Molly Malone
Ireland's Finest Lyrics
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Where the girls are so pretty,
I first set my eyes on sweet Molly Malone,
As she wheeled her wheel-barrow,
Through streets broad and narrow,
Crying, "Cockles and mussels, alive, alive, oh!"
"Alive, alive, oh,
Alive, alive, oh,"
She was a fishmonger,
But sure 'twas no wonder,
For so were her father and mother before,
And they wheeled their barrows,
Through the streets broad and narrow,
Crying, "Cockles and mussels, alive, alive, oh!"
()
She died of a fever,
And no one could save her,
And that was the end of sweet Molly Malone.
But her ghost wheels her barrow,
Through streets broad and narrow,
Crying, "Cockles and mussels, alive, alive, oh!"
The song "Molly Malone," also known as "Cockles and Mussels," is one of the most popular and recognizable Irish folk songs. It tells the story of a young woman named Molly Malone who worked as a fishmonger in Dublin. The singer of the song, likely a young man, remembers the first time he saw Molly pushing her wheel-barrow full of cockles and mussels through the streets of Dublin. Molly was a beautiful woman, and the singer was immediately smitten with her.
The chorus of the song features Molly's iconic cry of "Cockles and mussels, alive, alive, oh!" which she shouted as she walked through the city streets. Molly's profession may not have been glamorous, but she was a beloved member of the community. The song suggests that her family had also been fishmongers, and that their cart made a regular appearance around Dublin. Unfortunately, Molly contracted a fever and passed away, and the song's final verse tells of her ghostly apparition still pushing her wheel-barrow and calling out her catchphrase as she roams the city streets.
"Molly Malone" has become an important part of Irish folklore and is recognized around the world as a symbol of Ireland itself. The song has been covered by countless artists and has been featured in a number of films and television shows. Interestingly, the true origins of the song are somewhat murky, and there are conflicting stories about where it came from and who wrote it. Nevertheless, it remains a beloved Irish classic to this day.
Line by Line Meaning
In Dublin's fair city,
This story takes place in the city of Dublin.
Where the girls are so pretty,
The girls in Dublin are known for their beauty.
I first set my eyes on sweet Molly Malone,
The storyteller saw Molly Malone for the first time.
As she wheeled her wheel-barrow,
Molly was pushing a wheelbarrow.
Through streets broad and narrow,
She was walking through both wide and narrow streets.
Crying, "Cockles and mussels, alive, alive, oh!"
Molly was singing a song about cockles and mussels.
"Alive, alive, oh,
The chorus of her song repeated the phrase 'alive, alive, oh'.
Alive, alive, oh,
Same as previous line.
Crying "Cockles and mussels, alive, alive, oh".
Same as the third line.
She was a fishmonger,
Molly sold fish for a living.
But sure 'twas no wonder,
It's not surprising that Molly sold fish, as her parents did too.
For so were her father and mother before,
Molly's parents also worked as fishmongers.
And they wheeled their barrows,
Just like Molly, her parents used to push their wheelbarrows around the city.
Through the streets broad and narrow,
Same as the fifth line.
Crying, "Cockles and mussels, alive, alive, oh!"
Same as the sixth line.
She died of a fever,
Molly passed away due to a fever.
And no one could save her,
Sadly, no one was able to save her from the illness.
And that was the end of sweet Molly Malone.
Molly's death brought her story to an end.
But her ghost wheels her barrow,
It's said that Molly's ghost still roams the city, pushing her wheelbarrow.
Through streets broad and narrow,
Same as before.
Crying "Cockles and mussels, alive, alive, oh!"
Same as before.
Writer(s): R. Sarc
Contributed by Harper L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.