The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #34326   Message #833948
Posted By: GUEST,Mike Ruddy
24-Nov-02 - 01:23 PM
Thread Name: seeking funny I.R.A. Songs
Subject: Lyr Add: THE CRUMLIN KANGAROOS
A plaintiff call went out twice for the words to the "Crumlin Kangaroos." I too was searching for them and ran into this thread. Since the I didn't see the answer any where and I have this song on a CD by Wolfhound, I transcribed it and bracketed the parts I was unsure of. Seeing things a bit raw here and there in this thread, I would submit that, for those who are focused solely on the horrors committed on both sides in the past decades in Northern Ireland, neither The Crumlin Kangaroos, The Fenian Record Player, The Ould Orange Flute, William Bloat, nor The Orange And The Green are "funny" but the foregoing songs I listed also indicate the Irish both the Orange Loyalist and the Green Nationalist have used the black humor in this genre of folk song to break the pall that hangs over the uncovered wounds..... Let's hope we see a real end to it in our lifetimes.
Mike

THE CRUMLIN KANGAROOS

CHORUS
So it's here and up your arsenal
And a Georgie best to you
There's not a team in the whole wide world
Like the Crumlin Kangaroos

Now from the rebel jail the prisoners one day
A game of football they did have but the rules did not obey
And while all the wardens watched there the passing of the ball
One of the bloody football teams went up and over the wall

CHORUS
So it's here and up your arsenal
And a Georgie best to you
There's not a team in the whole wide world
Like the Crumlin Kangaroos

The wardens all looked up then in the wildest eyed surprise
And the sight they saw before them brought tears to all those eyes
For one of teams had disappeared [for all that] they did call
But one side had a free transfer to a team just over the wall
CHORUS

The gaoler he came down then with his face all in a twist
Sayin' up against the wall now while I get out me list
Now two teams started playing of that we all agreed
But now we're short 8 players and a bloody referee
CHORUS

Well the milit'ry were shocked now, they said we'll lose no more
And they barred up every window and bolted every door
But we'd left behind our half-back line and that would never do
So Martin [took three more] up and joined the Kangaroos
CHORUS