"Mrs McGrath," the sergeant said, "would you like a soldier of your son Ted?"
Scarlet coat, a big cocked hat, Mrs. McGrath would you like that?"
Mrs. McGrath lived on the shore and after seven years or more
She spotted a ship come into the bay with her son from far away
Chorus (2x)
Too-rai-eh-ful-diddly-eh, too-rai-loo-rai-loo-rai-eh
Too- rai-eh-ful-diddly-eh, too-rai-loo-rai-loo-rai-eh
"Captain dear, where have you been, sailing the Mediterranean?
Have you news of my son Ted? Is he living or is he dead?"
Then Teddy boy came out with no legs and in their place, two wooden pegs
She kissed him a dozen times or two and said, "My God Ted is it you?"
Chorus (2x)
Too-rai-eh-ful-diddly-eh, too-rai-loo-rai-loo-rai-eh
Too- rai-eh-ful-diddly-eh, too-rai-loo-rai-loo-rai-eh
"Were you drunk or were you blind, when you left your two fine legs behind?
Or was walking upon the sea that tore your two fine legs from thee?"
"No I wasn't drunk and I wasn't blind when I left my two fine legs behind.
A cannonball on the fifth of May tore my two fine legs away."
Chorus (2x)
Too-rai-eh-ful-diddly-eh, too-rai-loo-rai-loo-rai-eh
Too- rai-eh-ful-diddly-eh, too-rai-loo-rai-loo-rai-eh
Solo: Em
"Teddy boy," the widow cried, "your two fine legs were your mother's pride.
Stumps of a tree won't do at all, you should've run from the cannonball."
"All foreign wars," I do proclaim, "live on blood and a mother's pain.
I'd rather my boy as he used to be then the king of the west and his navy."
Chorus (2x)
Too-rai-eh-ful-diddly-eh, too-rai-loo-rai-loo-rai-eh
Too- rai-eh-ful-diddly-eh, too-rai-loo-rai-loo-rai-eh