Whiskey Is the Life of Man
Bellowhead Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Whiskey from an old tin can
I like whiskey hot and strong
And ill drink whiskey all day long
whisky oh johnny oh
rising up from down below
whisky oh johnny oh
whisky oh johnny oh
rising up from down below (whiskey whiskey whiskey oh)
up a loft this yard must go come rising up from down below
ill drink it hot ill drink it cold,
ill drink it new ill drink it old
some like whiskey some like beer
i wish i had a barrel here
whisky oh johnny oh
rising up from down below
whisky oh johnny oh
rising up from down below
whisky oh johnny oh
rising up from down below (whiskey whiskey whiskey oh)
up a loft this yard must go come rising up from down below
whiskey killed my sister Sue,
and whiskey killed my brother too,
wiskey killed my poor old dad,
and whiskey drove my mother mad...
whisky oh johnny oh
rising up from down below
whisky oh johnny oh
rising up from down below
whisky oh johnny oh
rising up from down below (whiskey whiskey whiskey oh)
up a loft this yard must go come rising up from down below
(instrumental)
if whisky comes too near my nose
its up she comes and down she goes
a pull and broker every man
and a barrel full for the shanty man
whisky oh johnny oh
rising up from down below
whisky oh johnny oh
rising up from down below
whisky oh johnny oh
rising up from down below (whiskey whiskey whiskey oh)
up a loft this yard must go come rising up from down below
Ending
The lyrics of Bellowhead's song "Whiskey Is the Life of Man" are straightforward in their celebration of the pleasures of drinking whiskey. Regardless of whether the whiskey is hot or cold, new or old, the singer declares an undying love for the beverage. The chorus of the song features the repeated phrase "whiskey oh Johnny oh, rising up from down below," further emphasizing the singer's fondness for whiskey.
However, the song takes a darker turn towards the end when the lyrics reveal that whiskey has been the cause of many tragedies in the singer's family. Whiskey "killed" the singer's sister, brother, and father, and drove their mother "mad." These verses provide a poignant contrast to the earlier verses that celebrate the pleasures of drinking, suggesting that whiskey's benefits and dangers are intertwined.
Overall, Bellowhead's "Whiskey Is the Life of Man" is a rollicking song that captures both the joy and danger of drinking whiskey.
Line by Line Meaning
Whiskey is the life of man
Whiskey is everything to a man
Whiskey from an old tin can
Whiskey is whiskey even if it's from an old tin can
I like whiskey hot and strong
I prefer my whiskey hot and strong
And ill drink whiskey all day long
I could drink whiskey all day long
Whiskey killed my sister Sue,
My sister Sue died due to whiskey consumption
and whiskey killed my brother too,
My brother died because of whiskey
wiskey killed my poor old dad,
My dad also lost his life to whiskey
and whiskey drove my mother mad...
My mother's mental state deteriorated due to whiskey
if whisky comes too near my nose
If whiskey is too close to my nose
its up she comes and down she goes
I'll start throwing up and feel dizzy
a pull and broker every man
Whiskey can ruin anyone
and a barrel full for the shanty man
The shanty man deserves a barrel full of whiskey
Contributed by Sadie C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@MrMichaelbrownlee
I really miss Bellowhead. They're fucking great.
@bethparker8021
First band I ever saw live, they were amazing! I was literally half asleep when they started and within 5 minutes I was wide awake and dancing.
@gdionwood
I don't drink whiskey, but I love this band & song! brilliant!
@PoitinCZ
A very fine song about the water of life.
@lostgoneinthebin123
At the folk festival this year (shrewsbury), my mates were gutted Bellowhead weren't there this year. So at 2 in the morning, we all stood on tables singing this to the copious amounts of drunks in the social / food / drinking tent to many pints. Fucking Euphoric.
@fozziebear26
saw it first time on jools holland......me frickin luvs it......hell yeah whiskey-o johnny-o
@greviousangel4184
Saw them in Reading on Wednesday - fantastic, absolutely fantastic.
@DrummerGrl001
SPLENDID performance!
@divoinblue
Saw them in Brighton on Tuesday - absolutely bloody brilliant - best gig ever!! If you haven't seen them live you must.
@alansquash2003
I also saw them at the Hexagon, Reading on Wednesday. Can only say brilliant - rarely have I ever seen such a talented band that is so energetic, creative, humorous and able to play numerous instruments throughout the performance! Absolutely bloody superb!