'Twas there I learned readin' and writin'
At Dick Crooley's where I went to school
And 'twas there I learned howlin' and fightin'
From me schoolmaster Mr. O'toole
Him and me we had many a scrimmage
And devil a copy I wrote
There was ne'er a
gossoon
in the village
Dare tread on the tail of me coat
[Chorus]
Singin' mush mush mush
toor-i-li-addy
Mush mush mush toor-i-li-ay
There was ne'er a gossoon in the village
Dare tread on the tail of me coat
'Twas there I learned all of me courtin'
Many lessons I took in the art
Till Cupid, the blackguard,
while sportin'
An arrow drove straight through me heart
Molly O'Connor, she lived just forninst me
And tender lines to her I wrote
If you dare say one hard word ag'in 'er
I'll tread on the tail of your coat
[Chorus]
But a blackguard called Mickey Maloney
Came stole her affections away
For he'd money and I hadn't any
So I sent him the challenge next day
In the evening we met at the woodbine
The Shannon we crossed in a boat
And I lathered him with my shillelagh
For he tread on the tail of me coat
[Chorus]
Oh me fame it went all through the nation
And folks came a flockin' to see
And they cried out without hesitation
'You¹re a fightin' man, Billy Magee!'
I've cleaned out the Finnigan faction
Licked all the Murphys afloat
If you're in for a row or a ruction
Just tread on the tail of me coat
[Chorus]
