Mr. Connaughton
Ralph McTell Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Mr Connaughton my memory's long, though the years have flown
Though the years have gone.
Was your wife's name Marjorie or Mary?
Were you from Cork or Tipperary?

Mr Connaughton when we lived underneath
Oh you said it was a lucky man had a gap between his teeth
And for a while I had a gap too
But it closed when my big teeth came through.
Oh it closed when my big teeth came through.

Mr Connaughton you seemed to laugh such a lot
And that would make us smile too, as often as not
Did you have a friend who was a soldier?
Well I'm gonna join the army when I'm older.

Well I know you paid a fiver for that old motorbike
And they said it wouldn't run, but I thought that it might.
I was nearly asleep when it spluttered into life
And I clenched my fist and smiled a secret smile of delight
Was your first name Kevin or Mike?

I remember when you built us a soap-box cart
With the wheels off a pram, and a plank out in the yard,
And you gave us a bit of string but we steered it with our feet.
Oh boy it was the best one on the street,
And you said "Jesus, that's the best one on the street".

I remember when your little girl was born
You brought her downstairs to show us all,
And we were allowed to kiss her
And I wished she was my sister.

Mr Connaughton, you moved away
With your wife and your baby, but we stayed
Till finally we got re-housed too
And I never will forget you

Mr Connaughton my memory's long though the years have flown
Though the years have gone




Was your wife's name Marjorie or Mary?
Were you from Cork or Tipperary?

Overall Meaning

Ralph McTell's song "Mr. Connaughton" is an ode to a man who was once his neighbor, and who left a lasting impression on McTell. The song is a testament to the power of memory and the way in which certain people can indelibly shape our lives. McTell remembers Mr. Connaughton's kindness, his laughter, and his love of life. He also remembers the details of his life, such as whether his wife's name was Marjorie or Mary and whether he was from Cork or Tipperary.


One of the themes of the song is the passing of time and the way that memories can stay with us even as the years go by. Mr. Connaughton moved away, but McTell never forgot him, and the memories he has of him are just as vivid today as they were when he was a child. The song is a tribute to a man who may not have been famous or important to anyone else, but who had a profound impact on the young McTell.


Overall, "Mr. Connaughton" is a poignant and heartfelt tribute to a man who made a difference in Ralph McTell's life. It's a reminder that sometimes it's the people we meet by chance who end up having the biggest impact on us, and that even small acts of kindness can leave lasting memories.


Line by Line Meaning

Mr Connaughton my memory's long, though the years have flown
I still remember you, Mr. Connaughton, even though it has been years since we last met.


Though the years have gone.
Time has passed, but my memories of you remain.


Was your wife's name Marjorie or Mary?
I remember that you had a wife, but I am uncertain of her name.


Were you from Cork or Tipperary?
I remember that you came from Ireland, but I can't recall which specific county.


Mr Connaughton when we lived underneath
I have memories of the time we spent living below your apartment.


Oh you said it was a lucky man had a gap between his teeth
I remember you saying that having a gap between one's teeth was considered lucky.


And for a while I had a gap too
I too had a gap between my teeth for some time.


But it closed when my big teeth came through.
My gap eventually closed when my adult teeth grew in.


Mr Connaughton you seemed to laugh such a lot
I recall that you had a jovial personality and often laughed.


And that would make us smile too, as often as not
Your laughter was infectious and made us smile as well.


Did you have a friend who was a soldier?
I seem to remember you mentioning a friend in the military.


Well I'm gonna join the army when I'm older.
I was inspired by your friend and decided that I too wanted to join the army when I grew up.


Well I know you paid a fiver for that old motorbike
I remember that you bought a motorbike for five pounds.


And they said it wouldn't run, but I thought that it might.
Despite others telling you that the bike wouldn't work, I had hopes that it would.


I was nearly asleep when it spluttered into life
I was almost dozing off when the bike finally started running.


And I clenched my fist and smiled a secret smile of delight
I felt a surge of excitement and happiness when the bike finally started running.


Was your first name Kevin or Mike?
I can't remember if your first name was Kevin or Mike.


I remember when you built us a soap-box cart
I have fond memories of when you constructed a soap-box cart for us.


With the wheels off a pram, and a plank out in the yard,
You made the cart using a pram's wheels and a plank of wood from the yard.


And you gave us a bit of string but we steered it with our feet.
Although you gave us a bit of string to steer the cart, we ended up using our feet instead.


Oh boy it was the best one on the street,
Our soap-box cart was the envy of the entire neighborhood.


And you said "Jesus, that's the best one on the street".
You were proud of our cart and even commented that it was the best one on the street.


I remember when your little girl was born
I recall when your daughter was born into your family.


You brought her downstairs to show us all,
You were proud of your new addition to the family and introduced her to us.


And we were allowed to kiss her
You let us kiss your baby girl, which was a kind gesture.


And I wished she was my sister.
I remember feeling envious and wishing that I had a sister like your daughter.


Mr Connaughton, you moved away
You eventually moved away from the neighborhood.


With your wife and your baby, but we stayed
My family and I remained in the same neighborhood while you left with your family.


Till finally we got re-housed too
Eventually, our family also moved to a new home.


And I never will forget you
You made a lasting impression on me and I will always remember you.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: RALPH MCTELL, RALPH MCTEL

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found

More Versions