WHISKEY YOU'RE THE DEVIL
(learned from Chris Selsor in about 1959, who learned it from Sam Hinton)
Oh, now brave boys were on for marchin' up to Portugal and Spain,
Said the mother, Do not ruin me, don't take my daughter from me,
The French are fightin' boldly, men are dyin' hot and coldly,
(from miriam berg's folksong collection)
The drums are beatin', banners flyin', the devil our home'll come tonight,
La, fare the well.
With me tiddley-idle-oodle-dum-de-da,
Me tiddley-idle-oodle-dum-de-da,
Me rikes fol too-rah laddie-oh!
There's whiskey in the jar.
Oh, whiskey, you're the devil, you're leddin' me astray
Over hills and mountains and to Amerikay,
You're sweeter, stronger, decenter, you're spunkier nor tea,
(pronounced "sway-ter, day-cen-ter, spunkier nor tay")
Oh, whiskey, you're me darlin', drunk or sober!
For if you do I will torment you, and after death my ghost'll haunt you,
La, fare thee well.
With me tiddley......
Give ev'ry man his flask of powder, his firelock upon his shoulder,
La, fare thee well.
With me tiddley......