Kerry Recruit. Not as good, but same concept.

    L.... P....

    Leonardo Palma Green Fields of France by the Dropkick Murphys is pretty killer.

    L.... P....

    Yes, there is an anti war song by Tracy Grammar.

    L.... P....

    Yes, Laughlin Boy by Tracy Grammar is another great anti war song

  34. F.... L....

    Brividi, grazie Boss

  35. I.... y....

    Kaybedenler Klubu.

    I.... y....

    Ibrahim yılmaz aha bizden biri geceleri periscope dan yayın açıyorum gel

    I.... y....

    hangi sahnesinde çalıyordu ya

    I.... y....

    Abdullah Keleş 3.bolum kardesim

  36. E.... �....

    ALL FOREIGNS WARS I DO PROCLAIM / LIVE ON BLOOD AND A MOTHERS PAIN/ ID RATHER HAVE MY SON AS HE USED TO BE / THAN THE KING OF AMERICA AND HIS WHOLE NAVY --------

  37. E.... S....

    this song makes me kick it in full gear

  38. M.... ....

    One great track!

  39. s.... ....

    I've grown up to his music and I'm so glad I did

  40. s.... ....

    always find this so haunting.

  41. M.... R....

    uaaaaaaa 😍😍😍😍😍

  42. B.... W....

    The Springsteen album which finally made it onto my shelf...

  43. B.... S....

    One of the best songs.

    B.... S....

    seriously. why this isn't "born in the USA" in terms of popularity etc, I'll never understand.

    B.... S....

    well he didn't write any of the songs on this album, right? Still, hands down my favourite boss album and way up there in my list overall.

    B.... S....

    @Chris Green It's an album of covers, some of the original compositions are over 100 years old. Being a cover has never stopped a song from being mainstream though.

    B.... S....

    Chris Green I know he didn't write this song. And I know he didn't write al the songs from this album.

  44. M.... C....

    😢😢😢😢

  45. d.... ....

    Hey Man, Nice Shirt. :)

  46. A.... H....

    me gusta esta cancion pero me gustaria traducción en español para entender mejor...; )

  47. T.... ....

    heard this song when I was like 8 and finally found it

    T.... ....

    I just found it again!

  48. x.... ....

    "Karanlıkta gözlerin bile faydası yoktur."

  49. O.... K....

    like a loser

  50. D.... S....

    cannot listen without getting goosebumps and tearing up

    D.... S....

    Yea it pulls at the heart strings

  51. J.... K....

    Wspaniała twórczość i nie tylko ten utwór przekrztałcony ale wiele innych wspaniałych uniesień muzycznych Dzięki....

  52. R.... S....

    THis was also used during the AMerican Civil War by both the Union and Confederacy

  53. C.... C....

    i first heard bruce when i was 9 years old ime now in my 40s and still cant get enough

  54. C.... C....

    love this music nothin more

  55. T.... F....

    Irish rebels sang this in the GPO in Dublin in 1916

    T.... F....

    I love his song so much Ireland is good

    T.... F....

    Not like this, they didn't. It's pronounced McGraa

    T.... F....

    Tommy Fahy Scottish actually

    T.... F....

    BEAT- STIX11 The Irish rebels fighting in Ireland for an Irish nation because they were Irish were really scottish?

    Well fuck me.

  56. M.... L....

    2:29 acoustic feedback

  57. T.... E....

    abi cok iyi ya

  58. D.... S....

    a very powerful anti war ballad

    D.... S....

    Not really.

  59. A.... M....

    Increíble lo de esta canción y este pedazo de artista!

  60. B.... ....

    Rich Cabins, Philmont

  61. A.... M....

    "Mrs. McGrath"

    "Mrs. McGraw," the sergeant said, 
    "Would you like to make a soldier 
    Out of your son, Ted? 
    With a scarlet cloak and a fine cocked hat, 
    Mrs. McGraw wouldn't you like that?" 

    Mrs. McGraw lived on the seashore 
    For the space of seven long years or more 
    'Till she saw big ship sailing in the bay 
    "Hallelu, babbelu, I think it's he!" 

