Standard (EADGBE)

Well, there were guns and drums and drums and guns, haroo, haroo!

There were guns and drums and drums and guns, haroo, haroo!

There was Kathy there alone, I fear,

When her brother went out to slay ya.

Darlin' dear, you look so queer, for Johnny we hardly knew ya.

On the first of March, he took his gun, haroo, haroo!

On the first of March, he tracked ya down, haroo, haroo!

He fired the shot, ya bit the dust,

Poor Kathy she cried a victim of lust.

Darlin' dear, you look so queer, for Kathy she hardly knew ya.

Well, hey there Johnny, now how ya been?

I seen ya hangin' 'round.

You're lookin' mighty pale,

And then your eyes cast on the ground.

Well, hey there Johnny, how ya been?

I heard a young man boast.

He shot ya down one mornin',

And your now Johnny's ghost.

Well, hey there, Johnny, we loved ya, boy,

But you've been playin' 'round.

You brought the wrath of the husbands,

The wives you spun around.

Well, hey there, Johnny, you weren't so bad,

Could make you into two.

To dance a jig with Johnny,

That's all they asked of you.

Tooraloora Tooralai,

You brought the husbands scorn.

You had the lovers over night

And disappeared at dawn.

Tooraloora Tooralai,

A drink and here's a toast:

Here's to drunken Irishmen,

And here's to Johnny's ghost.

Well, hey there, Johnny, your momma cried,

I hear your messin' 'round.

You left poor Kathy pregnant,

And ran for higher ground.

Now Kathy's older brother got

The first gun he could find.

He tracked ya down one mornin'

With murder on his mind.

Tooraloora Tooralai,

Oh, Kathy, she did mourn.

She's screamin' for ya, Johnny,

The babes 'bout to be born.

Tooraloora Tooralai,

A drink and here's a toast:

Here's to drunken Irishmen,

And here's to Johnny's ghost.

Tooraloora Tooralai,

Oh, Kathy, she did mourn.

She's screamin' for ya, Johnny,

The babes 'bout to be born.

Tooraloora Tooralai,

A drink and here's a toast:

Here's to drunken Irishmen,

And here's to Johnny's ghost.

Well, it was early that mornin'

When Kathy's brother stepped in the street.

Johnny just stood there waiting,

Starin' at his feet.

Then in his mind he said a prayer,

Cried Kathleen as he fell,

And the message on his tombstone reads,

"He took that bullet well."

Tooraloora Tooralai,

I'd sooner hear the sound,

And here's to Kathy's brother,

Who put ya in the ground.

Tooraloora Tooralai,

A drink and here's a toast:

Here's to drunken Irishmen,

And here's to Johnny's ghost.

2x:

Here's to drunken Irishmen,

And here's to Johnny's ghost.