MacNAMARA'S BAND
(Shamus O'Connor & John J. Stamford - 1917)
(Revised by Guy Bonham, Wamp Carlson & Red Latham - 1940)

King's Jesters - 1940
Bing Crosby & The Jesters - 1946

Also recorded by:
Connie Francis; Lawrence Welk;
Geraldo & His Orch.; Dennis Day;
Spike Jones & His City Slickers;
Richard Hayman & His Symphony Orch.


BING CROSBY:
Oh, me name is MacNamara, I'm the leader of the band
Although we're few in numbers, we're the finest in the land
We play at wakes and weddings and at every fancy ball
And when we play the funerals, we play the March from Saul

The JESTERS:
Oh, the drums go bang and the cymbals clang and the horns they blaze
away
McCarthy pumps the old bassoon while I the pipes do play
And Henessee Tennessee tootles the flute and the music is somethin'
grand
A credit to old Ireland is MacNamara's band

BING CROSBY:
Right now we are rehearsin' for a very swell affair
The annual celebration, all the gentry will be there
When General Grant to Ireland came, he took me by the hand
Says he, "I never saw the likes of MacNamara's Band"

THE JESTERS:
Oh, the drums go bang and the cymbals clang and the horns they blaze
away
McCarthy pumps the old bassoon while I the pipes do play
And Henessee Tennessee tootles the flute and the music is somethin'
grand
A credit to old Ireland is MacNamara's band

(Instrumental Break)

THE JESTERS:
Oh, my name is Uncle Julius and from Sweden I did come
To play with MacNamara's Band and beat the big bass drum
And when I march along the street the ladies think I'm grand
They shout, "There's Uncle Julius playin' with an Irish band!"

Oh, I wear a bunch of shamrocks and a uniform of green
And I'm the funniest lookin' Swede that you have ever seen
There is O'Brians, O'Ryans, O'Sheehans and Meehans, they come from
Ireland
But, by yimminy, I'm the only Swede in MacNamara's Band

BING CROSBY:
Oh, the drums go bang and the cymbals clang and the horns they blaze
away
McCarthy pumps the old bassoon while I the pipes do play
And Henessee Tennessee tootles the flute and the music is somethin'
grand
A credit to old Ireland is MacNamara's band

That's MacNamara


*****


Extra verse, not always used:


Whenever an election's on we play on either side
And the way we play the fine old airs fills ev'ry heart with pride
If dear Tom Moore was living now, he'd make them understand
That none can do him justice like old MacNamara's Band


*****


Introductory verse as recorded by Connie Francis:


When I knew I was doin' this record I just had to find a song
A song for all my Irish friends and I've got quite a few
Oh, I telephoned Killarney and I asked my relatives
They told me "MacNamara's Band" was just the song to do


(Transcribed by Mel Priddle - January 2005)