Belle and Sebastian is a band from Glasgow, Scotland. Led by guitarist/voca… Read Full Bio ↴Belle and Sebastian is a band from Glasgow, Scotland. Led by guitarist/vocalist Stuart Murdoch, the seven-piece band has an intimate, majestic sound that is equal parts folk-rock and '60s pop. Murdoch has a gift for not only whimsy and surrealism, but also for odd, unsettling lyrical detail which keeps the songs grounded in a tangible reality.

Based in Glasgow, Scotland, Belle and Sebastian released their first two albums in 1996 at the peak of the chamber pop movement.

Whiskey in the Jar
Belle & Sebastian Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

As I was going over to Cork and Kerry mountains
I saw Captain Farrell and his money he was counting
I first produced my pistol and then produced my rapier
I said, "Stand and deliver, or the devil he may take you"

Musha ring dum a doo dum a da
Whack for my daddy-o
Whack for my daddy-o

There's whiskey in the jar-o

I took all of his money and it was a pretty penny
I took all of his money and I brought it home to Molly
She swore that she'd love me, never would she leave me
But the devil take that woman
For you know she treat me easy

Musha ring dum a doo dum a da
Whack for my daddy-o
Whack for my daddy-o
There's whiskey in the jar-o

Some men like the fishing and some men like the fowling
And some men like to hear cannon ball a-roaring
Me, I like sleeping, especially in my Molly's chamber
But here I am in prison, here I am with a ball and chain, yeah

Musha ring dum a doo dum a da
Whack for my daddy-o

Whack for my daddy-o
There's whiskey in the jar-o

Overall Meaning

These lyrics from Belle & Sebastian's song Whiskey In The Jar are actually a cover of a traditional Irish song by the same name. The song tells a story of a highwayman who encounters Captain Farrell while traveling through Cork and Kerry mountains. The highwayman takes all of Captain Farrell's money after threatening him with a pistol and a rapier. He then brings the money back to his lover, Molly, who promises to never leave him. However, the singer ends up in prison with a ball and chain, reflecting on his love for sleeping with Molly.

The song portrays a theme of betrayal and violence. The highwayman betrays Captain Farrell's trust by stealing his money, and even though Molly promises to love him forever, the singer still ends up in prison. The use of violent language with phrases like "Stand and deliver" and "the devil take that woman" paints a picture of a rough and brutal world.

Line by Line Meaning

As I was going over to Cork and Kerry mountains
The singer was travelling to Cork and Kerry mountains

I saw Captain Farrell and his money he was counting
Captain Farrell was seen by the singer who was counting his money

I first produced my pistol and then produced my rapier
The singer took out his pistol and sword in order to rob Captain Farrell

I said, "Stand and deliver, or the devil he may take you"
The artist demanded Captain Farrell's money, warning him that the devil might harm him if he did not comply

Musha ring dum a doo dum a da
Refrain line, has no specific meaning

Whack for my daddy-o
Refrain line, has no specific meaning

I took all of his money and it was a pretty penny
The singer took all of Captain Farrell's money, which was a substantial amount

I took all of his money and I brought it home to Molly
The artist brought the stolen money to his lover, Molly

She swore that she'd love me, never would she leave me
Molly made a promise to always love and never leave the artist

But the devil take that woman For you know she treat me easy
Despite Molly's promise, the artist feels betrayed by her and blames her for his current situation

Some men like the fishing and some men like the fowling And some men like to hear cannon ball a-roaring
There are different things that men enjoy, like fishing, hunting, or the sound of cannons

Me, I like sleeping, especially in my Molly's chamber But here I am in prison, here I am with a ball and chain, yeah
The artist prefers spending time with Molly and sleeping, but is now in prison with shackles

There's whiskey in the jar-o
Refrain line, has no specific meaning

Contributed by Matthew A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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