LANNIGAN'S BALL
I’m goin’ to spin y’all a rhyme about a Jeremy Lanigan
a boom boom crack until he didn't have a pound
and his father died
it made him a man again
daddy left a farm and ten acres of ground.
he had a party for friends and relations
who did not dis him when his back was to the wall.
and if you’ll listen
i’ll make your eyes glisten
at the rows and the runctions of Lannigan's Ball.
CHORUS: six long months i spent in Dublin
six long months doing nothing at all
six long months i spent in Dublin
learning to dance for Lannigan's Ball
I stepped out and I stepped in again (x 3)
myelf to be sure got a free invitation.
for all the nice girlies and boys i might ask
and in a minute both a friend and relation
were dancing as merry as bees round a cask.
lashes punch and wine for the ladies.
potatoes, cakes, bacon, teal.
there were Nolans, Dolans, O'Gradys
courting the girlies and dancing away.
they were doing all kinds of fucked up polkas
all around the room in a whirligig
until Julia and I soon banished that nonsence (bullshit)
tipped them the twist of a real irish jig
that girl, she got mad at me.
danced ‘til you’d think the ceiling would fall.
spent three weeks at brooks academy
learning to dance for Mr Lannigan's Ball.
CHORUS
boys were merry and the girls they were hearty
dancin’ together in couples and groups
until an accident happened,
young Terrance McCarthy
put his right leg through Miss Finnerty's hoops
creature fainted and cried 'mellia murther'
called for her brothers and gathered them all
Carmody swore that he'd go no further
‘til he had satisfaction at Lannigan's Ball.
in the midst of the row Miss Kerrigan fainted.
her cheeks at the same time as red as a rose
some of the boys decreed that she was painted
had a small drop, too much i suppose
Ned Morgan so powerful and able
saw his fair Colleen stretched by the wall,
tore the left leg from under the table
and smashed all the dishes and Lannigan's Ball
CHORUS
boy oh boy there was a runctions.
myself took a lick from big Phelim McHugh.
but i soon replied to that fine introduction
kicked him a terrible (mother fucker) hullabaloo.
Casey the piper he nearly got strangled
they squeezed up his pipes, bellows, chanters and all.
the girlies in the ribbons, they got all entangled
and that put an end to Mr. Lannigan's Ball.
CHORUS
~~Traditional Irish~~
~~Arranged by Matt Bivins~~
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