Lyrics:
In Dublin’s fair city
Where the girls are so pretty
I first set my eyes on sweet Molly Malone
And she wheeled her wheel-barrow
Through streets broad and narrow
Crying, “Cockles and mussels, alive, alive-o!”
“Alive, alive-o, alive, alive-o”
Crying, “Cockles and mussels, alive, alive-o!”
She was a fishmonger
And sure ‘twas no wonder
For so were her mother and father before
And they each wheeled their barrows
Through streets broad and narrow
Crying, “Cockles and mussels, alive, alive-o!”
“Alive, alive-o, alive, alive-o”
Crying, “Cockles and mussels, alive, alive-o!”
She died of a fever,
And no one could save her,
And that was the end of sweet Molly Malone.
Now her ghost wheels her barrow
Through streets broad and narrow
Crying, “Cockles and mussels, alive, alive-o!”
“Alive, alive-o, alive, alive-o”
Crying, “Cockles and mussels, alive, alive-o!”
Additional Verses
They put me into jail with a judge all a writin’
For robbing Captain Farrell on the far fam’d Kerry Mountains
But they didn’t take me fists so I knocked the jailer down
And bid a farewell to this tight fisted town
Was early in the morning at the barracks of Kilarney
My brother took his leave but he didn’t ask the army
Our horses they were speedy, ’twas all over but the shoutin’
Now we wait for Farrell upon that Kerry Mountain
–from The Limeliters 1961 album, Sing Out!
Lyrics from Apollo's Medley (1791)
By the big Hill of Howth,
That’s a bit of an Oath,
That to swear by I’m loth,
To the heart of a stone,
But be poison my drink,
If I sleep snore or wink,
Once forgetting to think,
Of your lying alone,
Och it’s how I’m in love,
Like a beautiful dove,
That sits cooing above,
In the boughs of a tree;
It’s myself I’ll soon smother,
In something or other,
Unless I can bother,
Your heart to love me,
Sweet Molly, Sweet Molly Malone,
Sweet Molly, Sweet Molly Malone
I can see if you smile,
Though I’m off half a mile,
For my eyes all the while,
Keep along with my head,
And my head on must know,
When from Molly I go,
Takes his leave with a bow,
And remains in my stead,
Och it’s how I’m in love,
Like a beautiful dove,
That sits cooing above,
In the boughs of a tree;
It’s myself I’ll soon smother,
In something or other,
Unless I can bother,
Your heart to love me,
Sweet Molly, Sweet Molly Malone,
Sweet Molly, Sweet Molly Malone
Like a bird I could sing,
In the month of the spring,
But it’s now no such thing,
I’m quite bothered and dead,
Och I’ll roar and I’ll groan,
My sweet Molly Malone,
Till I’m bone of your bone,
And asleep in your bed
Och it’s how I’m in love,
Like a beautiful dove,
That sits cooing above,
In the boughs of a tree;
It’s myself I’ll soon smother,
In something or other,
Unless I can bother,
Your heart to love me,
Sweet Molly, Sweet Molly Malone,
Sweet Molly, Sweet Molly Malone
Lyrics Credited to J. B. Geoghegan
Of all merry blades that ply merry trades,
Or win the affections of pretty young maids;
There is no one so trim or supple of limb
As light-hearted, ruddy-faced mussel man, Jim.
My musical sounds enliven my rounds,
I’m known the world over, from Stepney to Bow;
While singing aloud to a wondering crowd,
Fresh Cockles and Mussels alive, alive O!
Alive, O! alive O!
Alive, alive O! I call as I go,
Fresh Cockles and Mussels alive, alive O!
The fish that I sell are sound in the shell,
More luscious than oysters and feed you as well;
Fresh gather’d and good, they’re excellent food,
To strengthen the nerves and replenish the blood;
They’re just the right sort, a penny a quart,
On rocks where the mermaid sits singing, they grow,
No flounder or dab, periwinkle or crab,
Can equal my mussels alive, alive O!
Alive, alive O! I call as I go,
Fresh Cockles and Mussels alive, alive O!
