The Orange and the Green [German translation]

Oh it is the biggest mix-up that you have ever seen

My father he was orange and my mother she was green

Oh my father was an Ulsterman, a Protestant was he

My mother was a Catholic, from County Cork was she

They were married in two churches, lived happily enough

Until the day that I was born and things got rather tough

Oh it is the biggest mix-up that you have ever seen

My father he was orange and my mother she was green

Baptised by father Reilly, and rushed away by car

To become a little orange lad, my father's shining star

I was christened David Anthony, but still in spite of that

To my father I was Billy while my mother called me Pat

Oh it is the biggest mix-up that you have ever seen

My father he was orange and my mother she was green

With my mother every Sunday to mass I'd proudly stroll

And later on the orange lodge would try and save my soul

Both sides they tried to claim me, but I was smart because

I played the flute or played the harp, depending where I was

Oh it is the biggest mix-up that you have ever seen

My father he was orange and my mother she was green

And now when I'd sing those rebel songs 'twould still my mother's joy,

My father would jump up and say "Look here now, Billy-boy,

I've had enough of that stuff!", he'd be tossing me a coin,

And he'd have me sing "The Orange Flute" and "The Heroes of the Boyne"

Oh it is the biggest mix-up that you have ever seen

My father he was orange and my mother she was green

Well my parents they would not agree about my kind of school

My learning was all done at home, no wonder I'm a fool

They both passed on, god rest them, but left me caught between

That awful color problem of the orange and the green

It is the biggest mix-up that you have ever seen

My father he was orange and my mother she was green

It is the biggest mix-up that you have ever seen

My father he was orange and my mother she was green

• Artist:Patsy Watchorn