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Moonshiner Lyrics
I've been a moonshiner
for seventeen long years
I've spent all my money
on whiskey and beer
I go to some hollow
and set up my holy holy still
if drinking do not kill me
then I don't know what will
I go to some bar room
and drink with my friends
if women and man who come to follow
see what I might spend
God bless them handsome men
I wish they was mine
their breath is as sweet as
the dew on the holy holy vine
we're already in hell
you're already in hell
I wish we could go to heaven
when the bottle gets empty
and life ain't worth a damn
for seventeen long years
I've spent all my money
on whiskey and beer
I go to some hollow
and set up my holy holy still
if drinking do not kill me
then I don't know what will
and drink with my friends
if women and man who come to follow
see what I might spend
God bless them handsome men
I wish they was mine
their breath is as sweet as
the dew on the holy holy vine
you're already in hell
I wish we could go to heaven
when the bottle gets empty
and life ain't worth a damn
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no, it's actually a traditional irish folk song.
here are the original lyrics:
I'm a rambler, I'm a gambler, I'm a long way from home And if you don't like me, well, leave me alone I'll eat when I'm hungry, I'll drink when I'm dry And the moonshine don't kill me, I'll live til I die
I've been a moonshiner for many a year I've spent all me money on whiskey and beer I'll go to some hollow, I'll set up my still And I'll make you a gallon for a ten shilling bill
I'm a rambler, I'm a gambler, I'm a long way from home And if you don't like me, well, leave me alone I'll eat when I'm hungry, I'll drink when I'm dry And the moonshine don't kill me, I'll live til I die
I'll go to some hollow in this counterie Ten gallons of wash I can go on a spree No women to follow, the world is all mine I love none so well as I love the moonshine
I'm a rambler, I'm a gambler, I'm a long way from home And if you don't like me, well, leave me alone I'll eat when I'm hungry, I'll drink when I'm dry And the moonshine don't kill me, I'll live til I die
Oh, moonshine, dear moonshine, oh, how I love thee You killed me old father, but ah you try me Now bless all moonshiners and bless all moonshine Their breath smells as sweet as the dew on the vine
I'm a rambler, I'm a gambler, I'm a long way from home And if you don't like me, well, leave me alone I'll eat when I'm hungry, I'll drink when I'm dry And the moonshine don't kill me, I'll live til I die
it then crossed the ocean and became a traditional american bluegrass song, which became an oscar brand (50's folksinger) song, which became a dylan song, which became a tupelo song, which became a chan song.
whew.
It's definitely based on the old folk song, but it's pretty clearly her take on it and she's added lyrics that were never part of the original version. It sounds like she is singing the song from the point of view of herself and her alcohol problems, which she's publicly talked about several times. She used to be so drunk during concerts that she sometimes couldn't finish or would bail out on shows. I remember reading a quote from her where she said she hadn't performed a concert sober for basically her whole career (up until the mid-2000s when she cleaned up).
"See if women and men would come to follow To see what I might spend God bless them handsome men I wish they was mine"
That verse in particular paints a picture to me of her getting drunk in a bar and offering to pay for rounds of drinks for people around her ("To see what I might spend"). "God bless them handsome men" is her lamenting the fact that there are all these men around her who are only giving her attention because she's drunk and paying for their drinks, and that after the night is over they will want nothing more to do with her ("I wish they was mine").
The whole song is basically about finding companionship in alcohol and the act of drinking with people, and how neither of those are fulfilling and are ultimately self-destructive.
I completely agree, though for the line "see if women and men would come follow, see what i might spend" i'm pretty sure this means they would see how much she truly drinks by how many drinks she buys.
I completely agree, though for the line "see if women and men would come follow, see what i might spend" i'm pretty sure this means they would see how much she truly drinks by how many drinks she buys.
"You're already in hell, you're already in hell. I wish we could go to hell." Don't get me wrong, I love this song, but this is my favourite part.
such a great song
obviously about an alcoholic
@Adagio%Breezes It's both an old Irish folk song, which I believe she changes the lyrics to in order to fit her personal situation at the time, because not long after your post she admitted to being an alcoholic and both her problems with depression and loneliness, which often come along with any type of addiction. So, yes, it is about an alcoholic and the alcoholic she appears to be referring to is herself.
@Adagio%Breezes It's both an old Irish folk song, which I believe she changes the lyrics to in order to fit her personal situation at the time, because not long after your post she admitted to being an alcoholic and both her problems with depression and loneliness, which often come along with any type of addiction. So, yes, it is about an alcoholic and the alcoholic she appears to be referring to is herself.
...or I think it actually comes from somewhere else before UT.
.......bob dylan i believe
Yeah, I new I heard it from Bob Dylan too.. slipped my mind.
yikes, knew
where's the "already in hell" part from? is that all chan?