As I was sitting by the fire  Talking to O'Reilly's daughter  Suddenly a thought came into my head  I'd like to marry O'Reilly's daughter.  Chorus:  Giddy i-ae, Giddy i-ae, Giddy i-ae for the one-eyed Reilly  Giddy i-ae (bang bang bang) Play it on your old   big drum  Reilly played on the big bass drum  Reilly had a mind for murder and slaughter  Reilly had a bright red glittering eye  And he kept that eye on his lovely daughter  (Chorus)  Her hair was black and her eyes were blue  The colonel and the major and the captain sought her  The sergeant and the private and the drummer boy too  But they never had a chance with Reilly's daughter.  (Chorus)  I got me a ring and a parson too  Got me a scratch in a married quarter  Settled me down to a peaceful life  Happy as a king with Reilly's daughter  (Chorus)  Suddenly a footstep on the stairs  Who should it be but Reilly out for slaughter  With two pistols in his hands  Looking for the man who had married his daughter  (Chorus)  I caught O'Reilly by the hair  Rammed his head in a pail of water  Fired his pistols into the air  A damned sight quicker than I married his daughter  (Chorus)