Drunkard's Doom, Lyric Variant 02

This item is part of the I. G. Greer Folksong Collection which consists of more than 300 individual song titles and their variants as collected by Isaac Garfield Greer (1881-1967) from informants, primarily in Ashe, Wilkes and Watauga counties. The collection includes manuscripts, typescript transcriptions produced by Dr. Greer’s clerical staff, and handwritten musical notations. Songs range from traditional Child Ballads, traditional English and Scottish ballads as well as their American variants, to 19th century popular music to musical compositions of local origin.

Folk songs--United States

Alcoholism--Songs and music

Desertion and non-support--Songs and music

Binge drinking--Songs and music

Death--Songs and music

The Drunkard Doom

AC.113 Isaac Garfield (I.G.) Greer Papers and Recordings

W. L. Eury Appalachian Collection, Appalachian State University

Greer, I. G. (Isaac Garfield), 1881-1967

PDF

English

Text

The Drunkard

I saw a man at early dawn
Sitting round a grocery door
His eyes were sunk, his lips
Were parched,
As I viewed him o'er and o'er.
A little boy stood by his side
And unto him did say:
Dear Father, Mother's sick at home
And sister cries for bread.

He turned around, went in at the door
And staggering up to the bar,
He faltered unto the landlord:
Just give me one drink more.
The host obeyed at this command
And again filled up the bowl.
He drank while wife and children starved
And ruined his own soul.

A year had elapsed, I passed that way.
A crowd had gathered round.
I paused to ask the reason why.
One replied: the drunkard is no more.
I saw a hearse move slowly along,
No wife nor children were there
They had gone before the murderer,
And left this world of care.

Come all you jolly dram drinkers,
By this a warning take,
And quit the overflowing bowl
Before it is too late.

Brown, Drink and Gambling Songs - 21 Randolph, 306

113_DrunkardsDoom_Lyric_02