[Verse 1]
“Mrs. McGraw,” the sergeant said
“Would you like to make a soldier out of your son, Ted?
With a scarlet cloak and a fine cocked hat
Yeah, Mrs. McGraw wouldn’t you like that?”

[Chorus]
Yeah, to me too-rye-ah
Foddle-diddle-dah
Too-rye oo-rye oo-rye ah
Yeah, to me too-rye-ah
Foddle diddle dah
Too-rye oo-rye oo-rye ah

[Verse 2]
Now, Mrs. McGraw lived on the seashore
For the space of seven long years or more
‘Til she saw big ship sailing in the bay
“Hallelu, babbelu, I think it’s he!”

“Oh, Captain dear, where have you been
Have you been out sailin’ on the Mediteren’
Have you any tidings of my son Ted
Is the poor boy livin’ or is he dead?”

[Chorus]
Yeah, to me too-rye-ah
Foddle-diddle-dah
Too-rye oo-rye oo-rye ah
Yeah, to me too-rye-ah
Foddle diddle dah
Too-rye oo-rye oo-rye ah
[Verse 3]
Now up comes Ted, without any legs
And in their place there were two wooden pegs
She kissed him a dozen times or two
Saying “Holy moly could it be you?”

“Now was you drunk or was you blind
When you left your two fine legs behind?
Or was it out walking upon the sea
That tore your legs from the knees away?”

[Chorus]
Yeah, to me too-rye-ah
Foddle-diddle-dah
Too-rye oo-rye oo-rye ah
Yeah, to me too-rye-ah
Foddle diddle dah
Too-rye oo-rye oo-rye ah

[Verse 4]
“No I wasn’t drunk and I wasn’t blind
When I left my two fine legs behind
For a cannon ball on the fifth of May
Took my two fine legs from the knees away.”

“Now Teddy my boy,” the old widow cried
“Your two fine legs was your mama’s pride
Them stumps of a tree won’t do at all
Why didn’t you run from the big cannon ball?”
[Chorus]
Yeah, to me too-rye-ah
Foddle-diddle-dah
Too-rye oo-rye oo-rye ah
Yeah, to me too-rye-ah
Foddle diddle dah
Too-rye oo-rye oo-rye ah

[Verse 5]
“Now against all war, I do profain
Between Don Juan and the King of Spain
And, by herons, I’ll make ’em rue the time
When they swept the legs from a child of mine.”

[Chorus]
Yeah, to me too-rye-ah
Foddle-diddle-dah
Too-rye oo-rye oo-rye ah
Yeah, to me too-rye-ah
Foddle diddle dah
Too-rye oo-rye oo-rye ah
For Mrs. McGraw