Bruce Springsteen

Mrs. McGrath [Live]

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Mrs. McGrath [Live] Lyrics

"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?"

"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

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songmeanings On Feb 06, 2012

"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?"

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?"

"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!"

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SongMeanings

Submitter

2012-02-06 18:03:23

1 Meaning

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by Natalie98

13y ago

I love this song, definitely my favorite from the Session Band. This song has been a traditional song in Ireland about a mother and how she regrets making the choice to send her son into war. The original version is slightly different of course, and I think any real fan of The Boss knows how he likes to alter lyrics to how he likes them to be. They're very minor, though, like instead of "the king of America" it was originally "the king of France". American patriotism, I guess. In all, I love this song, and it makes me really proud of my celtic roots. He did a great adaptation of the classic Irish folk song.

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