Green Grow the Lilacs

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Green Grow the Lilacs is a folk song of Irish origin that was popular in the United States during the mid-19th century.

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The song title is the source of a folk etymology for the word gringo that states that the Mexicans misheard U.S. troops singing "green grow" during the Mexican–American War. [1]

The song appears in the 1931 stage play of the same name by Lynn Riggs, which is the basis of the 1943 musical Oklahoma!

Recordings

Versions

There are many different versions of the lyrics.

Notes

  1. See gringo for a derivation from griego.
  2. "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved June 7, 2017.
  3. "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved June 7, 2017.
  4. "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2023-05-23.

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