Oh, well it's the biggest mix up
That you have ever seen
My father, he was orange
And me mother, she was green
Oh, my father was an Ulsterman
Proud Protestant was he
My mother was a Catholic girl
From county Cork was she
They married in two churches
Lived happily enough
Until the day that I was born
And things got rather rough
Oh, well it's the biggest mix up
That you have ever seen
My father, he was orange
And me mother, she was green
Baptized by father Reilly
I was rushed away by car
To be made a little orange man
My father's shining star
I was christened David Anthony
But still in spite of that
To me father I was William
And me mother called me Pat
Oh, well it's the biggest mix up
That you have ever seen
My father, he was orange
And me mother, she was green
With mother every Sunday
To mass I proudly strode
Well, after that the orange lot
Would try to save my soul
Both side would try to claim me
But I was smart because
I'd play the flute or play the harp
Depending where I was
Oh, well it's the biggest mix up
That you have ever seen
My father, he was orange
And me mother, she was green
Now back when singin' rebel songs
Was still me mother's joy
My father would jump up and say
Look here me William boy
That's quite an awful that lot
He'd then toss me a coin
And have me sing the Orange Flute
Or the Heroes of the Boyne
Oh, well it's the biggest mix up
That you have ever seen
My father, he was orange
And me mother, she was green
One day me ma's relations
Came 'round to visit me
To start me father's kinfolk
Were all sittin' down to tea
We tried to smooth thing over
But they began to fight
And being strictly neutral
I bashed everyone in sight
Oh, well it's the biggest mix up
That you have ever seen
My father, he was orange
And me mother, she was green
My parents never could agree
About my type of school
My learnin' was all done at home
That's why I'm such a fool
They both passed on, God rest them
But left me caught between
That aweful color problem
Of the orange and the green
Oh, well it's the biggest mix up
That you have ever seen
My father, he was orange
And me mother, she was green
Oh, well it's the biggest mix up
That you have ever seen
My father, he was orange
And me mother, she was green