American Old Time Song Lyrics: 43 Come Down Mcginnis

Theater, Music-Hall, Nostalgic, Irish & Historic Old Songs, Volume 43

COME DOWN, McGINNIS.
Copyright, 1891. by Frank Harding..
Written and Composed by Wm. Gilligan. Arranged by Wm. Loraine.

McGinnis drove a coal cart and a steady man was he,
He never drank a drop at all, for fear he couldn't see;
His wife was superstitious, and she brought him up the same;
So he had a sign for every thing that happened.
While riding on a ton of coal one wet and stormy day.
The street caved in, the horse fell through, Mac looked down in dismay;
He went and got a block and fall, to hoist the quadruped,
When he heard a voice below that made him tremble:

Chorus.,
Come down, McGinnis; I'm waiting for you daily;
Come down, McGinnis, and don't you break away;
Although your mind is aisy, I know you will go crazy,
Come down, McGinnis, I want you.

His horse was gone, he lost his job, but yet did not despair;
He went to work along the docks with strapping Paddy Clare;
A sloop was anchored at the pier, her cargo out of sight,
So they buckled down like troopers in a battle.
While hoisting up a load of brick, the sling was seen to sway,
The derrick creaked, the; rope got slack, the whole thing gave away,
Poor paddy landed through the hatch, a total wreck was he,
When McGinnis heard the same familiar warning:- Chorus.

From that he went to laboring with shovel and a pick,
Along with some Italians, and he was the only Mick;
They worked down in a sand-bank, making sixty cents a day;
But he bossed the gang, so everything went lovely;
He ordered them to dig down deep, but quicker than a flash,
The bank caved in, but he was saved-it was an awful crash;
He then began to dig them out, And thought he'd find them dead,
But they whispered through a sewer-pipe beneath him:- Chorus.

At last he gave up working, and was taken sick to bed;
His wife did everything she could to suit his raving head:
He yelled all night, be yelled all day, his lungs were growing sore;
Sure she knew he cou'dn't linger how much longer;
She brought his friends to see him just before he passed away;
He leaned upon his elbow, and he said he'd like to stay;
But just as he expired, sure they heard the welcome call
From the regions down beneath the land and water:-Chorus.