Track 09

Green Badge

Dustin Welch, Super Rooster Music (SESAC); Mark Germino, Black Rhapsody Music (ASCAP)

My name is Egan Reilly, I was born in county ClareI married in the spring of ’39 a lass so fairWe moved to London at her wish, we dwelled in Camden homesBut the Irish Guard they sought to make a soldier of me bonesWe kissed goodbye at Euston Square, we swore upon the crossShould I return alive in spring, we’d celebrate till frostWe vowed should I set foot back on the soil I would defendWe’d go back to our dear Ireland and never leave again

Hell’s bells, slosh the county aleThe rats are in the grain and I can hear the nightingaleHell’s bells, sing O’Carolan’s dirgeFor Ireland I shall try to win the Green Badge of Courage

We set about for Norway as our ladies left to mournThe mighty 24th brigade, we dressed in British warmsWe pushed the Nazi’s back, we let them know we were in townWhile Battalion Two went sailing through the Hook o’ Holland SoundIn March of ’43 to northern Africa we sailed‘Twas there inside Tunisia pints of Irish blood was spilledBut Corporeal John Keneally fired his bren gun from his hipAnd as the Germans broke and ran we watched his leg begin to drip

Hell’s Bells, slosh the county ale……For Ireland I resolve to win the Green Badge of Courage

Took Anzio in ’44, then we were homeward boundOur families walked to Camden Loch and met us at the CrownMy wife was there with open arms, so glad to have me homeBut she had gained 300 pounds, now she weighed twenty-seven stoneAfter say a pint or two she took me by the handMarched us to our bedroom where so naked she would standI kissed her and I told her she looked lovely as the frostThen she picked me up and hauled me off to win the Victory Cross

Hell’s bells, slosh the county ale…….By morning’s turn I will have earned the Green Badge of Courage

Played by

Dustin Welchbanjo, vocals
Drew Smithacoustic guitar, vocals
Kyle Ellisonelectric guitar
Trisha Keeferviolin
Joe Beckhamelectric bass
Joe Humeldrums

The story

I had this traditional Irish banjo melody and took it over to Germino. He listened to it, agreed to write it, and said "Gimme two weeks." I thought he just wasn't in the mood to do anything with it at the time. Turns out, he spent the next two weeks extensively researching the Irish Guard. He handed me a lyric sheet and I don't think I even changed one damn word. He decided it it needed some kinda humorous twist at the end, like all good Irish ballads. The only thing he could figure was when the guy got home from the war, his bride had become extremely overweight, and the way that he finally wins the 'Green Badge of Courage' is by allowing her to take him to bed the night of his return. I wholeheartedly agreed, and thusly, the song was born.