I’m half English and half Irish. Problem is, it’s the wrong halves. Mother is North Irish Protestant and Father is South London Catholic. I’m basically what happens when a Jewish Palestinian marries a Muslim Israeli. Or something like that.
But the Irish have a song for everyone. Except me. The closest they have for me is “The Orange and The Green.”
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFobrWenTIY]
Lyrics:
- Refrain
- Oh, it is the biggest mix-up that you have ever seen.
- My father, he was Orange and me mother, she was green.
- Oh, my father was an Ulsterman, proud Protestant was he.
- My mother was a Catholic girl from Country Cork was she.
- They were married in two churches and lived happily enough
- Until the day when I was born when things got rather tough.
- Refrain
- Baptised by Father Ivey I was rushed away by car
- To be made a little Orangeman, my father’s shining star.
- I was christened David Anthony but still in spite of that
- To my father I was William while my mother called me Pat.
- Refrain
- With mother every Sunday to Mass I’d proudly stroll,
- Then after that the Orange Lodge would try to save my soul.
- Though both sides tried to claim me, well I was smart because
- I’d play the flute or play the harp depending where I was.
- Refrain
- Now when I’d sing then rebel songs much to me mother’s joy,
- Me father would jump up and say “Look here would you me boy!
- That’s quite enough of that lad.” He’d then toss me a coin
- And he’d have me sing The Orange Flute or the Heros of the Boyne
- Refrain
- One day my ma’s relations came ’round to visit me
- Just as my father’s kinfolk were all sitting down to tea.
- We tried to smoothe things over, but they all began to fight
- And me being strickly neutral I bashed everyone in sight!
- Refrain
- My parents never could agree about my type of school,
- My learning was all done at home, that why I’m such a fool.
- They both passed on, God rest them, but left me caught between
- That awful colour problem of the Orange and the Green.
- Refrain
4 comments
mona lisa
March 18, 2009 at 10:15 pm (UTC -5)
hey stranger! so i’m sitting here checking out the blogosphere and there you are ! in my face! good to see you around and looking so dapper at that!
Ryan Oakley
March 19, 2009 at 2:53 pm (UTC -5)
Well, I’ll be . . . ML returns.
No one gets out!
Ryan
March 21, 2009 at 7:12 pm (UTC -5)
I’ve been burdened with a double-barreled middle name thanks to just such a mix-up as this: my mum’s da was Joseph, my dad’s dad James, and neither were content with losing their first half-caste grandson to the other side.
Jokes on them, though, cause I’m athiest, and they’re both dead.
Ryan Oakley
March 21, 2009 at 11:14 pm (UTC -5)
I’m worse than an atheist. I’m Canadian.