The Body Of An American

The Cadillac stood by the house
And the yanks, they were within
And the tinker boys, they hissed advice
"Hot-wire her with a pin"

When we turned and shook as we had a look
In the room where the dead men lay
So big Jim Dwyer made his last trip
To the shores where his father's laid

But 15 minutes later we had our first taste of whiskey
There was uncles giving lectures on ancient Irish history
The men all started telling jokes and the women, they got frisky
By five o'clock in the evening every bastard there was piskey

Fare thee well, going away, there's nothing left to say
Farewell to New York City, boys, to Boston and PA
He took them out with a well-aimed clout, we often heard him say
"I'm a free born man of the USA"

He fought the champ in Pittsburgh and he slashed him to the ground
He took on Tiny Tartanella and it only went one round
He never had no time for reds, for drink or dice or whores
But he never threw a fight when the fight was right
So they sent him to the war

Fare the well, gone away, there's nothing left to say
With a slainte Joe and Erin go my love's in Amerikay
The calling of the rosary, Spanish wine from far away
I'm a free born man of the USA, yeah

This morning on the harbour, when I said goodbye to you
I remember how I swore that I'd come back to you one day
And as the sunset came to meet, the evening on the hill
I told you I'd always love you, I always did, I always will

Fare thee well, gone away, there's nothing left to say
But to say adieu to your eyes as blue as the water in the bay
To big Jim Dwyer, the man of wire who was often heard to say
"I'm a free born man of the USA"

I'm a free born man of the USA
I'm a free born man of the USA