The Body of an American

The cadillac stood by the house
And the yanks they were within
And the tinker boys they hissed advice
Hot-wire her with a pin “
Then we turned and shook as we had a look
In the room where the dead man lay
So big Jim Dwyer made his last trip
To the shores where his fathers lay
But fifteen minutes later
We had our first taste of whiskey
There was uncles giving lectures
On ancient Irish history
The men all started telling jokes
And the women they got frisky
By five oclock in the evening
Every bastard there was piskey
Fare thee well gone away
Theres nothing left to say
Farewell to New York City boys
To Boston and PA
He took them out
With a well-aimed clout
and they often heard him say
Im a free born man of the USA
He fought the champ in Pittsburgh
And he slashed him to the ground
He took on Tiny Tartanella
And it only went one round
He never had no time for reds
For drink or dice or whores
But he never threw a fight
When the fight was right
So they sent him to the war
Fare thee well gone away
Theres nothing left to say
With a sláinte Joe and an Erin go
My loves in Amerikay
Theyre calling out the rosary
Spanish wine from far away
Im a free born man of the USA
This morning on the harbour
When I said goodbye to you
I remember how I swore
That Id come back to you one day
And as the sunset came to meet
The evening on the hill
I told you Id always love you
I always did and I always will
Fare thee well gone away
Theres nothing left to say
But to say adieu
To your eyes as blue
As the water in the bay
And to big Jim Dwyer
The man of war
Who was often heard to say
Im a free born man of the USA