Paul Brady - Wearin the Britches, 1976

O come all young men where e'er you be and listen to me lamentations

I courted a girl beyond compare and I loved her with admiration

At length in time she became my wife, t'was not for beauty but for riches

And all the time it causes strife, to see which of us will wear the britches.

O Paddy Kane it is me name, me height it is five-foot-eleven

And me wife is nearly not so big, she only measures four-foot-seven

The hedges I have oft times stripped, I've left them bare of rods and switches

And her skin that's fair sure I've turned black, but still she swears she'll wear me britches.

Well I am a tailor to me trade, at cutting out I am quite handy

But sure all the money that I make, she lays it out on tea and brandy

Now sometimes I do shout and ball with nothing going but rogues and witches

Her head goes oft times to the wall, but still she swears she'll wear me britches.

One morning at the tea and eggs, contented sitting by the fire

Well she broke the teapot on me legs and left me leaping to retire

T'is now that I do shout and moan as I go hopping on me crutches

Well I wished I'd broke her collar bone the day I let her wear me britches.

So come all young men where e'er you be, don't marry a wife if she's enchanting

For if you do, you'll be like me, with other men she'll go gallanting

Now my advice it is to you, to marry for love and work for riches

And be sure of a wife with a civil tongue, that'll give you leave to wear your britches.

      A great performance here, by Paul Brady. There are not many versions of this song. I'd imagine that it must be a song, from his own part of Ireland. In many ways' it is about domestic abuse' but told in a light-hearted way. Never marry a woman for money or beauty.  You will soon be sorry.  It is a sorry day when the hen rules the roost and the opposite.