Mrs. McGrath - Cantistoria

… Time carries us back to the early 1800s, when Napoleon’s armies swept through Europe. With hopes of freedom came also pain and destruction. Far from the battlefield, loved ones waited. Among them, Mrs. McGrath, whose son Ted served in the British Navy. Her worry became a song. And when Ted returned, maimed and without his legs, she spoke a simple truth about the futility of war: All foreign wars I do proclaim Live on blood and the mother's pain I'd rather have my son as he used to be Than the King of France and his whole navy… Cantistoria band Sofia Raftouli: vocals, accordion Konstantinos Giotsopoulos: acoustic guitar George Barakos: drums Giorgos Papageorgiou: mandolin Alexandros Kakaroumpas: cello fb: https://www.facebook.com/Cantistoria/... ________________________________________________ Recorded at Krama Studio, Patras, Greece   / %ce%9a%cf%81%ce%ac%ce%bc%ce%b1-10006364880...   Mixing-Mastering: Alexandros Kakaroumpas Filmed at 3,14 Project (Rion, Greece) https://www.facebook.com/314projectbi... Video editing: George Kalogeris https://www.photosynthesis.gr/ Patras, October 2025 ________________________________________________ Mrs McGrath Lyrics "Mrs McGrath, " the sergeant said "Would you like a soldier of your son Ted With a scarlett coat and a big cocked hat Oh, Mrs McGrath, wouldn't you like that?" Now, Mrs McGrath lived on the shore And after seven years or more She spied a ship come into the bay With her son from far away "Oh captain dear, where have you been Have you've been sailing the Mediterranean Have you news of my son Ted Is he living or is he dead?" Then came Ted without any legs And in their place, two wooden pegs She kissed him a dozen times or two And said "My god, Ted is it you?" "Now were you drunk or were you blind When you left your two fine legs behind Or was it walking upon the sea That wore your two fine legs away?" "No, I wasn't drunk and I wasn't blind When I left my two fine legs behind A cannon ball on the fifth of May Tore my two fine legs away" "Oh, Teddyboy, " the widow cried "Your two fine legs were your mother's pride Stumps of a tree won't do at all Why didn't you run from the cannon ball?" All foreign wars I do proclaim Live on blood and the mother's pain I'd rather have my son as he used to be Than the King of France and his whole navy…