Whiskey, You’re the Devil

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  • Teideal (Title): Whiskey, You’re the Devil.
  • Uimhir Chatalóige Ollscoil Washington (University of Washington Catalogue Number): 842904.
  • Uimhir Chnuasach Bhéaloideas Éireann (National Folklore of Ireland Number): none.
  • Uimhir Roud (Roud Number): 21715.
  • Uimhir Laws (Laws Number): none.
  • Uimhir Child (Child Number): none.
  • Cnuasach (Collection): Joe Heaney Collection, University of Washington, Seattle.
  • Teanga na Croímhíre (Core-Item Language): English.
  • Catagóir (Category): song.
  • Ainm an té a thug (Name of Informant): Joe Heaney.
  • Ainm an té a thóg (Name of Collector): Unavailable.
  • Dáta an taifeadta (Recording Date): 05/10/1980.
  • Suíomh an taifeadta (Recording Location): Plowshares Coffee House, San Francisco, United States of America.
  • Ocáid an taifeadta (Recording Occasion): Concert.
  • Daoine eile a bhí i láthair (Others present): Unavailable.
  • Stádas chóipcheart an taifeadta (Recording copyright status): unavailable.

Love is Teasing

Whiskey, you’re the devil and you’re leading me astray
Over hills and mountains into Americay
You’re sweeter, stronger, decenter, you’re spunkier than tay
Oh whiskey, you’re me darling, drunk or sober.

Said the mother, ‘Do not wrong me,
Don’t take me daughter from me
But if you do I will torment you
And after death my ghost will haunt you
Love, fare thee well.
To me tibble deedle tibble deedle dah
Me tibble deedle tibble deedle dah
To me rye-ful do-rum daddy-o
There’s whiskey in the jar.

Whiskey, you’re the devil and you’re leading me astray
Over hills and mountains into Americay
You’re sweeter, stronger, decenter, you’re spunkier than tay
Oh whiskey, you’re me darling, drunk or sober.

Oh, now brave boys, we’re on for marching
Up to Portugal and Spain
Drums are beating, banners flying
And the Devil a home I’ll go tonight
Love, fare thee well
To me tibble deedle tibble deedle dah
Me tibble deedle tibble deedle dah
To me rye-ful do-rum daddy-o
There’s whiskey in the jar.

Whiskey, you’re the devil and you’re leading me astray
Over hills and mountains into Americay
You’re sweeter, stronger, decenter, you’re spunkier than tay
Oh whiskey, you’re me darling, drunk or sober.

Notes

On this occasion, Joe created a medley of ‘Love is Teasing’ followed by ‘Whiskey, You’re the Devil’. It’s not clear whether he heard this combination somewhere, or whether he came up with it himself. The text of ‘Love is Teasing’ is provided elewhere in these archives.

It’s possible that Joe learned ‘Whiskey, You’re the Devil’ from the singing of Liam Clancy, who recorded it for Diane Hamilton in 1955; that recording appeared on an influential LP, The Lark in the Morning (Tradition TLP 1004). The song was subsequently a hit for The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem, with whom Joe was friendly.