The Langer Lyrics And Chords By Natural Gas
This song comes from the County of Cork where the slang word langer is used a lot, it's a Cork thing. Other songs from the County include The Boys Of Fairhill by ballad singer Jimmy Crowley.
Woman wearing a Langer shirt playing guitar
The Langer Song Words & Guitar Chords In The Key Of G Major
By Tim O'Riordan & Natural Gas
Have[G] you seen the young[D] man,
The[G] drunken auld[C] lout,
[G]Roaring and[D] bawling and[G] spilling his[D] stout,
And in[G] everyone's busi[D]ness,
You'll[G] first see his[C] snout,
Down in[G] Cork, he'd be[D] known as a[G] Langer!
L[D]anger,[G] Langer
[C]Down in[G] Cork, he'd be[D] known as a[G] Langer!
Féach an phleice amach romhainn,
ag bladairt trína thóin
Níl gaelinn ag éine,
dár leis, ach é féin
Tá aige fomhraíocht sár-bhinn,
Is gramadach fíor chrinn,
I gCorcaigh, gan dabht, sé an Langer!
An langer, an langer
I gCorcaigh, gan dabht, sé an Langer!
From Mitchelstown to Cape Clear,
You'll be welcome down here,
For there's plenty of scenery,
Music and beer,
But avoid the rugby weekend in Kinsale,
Cos every year without fail,
The town gets infested with Langers!
Langers, langers
Ah the town gets infested with Langers!
In two thousand and five,
Culture will thrive,
All along the green banks of the Lee (good man George!)
But no matter what,
Even if you arrive on your yacht,
We'll tolerate absolutely nobody acting the Langer! (Certainly not in Crosshaven!)
Langer, langer
There'll be nobody acting the Langer
On the Lee and the Nore
This auld game we adore
Sure we follow our teams anywhere
But what we'd like to know
Is why do all the good match tickets go?
Ending up in the hands of some Langer!
Langer, langer
Ending up in the hands of some Langer!
So there was me song,
I didn't keep you too long,
For now ye all know one more word of Cork slang,
And while there's meat on me bones,
I hope I'll never be known,
As a typical, home-grown Cork Langer!
Langer, Langer
As a typical home-grown Cork Langer!
By Tim O'Riordan & Natural Gas
Have[G] you seen the young[D] man,
The[G] drunken auld[C] lout,
[G]Roaring and[D] bawling and[G] spilling his[D] stout,
And in[G] everyone's busi[D]ness,
You'll[G] first see his[C] snout,
Down in[G] Cork, he'd be[D] known as a[G] Langer!
L[D]anger,[G] Langer
[C]Down in[G] Cork, he'd be[D] known as a[G] Langer!
Féach an phleice amach romhainn,
ag bladairt trína thóin
Níl gaelinn ag éine,
dár leis, ach é féin
Tá aige fomhraíocht sár-bhinn,
Is gramadach fíor chrinn,
I gCorcaigh, gan dabht, sé an Langer!
An langer, an langer
I gCorcaigh, gan dabht, sé an Langer!
From Mitchelstown to Cape Clear,
You'll be welcome down here,
For there's plenty of scenery,
Music and beer,
But avoid the rugby weekend in Kinsale,
Cos every year without fail,
The town gets infested with Langers!
Langers, langers
Ah the town gets infested with Langers!
In two thousand and five,
Culture will thrive,
All along the green banks of the Lee (good man George!)
But no matter what,
Even if you arrive on your yacht,
We'll tolerate absolutely nobody acting the Langer! (Certainly not in Crosshaven!)
Langer, langer
There'll be nobody acting the Langer
On the Lee and the Nore
This auld game we adore
Sure we follow our teams anywhere
But what we'd like to know
Is why do all the good match tickets go?
Ending up in the hands of some Langer!
Langer, langer
Ending up in the hands of some Langer!
So there was me song,
I didn't keep you too long,
For now ye all know one more word of Cork slang,
And while there's meat on me bones,
I hope I'll never be known,
As a typical, home-grown Cork Langer!
Langer, Langer
As a typical home-grown Cork Langer!
