tune page
Rye Whisky
Found in r.abc
from the John Chambers abc collection

X:14691 T:Rye Whisky S:Digital Tradition, ryewhisk N:One of the more exhaustive texts. B:From American Ballads and Folk Songs, Lomax Z:dt:ryewhisk M:6/8 L:1/8 Q:3/8=80 W:I'll eat when I'm hungry, W:I'll drink when l'm dry, W:If the hard times don't kill me, W:I'll lay down and die. W: W: Chorus: W: Rye whisky, rye whisky, W: Rye whisky, l cry, W: If you don't give me rye whisky, W: I surely will die. W: W:I'll tune up my fiddle, W:And I 'll rosin my bow, W:I'll make myself welcome, W:Wherever I go. W: W:Beefsteak when I'm hungry, W:Red liquor when I'm dry, W:Greenbacks when I'm hard up, W:And religion when I die. W: W:They say l drink whisky, W:My money's my own; W:All them that don't like me, W:Can leave me alone. W: W:Sometimes I drink whisky, W:Sometimes I drink rum, W:Sometimes I drink brandy, W:At other times none. W: W:But if I get boozy, W:My whisky's my own, W:And them that don't like me, W:Can leave me alone. W: W:Jack o' diamonds, jack o' diamonds, W:I know you of old, W:You've robbed my poor pockets W:Of silver and gold. W: W:Oh, whisky, you villain, W:You've been my downfall, W:You've kicked me, you've cuffed me, W:But I love you for all. W: W:If the ocean was whisky, W:And I was a duck, W:I'd dive to the bottom W:To get one sweet suck. W: W:But the ocean ain't whisky W:And I ain't a duck, W:So we'll round up the cattle W:And then we'll get drunk. W: W:My foot's in my stirrup, W:My bridle's in my hand, W:I'm leaving sweet Lillie, W:The fairest in the land. W: W:Her parents don't like me, W:They say I'm too poor; W:They say I'm unworthy W:To enter her door. W: W:Sweet milk when l'm hungry, W:Rye whisky when I'm dry, W:If a tree don't fall on me, W:I'll live till I die. W: W:I'll buy my own whisky, W:I'll make my own stew, W:If I get drunk, madam, W:It's nothing to you. W: W:I'll drink my own whisky, W:I'll drink my own wine, W:Some ten thousand bottles W:I've killed in my time. W: W:I've no wife to quarrel W:No babies to bawl; W:The best way of living W:Is no wife at all. W: W:Way up on Clinch Mountain W:I wander alone, W:I'm as drunk as the devil, W:Oh, let me alone. W: W:You may boast of your knowledge W:An' brag of your sense, W:'Twill all be forgotten W:A hundred years hence. W: W:(Negro Variant) W:In my little log cabin, W:Ever since I been born, W:Dere ain't been no nothin' W:'Cept dat hard salt, parched corn. W: W:But l know whar's a henhouse, W:De turkey he charve; W:An, if ol' Massa don' kill me W:I cain't never starve. W: W:(Variant chorus) W:Rye whisky, rye whisky, W:You're no friend to me; W:You killed my poor daddy, W:Goddamn you, try me. K:G B|BGG DDD|GGG B2B/A/|BGE DDD|GGA G2B,| CEE B,DD|GGA B2B/A/|BG/G/E DB,D|GGA G2||
Alternative sources for this tune:
- www.atrilcoral.com/Partituras_ABC/r.zip/r/0839
- trillian.mit.edu/~jc/music/abc/mirror/konzertina.org/Rye_Whisky/0000
- trillian.mit.edu/~jc/music/abc/mirror/melnets_big_abc_file/11321
- trillian.mit.edu/~jc/music/abc/mirror/melodeon.net/melnets_big_abc_file/11321
- trillian.mit.edu/~jc/music/abc/mirror/mucl.de/~mdoering/dt-songs/0179