O'Reilly Luck

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