"Orange and the Green"

[Steven McGarthwaite]

Oh it is the biggest mix-up that you have ever seen My father he was Orange and my mother she was Green

Oh my father was an Ulsterman, proud Protestant was he.
My mother was a Catholic girl, from County Cork was she.
They were married in two churches, lived happily enough.
Until the day that I was born and things got rather tough

Oh it is the biggest mix-up that you have ever seen My father he was Orange and my mother she was Green

Baptized by Father Reilly, I was rushed away by car.
To be made a little orangeman, my father's shining star.
I was christened David Anthony, but still in spite of that.
To my father I was William while my mother called me Pat.

Oh it is the biggest mix-up that you have ever seen My father he was Orange and my mother she was Green

With mother every Sunday to mass I'd proudly stroll,
then after that the orange lads would try to save my soul.
For both sides tried to claim me, but I was smart,
because I played the flute or played the harp,
depending where I was at.

Oh it is the biggest mix-up that you have ever seen My father he was Orange and my mother she was Green

One day my ma's relations came round to visit me.
Just as my father's kinfolk were all sittin' down to tea.
We tried to smooth things over, but they all began to fight.
And me being strictly neutral, I bashed everyone in sight

Oh it is the biggest mix-up that you have ever seen My father he was Orange and my mother she was Green

Now 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 both passed on, God rest them, but left me caught 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 he was Orange and my mother she was Green