Legacy -- Celtic Traditional and Contemporary Music in Minnesota


Step It Out, Mary
(Sean McCarthy)
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Years ago, a father could ensure a comfortable retirement by forcing his daughter to wed a wealthy older man even if she loved another. As in Romeo and Juliet, some young lovers chose death over separation.  Despite its tragic nature, this song was inspired by a children's rhyme that the author first heard at a fair in Kanturk, Co. Cork.

Chorus
 Step it out, Mary, my fine daughter
 Step it out, Mary, if you can
 Step it out, Mary, my fine daughter
 Show your legs to the country man
 Show your legs to the country man

In the village of Kildoreen, there's a maiden young and fair
She has eyes like sparkling diamonds, and long and golden hair
The country man came riding up to her daddy's gate
Upon a milk-white stallion, he came at the hour of eight.

"I have come to court your daughter, Mary of the curling hair
I have gold and I have silver, I have land beyond compare
I will build for her a mansion, she'll have servants to command
I will build for her a mansion, she'll have a gold ring for her hand."

"I don't want your gold nor silver, I don't want your house nor land
I don't want your fancy diamonds or a gold ring for my hand."
Her father spoke up sharply, "You will do as you are told.
You will marry him on Sunday, and you'll wear his ring of gold."

In the village of Kildoreen, there's a deep stream running by
They found Mary there at midnight, she drowned with her soldier boy
In the village there is music, you can hear her daddy say
"Step it out, Mary, my fine daughter, Sunday is your wedding day."

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