Text

Mrs. McGrath - Bruce Springsteen

[Verse 1]
         Dm 
"Oh Mrs. McGrath," the sergeant said,
                F                       C 
"Would you like a soldier of your son, Ted?

With a scarlet cloak and a fine cocked hat,
                                 Dm 
Mrs. McGrath wouldn't you like that?"


[Chorus]
                              Dm 
                With your too-ri-aa, fol-did-dle-di-aa,
                F                                   C 
                Too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa, too-ri-aa, fol-
                                              Dm 
                Did-dle-di-aa, too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa


[Verse 2]
     Dm 
Mrs. McGrath lived on the shore
      F                 C 
And after seven years or more

she spied a ship come into the bay
                        Dm 
with her son from far away

[Verse 3]
     Dm 
"Oh, Captain dear, where have you been.
       F                             C 
Have you been out sailin' on the Mediteren'.

Have you any news of my son Ted.
                       Dm 
Is he livin' or is he dead?"


[Chorus]
                              Dm 
                With your too-ri-aa, fol-did-dle-di-aa,
                F                                   C 
                Too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa, too-ri-aa, fol-
                                              Dm 
                Did-dle-di-aa, too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa


[Verse 4]
      Dm 
Now came Ted without any legs
     F                         C 
And in their place two wooden pegs

She kissed him a dozen times or two
                         Dm 
Saying "My God Ted is it you?"

[Verse 5]
      Dm 
"Now were you drunk or were you blind
      F                            C 
When you left your two fine legs behind?

Or was it walking upon the sea
                              Dm 
That wore your two fine legs away?"


[Chorus]
                              Dm 
                With your too-ri-aa, fol-did-dle-di-aa,
                F                                   C 
                Too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa, too-ri-aa, fol-
                                              Dm 
                Did-dle-di-aa, too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa


[Verse 6]
    Dm 
"No I wasn't drunk and I wasn't blind
     F                         C 
When I left my two fine legs behind.

a cannon ball on the fifth of May
                       Dm 
Tore my two fine legs away."

[Verse 7]
       Dm 
"Now Teddy boy," the widow cried
       F                               C 
"Your two fine legs was your mother's pride

Them stumps of a tree won't do at all
                                    Dm 
Why didn't you run from the cannon ball?"


[Chorus]
                              Dm 
                With your too-ri-aa, fol-did-dle-di-aa,
                F                                   C 
                Too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa, too-ri-aa, fol-
                                              Dm 
                Did-dle-di-aa, too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa


[Verse 8]
      Dm 
All foreign wars, I do proclaim
      F                       C 
Live on blood and a mother's pain

I'd rather have my son as he used to be
                                        Dm 
than the king of America and his whole navy


[Chorus]
                              Dm 
                With your too-ri-aa, fol-did-dle-di-aa,
                F                                   C 
                Too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa, too-ri-aa, fol-
                                              Dm 
                Did-dle-di-aa, too-ri-oo-ri-oo-ri-aa