Finnegan's Wake

Dropkick Murphys

Tim Finnegan lived in Wattling Street
A gentle Irishman mighty odd
He'd a beautiful brogue so rich and sweet
To rise in the world he carried a hod

See he'd sort of a tripling way
With love for a liquor poor Tim was born
To help him on with his work each day
He'd a drop of the Craythor every morn'

One morning Tim was rather full
His head felt heavy, which made him shake
Fell from the ladder and broke his skull
So they carried him home, his corpse to wake

Rolled him up in a nice clean sheet
And laided him upon the bed
A bottle of whiskey at his feet
And a gallon of porter at his head

And whack Fol-De-Dah now dance to your partner
Welt the floor, your trotters shake
Wasn't it the truth I told you
Lots of fun at Finnegan's wake

His friends assembled at his wake
And Missus Finnegan called for lunch
First they brought in tay and cake
Then pipes, tobacco and whiskey punch

Biddy O'Brien begged to cry
Such a nice clean corpse did you see
Aye, Tim me boy, oh why did you die?
Arrah shut your gob said Paddy MCGee

And whack Fol-De-Dah now dance to your partner
Welt the floor, your trotters shake
Wasn't it the truth I told you
Lots of fun at Finnegan's wake

Then Peggy O'Connor took up the job
Biddy says she you're wrong I'm sure
Biddy then gave her a belt on the gob
And left her sprawling on the floor

There the war did soon engage
Woman to woman and man to man
Shillelah-law was all the rage
An a row and a ruction soon began

Mickey Maloney raised his head
When a bottle Of whiskey flew at him
It missed him falling on the bed
The liquor scattered over Tim

Tim revives, see how he rises
Timothy rising from the bed
Whirl your whiskey around like blazes
Tonamondeal, do you think I'm dead

And whack Fol-De-Dah now dance to your partner
Welt the floor, your trotters shake
Wasn't it the truth I told you
Lots of fun at Finnegan's wake

And whack Fol-De-Dah now dance to your partner
Welt the floor, your trotters shake
Wasn't it the truth I told you
Lots of fun at Finnegan's wake



Lyrics submitted by oofus

Finnegan's Wake Lyrics as written by Matthew Edward Kelly Ken Casey

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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Finnegan's Wake song meanings
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12 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment
    This is a traditional Irish drinking song. Dropkick does a very good version of this. They also do a good version of wild rover, another traditional irish song.
    myownprison333on July 07, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    This is a good cover of the drinking song. It's about the wake of an Irishman who died, and at the wake they start drinking, and a brawl breaks out, and when Tim Finnegan is hit with a bottle of whiskey, he joins in the fray.
    Madcappunkon September 23, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    this, like many Dropkick songs, is a version of an old Celtic song. Rocky Road to Dublin, The Wild Rover, The Fighting 69th, Amazing Grace, Cadence to Arms and Skinhead on the MBTA are all traditional songs redone by Dropkick.
    ramtharon March 05, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    Skinhead isn't a Celtic song, it's an adaptation of "Charlie on the MTA" by Kingston Trio.
    MadWorldon June 04, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    And technically cadence to arms is their own creation that goes into Scotland the Brave.
    Dropkick_Roveron May 06, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    i think i just have a couple corrections for the lyrics, nothing big "Hed a drop of the catheter every morn' " kinda gross that hes drink in from a tube that goes up your......yeah "His work every day" anyways, not trying to be annoying, all i know is that this song was an instant classic when i heard it. ROCK ON
    Rockwillneverdieon February 08, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    i think i just have a couple corrections for the lyrics, nothing big "Hed a drop of the catheter every morn' " kinda gross that hes drink in from a tube that goes up your......yeah "His work every day" anyways, not trying to be annoying, all i know is that this song was an instant classic when i heard it. ROCK ON
    Rockwillneverdieon February 08, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    I think you're wrong. Catheter there makes no sense - Catheters weren't quite common back when this was originally written, and nobody would drink it. However, a name of a liquor is something Finnegan would've had a drink of. Beyond that, try slipping "His work Every day" into that slot. Hmm? Doesn't fit? Didja skip and stutter trying to nip it in there? That gives it an extra syllable. Hence, each is correct and every is not.
    Thanasimoson February 07, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    Oi you kids, these are the actual lyrics, so there shall be no more disputing Tim Finnegan lived in Walkin Street A gentle Irishman, mighty odd He'd a beautiful brogue so rich and sweet And to rise in the world he carried a hod. ya see he'd a sort of the tipplin' way With a love for the liquor poor Tim was born And to help him on with his work each day He'd a drop of the Craythur every morn. Whack fol the dah O, dance to your partner Welt the floor, your trotters shake; Wasn't it the truth I told you Lots of fun at Finnegan's wake! One mornin' Tim was rather full His head felt heavy which made him shake; He fell from the ladder and broke his skull And they carried him home his corpse to wake. They rolled him up in a nice clean sheet And laid him out upon the bed, A gallon of whiskey at his feet And a barrel of porter at his head. His friends assembled at the wake And Mrs. Finnegan called for lunch, First she brought in tay and a cake Then pipes, tobacca' and whiskey punch. Biddy O'Brien began to cry "Such a nice clean corpse, did you ever see? "O Tim, mavourneen2, why did you die?" "Arragh, hold your gob" cried Paddy McGhee! Chorus Then Maggie O'Connor took up the job "O Biddy," says she, "You're wrong, I'm sure" Biddy she gave her a belt in the gob And left her sprawlin' on the floor. And then the war did soon engage 'Twas woman to woman and man to man, Shillelagh law was all the rage And a row and a ruction soon began. Then Mickey Maloney raised his head When a noggin of whiskey flew at him, It missed, and falling on the bed The liquor scattered over Tim! Tim revives! See how he rises! Timothy rising from the bed, Says, "Whirl your whiskey around like blazes" "Thanum an Dhul 3, do you thunk I'm dead?" Craythur is an old Gaelic term for Whiskey.
    punkforjesuson March 23, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    Finnegan = Finish + Begin Again the story is about a wake which in this case means a celebration of a death AND/OR to awaken from sleep/(death) as Tim does as the end
    JeffKaos71on July 17, 2009   Link

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