By Paul McCartney

Lyrics Page One Give Ireland back to the Irish don't make them have to take it away give Ireland back to the Irish make Ireland Irish today. Great Britain you are tremendous and nobody knows like me but really what are we doing in the land across the sea. Tell me how would you like it if on your way to work you were stopped by Irish soldiers would you lie down do nothing would you give in and go berserk. Great Britain you are tremendous and nobody knows like me in the land across the sea. would you lie down do nothing would you give in and go berserk.

Lyrics Page Two Give Ireland back to the Irish Don’t make them have to take it away Give Ireland back to the Irish Make Ireland Irish today. Great Britain and all the people said that people must be free and meanwhile back in Ireland there's a man who looks like me and he dreams of God and country and he's feeling really down and he's sitting in a prison should he lie down do nothing should he be have like a man. Give Ireland back to the Irish Great Britain and all the people said that people must be free there's a man who looks like me and he's sitting in a prison should he lie down do nothing should he be have like a man. Don’t make them have to take it away Giver Ireland back to the Irish Make Ireland Irish today. Citations

Paul McCartney Paul McCartney was born on June 8 th, 1942 in Liverpool, England. An unexpected tragedy in his life occurred when his mother died when he was 14 years old. In 1957 Paul McCartney met John Lennon and joined his band which later became The Beatles. Soon The Beatles became internationally famous for songs such as “Lady Madonna”, “Back in the USSR”, and “Helter Skelter”. Unfortunately the band broke up in 1970 and McCartney released his first solo album the same year. His new band called Wings became popular in the 1970s. Give Ireland Back to the Irish was an early single by Wings in 1972 that paved the way to the band’s success. Back

Give Ireland Back to the Irish  Refers to the Irish Civil War  This was a main conflict in the British Isles  Irish Civil War Information Irish Civil War Information Back

Great Britain you are tremendous  Refers to the strong empire of Great Britain  This empire dominated over Ireland for centuries  The British Empire The British Empire Back

Great Britain and all the people/ said that people must be free  Independence movements in the British Isles  Other countries wanted independence for Ireland  Irish Independence Movement Irish Independence Movement Back

and he’s sitting in prison  Refers to punishment for those who revolted.  Could also mean that Ireland is “behind bars.” Back

Don’t make them have to take it away  The Irish Civil War was thought as unnecessary conflict.  Many countries wanted Ireland to have peaceful independence. Back

Make Ireland Irish today  The final line of the chorus expresses the desire to make Ireland independent.  This happened on December 6 th,  Declaration of the Irish Republic Declaration of the Irish Republic Back

and Nobody knows like me  This is a simile  A simile is a comparison using like or as  The line is from the point of view of an Irishman  Definition of simile Definition of simile Back

In the land across the sea  Allusion, which is a reference  Commonly used saying that in this case refers to Ireland  Info on Ireland Info on Ireland Back

Would you lie down do nothing/ Would you give in go beserk  Anaphora, a repetition in the beginning of a verse  These two lines repeat “Would you” in the beginning of each line  Information on anaphoras Information on anaphoras Back

There’s a man who looks like me  Simile, a comparison using like or as  Refers to a man in Ireland Back

Should he lie down do nothing/ should he behave like a man  This is an anaphora  An anaphora is a repetition  This repeats “Should he” Back

Citations  Bio. "Paul McCartney Biography." Biography Collection Complete. biography.com, Web. 27 May  "Paul McCartney." Contemporary Musicians, Volume 58. Thomson Gale, Reproduced in Biography Resource Center. Farmington Hills, Mich.: Gale,  Elyrics. "Give Ireland Back to the Irish Lyrics." elyrics. N.p., Web. 27 May  Wikipedia. "Ireland." Wikipedia. N.p., 27 May Web. 27 May  Wikipedia. "Republic of Ireland." Wikipedia. N.p., 26 May Web. 27 May Back