Whisky You're The Devil
Liam Clancy Tommy Makem Family And Friends Lyrics
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Off to Portugal and Spain
Drums are beating, banners flying
The Devil at home will come tonight
So it's go, fare thee well
With a too da loo ra loo ra doo de da
A too ra loo ra loo ra doo de da
Me rikes fall too ra laddie-o
Oh, whisky you're the devil
You're leading me astray
Over hills and mountains
And to Amerikay
You're sweetness from the Bleachner
And spunkier than tea
Oh whisky you're my darling drunk or sober
The French are fighting boldly
Men are dying hot and coldly
Give every man his flask of powder
His firelock on his shoulder
So its go, fare thee well
With a too da loo ra loo ra doo de da
A too ra loo ra loo ra doo de da
Me rikes fall too ra laddie-o
There's whisky in the jar
Oh, whisky you're the devil
You're leading me astray
Over hills and mountains
And to Amerikay
You're sweetness from the Bleachner
And spunkier than tea
Oh whisky you're my darling drunk or sober
Says the old wan do not wrong me
Don't take me daughter from me
For if you do I will torment you
When I'm dead my ghost will haunt you
So its go, fare thee well
With a too da loo ra loo ra doo de da
A too ra loo ra loo ra doo de da
Me rikes fall too ra laddie-o
There's whisky in the jar
Oh, whisky you're the devil
You're leading me astray
Over hills and mountains
And to Amerikay
You're sweetness from the Bleachner
And spunkier than tea
Oh whisky you're my darling drunk or sober
Oh, whisky you're the devil
You're leading me astray
Over hills and mountains
And to Amerikay
You're sweetness from the Bleachner
And spunkier than tea
Oh whisky you're my darling drunk or sober
Liam Clancy's song Whisky You're The Devil portrays the love and influence of whiskey in the life of a soldier. The lyrics begin by describing a group of soldiers marching off to Portugal and Spain for war. Drums are beating, and banners are flying, a sign of bravery and courage. However, the song takes a different turn as it focuses on the devil found in whiskey. The chorus "Oh, whisky you're the devil, you're leading me astray" is repeated several times throughout the song. The whiskey seems to be a source of temptation that can lead one off course, taking them over hills and mountains and even to Amerikay. The lyrics suggest that whiskey is sweet and spunkier than tea and is a luring force in one's life, whether sober or drunk.
As the song progresses, we learn that the soldiers are not the only ones to fall under the spell of whiskey. The old woman warns not to take her daughter away, or she will torment the offender even after death. The lyrics suggest that the old woman's love for her daughter is the only thing she holds dear and that someone taking it away would lead to consequences. Once again, whether soldier or civilian, the devil in whiskey can affect anyone.
Overall, Liam Clancy's Whisky You're The Devil is a fun and catchy song that highlights the influence of whiskey in people's lives. It portrays whiskey as a luring temptation, leading people astray and causing them to lose their way. It's a song about the love and sometimes addiction to whiskey, which has been around for centuries.
Line by Line Meaning
Now brave boys, we're on the march
We are setting off to fight in Portugal and Spain
Off to Portugal and Spain
We are headed to these countries for war
Drums are beating, banners flying
There is a lot of excitement and preparation for the battle
The Devil at home will come tonight
We will have a good time tonight when we return home
So it's go, fare thee well
We are leaving now, goodbye
With a too da loo ra loo ra doo de da
A silly parting phrase
Me rikes fall too ra laddie-o
Some unintelligible words sung for effect
There's whisky in the jar
We have some whiskey in a jar with us
Oh, whisky you're the devil
Whiskey is leading me astray
You're leading me astray
Whiskey is making me do things I shouldn't
Over hills and mountains
I have traveled far because of whiskey
And to Amerikay
I went all the way to America because of whiskey
You're sweetness from the Bleachner
Whiskey tastes good and is refreshing
And spunkier than tea
Whiskey is more exciting than tea
Oh whisky you're my darling drunk or sober
I love whiskey whether I am drunk or not
The French are fighting boldly
Our enemies are fighting fearlessly
Men are dying hot and coldly
Soldiers are dying in battle
Give every man his flask of powder
Give every soldier their gunpowder
His firelock on his shoulder
Each soldier will carry their gun
Says the old wan do not wrong me
An old woman warns not to harm her daughter
Don't take me daughter from me
She pleads for her daughter's safety
For if you do I will torment you
If anything happens to her daughter, she will make things difficult for them
When I'm dead my ghost will haunt you
She will continue to be a problem even after she dies
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: ANDREW DAVID RANKEN, CAIT O'RIORDAN, JAMES THIRKHILL FEARNLEY, JEREMY MAX FINER, PETER SPIDER STACEY, SHANE PATRICK LYSAGHT MACGOWAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind