I WAS BORN IN LONDON ENGLAND IN NINETEEN HUNDRED AND FIVE
MY FATHER WAS A GERMAN, WITH AN IRISH GAL HIS BRIDE
HE WORKED AS A WAITER AND SHE WORKED AS HIS WIFE
AND THEY STRUGGLED HARD TO MAKE THOSE TIMES THE BEST YEARS OF THEIR LIVES.
BUT WITH WORLD WORLD ONE THE GERMAN HUN LOCKED FORCES WITH THE CROWN.
AND THE BRITISH LOCKED THEIR GERMANS UP WHEREVER THEY WERE FOUND.
THEY TOOK MY GERMAN FATHER FROM HIS CHILDREN AND HIS WIFE,
AND THEY LOCKED HIM UP ON THE ISLE OF MAN FOR THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES
AND MY MAMA TOOK HER EIGHT KIDS BACK TO HER HOME IN THE COUNTY CLAIRE
YOU'RE NOT BRITISH SON NOR GERMAN NOW YOUR IRISH, SHE DECLARED.
SHE TAUGHT US TO LOVE IRELAND AND TO HATE THE BLACKENED TIN MINES,
AND THE EIGHT OF US TURNED PADDY IN THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES.
I LANDED IN AMERICA IN NINETEEN TWENTY THREE
AND I GOT A JOB AND I WORKED REAL HARD TO UNITE MY FAMILY
AND ONE BE ONE I BROUGHT THEM HERE TO SHARE IN AMERICA'S PRIZE
OF A BRAND NEW DAY THE USA WERE THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES.
THEN I MET A GIRL FROM GALWAY AND SHE QUICKLY WON MY HEART
WE WERE MARRIED IN THE BRONX IN JUNE AND TOGETHER MADE A START
WE SURVIVIED THE GREAT DEPRESSION THOUGH WE OFTEN WE LIVED IN DIVES
AND WE HAD THREE SONS AND DAUGHTERS IN THE BEST YEARS OF LIVES.
BUT MY LOVE IS GONE NOW AND I AM OLD AND THE CHILDREN ALL GROWN UP
AND NO MATTER WHAT THE DOCTORS SAY THE DRINK I CANNOT GIVE UP
FOR A MAN'S ALONE WHEN THERE IS NO MORE HOME WITH HIS KIDS AN DARLING WIFE
AND I KNOW THEY ARE ALL BEHIND ME NOW, THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIFE.