In nineteen hundred and sixteen
The forces of the crown
To take the orange white and green bombarded Dublin town
But in twenty-one, Britannia's huns
Were forced to earn their pay

[Chorus]
And the black and tans
Like lightning ran
From the rifles of the I.R.A

They burned their way through Munster
And laid Leinster on the rack
In Connnacht and in Ulster
Marched the men of brown and black
They shot down wives and children
In their own heroic way

[Chorus]
And the black and tans
Like lightning ran
From the rifles of the I.R.A

They hanged young Kevin Barry high
A lad of eighteen years
Cork city's flames lit up the sky
But the brave boys knew no fear
The Cork Brigade with hand grenades
In ambush waiting lay
[Chorus]
And the black and tans
Like lightning ran
From the rifles of the I.R.A

The tans were got, taken out and shot
By the brave and the valiant few
Seán Treacey, Dinny Lacey
And Tom Barry's gallant crew
Though we're not free yet
We won't forget until our dying day

[Chorus]
How the black and tans like lightning ran
From the rifles of the I.R.A