Verse
F#m
Come closer to the fireside;
A
pull in your chair
E
I've a story to tell you;
F#m
faint hearted beware
F#m
It's a tale of tragic sorrow
A
and the dark deeds of love
E
I'm the only man here knows the tale,
F#m
and I'll tell you all I know.
[Verse 2]
F#m
This talk of John MacNaghten
A
and his darling Mary Ann
E
And how he came to hang that day
F#m
in the town of Strabane
F#m
It's true that he shot Mary Ann;
A
put her in the grave
E
Yet every lady in the land
F#m
prayed that he'd be saved.
[Verse 3]
F#m
MacNaghten was a charming rogue;
A
the finest knew his name
E
He dealt the cards with noble folk
F#m
and played the gambler's game
F#m
But the lure of pleasant parlours
A
and ladies grand and fair
E
Took all his money and his land
F#m
and left him to despair.
[Verse 4]
F#m
Now with a heart that was as low
A
as a man's heart can go
E
He went to his old friend Andrew Knox
F#m
and told him all his woe
F#m
"Come in, come in," Knox said to him.
A
"You're welcome my good man.
E
Come meet my wife Honoria
F#m
and my daughter Mary Ann."
[Verse 5]
F#m
Now Mary Ann was just fifteen
A
with beauty seldom seen
E
With golden hair and skin so fair
F#m
which nothing could exceed.
F#m
MacNaghten bowed and took her hand;
A
she curtsied gracefully.
E
He vowed to marry Mary Ann
F#m
and so their fate was sealed
[Verse 6]
F#m
Miss Knox was soon enchanted
A
with MacNaghten's worldly way
E
As hand in hand they strolled the land
F#m
that would all be hers someday
F#m
She said she'd gladly be his wife
A
if her father would agree
E
But he said he'd rather see her dead
F#m
than in MacNaghten's company
[Verse 7]
F#m
MacNaghten's mind swung with rage
A
as he formed his final plan:
E
He'd kill the MP Andrew Knox
F#m
and take his Mary Ann.
F#m
The coach was bound for Dublin town,
A
the Knoxes all on board.
E
In Strabane he made his stand
F#m
with a pistol and a sword.
[Verse 8]
F#m
MacNaghten thought that Mary Ann
A
was seated on the right.
E
He shot three times through the left;
F#m
the bullets pierced her side.
F#m
Andrew Knox then fired two shots;
A
MacNaughten quickly fled.
E
He was now a hunted man
F#m
and Mary Ann was dead.
[Verse 9]
F#m
MacNaghten soon was caught and tried;
A
they sentenced him to die.
E
His words of love for Mary Ann
F#m
brought tears to the ladies' eyes.
F#m
On the gallows he was proud and brave;
A
he spoke no final words.
E
He put the rope around his neck
F#m
and he jumped off with great force.
[Verse 10]
F#m
But the rope broke with a mighty crack
A
and he fell down to the ground.
E
The soldiers they all turned their backs
F#m
and the people gathered round.
F#m
They called out to MacNaghten to
A
take the chance and run
E
But he climbed back on the gallows
F#m
as the crowd stood still and stunned.
[Verse 11]
F#m
It was then he spoke his final words;
A
his voice was cracked and dry.
E
There was silence in the winter air
F#m
and a strange look in his eye.
F#m
He said that he would rather die
A
than live his life in shame.
E
He'd rather die than let
F#m
Half-Hanged MacNaghten be his name!
[Verse 12]
F#m
Now the hanging of MacNaghten
A
and the death of Mary Ann
E
Is known by rich and poor alike
F#m
all across the land.
F#m
They say it's because of the love of gold
A
that Mary Ann Knox died,
E
2x
But you know now the story's told
F#m
they both were killed by pride.