Finnegan's wake [click here for printer friendly page] back to: ballads index visit our website www.MerryPloughBoys.com see us play at www.MPBpub.com Finnegan's Wake Trad. Arr. Merry Ploughboys Tim Finnegan lived in Walkin Street, a gentle Irishman mighty odd He had a brogue so rich and sweet, and to rise in the world he carried a hod You see he'd a sort of a tipplin way, with a love of the liquor poor Tim was born To help him on his way each day, he'd a drop of the craythur every morn Chorus Whack for the to-ra dance to your partner round the floor your trotters shake Isn't it the truth I tell you? Lots of fun at Finnegan's Wake One morning Tim felt rather full, his head felt heavy and it made him shake He fell off his ladder and he broke his skull, so they carried him off his corpse to wake Well they wrapped him up in a nice clean sheet, and they laid him out there upon the bed With a bottle of whiskey at his feet, a barrel of porter at his head Chorus They all assembled at the wake, and Mrs Finnegan called for lunch First they laid out tea and cake, then pipes and tobacco and whiskey punch Then Biddy O'Brien began to cry, Such a lovely corpse, did you ever see, Arah Tim avourneen, why did you die?, Ahh none of that gab" said Biddy McGee Chorus Then Cathy O'Connor took up the job, Arah "Biddy" says she "you're wrong, I'm sure" Biddy gave her a clatter upon the gob and sent her sprawling across the floor T'was then the war did soon engage, t'was woman to woman and man to man Shillelagh law was all the rage and a row and a ruction soon began Chorus Then Mickey Maloney raised up his head and a naggin of whiskey flew at him It missed, and it landed upon the bed, the whiskey splattered over poor olu Tim Bedad they cry now see him rising Tim Finnegan rising up in his bed Saying "Whirling whiskey around like blazes, t'underin' Jaysus, do ye think I'm dead?" back to the ballads index web: www.MerryPloughBoys.com