Streams Of Whiskey
The Pogues feat. Joe Strummer Lyrics

Last night as I slept
The singer is recalling a dream they had.

I dreamt I met with Behan
In the dream, the singer met Brendan Behan, an Irish poet and playwright.

I shook him by the hand and we passed the time of day
The singer and Behan greeted each other and had a friendly conversation.

When questioned on his views
The artist asked Behan about his thoughts/opinions.

On the crux of life's philosophies
Specifically, the artist asked Behan about important beliefs in life.

He had but these few clear and simple words to say
Behan's answer was brief and uncomplicated.

I am going, I am going
Behan declares his desire to leave or travel somewhere.

Any which way the wind may be blowing
He is willing to go anywhere, even if it's not his first choice.

Where streams of whiskey are flowing
Behan wants to go to a place where he can drink whiskey.

I have cursed, bled and sworn
The artist is speaking from their own experience of having felt intense emotions.

Jumped bail and landed up in jail
The singer has taken risks, broken the law, and gotten into trouble because of it.

Life has often tried to stretch me
The artist has faced many difficult challenges in life.

But the rope always was slack
Despite hardships, somehow things always worked out for the singer.

And now that I've a pile
The singer has accumulated wealth or resources.

I'll go down to the Chelsea
The Chelsea is a neighborhood in Manhattan, New York City. The singer plans to travel there.

I'll walk in on my feet
Despite the artist's past troubles, they still aim to make a dignified entrance.

But I'll leave there on my back
The artist plans to party hard or get extremely drunk while they're there, and possibly pass out.

Because I am going, I am going
Through repetition, this line emphasizes Behan's strong desire to leave.

Oh the words that he spoke
The singer now reflects on the wisdom of Behan's simple words.

Seemed the wisest of philosophies
The artist found Behan's words to be profound and insightful.

There's nothing ever gained
The artist believes that crying and wallowing in sadness will never help a situation.

By a wet thing called a tear
Tears are a symbolic representation of sadness.

When the world is too dark
When things are particularly difficult or bleak in life.

And I need the light inside of me
The artist is seeking something illuminating, perhaps metaphorically or spiritually.

I'll walk into a bar
Similar to Behan's earlier declaration, the singer seeks solace or distraction in a social gathering.

And drink fifteen pints of beer
The singer plans to indulge themselves to the point of inebriation.

Where streams of whiskey are flowing
Reiterating the earlier motif, the singer seeks out a place with a lot of alcohol available.

I am going, I am going
As the song ends, Behan's words continue to echo with importance.

Any which way the wind may be blowing
The artist is prepared to take whatever direction life leads them in.

Where streams of whiskey are flowing
The repeated line emphasizes the song's focus on alcohol as a remedy or comfort for life's problems.

Where streams of whiskey are flowing
Once more for emphasis, the singer makes clear their plans to go to a drinking establishment.