Mary Mack is a Scottish folk song, and is also a patter song, often sung not only with a rapid to very rapid tempo but increasing toward the end.
Recordings
The definitive version of Mary Mack is, perhaps, the live version on the 1977 double album "Makem & Clancy Concert," performed live at National Stadium Dublin by the late great Irish troubadours, Tommy Makem and Liam Clancy. "Mary Mac" has long been a fixture of Richmond, Virginia band Carbon Leaf's live sets. A studio recording appears on their 2001 album Echo Echo and a live recording on their 2003 album 5 Alive!. Another recording was done by Great Big Sea on their 1995 album Up, which is well-known throughout Canada. Another recording was done by Fiddler's Green (band) on their 1998 album Spin Around, which was recorded in Los Angeles.
Lyrics
- There's a nice wee lass an her name is Mary Mack
- Mak nae mistake, she's the miss I'm gaun tae tak
- There's a lot o ither chaps wha would get up on her track
- But I'm thinkin they'll hae tae get up early.
- Chorus:
- Mary Mack's faither's makin Mary Mack mairy me
- My faither's makin me mairy Mary Mack
- An I'm gaun tae mairy Mary tae get mairrit an tak care o me
- We'll aw be makin merry when I mairy Mary Mack
- Chorus
- This wee lass she haes a lot of brass
- She haes a lot of gas, her faither thinks I'm class
- An I'd be a silly ass tae let the matter pass
- For her faither thinks she suits me fairly.
- Chorus
- Noo Mary an her mither gang an awful lot thegither
- In fact you niver see the wan, or the wan withoot the ither
- An the fellows often wonder if its Mary or her mither
- Or the baith o them thegether that I'm courtin.
- Chorus
- Noo the weddin day's on Wednesday an everythin's arranged
- Her name will soon be changed tae mine, unless her mind be changed
- An we're makin the arrangements, faith, I'm just aboot deranged
- For mairriage is an awfu undertakin.
- Chorus
- It's sure tae be a grand affair an grander than a fair
- A coach an pair for rich an poor an every pair that's there
- We'll dine upon the finest fare, I'm sure tae get ma share
- If I don't we'll aw be very much mistaken.
- Chorus
There are many renditions of this song: Here are the lyrics to another version, with mother instead of father in the chorus:
Chorus
- Mary Mack's mother's making Mary Mack marry me,
- My mother's making me marry Mary Mack.
- I'm gonna marry Mary so my Mary will take care O' me,
- We'll all be feeling merry when I marry Mary Mack.
- Now there's a nice wee lass and her name is Mary Mack,
- Make no mistake she's the girl I gonna take,
- And a lot of other fella's would get upon her track,
- but I'm thinkin' they'll have to get up early.
- Chorus
- Now this wee lass she has a lot of cash,
- She has a lot of brass...her father thinks I'm gas,
- I'd be a silly ass to let the matter pass,
- Her father thinks she suits me very fairly.
- Chorus
- Now Mary and her mother gang an awful lot together,
- In fact you hardly ever see the one without the other,
- And all the fella's wonder is it Mary or her mother,
- Or both of them together that I'm courtin'.
- Chorus
- Now the weddin' day 's on Wednesday and everything's arranged,
- Her name will soon be changed to mine unless her mind be changed,
- I'm making the arrangements I'm just about derranged
- For marriage is an awful undertaking
- Chorus
External links
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