I was born on a Dublin street where the royal drums do beat

And them loving English feet trample all over us

And every single night when me Father come home tight

He'd invite the neighbors outside for a Oh come out ye black and tans come out and fight me like a man

Show the wife how you medals down in Flanders

Tell her how the IRA made you run like Hell away

From the green and lovely lakes of Killeshandra



Oh tell em how you slew them them poor Arabs two by two

The Zulus they had spears and bows and arrows

How you bravely faced each one with your 16 pounder gun

And you frightened them poor natives to the marrow



Oh come out ye black and tans come out and fight me like a man

Show the wife how you medals down in Flanders

Tell her how the IRA made you run like Hell away

From the green and lovely lakes of Killeshandra



Let me hear you tell how you slammed the brave Parnell

When you thought him well and truly persecuted

Where are the sneers and jeers that you proudly let us hear

When our heroes of '16 were executed



Oh come out ye black and tans come out and fight me like a man

Show the wife how you medals down in Flanders

Tell her how the IRA made you run like Hell away

From the green and lovely lakes of Killeshandra



The day is comin' and the time here at last

Each yeoman will be cast aside before us

And if there be a need kindly send and say "Godspeed"

And a verse or two of Stephan Behan's Come out ye black and tans come out and fight me like a man

Show the wife how you medals down in Flanders

Tell her how the IRA made you run like Hell away

From the green and lovely lakes of Killeshandra



Come out ye black and tans come out and fight me like a man

Show the wife how you medals down in Flanders

Tell her how the IRA made you run like Hell away

From the green and lovely lakes of Killeshandra

From the green and lovely lakes of Killeshandra