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