The Luck Of The Irish
John and Yoko Lyrics

If you had the luck of the Irish
If you were born Irish, you would actually be unlucky.

You'd be sorry and wish you were dead
Being Irish means suffering years of torture and oppression, so much so that you'd feel like death would be a preferable alternative.

You should have the luck of the Irish
If you're not Irish, you should count yourself lucky that you don't have to face the hardships that come with being Irish.

And you'd wish you was English instead!
Being English would seem like a better option than being Irish, given the tumultuous history between the two countries.

A thousand years of torture and hunger
The Irish people have been oppressed for centuries, leading to widespread suffering.

Drove the people away from their land
As a result of this oppression, many Irish people were forced to leave their homeland in search of a better life.

A land full of beauty and wonder
Despite the hardships, Ireland is a country of great natural splendor and cultural richness.

Was raped by the British brigands! Goddamn! Goddamn!
However, the British colonizers exploited and pillaged Ireland, causing much harm and destruction.

If you could keep voices like flowers
If people could sing and speak with the beauty and grace of flowers, the world would be a more peaceful and harmonious place.

There'd be shamrock all over the world
If everyone spoke with love and beauty, Ireland's national symbol, the shamrock, would be found everywhere.

If you could drink dreams like Irish streams
If people could take their dreams as inspiration, like the many streams in Ireland, the world would be a more hopeful place.

Then the world would be high as the mountain of morn
This kind of optimism and inspiration would lift people up to new heights, just like the majestic mountains of Ireland.

In the 'Pool they told us the story
In Liverpool, England, where John Lennon grew up, people spoke about the history of Ireland and British colonization.

How the English divided the land
The English lords in power in Ireland divided land and people in ways that led to great conflict and strife.

Of the pain, the death and the glory
This painful history, filled with death and destruction, is also filled with stories of resistance and perseverance that represent the triumph of the human spirit.

And the poets of Auld Ireland
Throughout Irish history, poets and writers have been instrumental in preserving the cultural heritage and history of Ireland.

If we could make chains with the morning dew
If we could create structures of beauty and fragility, like morning dew, we could find beauty even in the most difficult circumstances.

The world would be like Galway Bay
Galway Bay is a beautiful body of water in Ireland - if we sought out beauty in small things, the world would look like a better place.

Let's walk over rainbows like leprechauns
If we could find joy and hope, like the mythical leprechauns of Irish folklore, life would be easier to bear.

The world would be one big Blarney stone
The Blarney Stone is a symbol of Irish luck and magic; if the world could be like this, we would all be lucky and blessed.

Why the hell are the English there anyway?
John and Yoko question why the English would be in Ireland in the first place given the historical harm they have caused.

As they kill with God on their side
Religion was often used to justify the English colonizers' violence and oppression.

Blame it all on the kids the IRA
The British government often blamed the Irish Republican Army (IRA) for the ongoing conflict in Northern Ireland, instead of taking responsibility for their own actions and their legacy of harm.

As the bastards commit genocide! Aye! Aye! Genocide!
John and Yoko accuse the British of committing acts of genocide against the Irish people, a claim that reflects the violent history between these two nations.

Yes you'd wish you was English instead!
In the end, the song's ironic refrain leaves the listener wondering who really has the upper hand in this painful history.