The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
Mad Pat
There was a country fiddler,
A jester, a riddler, a joker,
A singer of songs,
In every town he passed
He'd stop to help the dancing master
Entertain his straw-rope-foot throng
And from a green cloth on his back
He'd take his fiddle
And some goodbye snow
Now singing high, now murmuring low
Now in the middle with his magic bow
And all the people would know.
Mad Paddy's gone back on the road
A wire string fiddle is his only load,
He's kicking up turf everywhere he goes
And he's on his own.
From the houses all the people they stare
At his Horslips and his emerald green hair
You know he keeps on moving
he just doesn't care
When he's on his own.
First he'll play a slow, slow air
So fair, to drive away your cares
And bring a magic sleep
Then the pace will quicken
As you burst out of your slumber
And find yourself up on your feet
But then his magic tune will change
To something strange, there's something wrong
What's going on.
And through the tears you cry
You'll look, you'll sigh, you'll feel like dying
Cos the fiddler's gone
Mad Paddy's moving on.
Mad Paddy's gone back on the road
A wire string fiddle is his only load
He's kicking up turf everywhere he goes
And he's on his own.
In the corner there's a smile on his face
His fancy is taking him to some distant place
You know his tunes keep changing
He can't keep the pace
And he's on his own
Mad Pat's on the road.
There was a country fiddler,
A jester, a riddler, a joker,
A singer of songs,
In every town he passed
He'd stop to help the dancing master
Entertain his straw-rope-foot throng
And from a green cloth on his back
He'd take his fiddle
And some goodbye snow
Now singing high, now murmuring low
Now in the middle with his magic bow
And all the people would know.
Mad Paddy's gone back on the road
A wire string fiddle is his only load,
He's kicking up turf everywhere he goes
And he's on his own.
From the houses all the people they stare
At his Horslips and his emerald green hair
You know he keeps on moving
he just doesn't care
When he's on his own.
First he'll play a slow, slow air
So fair, to drive away your cares
And bring a magic sleep
Then the pace will quicken
As you burst out of your slumber
And find yourself up on your feet
But then his magic tune will change
To something strange, there's something wrong
What's going on.
And through the tears you cry
You'll look, you'll sigh, you'll feel like dying
Cos the fiddler's gone
Mad Paddy's moving on.
Mad Paddy's gone back on the road
A wire string fiddle is his only load
He's kicking up turf everywhere he goes
And he's on his own.
In the corner there's a smile on his face
His fancy is taking him to some distant place
You know his tunes keep changing
He can't keep the pace
And he's on his own
Mad Pat's on the road.
Lyrics submitted by onedoubleo
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Me neither. And the only song I know to use the word Horslips. I had this on vinyl and the "straw-rope-foot throng" line had me for years. I hadn't a clue what he was on about.