Now, Mrs McGrath, the sargent said,
Would you like a soldier of your son Ted?
With a scarlet cloak and a big @@#!ed hat,

Mrs McGrath, wouldn't you like that?
Too-ri-aa, folly diddle-aa
Too-ri, oo-ri, oo-ri-aa

Too-ri-aa, folly diddle-aa
Too-ri, oo-ri, oo-ri-aa.


Now Mrs McGrath lived on the shore
And after seven years or more,
His battleship come into the bay,

With her son from far away.
Oh captain, dear, where have you been,
Have you been sailing on the Mediterranean,

Have any news of my son Ted,
Is he living or is he dead?
Too-ri-aa, folly diddle-aa

Too-ri, oo-ri, oo-ri-aa
Too-ri-aa, folly diddle-aa
Too-ri, oo-ri, oo-ri-aa.


Now came Ted without any legs
And in their place two wooden pegs

She kissed him a dozen times or two,
Saying, my God, Ted is it you?
Now were you drunk or were you blind,

When you left your two fine legs behind
Or was it walking upon the sea,
That wore your two fine legs away?

Too-ri-aa, folly diddle-aa
Too-ri, oo-ri, oo-ri-aa
Too-ri-aa, folly diddle-aa

Too-ri, oo-ri, oo-ri-aa.

No, I wasn't drunk, and I wasn't blind

When I left my two fine legs behind.
A cannon ball on the fifth of May,
Tore my two fine legs away.

Oh Teddy, my boy, the widow cried,
Your two fine legs was your mother's pride.
The stumps of a tree won't do at all,

Why didn't you run from the cannon ball?
Too-ri-aa, folly diddle-aa
Too-ri, oo-ri, oo-ri-aa

Too-ri-aa, folly diddle-aa
Too-ri, oo-ri, oo-ri-aa.


All foreign wars, I do proclaim,
Between Juan and the King of Spain.
I'd rather my son as he used to be,

Than the King of France and his whole navy.
Too-ri-aa, folly diddle-aa
Too-ri, oo-ri, oo-ri-aa

Too-ri-aa, folly diddle-aa
Too-ri, oo-ri, oo-ri-aa.