the reaper tam mccorty

The Rumjacks

Tam he woke tae find a shadow by the bed
Blamed it on the vapors still beleaguerin his head
Scrubbed his chops & dragged
an oily bug rake through his hair
And wiped the mirror tae find the bogey mimickin his stare

He boilt the jug tae quench his mug & baked a lump o toast
Hid behind the racin pages from the hoary ghost
Awfy ghostie if yer here tae make me dead
Spare me life & bother me wife or Mother-in-law instead!

Tam Mccorty I m not here to make you cry
I know youre just a broken man wi longing in his eye
I ll say my say & go my way a-carving through the rye
Tam Mccorty, its not your day to die.

By the way ye ve hung yer tools o trade & mantle I can tell
Ye willnae leave until ye ve seen me safely intae hell
So follow me down the Horse & Crown of liquor
I m sae fond
I ll drink meself tae death & haunt the witches from beyond.

They drank to fallen heroes, they spat & cursed the Queen
They argued o er Black Caviar - The finest ever seen?
They smoked cigars & played at cards for
pots o Gilbeys Gin
Roarin as the fiery liqour, it spilled all down their chin

They staggered home along the tracks
and pissed against a post
The dogs a barkin madly
all as though they d seen a ghost
Oh take me now I beg you, pick yer mark & pick it well
I m tired o livin & there I think I hear the hounds o Hell!

Death threw his cloak across him
where he passed out in his chair
And whispered in a frosty tone directly in his ear
Best you learn to live again, forgive yerself yer past
For when you see me next Tam, it ll be your last.