G                                 C             G
 If when I'se a young man I'd been wise as right now.
                                       D
I wouldn't have hitched my gal to the plow.
G                          C             G
I wouldn't have counted our children by tens,
                             D            G
I wouldn't have sent her out mendin' the fence.
      C                        G
Yea if I'd been a young man as wise as right now.
                             D            G
I sure wouldn't a set her to pullin' the plow.


If when I'se a young man I'd been smart as right now
I’d a kept my own counsel, while milking the cow.
I wouldn’t have listened to the turkeys and hens.
No way would I’ve sent her out mending the fence.

       C                         G
Oh the fence had a hole, and the hole had a view
                                          D
Of the gangly young neighbor lad, Finigan Stew.
    G                   C                G
I believe my Marie, she crawled right on through.
                            D           G
And mended the fence like I told her to do

If when I'se a young man I'd been wise as right now.
I wouldn't have hitched my Marie to the plow.
I wouldn't have counted the children by tens,
I wouldn't have sent her out mendin' the fence.

Now Finigan Stew he has twenty-two sons
But he ain't all that swift, an some folks call him dumb.
But how dumb can you be while your son’s work the field
And your woman’s providing and fixing your meals.


If when I'se a young man I'd been wise as right now.
I wouldn't have hitched my Marie to the plow.
I wouldn't have counted the children by tens,
No way would I've sent her out mendin' the fence.
Yea if I'd been a young man as wise as right now.
I’d have bought her a mule to hitch to the plow.


(C) Francis H. Peters

Nov. 03, 2005 – Oct 01, 2013