There’s young Polly Payne, tho’ handsome, not vain,
She sells baked potatoes in Rosemary Lane;
And people do say, if fate has its way,
That we shall be married next Michaelmas Day,
And when she is mine, oh, won’t it be fine
With two little stalls standing all of a row,
While folks passing by, will laugh as we cry-
Hot taters and mussels alive, alive O!
Alive, alive O! I call as I go,
Fresh Cockles and Mussels alive, alive O!
And if we contrive in business to thrive,
Which we shall most certainly do, if we strive,
My Polly and me as happy will be –
As two little birds on the boughs of a tree.
With something to spend, to give and to lend,
And little ones round us to chuckle and crow,
Those artful young imps who bawl out their shrimps
Will wish they sold mussels alive, alive O!
Alive, alive O! I call as I go,
Fresh Cockles and Mussels alive, alive O!
And nobody knows, the way the world goes,
What sort of good fortune there is in these clothes.
And some lucky year, I perhaps may appear,
As beadle churchwarden, or great overseer;
Or maybe sit down in an alderman’s gown,
And wear a large belly as round as a bow;
And won’t you all stare when I’m made a Lord Mayor,
From cockles and mussels alive, alive O!
Alive, alive O! I call as I go,
Fresh Cockles and Mussels alive, alive O!
Irish Language Version - Moll Ní Mhaoileoin
Collected by Dennis Doyle.
I mBaile Athá Cliath, Ní fhaca mé riamh
Aon chailín níos sciamhaí ná Moll Ní Mhaoileoin
Ag stiúradh a barra, gach áit ins a chathair
Le Ruacain is sliogáin, is iad go breá beo
Is iad go breá beo, is iad go breá beo
Le Ruacain is sliogáin, is iad go breá beo
Ba mhangaire éisc í, an cheird di ab éascai
Ós amhladh dá muintir ó chianta fadó
Ag stiúradh a mbarra, gach áit ins a chathair
Le Ruacain is sliogáin, is iad go breá beo
Is iad go breá beo, is iad go breá beo
Le Ruacain is sliogáin, is iad go breá beo
Ach mo chreach is mo dhiacair, fuair Moll bocht an fiabhras
Agus b’in i an chríoch bhí le Moll Ní Mhaoileoin
Ach tá taibhse sa chathair, ag stiúradh a mbarra
Le Ruacain is sliogáin, is iad go breá beo
Is iad go breá beo, is iad go breá beo
Le Ruacain is sliogáin, is iad go breá beo
Featured On:
Me Grief and Tears to Smother
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About the Song:
For how popular “Molly Malone” is, very little is known about it. It was first published in Boston in the book Carmina Collegensia, compiled by Henry Randall Waite in 1876. While Carmina Collegensia doesn’t cite an author, nearly identical lyrics were publish by Francis Brothers and Day just eight years later that credited James Yorkston for both the lyrics and the composition. However, this seems unlikely as he only ever received arrangement credits on the 20 other works he’s been credited in. A potential origin of the chorus, first published by The Poet’s Box in 1875, also does not include an author. But a year later, H. D’Alcorn & Co. published these lyrics and credited J. B. Geoghegan as the writer and composer. Despite the chorus of one clearly influencing the other, the verses bear few resemblances to the version most known today beyond Molly’s presence.
Siobhán Marie Kilfeather notes in his book, Dublin: A Cultural and Literary History (2005), that “A kind of myth had evolved that Molly was based on a genuine seventeenth-century fishmonger/sex worker who… died either of typhus[, most likely from eating seafood from the polluted Dublin Bay,] or of venereal disease.” While there is no evidence for this, Molly, Mary, and Malone are all common Irish names, so there are many people throughout history who fit the bill. One such Molly Malone was chosen by the Dublin Millennium Committee who died on June 13th, 1699 and is buried in St John’s Graveyard. As a result, June 13th was dubbed “Molly Malone Day.” Kilfeather also says that “Molly” resembles the music hall style of the time, and while it may be “based on an older folk song, neither melody nor words bear any relationship to the Irish tradition of street ballads.” There are several other songs featuring Molly Malone either in the title or as a character dating as far back as 1791 in Apollo’s Medley. However, there is nothing concrete to suggest they’re talking about the same Malone.
Other titles: Cockles and Mussels, In Dublin’s Fair City