Drink The Night Away Lyrics
looking for a new tomorrow,
don't know when we're coming home,
so we'll drink, and we'll dance,
and we'll drown our sorrow!
Weigh, hey, hey!
We'll drink the night away!
but it's better than this
That's why I'm willing ,
to stake my claim on a foreign shore,
whit me spoons, and me fiddle,
and half a shlling!
Weigh, hey, hey!
We'll drink the night away!
I know it's true
where the dolphins play and it's always sunny.
The girls are brown and the ocean blue,
less work to do,
but you make more money!
Weigh, hey, hey!
We'll drink the night away!
I can hear our bo'sun's whistle blowing,
so its one more kiss,
and one more fight,
and one more song while the beer is flowing!
Weigh, hey, hey!
We'll drink the night away!
look out to sea.
When the waves are high and the light is dying,
well raise a glass and think of me...
When I'm home again,
boys, I'll be buying!
Weigh, hey, hey!
We'll drink the night away!
Weigh, hey, hey!
We'll drink the night away!
Weigh, hey, hey!
We'll drink the night away!
Weigh, hey, hey!
We'll drink the night away!
In Ireland, before friends left for America, or another far away place, friends would throw an all-night party for those who were leaving. There would be plenty of drinking, dancing, and fun. It was a way for everyone to try to forget that people they loved were leaving. That's what this song is about: having fun before you go.
Something that Lissa forgets is the darker side to this story. These "all night parties" were actually called "American Wakes." The meaning of the party was that, to the people that stayed behind, a lot of these people were dead. They were losing them, and in a very real sense: there was no phone, the post wasn't nearly what it is today (and, considering that it isn't very good now, thats saying a lot). These people were dying. Hence the line in the song "We'll drink and we'll dance / and we'll drown our sorrow."
Wonderful song, with one stanza that is all to common and True for Sailors, hell anyone in the military:
I must be off by morning's light, I can hear our boatswain's whistle blowing, so its one more kiss, and one more fight, and one more song while the beer is flowing!