Mrs. McGraw from Pirates' Gold by The Jolly Rogers

"Oh, Mrs. McGraw," the captain said,
"would you like to make a pirate out of your son, Ted?
With a scarlet cloak and a fine cocked hat,
Oh, Mrs. McGraw wouldn't you like that?"
With me too-rye-yaah
Foddle-diddle-daah
Too-rye, oo-rye, oo-rye-yaah
With me too-rye-yaah
Foddle-diddle-daah
Too-rye, oo-rye, oo-rye-yaah
Now Mrs. McGraw lived on the seashore,
for the space of seven long years or more,
When she spied a ship sailing into the bay,
"It's my son Teddy, would you clear the way."
[CHORUS]
Now my dear captain, where have you been?
Have you been out sailin‟ on the Medit-ter-in?
Have you any news of my son Ted?
Is the poor boy livin‟, or is he dead?
[CHORUS]
Then up steps Ted, without any legs,
And in their place, there were two wooden pegs.
She kissed him a dozen times or two,
Crying “Holy Moses, it couldn‟t be you!"
[CHORUS]
"Now was ya drunk, or was ya blind,
When you left your two fine legs behind?
Or was it out walking upon the sea,
That tore your legs, from the knees away?"
[CHORUS]
"No, I wasn't drunk, no I wasn't blind,
When I left my two fine legs behind.
But a big cannon ball on the fifth of May,
Tore my two fine legs from the knees away."
[CHORUS]
“Now Teddy, me boy”, the old widow cried,
Your two fine legs were your mommy‟s pride.
The stumps of a tree won‟t do at all,
Why didn‟t you run from that big cannonball?
[CHORUS]
"All foreign wars, I do profane,
Between Don John and the King of Spain.
I‟d rather have my Teddy as he used to be,
Than the King of France and his whole navy!
[CHORUS]

• Folk
• bawdy
• drinking songs
• maritime
• pirates
• sea shanties
• Kansas City