I was born in Blazen, Bolton, Glaston,
the Wicklow Hills where I was born
John O 'Brien is my name
I left my home in Ireland
and I sailed across the sea
After gambling a great fortune left to me
I sailed aboard an English ship
bound for the River Plate
But we were shipwrecked on the sea
There was only two survivors,
one salty, tarred bee
We crossed uncharted islands
far to gain our liberty
Against many hidden dangers
till the set tlement we did see
Marooned and shipwrecked
was our fate
Against the laws of nature
we survived this great ordeal,
Against the laws of God and man.
I continued on my journey
then on an English ship for the Argentine,
Everything I lost at sea.
I fell in love with a Quaker girl,
she fell in love with me
But her father did not approve of me
He conspired with the captain
to get me off that ship
And placed me on the Portuguese
When I arrived in Buenos Aires
heartbroken without a cent
I heard of San Martín
and to him then I went
And from that very moment
I commenced a wild career
With God and justice on my side
I fought a thousand battles
that won me great acclaim
John O 'Brien is my name
I am a soldier and nothing more
I fight for freedom and nothing less
I loved to gamble, the pretty girls
I gave my soul for freedom
and for liberty
I fought long and hard
for freedom's cause
Against the force of tyranny
since the year of 1812
I fought many decisive battles
and many long campaigns
And freed the land of Uruguay
In the army of the Andes
with O 'Higgins and Martine
We fought for Chile and Peru
At the Battle of Chocoboco,
the story it was told
We defeated General Ato
and captured all his gold
Then at San Diego, Chile we did win
Then the freedom of Peru
For twelve years I battled,
survived those many wars
John O 'Brien was my name
John O 'Brien is my name