    "Oh, Captain dear, where have you been. 
    Have you been out sailin' on the Mediteren'. 
    Have you any tidings of my son Ted. 
    Is the poor boy livin' or is he dead?" 

    Now up comes Ted without any legs 
    And in their place there were two wooden pegs 
    She kissed him a dozen times or two 
    Saying "Holly molly could it be you?" 

    "Now was you drunk or was you blind 
    When you left your two fine legs behind? 
    Or was it out walking upon the sea 
    That tore your legs from the knees away?" 

    "No I wasn't drunk and I wasn't blind 
    When I left my two fine legs behind. 
    For a cannon ball on the fifth of May 
    Took my two fine legs from the knees away." 

    "Now Teddy me boy," the old widow cried 
    "Your two fine legs was your mama's pride 
    Them stumps of a tree won't do at all 
    Why didn't you run from the big cannon ball?" 

    "Now against all war, I do profrain 
    Between Don Juan and the King of Spain 
    And, by herrons, I'll make 'em rue the time"

    A.... M....

    Thanks !

    A.... M....

    Alexander Montague uh thats not the right lyrics...

    A.... M....

    "All foreign wars I do proclaim
    Live on blood and a mother's pain
    I'd rather have my son as he used to be
    Than the King of America
    And his whole Navy!" I think ,Springsteen changed it to the J Baird, version, to be contemporary ....

  62. B.... E....

    I cry my eyes out when I hear this song. As a norwegian I have connection to Hegra Festning...

    B.... E....

    Slutt å syt.

  63. R.... S....

    the orignal song was about a Irish women's song fighting against Napoleon 

    R.... S....

    @Roman Soiko my son john i think its called

  64. T.... �....

    nádhera!!!

  65. I.... P....

    i came here from Suidakra's cover! such an awesome song!!

  66. S.... W....

    jesus will people stop commenting shit? just get the stick out your arse and listen to the song

  67. g.... ....

    "lol" what, assholes

  68. S.... G....

    Why didn't you run from the cannonball? Lol that is a mother alright :)

  69. A.... ....

    Go hiontach ar fad

  70. k.... f....

    yep lol

  71. j.... s....

    Anybody else see all black?

  72. S.... B....

    Isn't it the sadness that makes it epic?

  73. H.... B....

    War is Hell! Peace!

  74. F.... ....

    2 dislikes... Bah

  75. D.... ....

    @Jamborocs no Thomas
    R u Marco?

  76. D.... ....

    YEAH 630 C-2!!!!!!!
    that was a great time!

  77. S.... F....

    thumbs up if you heard this on republic of doyle

  78. F.... ....

    tuu laila ilalalailel tu lalaelelell AMAZİNG

  79. J.... H....

    Mistuh Garrison

  80. c.... ....

    Really amazing.

  81. A.... M....

    fabuloso!

  82. J.... L....

    It sends me shivers... Bruce is the best artist ever

  83. R.... A....

    Good of Bruce to give a great folk song such exposure. But I prefer the traditional rendering with a jaunty happy tune relating a human tragedy.

  84. Z.... ....

    The fuckin' "boy scouts" certainly didn't bring me here....

  85. T.... ....

    Stu-pid riding bought me here

  86. E.... B....

    Boo-yeah! Same here. Over at Pueblano for me.

  87. j.... b....

    mc grath is an irish surname u dont pronounce the th just mc graa, great song though brucie

  88. E.... U....

    oh my gosh so did I!!!! 621-E-02 I loved it so much I had to look it up! the Folk up at Rich Cabins were amazing!

  89. D.... B....

    Yea me too

  90. f.... ....

    one of us on the train home brought it up on his phone and we all sung it together about 5 to 7 times

  91. Z.... ....

    Haha, same here. Couldn't get it out of my head the rest of the time I was on the trail, not that I wanted to :).

  92. L.... ....

    Same! One of my favorite camps 709-n-02

  93. M.... P....

    The great Gales of Ireland are the men whom God made mad,
    for all their wars are merry and all their songs are sad.

  94. R.... ....

    Heard it from rich cabins at philmont and it was one of the best parts 708-p-02

  95. 9.... ....

    of course problems should naturally have a P

  96. 9.... ....

    didnt he say i got no roblems with them slopes not cong