Key: C major
Verse 1
C
In Glasgow,
the transition from fisticuffs to religion
is a natural one,
although it's probably more common
in the reverse direction.
In the autobiographical section of the book,
Matt has a number of stories
about his Catholic upbringing.
We had a picture of Canon O 'Reilly
in the house.
It hung beside the mantelpiece,
commanding as proud a place
as that of the Blessed Virgin
of Christ
bleeding on the cross,
Or even that of the Celtic team in
full colours
which graced an
ornamental plate
beside the set -in bed.
Canon O 'Reilly,
although before my time,
was a legend in the Galligate.
A legend of a walking stick
in a cannon's hat
bursting upon the young men of the district
and bashing them physically
in an unholy effort to break up
coin tossing
and card schools and games of football
which were favourite pastimes.
He would lash out
regardless of the religion of his victims,
safe in the knowledge
that most of them had been
baptised Catholics.
He was fortified in the wisdom
that no one would hit him back,
if only because there were stories
credited as true by the local Catholics
that such and such a man had a bad leg
is simply because he had tried to kick a priest,
the crippled limb
being an immediately inflicted
act of God.
One poor man's arm
was permanently stationed
parallel with his shoulder
because the Lord, so it was said,
had not been at all pleased
by his attempt to take a punch
at one of the clergy.
These acts of God were speculative,
G
C
but there was no speculation
regarding the violent sorties
of Canon O 'Reilly
into the closes and backcourts
of Ross Street,
Kent Street,
Bain Street,
the Gallagate and Well Street.
As he also tells in the book,
Matt became an atheist
at the age of 16
and was thereafter able to laugh
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C
G
C
G
at the foibles of all religions.
I hadn't any brains,
F
C
Says I, the very thing today
I went to see the priest,
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G
C
Willie was behaving like a beast.
The pill, the pill, I'm pining for the pill,
F
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I'll never have gone in there
G
C
because I'm going to bless the pill
He gave me such a terrible row,
my eyes were filled with tears,
F
C
How long have you been wexed?
over all your evil sinful tricks,
C
G
C
and you've only had the six
The pill, the pill,
I'm pining for the pill,
F
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I'll never have any more
G
C
because I want to bless the pill.
I'm comin' up for forty,
in my faith I've aye been true,
F
C
the very last time I tallied them
fur we're runnin' short o' names,
F
C
but Wally he would welcome
G
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Mary's fond a' huffin' waves.
The pill, the pill,
I'm buying for the pill
F
C
I'll never have any more
G
C
because they're going to bless the pill
Now they're talking on the pill
and they've filled my hearth with hope
F
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I'm sitting here waiting on
C
I went along to buy some at fifteen bob a tin
F
C
I hope the Pope's okay
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before my man comes in
The pill, the pill,
I'm painin' for the pill.
F
C
I'll never have honey there
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because the boar didn't bless the pill.
The pill, the pill,
I'm painin' for the pill.
F
C
I'll never have honey there
G
C
because the boar didn't bless the pill.
How did you like the song?
TunerE A D G B E
ChordsC G F
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