Mrs McGrath - Dubliners (Original version) video free download

Aratus

The dubliners catalogue is filled with songs that take tragic or serious situations in a light hearted manner. It is in the nature of the poetry itself and is an integral part of the satire of war and death, as in finnigans wake, a song about a man dying, the ensuing party at his wake and his subsequent awakening. The song "the kerry recruit" has a similar theme to mrs mcgrath, a country man is recruited to a foreign war and is crippled in battle. His description is not solemn "a big russian bullet ran away with me thigh" and the song ends with "contented with sheila, I'll live on half pay" not a weepy self pitying sentiment by any stretch. Mrs Mcgrath has a similar approach, the simplicity of the the mothers questions to her son "Now was you drunk, or was you blind, When you left your two fine legs behind, Or was it from walking by the sea, Wore your two fine legs from the knees away?" are comically so, and obviously meant to point to the absurdity of sending normal innocent folk away to fight international wars for great powers. This point is supported by the clear statement of the poems thesis in the last two verses, which address directly foreign wars, the king of spain and the french navy. 

tony10396861

What a load of sh**e. Who is making a mockery of anything? What is a drinking song anyway? Do you say that purely because they sing it faster?! Your comments are ridiculous.

Steve Stefanick

Burl Ives did it better than both the boss and the dubliners.

stella maris

the Dubliners f***ed up when released this,as its so far removed from a drinking song(of which they had loads) i think they make a mockery of all the soldiers &veterans who are away for years on end,loosing legs,arm&llives,then come home,alot with PTSD.Their families also suffer as the people they loved have come back different people & they feel powerless to help or comfort them.Any1 who makes such a mockery of what happens in war that they turn antiwar songs in2 drinking ones is clearly v.sick

stella maris

it doesnt matter if the Dubliners sang it first, they obviously did not get what they were singing and in the process turned an old,profound antiwar song into a drunken ole singalong. at least Springsteen understood it and felt the essence of the song because he sang the way it should only be sang. with respect & reverence.So many men &women died so we can sit here entertaining ourselves on laptops or whatever & to chat to people all over the world.We have so much to be thankful for.So so much

stella maris

i have 2 disagree with ur remark. MRS McGRATH is an anti war song that dates back to ireland in 1700s which was a hard era to live in.The Dubliners upbeat version belittles the tragedy that song evokes.they sing it as a drinking song¬ the antiwar song it is. Springsteens version is the way it should be sang-with respect to all the soldiers&conscripts that fought &died for a better future for all,but also 4 the worry & pain the families of these men went tru-we owe them alot-- people 4get easy

ThaDukester29

Im sure in going to get hanged for this but it's worth the death. I have never found anything "The Boss" impressive. The Boss of what? This song has been around for a long time. I would take The Dubliners version over Bruce's. anyday. His version is just dull and drawn out.

lmcgerald

I agree with you azangor, but 98 whistler, its just a different approach. The dubliners made it more into a drinking song, while bruce springsteen keeps it in it's original sad folk style.

98whistler

okay so bruce springsteens version of this is so much better because it is done as it is meant to be done this one is bad because it is upbeat and its meant to be a solemn song

azangor

The Dubliners was before Springsteen, like the clash was before Green Day. So your analogy falls apart.

98whistler

bruce springsteens version is just so much better in my opinion its powerful the dubliners just massacred it like green day massacred the clash's i fought the law

bertyman2005

im irish and love the dubliners and this version love da bosses version too but this isnt the original version...the song mrs mc grath or mrs. mc graw is 250 years old irish folk song just the dubliners updated it very well followed by bruce but theirs been loads of covers of it over the years ... try the clancy brothers version " my son ted" very funny

DriftKingDF

Springsteen's is just a live legend... he comand's an about 11 people to make sessons band ... so learn ;)

GodHatesWar

I think Springsteen's version is to sad, the text is clearly humorous! ;-)

kuksugare88

@thesilden Nah, it's not. It's just not.

kuksugare88

@WitchSwamp It's alright. I've always found Springsteen to be a bit naff, but he's always had a good voice.

FLTania

it sounds well... but springsteen did an awesome work with this song which sounds much better!!

Caitlin McGrath

Im a McGrath :) lol

ejswe

@NorseWinter Well kids will always be kids, but they do tend to grow up. I think many people would like this song but never get the chance becasue they never hear of it.

Kevin Mcgrath

Proud 2 be IRISH/a McGrath

Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Springsteen - Mrs McGrath (Live)