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 father's laid

And 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 o'clock in the evening every bastard there was piskey

Fare thee well, gone away

There's 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

"I'm 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

There's nothing left to say

With a "sláinte, Joe" and an "Éirinn go", my love's in Ameri-kay

The calling of the Rosary, Spanish wine from far away

I'm a free-born man of the USA

This morning on the harbour when I said goodbye to you

I remember how I swore that I'd come back to you one day

And as the sunset came to meet the evening on the hill

I told you I'd always love you, I always did, I always will

Fare thee well, gone away

There's nothing left to say

But to say adieu to your eyes as blue as the water in the bay

To big Jim Dwyer, the man of wire, who was often heard to say

"I'm a free born man of the USA

I'm a free born man of the USA

I'm a free born man of the USA"