Page 168
Roud Folk Song Index #114
Originally found as "Our Goodman" in Scotland in the 1770s.
Originally found as "Our Goodman" in Scotland in the 1770s.
We don't usually play the last two verses and usually start, as is traditional by saying “the name of the song is the Seven Drunken Nights but we’re only allowed to sing 5 of them.” There are many versions, but in addition to the Dubliners version, I must admit to enjoying the version done by the Brobdingnagian Bards, who after each “I called me wife and I said to her” raise up a cry of “Hey, Wife!”
Seven Drunken Nights
by trad
As [C] I went home on Monday night as drunk as drunk could [F] be
I [C] saw a horse outside the door where [F] my old horse should be
Well, I [C] called me wife and I said to her (Hey Wife!) Will you [F] kindly tell to me
Who [C] owns that horse outside the door where [G7] my old horse should [C] be?
( Chorus:
Ah, you’re [C] drunk, you’re drunk
you silly old fool,
so drunk you can not [F] see )
[C] That’s a lovely sow that me [G7] mother sent to me
Well, it’s [C] many a day I’ve traveled a hundred miles or [F] more
But a [C] saddle on a sow sure I [G7] never saw be- [C] fore )
And as I went home on Tuesday night as drunk as drunk could be
I saw a coat behind the door where my old coat should be
Well, I called me wife and I said to her: Will you kindly tell to me
Who owns that coat behind the door where my old coat should be
Chorus
That’s a woollen blanket that me mother sent to me
Well, it’s many a day I’ve travelled a hundred miles or more
But buttons in a blanket sure I never saw before
And as I went home on Wednesday night as drunk as drunk could be
I saw a pipe up on the chair where my old pipe should be
Well, I called me wife and I said to her: Will you kindly tell to me
Who owns that pipe up on the chair where my old pipe should be
Chorus
That’s a lovely tin whistle that me mother sent to me
Well, it’s many a day I’ve travelled a hundred miles or more
But tobacco in a tin whistle sure I never saw before
And as I went home on Thursday night as drunk as drunk could be
I saw two boots beneath the bed where my old boots should be
Well, I called me wife and I said to her: Will you kindly tell to me
Who owns them boots beneath the bed where my old boots should be
Chorus
They’re two lovely Geranium pots me mother sent to me
Well, it’s many a day I’ve travelled a hundred miles or more
But laces in Geranium pots I never saw before
And as I went home on Friday night as drunk as drunk could be
I saw a head upon the bed where my old head should be
Well, I called me wife and I said to her: Will you kindly tell to me
Who owns that head upon the bed where my old head should be
Chorus
That’s a baby boy that me mother sent to me
Well, it’s many a day I’ve travelled a hundred miles or more
But a baby boy with his whiskers on sure I never saw before
[These last two verses are only sung in private]
And as I went home on Saturday night as drunk as drunk could be
I saw two hands upon her breasts where my old hands should be
Well, I called me wife and I said to her: Will you kindly tell to me
Who owns them hands upon your breasts where my old hands should be
Chorus
That's a lovely night gown that me mother sent to me
Well, it's many a day I've travelled a hundred miles or more
But fingers in a night gown sure I never saw before
As I went home on Sunday night as drunk as drunk could be
I saw a thing in her thing where my old thing should be
Well, I called me wife and I said to her: Will you kindly tell to me
Who owns that thing in your thing where my old thing should be
Chorus
That's a lovely tin whistle that me mother sent to me
Well, it's many a day I've travelled a hundred miles or more
But hair on a tin whistle sure I never saw before
I [C] saw a horse outside the door where [F] my old horse should be
Well, I [C] called me wife and I said to her (Hey Wife!) Will you [F] kindly tell to me
Who [C] owns that horse outside the door where [G7] my old horse should [C] be?
( Chorus:
Ah, you’re [C] drunk, you’re drunk
you silly old fool,
so drunk you can not [F] see )
[C] That’s a lovely sow that me [G7] mother sent to me
Well, it’s [C] many a day I’ve traveled a hundred miles or [F] more
But a [C] saddle on a sow sure I [G7] never saw be- [C] fore )
And as I went home on Tuesday night as drunk as drunk could be
I saw a coat behind the door where my old coat should be
Well, I called me wife and I said to her: Will you kindly tell to me
Who owns that coat behind the door where my old coat should be
Chorus
That’s a woollen blanket that me mother sent to me
Well, it’s many a day I’ve travelled a hundred miles or more
But buttons in a blanket sure I never saw before
And as I went home on Wednesday night as drunk as drunk could be
I saw a pipe up on the chair where my old pipe should be
Well, I called me wife and I said to her: Will you kindly tell to me
Who owns that pipe up on the chair where my old pipe should be
Chorus
That’s a lovely tin whistle that me mother sent to me
Well, it’s many a day I’ve travelled a hundred miles or more
But tobacco in a tin whistle sure I never saw before
And as I went home on Thursday night as drunk as drunk could be
I saw two boots beneath the bed where my old boots should be
Well, I called me wife and I said to her: Will you kindly tell to me
Who owns them boots beneath the bed where my old boots should be
Chorus
They’re two lovely Geranium pots me mother sent to me
Well, it’s many a day I’ve travelled a hundred miles or more
But laces in Geranium pots I never saw before
And as I went home on Friday night as drunk as drunk could be
I saw a head upon the bed where my old head should be
Well, I called me wife and I said to her: Will you kindly tell to me
Who owns that head upon the bed where my old head should be
Chorus
That’s a baby boy that me mother sent to me
Well, it’s many a day I’ve travelled a hundred miles or more
But a baby boy with his whiskers on sure I never saw before
[These last two verses are only sung in private]
And as I went home on Saturday night as drunk as drunk could be
I saw two hands upon her breasts where my old hands should be
Well, I called me wife and I said to her: Will you kindly tell to me
Who owns them hands upon your breasts where my old hands should be
Chorus
That's a lovely night gown that me mother sent to me
Well, it's many a day I've travelled a hundred miles or more
But fingers in a night gown sure I never saw before
As I went home on Sunday night as drunk as drunk could be
I saw a thing in her thing where my old thing should be
Well, I called me wife and I said to her: Will you kindly tell to me
Who owns that thing in your thing where my old thing should be
Chorus
That's a lovely tin whistle that me mother sent to me
Well, it's many a day I've travelled a hundred miles or more
But hair on a tin whistle sure I never saw before