Tom Russell - Mary clare malloy american wake

^N.C.A stor mo chroi when you're far away ^N.C.From the home you will soon be leaving

My ^Amname is Mary Clare Malloy, I was ^Gborn in County ^AmCork At 18 years of age I sailed for the ^Emshores of old New ^AmYork With seven hundred picture brides, ^Emtorn 'tween hope and ^Amfear At last we spied Manhat^Ftan and the ^Gfamous Isle of ^AmTears

My first taste of the New World turned to ^Gashes very ^Amfast The ones who entered freely were from ^Emfirst and second ^Amclass We steerage folk remained on board, as ^Emif we were ex^Amiles The captain turned the ^Fship around and ^Gsailed to Ellis ^AmIsle

We disembarked and stood in line with ^Gchalk marks on our ^Amcoats X for mental illness, if ^EmE, back on the ^Amboat They asked us what our breeding was, ^Emcould we read or ^Amwrite? The sound of women weep^Fing at the ^Gdormitories at ^Amnight

My best friend was deported back to a ^Gpoor Killea ^Amhome Another sent to Swinburne Isle, died of ^Emcholera, a^Amlone The rest of us were shipped to trains, ^Embound for Midwest ^Amstates To wild and stormy prairie ^Flands and ^Gour prospective ^Ammates

He's American ^Gprimitive ^Amman In an American ^Gprimitive ^Amland ^CIrish ^Geyes and ^Fcalloused ^Amhands American ^Gprimitive ^Amman