McAlpine's Fusiliers The Dubliners
McAlpine's Fusiliers as performed by The Dubliners
(written by Dominic Behan)
(Spoken)'Twas in the year of 'thirty-nine
When the sky was full of lead
When Hitler was heading for Poland
And Paddy, for Holyhead.
Come all you pincher laddies
And you long-distance men
Don't ever work for McAlpine
For Wimpey, or John Laing
You'll stand behind a mixer
Until your skin is turned to tan
And they'll say, Good on you, Paddy
With your boat-fare in your hand.
Oh, the craic was good in Cricklewood
And they wouldn't leave the Crown
With glasses flying and Biddys crying
'Cause Paddy was going to town.
Oh mother dear, I'm over here
And I'm never coming back
What keeps me here is the reek o' beer
The ladies and the craic.
I come from county Kerry
The land of eggs and bacon
And if you think I'll eat your fish 'n' chips
Oh dear then you're mistaken.
V 1: [G]As down the glen came Mc[C]Alpines men with their [G]shovels [D]slung be[G]hind them
'Twas in the pub that they [C]drank [D]their [G]sub and out in the [G]spike you'll [C]find them
They [G]sweated blood and they [C]washed [D]down [C]mud with pints and [G]quarts of [C]beer
And [G]now we're on the [C]road again with Mc[G]Alpine's[D] Fusi[G]liers
V 2: I stripped to the skin with Darkie Finn way down upon the Isle of Grain
With Horse Face O'Toole, we knew the rule, no money if you stopped for rain.
McAlpine's God was a well filled hod, your shoulders cut to bits and seared,
And woe to he who looked for tea with McAlpine's Fusiliers
V 3: I remeber the day that Bear O'Shea fell into a concrete stairs.
What Horse Face said when he saw him dead it wasn't what the rich called prayers.
I'm a navvy short was the one retort that reached unto my ears
When the going's rough then you must be tough with McAlpine's Fusiliers
V 4: I've worked 'til the sweat nearly had me bet, with Russian, Czech and Pole.
On shuddering jams up the hydro dams or underneath the Thames in a hole.
I've grabbed it hard and I've got niggard and many a ganger's fist across me ears.
If you pride your life won't your join by christ, with McAlpine's Fusiliers
capo 1st (if you like, sounds good but it ain't no must)
hope you enjoy it.
capo2nd
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