The Orange and the Green - The Wolfe Tones

Oh, my father was an Ulster man, proud Protestant was he

My mother was a Catholic and from County Cork was she

They were married in two churches, and lived happily enough

Until the day that I was born, and things got rather tough

Baptized by Father Reilly, I was rushed away by car

To be made a little orange man, my father’s shining star

I was christened David Anthony, but still in spite of that

To my father I was Billy while my mother called me Pat

Oh, it is the biggest mix-up that you have ever seen

My father was an orange man, my mother she was green

Now, with mother every Sunday to Mass I’d proudly stroll

And after that the orange lads would try to save my soul

And both sides tried to claim me but I was smart because

I’d play the flute or play the harp depending where I was

And when I’d sing those rebel songs, much to my mother’s joy

My father would jump up and say, «Look here, come here me boy!

That’s quite enough of that, lad,» he’d toss me o’er a coin

He’d have me sing «The Orange Flute» and «The Heroes of the Boyne»

Oh, it is the biggest mix-up that you have ever seen

My father was an orange man, my mother she was green

One day my ma’s relations came 'round to visit me

Just as my father’s kinfolk were sitting down to tea;

We tried to smooth things over;

they all began to fight

And me being strictly neutral, I kicked everyone in sight

My parents never could agree about my type of school

My learning was all done at home;

that’s why I’m such a fool

They’ve both passed on, God rest them, but I was left between

That awful color problem of the orange and the green

Oh, it is the biggest mix-up that you have ever seen

My father was an orange man, my mother she was green

Oh, it is the biggest mix-up that you have ever seen

My father was an orange man, my mother she was green