Cohan began his career as a child, performing with his parents and sister in a vaudeville act known as "The Four Cohans." Beginning with Little Johnny Jones in 1904, he wrote, composed, produced, and appeared in more than three dozen Broadway musicals. Cohan published more than 300 songs during his lifetime, including the standards "Over There", "Give My Regards to Broadway", "The Yankee Doodle Boy" and "You're a Grand Old Flag". As a composer, he was one of the early members of the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP). He displayed remarkable theatrical longevity, appearing in films until the 1930s, and continuing to perform as a headline artist until 1940.
Known in the decade before World War I as "the man who owned Broadway", he is considered the father of American musical comedy. His life and music were depicted in the Academy Award-winning film Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) and the 1968 musical George M!. A statue of Cohan in Times Square in New York City commemorates his contributions to American musical theatre.
Harrigan
George M. Cohan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Harrigan, That's Me!
Who is your friend when you find that you need a friend?
Harrigan, That's Me!
For I'm just as proud of my name you see,
As an Emperor, Czar or a King, could be.
Who is the man helps a man every time he can?
H - A - double are - I - G - A - N spells Harrigan
Proud of all the Irish blood that's in me; Divil a man can say a word agin me.
H - A - double are - I - G - A - N, you see,
Is a name that a shame never has been connected with, Harrigan, That's me!
Who is the man never stood for a gad about?
Harrigan, That's Me!
Who is the man that the town's simply mad about?
Harrigan, That's Me!
The ladies and babies are fond of me,
I'm fond of them, too, in return, you see.
Who is the gent that's deserving a monument?
Harrigan, That's Me!
H - A - double are - I - G - A - N spells Harrigan
Proud of all the Irish blood that's in me; Divil a man can say a word agin me.
H - A - double are - I - G - A - N, you see,
Is a name that a shame never has been connected with, Harrigan, That's me!
The song "Harrigan" is a tribute to a fictional character named Harrigan who is portrayed as a friendly, helpful, and proud Irish-American man. The song describes Harrigan as someone who is always willing to spend or lend money to a friend in need. He is proud of his Irish heritage and defends his name against any negative comments. The song celebrates Harrigan's popularity among the town's people, including women and children, who are fond of him. The chorus is a spelling of his name, which highlights his uniqueness and reinforces his positive reputation.
Through the character of Harrigan, the song celebrates the virtues of a generous and loyal friend, and pays homage to Irish-Americans. Written in 1907, the song was immensely popular at the time and played a significant role in the promotion of Irish-American culture. The lyrics were written by George M. Cohan, a renowned American songwriter, playwright, and actor. Cohan was heavily influenced by his Irish heritage, and many of his works celebrated Irish-American culture. "Harrigan" was one of his most famous songs, and it has been covered by various artists over the years.
Line by Line Meaning
Who is the man who will spend or will even lend?
Who is the person you can rely on for financial assistance either as a loan or a gift?
Harrigan, That's Me!
It's me! Harrigan is the name to identify that person.
Who is your friend when you find that you need a friend?
Who is the one you can turn to and trust when in need of a friend?
For I'm just as proud of my name you see,
I'm extremely proud of my name and the reputation it carries.
As an Emperor, Czar or a King, could be.
My pride in my name rivals that of even the most powerful rulers that have ever existed.
Who is the man helps a man every time he can?
Who is the one that goes out of his way to help others whenever possible?
H - A - double are - I - G - A - N spells Harrigan
The name Harrigan is spelled with the letters H, A, R, I, G, A, and N.
Proud of all the Irish blood that's in me; Divil a man can say a word agin me.
I'm proud of my Irish heritage and no one can say anything negative about me.
H - A - double are - I - G - A - N, you see,
As previously stated, my name is spelled with the letters H, A, R, I, G, A, and N.
Is a name that a shame never has been connected with, Harrigan, That's me!
The name Harrigan has always been associated with pride and respectability. That's who I am!
Who is the man never stood for a gad about?
Who is the person that never partakes in frivolous activities?
Who is the man that the town's simply mad about?
Who is the person that the townsfolk love and admire?
The ladies and babies are fond of me,
The women and children have a great affection for me.
I'm fond of them, too, in return, you see.
I care for them just as much as they care for me.
Who is the gent that's deserving a monument?
Who is the person that has earned the right to be honored with a monument for their achievements?
H - A - double are - I - G - A - N spells Harrigan
Once again, my name is Harrigan and it is spelled using the letters H, A, R, I, G, A, and N.
Proud of all the Irish blood that's in me; Divil a man can say a word agin me.
Just like before, I take pride in my Irish roots and no one can speak ill of me.
H - A - double are - I - G - A - N, you see,
The name Harrigan is spelled H, A, R, I, G, A, and N. It's that simple.
Is a name that a shame never has been connected with, Harrigan, That's me!
My name, Harrigan, has always been linked with respect and honor, and that is who I am!
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: GEORGE M COHAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jajanesaddictions
I can remember my Mother and Father at the piano singing this song. Who is the man who will spend or will even lend?
Harrigan, That's Me!
Who is your friend when you find that you need a friend?
Harrigan, That's Me!
For I'm just as proud of my name you see,
As an Emperor, Czar or a King, could be.
Who is the man helps a man every time he can?
Harrigan, That's Me!
H - A - double R - I - G - A - N spells Harrigan
Proud of all the Irish blood that's in me; Divil a man can say a word agin me.
H - A - double R - I - G - A - N, you see,
Is a name that a shame never has been connected with, Harrigan, That's me!
Who is the man never stood for a gad about?
Harrigan, That's Me!
Who is the man that the town's simply mad about?
Harrigan, That's Me!
The ladies and babies are fond of me,
I'm fond of them, too, in return, you see.
Who is the gent that's deserving a monument?
Harrigan, That's Me!
H - A - double R - I - G - A - N spells Harrigan
Proud of all the Irish blood that's in me; Divil a man can say a word agin me.
H - A - double R - I - G - A - N, you see,
Is a name that a shame never has been connected with, Harrigan, That's me!
@terryharrigan6324
Every school teacher I had in elementary school through high school would start singing this to me the first time I had them in a class.
@-James-A
T E double R Y
@davidhutchinson5233
When I was a boy in the early 70s....my old Aunt Irma taught me this one. And we're not even Irish. lol
@oreally8605
😆
@wombat1222
This is so surreal. My name is Harrigan and this is the first time, at 63, that I'm hearing the full version of this song. I thought the movie version was the only version. Mind; blown.
@lharrigan_tv
yes, first time I'm hearing as well.
@rachaelmary8815
I’m a Harrigan too. I’ve only ever heard the song on MASH lol
@KKG51
Very Nice! I just watched the James Cagney movie for the 1000th time and still love watching him sing this piece.
Kevin in CT
@Yes-tv6bc
ayyyy same
@peggyh4805
Peggy in CT.