Mary Mack (folk song)

Mary Mack is a Scottish folk song, and is also a patter song, often sung not only with a rapid to very rapid tempo but increasing toward the end.

Recordings
The definitive version of Mary Mack is, perhaps, the live version on the 1977 double album "Makem & Clancy Concert," performed live at National Stadium Dublin by the late great Irish troubadours, Tommy Makem and Liam Clancy. "Mary Mac" has long been a fixture of Richmond, Virginia band Carbon Leaf's live sets. A studio recording appears on their 2001 album Echo Echo and a live recording on their 2003 album 5 Alive!. Another recording was done by Great Big Sea on their 1995 album Up, which is well-known throughout Canada. Another recording was done by Fiddler's Green (band) on their 1998 album Spin Around, which was recorded in Los Angeles.

Lyrics

 * There's a nice wee lass an her name is Mary Mack
 * Mak nae mistake, she's the miss I'm gaun tae tak
 * There's a lot o ither chaps wha would get up on her track
 * But I'm thinkin they'll hae tae get up early.


 * Chorus:
 * Mary Mack's faither's makin Mary Mack mairy me
 * My faither's makin me mairy Mary Mack
 * An I'm gaun tae mairy Mary tae get mairrit an tak care o me
 * We'll aw be makin merry when I mairy Mary Mack


 * Chorus


 * This wee lass she haes a lot of brass
 * She haes a lot of gas, her faither thinks I'm class
 * An I'd be a silly ass tae let the matter pass
 * For her faither thinks she suits me fairly.


 * Chorus


 * Noo Mary an her mither gang an awful lot thegither
 * In fact you niver see the wan, or the wan withoot the ither
 * An the fellows often wonder if its Mary or her mither
 * Or the baith o them thegether that I'm courtin.


 * Chorus


 * Noo the weddin day's on Wednesday an everythin's arranged
 * Her name will soon be changed tae mine, unless her mind be changed
 * An we're makin the arrangements, faith, I'm just aboot deranged
 * For mairriage is an awfu undertakin.


 * Chorus


 * It's sure tae be a grand affair an grander than a fair
 * A coach an pair for rich an poor an every pair that's there
 * We'll dine upon the finest fare, I'm sure tae get ma share
 * If I don't we'll aw be very much mistaken.


 * Chorus

There are many renditions of this song: Here are the lyrics to another version, with mother instead of father in the chorus:

Chorus


 * Mary Mack's mother's making Mary Mack marry me,
 * My mother's making me marry Mary Mack.
 * I'm gonna marry Mary so my Mary will take care O' me,
 * We'll all be feeling merry when I marry Mary Mack.


 * Now there's a nice wee lass and her name is Mary Mack,
 * Make no mistake she's the girl I gonna take,
 * And a lot of other fella's would get upon her track,
 * but I'm thinkin' they'll have to get up early.


 * Chorus


 * Now this wee lass she has a lot of cash,
 * She has a lot of brass...her father thinks I'm gas,
 * I'd be a silly ass to let the matter pass,
 * Her father thinks she suits me very fairly.


 * Chorus


 * Now Mary and her mother gang an awful lot together,
 * In fact you hardly ever see the one without the other,
 * And all the fella's wonder is it Mary or her mother,
 * Or both of them together that I'm courtin'.


 * Chorus


 * Now the weddin' day 's on Wednesday and everything's arranged,
 * Her name will soon be changed to mine unless her mind be changed,
 * I'm making the arrangements I'm just about derranged
 * For marriage is an awful undertaking


 * Chorus