Lyrics The Orange and the Green - The Irish Rovers

The Orange and the Green

Oh, my father was an Ulster man, proud Protestant was he
My mother was a Catholic and from County Cork was she
They were married in two churches, and lived happily enough
Until the day that I was born, and things got rather tough
Baptized by Father Reilly, I was rushed away by car
To be made a little orange man, my father’s shining star
I was christened David Anthony, but still in spite of that
To my father I was Billy while my mother called me Pat
Oh, it is the biggest mix-up that you have ever seen
My father was an orange man, my mother she was green
Now, with mother every Sunday to Mass I’d proudly stroll
And after that the orange lads would try to save my soul
And both sides tried to claim me but I was smart because
I’d play the flute or play the harp depending where I was
And when I’d sing those rebel songs, much to my mother’s joy
My father would jump up and say, «Look here, come here me boy!
That’s quite enough of that, lad,» he’d toss me o’er a coin
He’d have me sing «The Orange Flute» and «The Heroes of the Boyne»
Oh, it is the biggest mix-up that you have ever seen
My father was an orange man, my mother she was green
One day my ma’s relations came 'round to visit me
Just as my father’s kinfolk were sitting down to tea;
We tried to smooth things over;
they all began to fight
And me being strictly neutral, I kicked everyone in sight
My parents never could agree about my type of school
My learning was all done at home;
that’s why I’m such a fool
They’ve both passed on, God rest them, but I was left between
That awful color problem of the orange and the green
Oh, it is the biggest mix-up that you have ever seen
My father was an orange man, my mother she was green
Oh, it is the biggest mix-up that you have ever seen
My father was an orange man, my mother she was green