The Clancy Brothers — The Old Orange Flute lyrics

Lyrics

In the county Tyrone, near the town of Dungannon
Where many a ruckus meself had a hand in Bob Williamson lived, a weaver with trade
And all of us thought him a stout Orange blade.
On the twelfth of July as it yearly did come
Bob played with his flute to the sound of a drum
You may talk of your harp your piano or lute
But there’s none could compare with the Old Orange Flute.
But Bob the deceiver, he took us all in He married a Papist called Bridget McGinn
Turned Papish himself and forsook the Old Cause
That gave us our freedom, religion and laws.
Now the boys of the place made some comment of it And Bob had to fly to the province of Connaught;
He fled with his wife and his fixins, to boot,
And along with the latter his Old Orange Flute.
At the chappel on Sunday, to atone for past deeds,
Said Paters and Aves and counted his beads
'Till after some time, at the priest’s own desire
He went with the Old Flute to play in the choir.
He went with the Old Flute to play for the mass
But the instrument shivered and sighed «O, Alas!»
And try though he would, though it made a great noise,
The flute would play only «The Protestant Boys».
Bob jumped and he started and got in a flutter.
And threw the Old Flute in the blessed holy water;
He thought that this charm would bring some other sound,
When he tried it again, it played «Croppies Lie Down!»
And for all he would whistle and finger and blow
To play Papish music he found it no go;
«Kick the Pope» and «Boyne Water» it freely would sound
But one Papish squeak’n it couldn’t be found.
At the council of priests that was held the next day
They decided to banish the Old Flute away;
They couldn’t knock heresy out of its head
So they bought Bob a new one to play in its stead.
Well the Old Flute was doomed, and its fate was pathetic
'Twas fastened and burnt at the stake as heretic.
As the flames soared around it they heard a strange noise
'Twas the Old Flute still a-whistlin' «The Protestant Boys»