Granddaddy to sit me on his knee And me how it was in the old country Famine and floods and that failed I'd listen for hours as he told his
He said, "There must have been a curse on the name" But he swore he'd be the one to break chain With money that he saved from the sweat of his get 'em out of there, someday, somehow
Well, he was much of a gamblin' man But he dreamed of passage to the Promised Bet it all on a better life in He said, "We'll change our fate, and danged O'Reilly Luck"
I can only imagine the look on his in hand, as they counted the days Eleven passports, no back Decidin' what they and shouldn't pack
But the baby caught the fever days before And the hung a sheet on their front door For two long weeks were quarantined Stranded with nothin' but a dream
Well, he was much of a gamblin' man But he dreamed of passage to the Promised Bet it all on a better in America He said, "We'll change our fate, and danged O'Reilly Luck"
Granddaddy told this story 'til he passed How the people all cheered from the that day While he shook his fist a tear in his eye At the beautiful ship of the Star Line
And he his fate and his danged O'Reilly Luck As the mighty Titanic, sailed the sun
Well, he never was of a gamblin' man But he found his way to the Promised Bet it all on a better life in He said, "We'll our fate, and this danged O'Reilly Luck O'Relly Luck"