Goodbye Mrs Durkin Lyrics
The Irish RoversMusic Video
Goodbye Mrs Durkin Lyrics
Goodbye Mrs. Durkin, I'm sick and tired of workin'.
No more I'll dig the praties, no longer I'll be poor.
But as sure as my name is Barney, I'm off to Californy.
Instead of digging praties, I'll be digging lumps of gold.
In the days that I was courtin', I was never tired resortin'
To the alehouse and the playhouse, and the other house besides.
But I told my brother Seamus, "I'll be off now and grow famous
And before that I return again, I'll roam the whole world wide."
So, it's goodbye Mrs. Durkin, I'm sick and tired of workin'.
No more I'll dig the praties, no longer I'll be poor.
But as sure as my name is Barney, I'm off to Californy.
Instead of digging praties, I'll be digging lumps of gold.
Well, I've courted girls in Blarney, in Antrim and Killarney,
In Dublin and in Kerry, down to the coves of Cork.
But I'm tired of all this pleasure, so now I'll take my leisure.
And the next time that you hear from me, I'll write you from new York.
So, it's goodbye Mrs. Durkin, I'm sick and tired of workin'.
No more I'll dig the praties, no longer I'll be poor.
But as sure as my name is Barney, I'm off to Californy.
Instead of digging praties, I'll be digging lumps of gold.
When I landed in Amerikay, I met a man named Burke.
He told me if I'd stay a while, he'd surely find me work.
But work he didn't find me, so there's nothing here to bind me.
I'm bound for San Francisco, in Califor-ni-yay!
Da da da da da da dee da...
Well, I'm now in San Francisco, and me fortune it is made.
My pockets loaded down with gold, I'll throw away me spade.
I'll go back to dear old Erin, spend me fortune never carin'.
I'll marry Queen Victori', Mrs. Durkin for to spite.
So, it's goodbye Mrs. Durkin, I'm sick and tired of workin'.
No more I'll dig the praties, no longer I'll be poor.
But as sure as my name is Barney, I'm off to Californy.
Instead of digging praties, I'll be digging lumps of gold.
Song Details
✍️ Author: Unknown
🎶 Music: Traditional tune - 'Cailíní deasa Mhuigheo' (pretty girls of Mayo) - a popular reel from the 19th century.
📝 Song Brief:
The song was originally called 'Mursheen Durkin' and was changed to Goodbye Mrs Durkin by The Irish Rovers.
It humorously tells the story of an Irishman who decides to leave behind his hard life of digging potatoes in Ireland to seek his fortune mining gold in California during the Gold Rush. The verses follow his chaotic farewell, his fondness for drink, and his determination to start fresh, even if he’s not entirely prepared.
🍀 Genre: Irish Folk Song
📖 Glossary:- Californy
A playful, old‑fashioned Irish pronunciation of California, often heard in traditional songs about emigration and the Gold Rush era. - Amerikay
A common Irish‑song pronunciation of America, especially in 19th‑ and early‑20th‑century folk songs about leaving home or seeking a new life abroad. - Pratie
An older Irish word for potatoes, frequently used in folk songs and rural speech. - the other house
In humorous or roguish songs, it refers to a brothel. - Queen Victori’
A shortened, colloquial pronunciation of Queen Victoria, often used in Irish folk songs for rhythm or humour. - “I’ll marry Queen Victori’, Mrs. Durkin for to spite”
It’s a humorous boast, suggesting the singer will rise so high in the world that he could even marry the Queen — all to annoy Mrs Durkin.
🌟 No 1 Hit: In 1966 Johnny McEvoy recorded the song as Mursheen Durkin reaching No. 1 on the Irish charts and staying there for 3 consecutive weeks.
👥 Covers: Christy Moore, Sharon Shannon, The Pogues, Four to the Bar, The Dubliners, The Poxy Boggards, Golden Bough, The Molly's, Off Kilter, The Wolfe Tones, Darby O'Gill, 1916.
🎤 Featured Artists: The Irish Rovers
💿 Album: The Best of the Irish Rovers
Released: 1999
Country: Canada, United States
Format: CD
Label: MCA Records
🎸 If you'd like to play this song on guitar, you can view the chord version on our sister site, Bell&CoMusic.com.
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