Come Out Ye Black & Tans
Come Out Ye Black & Tans

Wolfe Tones - Come Out Ye Black & Tans Lyrics

Singer/Songwriter
Jan 1, 2010
89
Come Out Ye Black & Tans Music Video

Come Out Ye Black & Tans Lyrics

I was born on a Dublin street where the Royal drums the beat
And the loving English feet they went all over us
And every single night when me da' would came home tight
He'd invite the neighbors out with this chorus

Come out ye black and tans, come out and fight me like a man
Show your wife how you won medals down in Flanders
Tell her how the IRA made you run like hell away
From the green and lovely lanes of Killashandra

Come tell us how you slew them old Arabs two by two
Like the Zulus they had spears, bows and arrows
How brave you faced one with your 16-pounder gun
And you frightened them natives to their marrow

Come out ye black and tans, come out and fight me like a man
Show your wife how you won medals down in Flanders
Tell her how the IRA made you run like hell away
From the green and lovely lanes of Killashandra

Come let us hear you tell how you slandered great Parnell
When you fought them well and truly persecuted
Where are the sneers and jeers that you loudly let us hear
When our leaders of sixteen were executed?

Come out ye black and tans, come out and fight me like a man
Show your wife how you won medals down in Flanders
Tell her how the IRA made you run like hell away
From the green and lovely lanes of Killashandra

Come out ye black and tans, come out and fight me like a man
Show your wife how you won medals down in Flanders
Tell her how the IRA made you run like hell away
From the green and lovely lanes of Killashandra

Writer(s): Joe Giltrap, Wes McGhee, DP DP
Copyright(s): Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Frequently Asked Questions

  1. Who wrote the lyrics for 'Come Out Ye Black & Tans'?

    The lyrics for 'Come Out Ye Black & Tans' were composed by Dominic Behan, an Irish songwriter from the notable Behan family in Dublin. The song was later recorded by The Wolfe Tones in 1972.

  2. What historical events does the song 'Come Out Ye Black & Tans' reference?

    The song references the Irish War of Independence and political tensions in 1920s Dublin. It also mentions the execution of the 1916 Easter Rising leaders, the fall of Charles Stewart Parnell, and criticizes British colonial actions in regions like Flanders, the Middle East, and Africa.

  3. What are the Black and Tans referred to in the song?

    The Black and Tans were mainly former British Army soldiers recruited to support the Royal Irish Constabulary during the Irish War of Independence. They became infamous for their violent tactics against the Irish population, and the term is used pejoratively in the song against pro-British Dubliners.

  4. When did 'Come Out Ye Black & Tans' by The Wolfe Tones become popular again?

    The Wolfe Tones' version of 'Come Out Ye Black & Tans' re-charted in early 2020, reaching No. 1 on the iTunes charts in Ireland and the UK. This resurgence was spurred by criticism of a planned commemoration for the Royal Irish Constabulary by the Irish Government.

  5. What is the connection between 'Come Out Ye Black & Tans' and Irish political party Sinn Féin?

    'Come Out Ye Black & Tans' was used by Sinn Féin during the 2020 Irish general election and was cited as one of the '10 defining moments' of the election by the Irish Independent, symbolizing Irish nationalism and resistance against British rule.

  6. Which traditional tune is featured in 'Come Out Ye Black & Tans'?

    The song uses the traditional Irish air 'Rosc Catha na Mumhan,' also known as 'Battlecry of Munster,' which is closely associated with the Jacobite cause. This melody was adapted by Dominic Behan for 'Come Out Ye Black & Tans,' and also features in other songs like 'The Boyne Water.'

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