Here's the chords in the key of C
Have[C] you seen the young[G] man,
The[C] drunken auld[F] lout,
[C]Roaring and[G] bawling and[C] spilling his[G] stout,
And in[C] everyone's busi[G]ness,
You'll[C] first see his[F] snout,
Down in[C] Cork, he'd be[G] known as a[C] Langer!
L[G]anger,[C] Langer
[F]Down in[C] Cork, he'd be[G] known as a[C] Langer!
Have[C] you seen the young[G] man,
The[C] drunken auld[F] lout,
[C]Roaring and[G] bawling and[C] spilling his[G] stout,
And in[C] everyone's busi[G]ness,
You'll[C] first see his[F] snout,
Down in[C] Cork, he'd be[G] known as a[C] Langer!
L[G]anger,[C] Langer
[F]Down in[C] Cork, he'd be[G] known as a[C] Langer!
Here's the chords in the key of D
Have[D] you seen the young[A] man,
The[D] drunken auld[G] lout,
[D]Roaring and[A] bawling and[D] spilling his[A] stout,
And in[D] everyone's busi[A]ness,
You'll[D] first see his[G] snout,
Down in[D] Cork, he'd be[A] known as a[D] Langer!
L[A]anger,[D] Langer
[G]Down in[D] Cork, he'd be[A] known as a[D] Langer!
Have[D] you seen the young[A] man,
The[D] drunken auld[G] lout,
[D]Roaring and[A] bawling and[D] spilling his[A] stout,
And in[D] everyone's busi[A]ness,
You'll[D] first see his[G] snout,
Down in[D] Cork, he'd be[A] known as a[D] Langer!
L[A]anger,[D] Langer
[G]Down in[D] Cork, he'd be[A] known as a[D] Langer!
Here’s a detailed overview of the Irish song The Langer (by Tim O’Riordan & Natural Gas), covering its background, meaning, musical traits and cultural context.
Background & Origin
The song is from County Cork (in the south of Ireland) and uses the local slang word “langer”, which in Cork parlance means something like a fool, idiot, or someone making a mess of things.
It was recorded by Tim O’Riordan & Natural Gas, and became popular around 2004.
The song taps into Cork humour, local identity and a bit of gentle self-mockery mixed with playful commentary.
Meaning & Lyrics
The verse opens:
“Have you seen the young man, the drunken auld lout, Roaring and bawling and spilling his stout…”
This sets the scene: a person behaving badly, loud, messy, careless — a “langer”.
The chorus repeats:
“A langer, a langer / Down in Cork, he'd be known as a langer!”
Irish folk songs
Later verses include local references (“From Mitchelstown to Cape Clear… avoid the rugby weekend in Kinsale … the town gets infested with langers”) adding geographic flavour.
Irish folk songs
The song uses humour and local slang (Cork identity) to entertain, but also to poke fun at rowdy behaviour, perhaps cautioning against being that “langer”.
Musical Characteristics
The song is styled as a comedic folk ballad with a strong chorus and sing-along quality.
It’s straightforward musically, with guitar chords given for keys C, G and D (making it accessible for sessions).
The melody is catchy, the lyrics conversational and the rhythm friendly, which helps it be memorable and fun to perform.
It is typical of folk-comedy songs rather than serious ballads of conflict or history — its purpose is mostly entertainment with a local flavour.
Cultural & Social Context
The song offers insight into Cork city culture and slang. The word “langer” is quintessentially Cork slang, and the song gives it a lighthearted airing.
Irish folk songs
Because it mentions places (Cork, Kinsale, Mitchelstown, Cape Clear) and local beer/stout culture, it connects with everyday life rather than high politics or historical drama.
It fits within the broader tradition of Irish folk songs that mix humour, local identity and music to create something communal and fun.
Why It’s Worth Knowing
For folk singers and musicians: It’s a fun change-of-pace from the more serious ballads — a good sing-along, especially in a pub or session setting.
For cultural appreciation: It helps understand regional dialect, slang and humour in Irish song, specifically Cork.
