Arthur McBride - Andy Irvine video free download

Andy Irvine at Mighty Fine Guitars, Lafayette, CA, September 2012. A Vortex Production, filmed and edited by Jeff Peach.

"Song lyrics graciously supplied by Patrick from 'AndyzFanz'.

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Note: Although most recordings of this song spell Arthur's surname as 'McBride', Andy himself spelt it 'MacBride' in his songbook ('Aiming For The Heart'), where he also wrote:

"This famous song would appear to me to have originated in Donegal or in Scotland. Its popularity was such that it travelled to England and America and has been recorded by Martin Carthy, Paul Brady and Planxty to name but a few.

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Arthur MacBride

Words & Music: trad., arr. Andy Irvine

I had a first cousin called Arthur MacBride

He and I took a stroll down by the seaside

Seekin' good fortune and what might betide

'T was just as the day was a-dawnin'

Then after restin' we both took a tramp

We met Sergeant Harper and Corporal Cramp

Besides the wee drummer who beat up for camp

With his rowdy-dow-dow in the morning

He says: "My young fellows, if you will enlist

A guinea you quickly will get in your fist

Besides a crown for to kick up the dust

And drink the king's health in the morning

For a soldier he leads a very fine life

He always is blessed with a charming young wife

And he pays all his debts without sorrow or strife

Always lives happy and charming"

"And a soldier he always is decent and clean

In the finest of clothing he's constantly seen

While other poor fellows go dirty and mean

And sup on thin gruel in the morning"

Says Arthur: "I wouldn't be proud of your clothes

For you've only the lend of them as I suppose

And you dare not change them one night for you know

If you do you'll be flogged in the morning"

"And now, me bold sergeant, we are not for sale

We make no such bargain and your bribe won't avail

We're not tired of our country and we don't care to sail

Although that your offer is charming

And if we were such fools as to take the advance

It's right bloody slender would be our poor chance

For you'd have no scruple but to send us to France

Where we would be shot without warning"

Now says the sergeant: "If I hear but one word

I instantly now will out with my sword

And into your bodies as strength will afford

So now my gay devils take warning"

But Arthur and I we took in the odds

We gave them no chance for to launch out their swords

Our whacking shillelaghs came over their heads

And paid them right smart in the morning

As for the wee drummer, we rifled his pouch

And we made a football of his rowdy-dow-dow

Into the ocean to rock and to roll

We bade it a tedious returning

As for the old rapier that hung by his side

We flung it as far as we could in the tide

"To the devil I pit you", says Arthur MacBride

"To temper your steel in the morning!"

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