American Old Time Song Lyrics: 39 Columbus Was An Irishman

Theater, Music-Hall, Nostalgic, Irish & Historic Old Songs, Volume 39

COLUMBUS WAS AN IRISHMAN.
Copyright, 1893, by Frank Tousey..
Words by Chas. Graham and Monroe H. Rosenfeld.
Music by Chas. Graham.

Four hundred years ago, they say, Columbus landed here;
We're told he was Italian, but the story's very queer;
There's no one living saw him and there's no one proof can bring,
Yet of their great Colombo you will hear the Dagoes sing;
The man who found America, I've heard my father tell,
Was full of nerve and courage and an Irishman as well;
Old Chris' was not Italian sure, 'tis all a lie, you see,
So tell the boys who ask you that you got it straight from me.

Chorus.
It's all wrong; all a mistake; they don't know what they say;
The whole talc's only a fake, you'll find it out some day;
It's all wrong; don't you forget, my father's often sworn
"Columbus was an Irishman," in Ireland he was born.

His name was Michael Cooley when he sailed from Bantry Bay,
And when he got well out to sea, 'tis said he lost his way,
Upon the coast of Italy his ship was wrecked at last;
He lost his crew, but he himself upon the shore was cast;
He told his story to the Queen, she found him ships and men,
To find the great United States he started off again.
And so they found America, Mike Cooley won the fame,
But, just to honor Italy, the Dagoes changed his name. - Chorus.

Whatever you may think or say, 'tis very plain to me,
Columbus was an Irishman from Erin o'er the sea,
Just look upon his photographs, you'll see he has a beard;
And even on our postage stamps his whiskers have appeared;
Now this is evidence complete, that no one can dispute.
His fine old red "Imperial "you must own is a "hute,"
And tell me who has ever seen, since this world did begin,
Au organ-grinding Dago with red whiskers on his chin.-- Chorus.