Set 1, Song 5 of 27

Father Mallory's Dance

lead vocals: Don

D ..... G D, C G G/F# Em D G D

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   D                    D   D/C#    D/B
Oh Father McVeigh, fair blesses the day
        G              D
Of this young priest’s selection
    D                                  D  D/C#  D/B
For since God knows when, there’s full houses again
      G          D
And a decent collection
    C               G        G  G/F#      Em
The old church hall floor is heaving once more
         D            G            D      (A optional)
With the Friday night band in full roar

        Bm
And the girls are watching young
G   A   G   A   D
Father Mallory dance

It’s plain and well known it’s for him alone
Their hearts are all pinin’
There’s an almighty gasp as he loosens the clasp
of his collar stiff an’ shinin’
With neck bare and bold, he hugs and he holds
Every female over sixty years old

And the girls are watching young
Father Mallory dance

The boys sit and stare, it’s a hard cross they bear
all this jivin’ and jiltin’
The girls in fine show all sit in a row
Like wallflowers wiltin’
Fellas fume and frustrate while the old women wait
And the band crucifies Dire Straits

And the girls are watching young
Father Mallory dance

All chosen and chaste, my God what a waste
All these vows he won’t question
Or does he relish the test of each heaving breast
Full of hope and suggestion
A blush to their cheeks, when he finally speaks
Saying, “See you in confession next week”

And the girls are watching young
Father Mallory dance

Oh Father McVeigh, fair blesses the day
Of this young preist’s selection
For since God knows when, there’s full houses again
And a decent collection
The old church hall floor is heaving once more
With the friday night band in full roar
And the girls are watching young
Father Mallory dance
And the girls are watching young
Father Mallory dance

Set 1

  1. The Boys Are Back WP
    A D , A D , A D E
  2. Drink the Night away WP
    Chorus: G C G, G D G, Verse: G D C
  3. Black Velvet Band WP
    G C A7 D7, G Em C D7 G
  4. The Night that Paddy Murphy Died WP
    A D A, A F#m D E....
  5. Father Mallory's Dance Don
    D ..... G D, C G G/F# Em D G D
  6. Nelson's Blood Don
    Dm C
  7. Fightin' Nolan WP
    mostly D G D A, "before we cross the sea": G A D
  8. Kiss Me I'm Irish WP
    G D C D, G Em C D
  9. Peggy Gordon Nick
    G D G D A
  10. Dirty Old Town WP
    G C G D Em
  11. The Irish Rover WP
    G C G G D...
  12. The Spanish Lady Don
    G Em C G C D
  13. Rattlin' Bog Adam
    D G D A
  14. Galway Girl Nick
    incorrect bridge...
  15. Caledonia Don
    A E F#m D
  16. Wild Rover WP
  17. Come My Friends and Drink with Me Don
    D G D A
  18. Drunken Sailor WP
    C#m B C#m E G#m B C#m
  19. Big Strong Man Aaron
    C G
  20. Poor Paddy Works on the Railway WP
    G & C & sometimes D
  21. The Son Never Shines Don
  22. Molly Malone WP
    G Em Am D
  23. Jack Dolan WP
    C G C F, C F CGC, C G F C, C F CGC
  24. Danny Boy Don
    D Dmaj7 D7 G Gm...
  25. New York Girls WP
    G C G D
  26. Mary Mac Adam
    E D E, G D E
  27. Road to Ruin WP
    G C G D... Em D