The Irish Rovers - The orange and the green

Oh, it ^Cis the biggest ^Ammixup that ^Gyou have ever seen Me ^Ffather was an ^COrangemen, me ^Gmother she was ^Cgreen.

Oh, me ^Cfather was an ^AmUlsterman, proud ^GProtestant was he Me ^Fmother was a ^CCatholic and from ^Gcounty Cork was ^Cshe. They were married in two ^Amchurches and lived ^Ghappily enough Un^Ftil the day that ^CI was born and ^Gthings got rather ^Ctough.

Bap^Ctized by father ^AmReilly I was ^Grushed away by car To be ^Fmade a little ^COrangemen, me ^Gfather’s shining ^Cstar. I was christened David ^AmAntony but ^Gstill inspite of that To me ^Ffather I was ^CBilly while me ^Gmother called me ^CPat.

With ^Cmother every ^Amsunday to ^Gmass I’d proudly stoll And ^Fafter that the ^Corange lord would ^Gtry to save me ^Csoul. And both sides tried to ^Amclaim me, but ^GI was smart because I’d ^Fplay the flute, I’d ^Cplay the harp de^Gpending were I ^Cwas

And ^Cwhen I’d sing those ^Amrebel songs much ^Gto me mother’s joy Me ^Ffather would jump ^Cup and say “Look ^Ghere, now Bill me ^Cboy! That's quite enough of ^Amthat lot.", he'd ^Gtoss me o’er a coin He'd ^Fhave me sing The ^COrange Flute or the ^GHeroes Of The ^CBoyne.

One ^Cday me Ma's re^Amlations came ^Ground to visit me. Just ^Fas my father's ^Ckinfolk were ^Gsitting down to ^Ctea. We tried to smooth things ^Amover, but they ^Gall began to fight. And ^Fme, being strictly ^Cneutral, I kicked ^Geveryone in ^Csight.

My ^Cparents never ^Amcould agree a^Gbout my type of school. My ^Flearning was all ^Cdone at home, that's ^Gwhy I'm such a ^Cfool. They've both passed on, God ^Amrest 'em, but ^GI was left between That ^Fawful colour ^Cproblem of the ^GOrange and the ^CGreen.