The Piper That Played Before Moses - The Wolfe Tones

Oh, come boys and I’ll tell you a story

Of a piper who lived long ago

And he played all sorts of music

For friends and relations and foes

At hoolies and weddings and parties

Me lads, he was always the same

For he’d dance and he’d sing

And all sorts of things

Recitations and musical games

We invited him down to the party

He brought his old pipes just by chance

And we asked him to play a bit of a tune

He said: «No, I’ll give you a bit of a dance»

So we gave him a naggin' of whiskey

And poured out a bottle of stout

And we cut a great hole in the bag of his pipes

And this is the tune that came out…

Oh, the piper that played before Moses

Was a comical bit of a tout

He’d all sorts of bellows and chanters

And ribbons and pipes hanging out

And when he’d go for to squeeze them

He’d huff and he’d puff and he’d blow

He’d scream and he’d shout

Till the music came out

And away to the races he’d go

We invited him down to the party

He brought his old pipes just by chance

And we asked him to play a bit of a tune

He said: «No, I’ll give you a bit of a dance»

So we gave him a naggin' of whiskey

And poured out a bottle of stout

And we cut a great hole in the bag of his pipes

And this is the tune that came out…

He had all sorts of friends and relations

Who travelled from way overseas

With all sorts of grandeur and splendour

You’d nearly get weak at the knees

We cleared back the tables and dressers

When his cousin from Russia came in

On their hunkers they’d dance

They all took a chance

And kicked their heels to begin

We invited him down to the party

He brought his old pipes just by chance

And we asked him to play a bit of a tune

He said: «No, I’ll give you a bit of a dance»

So we gave him a naggin' of whiskey

And poured out a bottle of stout

And we cut a great hole in the bag of his pipes

And this is the tune that came out…