American Old Time Song Lyrics: 28 Of Course We Ought To Know, We Were There

Theater, Music-Hall, Nostalgic, Irish & Historic Old Songs, Volume 28

Of Course We Ought to Know, We Were There.
Copyright, 1890. by W. F. Shaw.
Words and Music by Harry S. Miller.

No doubt you've heard it all 'bout the troubles And the fall
Dan McGinty got so early Sunday morning.
And how he did contrive for to win that little five.
With a smile upon his face so bland and fair.
If he had to been at mass, where he was the Sunday past,
Share he never would have met with such a warning.
Or down a ladder drop When he knew he couldn't stop,
Of course we ought to know, for we were there.

Chorus.
Flannigan grabbed him by the feet. Casey grabbed his head,
Brady says it's no use. for shute the man is dead,
Riley ran to the. hospital, for ambulance as well.
The day we picked McGinty up just after he had fell.

Next day when he got out he could hardly walk about,
And to reach his home he had to call a cabby;
His arm was In a sling and his step had lost its spring-
In fact, he was a picture of despair;
Then he stopped in Owney Shay's, which is down the street a ways;
It was then they told him that he was a daddy,
And 'twas there, upon me soul, where he tumbled In the hole.
Of course we ought to know, for we were there.

CHorus.
Flannigan told the driver quick to stop his load of stuff,
Casey cays, be heavens, yes. the man has had enough;
Brady says to Riley come and let me down the hole,
The day we pulled " McGinty from beneath a ton of coal.

He looked with eyes so sad upon his nobby suit of plaid
That was made by little Fogarty, the tailor;
'Twas then he grabbed his stick, and it flaw around so quick
That it sent the driver spinning in the air.
Poor Mac they then run in-ah! we thought it was a sin,
For the man had suffered like a shipwrecked sailor;
They took him down to jail with a thousand dollars bail;
Of course we ought to know, for we were there.

Chorus.
Flannigan went for Callahan. Casey for O'Moore,
Brady went for Flaherty, he'd died the day before;
Riley says we'll all get drunk, we cannot get him bail.
The "day we left McGinty with the keepers of the jail.

We told his wife at once that her Danny got six months.
And we pitied her, so lonely with her baby;
then O'Donnell from next door soon came in to smooth it o'er.
But he got her to elope with him somewhere;
This we let McGinty know while they had him still below;
When we told him of his wife, it drove him crazy,
And when they set him free, he did end his misery.
Of course we ought to know, for we were there.

Chorus.
Flannigan took the grappling-irons Casey took the rope;
Brady would not risk his life in such a little boat;
Riley took the grub along and rum enough for three.
The day we fished McGinty from the bottom of the sea.