History:

"Tim Finnegan's Wake," or simply "Finnegan's Wake," is a 1850s-era Irish folk ballad generally attributed to one John Durnal. The song tells the story of Tim Finnegan, bricklayer and a heavy drinker who, drunk on whiskey, fell off his ladder and died one fateful day. At his wake, his friends drink heavily, break out into a brawl, and ultimately accidentally hurl a jug of whiskey at poor Tim's head.

The smashing and splashing wakes him up from the dead, and he proceeds to dish out a good beating all of his own. The final line of the song has dozens of hilarious and profane variations, my personal favorite being "T'underin' Jaysus, did ye t'ink I'se dead?" and others include, "Tare an' ages, yer souls, d'ye t'ink I'm dead?" and the Clancy Brothers' "Like blazes Thanum o'n Dhoul [damn your soul], do ye think I'm dead?"

James Joyce Novel and Symbolism:

Irish novelist James Joyce used the plot line of the song as the basis for his famous novel of the same name, though he added many layers of subtext and symbolism to the story when turning it into a book. The original song seems to be a fair bit simpler to understand, as well.

Lyrics:

Tim Finnegan lived in Walker Street
He was a gentleman mighty odd
He had a brogue both rich and sweet
And to rise in the world he carried a hod
Now Tim one mornin' got raher full
His head felt heavy, his hands did shake
So he fell off the ladder and smashed his skull
And his friends took home the corpse to wake.

With my phil-la-loo, hub-ba-boo, whack-hur-roo boys
Didn't we sing 'til our jaws did ache
And shout and laugh 'til all was blue
With the fun we had at Finnegan's Wake.

They rolled him up in a clean white sheet
And laid him out upon the bed
With eight dipped candles around his feet
And a dozen at least around his head
Miss Biddy O'Brien began to cry
Mrs. Finnegan cried, "Asthore murther
Tim darlin' oh! Why did you die?
"Arrah none o' your prate," says Judy McGee.

With my phil-la-loo, hub-ba-boo, whack-hur-roo boys
Didn't we sing 'til our jaws did ache
And shout and laugh 'til all was blue
With the fun we had at Finnegan's Wake.

Then Peggy O'Connor took up the cry
"Now Judy," says she, "You're wrong I'm sure"
But Judy soon gave her a belt on the eye
Which left her sprawlin' on the floor
Both sides in the row did soon engage
'Twas woman to woman and man to man
Shillelaghs and nails were all the rage
And a tearin' ruction soon began.

With my phil-la-loo, hub-ba-boo, whack-hur-roo boys
Didn't we sing 'til our jaws did ache
And shout and laugh 'til all was blue
With the fun we had at Finnegan's Wake.

Then Mickey Mulvaney just showed his head
When Tim Donovan flung a full quart at him
It missed him, and fallin' on the bed
The liquor was split on the face of Tim
Now the spirits new life gave the corpse, my joy!
Tim jumped like a Trojan from the bed
Cryin' whilst he walloped each girl and boy
"T'underin' Jaysus, did ye t'ink I'se dead?"

Notable Versions:

The Dubliners (Sample / Purchase Download)
The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem (Sample / Purchase Download)
Dropkick Murphys - (Sample / Purchase Download)