The Jug of Punch -- Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem

Interesting to choose a drinking song first up. But the rendition of this song by The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem, deserves the honors. I will be writing about more of their songs.

The Clancy brothers were not only great in their singing, but were exceptional at building a rapport with the audience. This song is a prime example.

It is a drinking song sung by an old man, who is drinking whiskey punch. And in the words of Paddy Clancy, "he sort of growls it out one evening as the world is slipping out of focus. It starts out very quietly and very poetically and rapidly deteriorates like a good night of drinking."

Here are the lyrics.

A JUG OF PUNCH

One pleasant evening in the month of June
As I was sitting with my glass and spoon
A small bird sat on an ivy bunch
And the song he sang was "The Jug Of Punch"

Too ra loo ra loo, too ra loo ra lay, too ra loo ra loo, too ra loo ra lay
A small bird sat on an ivy bunch
And the song he sang was "The Jug Of Punch"

What more diversion can a man desire?
Than to sit him down by an alehouse fire
Upon his knee a pretty wench
And on the table a jug of punch

Too ra loo ra loo, too ra loo ra lay, too ra loo ra loo, too ra loo ra lay
Upon his knee a pretty wench
And on the table a jug of punch

Let the doctors come with all their art
They'll make no impression upon my heart
Even a cripple forgets his hunch
When he's snug outside of a jug of punch

Too ra loo ra loo, too ra loo ra lay, too ra loo ra loo, too ra loo ra lay
Even a cripple forgets his hunch
When he's snug outside of a jug of punch

And if I get drunk, well, the money's me own
And if them don't like me they can leave me alone
I'll chung me fiddle and I'll rosin me bow
And I'll be welcome wherever I go

Too ra loo ra loo, too ra loo ra lay, too ra loo ra loo, too ra loo ra lay
I'll chung me fiddle and I'll rosin me bow
And I'll be welcome wherever I go

And when I'm dead and in my grave
No costly tombstone will I have
Just lay me down in my native peat
With a jug of punch at my head and feet

Too ra loo ra loo, too ra loo ra lay, too ra loo ra loo, too ra loo ra lay
Just lay me down in my native peat
With a jug of punch at my head and feet

Here is link for the song. Jug of Punch. The video is the better version.

You can buy the album or just the song, here.