Patrick McGuire

Words & music A. McKnight, ©1992 Waves of Mountains/Catalooch Music, BMI

Verse 1
I met an old man, late one grey winter day, took the name of Patrick McGuire,
I smelled he'd been drinkin', probably many long years, his eyes glowed red like a fire
He pulled out his pipe and sat down on the bench, I thought I'd hear him out for awhile,
Though his life was a shambles, t'weren't always that way, 'fore he'd left his beloved emerald isle

Chorus 1
Singing hi-ee-i-oh, I'll find my pot of gold, an American car and a four-bedroom home
hi-ee-i-oh, sure as I'll kick the booze, there ain't no way I'm gonna lose,
there ain't no way I'm gonna lose

Verse 2
He'd had three grown up sons who'd all done him proud, in the old land they'da gone far,
But he grieved for the daughter, Aileen he'd lost, twas her memory he took to the bar,
He'd had a fine wife name of Katie Marie, who stood with him for thirty-odd years,
But as an old man his drinking, brought her deep shame, finally left him with memories and tears

Chorus 2
Singing hi-ee-i-oh, there'll be streets paved with gold,
where there's plenty to eat and there's plenty to hold
hi-ee-i-oh, sure as I'll kick the booze, there ain't no way I'm gonna lose,
there ain't no way I'm gonna lose
Instrumental Release

Verse 3
A couple of weeks past, I stopped round by his stone, in St. Paddys amongst thousands more,
Alas t'were no gold streets in the life that he'd led, Patrick McGuire'd lost his own war
Chorus 1
Chorus 2