For performance: Because chords are provided (for example key of G or C) and the structure is simple, it’s practical for guitar, banjo, ukulele or voice.
For audience connection: The humorous, everyday subject allows audiences to join in, laugh and feel part of the local culture.
Some Considerations
Because the song uses slang and local references, some listeners outside Cork or Ireland might miss some of the nuance or humour.
The song is light in theme; if you’re looking for deep historical or emotional ballads, it won’t carry that weight. Its strength is in its fun, local feel.
When performing it, a sense of humour and good timing will enhance the song — it’s less about solemn delivery and more about spirit and entertainment.
Final Thoughts
“The Langer” is a delightful example of how Irish folk music can be playful, local and very much of a place. It gives voice to a piece of Cork identity, uses local slang with affection, and invites singers and listeners alike to share in the fun. While not heavy in historical gravitas, it’s strong in character, personality and accessibility — making it a valuable addition to any folk-song repertoire, particularly when mood calls for laughter, camaraderie and a little bit of mis-behaviour.
Background & Origin
The song is from County Cork (in the south of Ireland) and uses the local slang word “langer”, which in Cork parlance means something like a fool, idiot, or someone making a mess of things.
It was recorded by Tim O’Riordan & Natural Gas, and became popular around 2004.
The song taps into Cork humour, local identity and a bit of gentle self-mockery mixed with playful commentary.
Meaning & Lyrics
The verse opens:
“Have you seen the young man, the drunken auld lout, Roaring and bawling and spilling his stout…”
This sets the scene: a person behaving badly, loud, messy, careless — a “langer”.
The chorus repeats:
“A langer, a langer / Down in Cork, he'd be known as a langer!”
Irish folk songs
Later verses include local references (“From Mitchelstown to Cape Clear… avoid the rugby weekend in Kinsale … the town gets infested with langers”) adding geographic flavour.
Irish folk songs
The song uses humour and local slang (Cork identity) to entertain, but also to poke fun at rowdy behaviour, perhaps cautioning against being that “langer”.
Musical Characteristics
The song is styled as a comedic folk ballad with a strong chorus and sing-along quality.
It’s straightforward musically, with guitar chords given for keys C, G and D (making it accessible for sessions).
The melody is catchy, the lyrics conversational and the rhythm friendly, which helps it be memorable and fun to perform.
It is typical of folk-comedy songs rather than serious ballads of conflict or history — its purpose is mostly entertainment with a local flavour.
Cultural & Social Context
The song offers insight into Cork city culture and slang. The word “langer” is quintessentially Cork slang, and the song gives it a lighthearted airing.
Irish folk songs
Because it mentions places (Cork, Kinsale, Mitchelstown, Cape Clear) and local beer/stout culture, it connects with everyday life rather than high politics or historical drama.
It fits within the broader tradition of Irish folk songs that mix humour, local identity and music to create something communal and fun.
Why It’s Worth Knowing
For folk singers and musicians: It’s a fun change-of-pace from the more serious ballads — a good sing-along, especially in a pub or session setting.
For cultural appreciation: It helps understand regional dialect, slang and humour in Irish song, specifically Cork.
For performance: Because chords are provided (for example key of G or C) and the structure is simple, it’s practical for guitar, banjo, ukulele or voice.
For audience connection: The humorous, everyday subject allows audiences to join in, laugh and feel part of the local culture.
Some Considerations
Because the song uses slang and local references, some listeners outside Cork or Ireland might miss some of the nuance or humour.
The song is light in theme; if you’re looking for deep historical or emotional ballads, it won’t carry that weight. Its strength is in its fun, local feel.
When performing it, a sense of humour and good timing will enhance the song — it’s less about solemn delivery and more about spirit and entertainment.
Final Thoughts
“The Langer” is a delightful example of how Irish folk music can be playful, local and very much of a place. It gives voice to a piece of Cork identity, uses local slang with affection, and invites singers and listeners alike to share in the fun. While not heavy in historical gravitas, it’s strong in character, personality and accessibility — making it a valuable addition to any folk-song repertoire, particularly when mood calls for laughter, camaraderie and a little bit of mis-behaviour.
