Come single guy and gal unto me pay attention Don't ever fall in love It's the devil's own invention For once he fell in love with a maiden so bewitching Miss Henrietta Bell down in Captain Kelly's kitchen
[Chorus:] With me toora loora la, me toora loora laddie Me toora loora la and me toora loora laddie
At the age of seventeen I apprenticed to a grocer Not far from Stephen's Green Where Miss Henri' used to go sir Her manners were sublime she set my heart a-twitchin' When she invited me to a party in the kitchen
[Chorus]
Sunday was the day that they were to have their flare-up He dressed himself quite gay I frizzed and oiled my hair up The Captain had no wife and he had gone a-fishin' She groped me on the stairs beneath the old man's kitchen
[Chorus]
Her arms around my waist she slyly hinted marriage When to the door in haste came Captain Kelly's carriage Her eyes were full of hate and poison she was spittin' The Captain kicked the door in and stormed into the kitchen
[Chorus]
When the Captain came downstairs he saw my situation In spite of all his prayers he was marched off to the station For him they'd take no bail To get home I was itchin' He had to tell the tale how I came into the kitchen
[Chorus]
I said she did invite me But she gave flat denial For assault she did indict me and I was sent for trial She swore he'd robbed her house In spite of all her screechin' I got six months hard For his courtin' in the kitchen