The fast-paced and fun song “Seven Drunken Nights” is one of the most popular Irish folk songs both on and off the Emerald Isle. If you really listen to the words, you can also come across quite a few dirty jokes (which only adds to their appeal). It is better to learn the words because the audience is expected to sing along with this pub song.
The lyrics of the song tell the story of a man who returns home after enjoying too many Irish drinks, to find all kinds of clues that his wife is having an affair. But because he’s drunk, she can turn it around and has an answer to deny any signs of his infidelity.
It is the song that beloved Irish folk group The Dubliners performed during their first appearance on “Top of the Pops” in the 1960s (they later appeared again with The Pogues, singing “The Irish Rover”). But even though the song was very popular, the band was not allowed to perform all the verses. This is because some of the lyrics on “Seven Drunken Nights” are so risky (think: a furry tin whistle “on your thing”) that they were not allowed on television in 1967 when this ballad hit the charts.
Fortunately, there are no censors in the pub, which is where you will generally hear this song live. Here’s how to sing:
Seven Drunken Nights – la letra
When I came home Monday night as drunk as could be
, I saw a horse outside the door where my old horse should be.
Well, I called myself wife and I said to her: Could you kindly tell me
who is the owner of that horse? door where should my old horse be?
Ah, you’re drunk
you’re drunk what a fool old fool,
still can’t see
That’s a precious mother sow you sent me
Well it’s more than a day I’ve traveled a hundred miles or more
but in a saddle a safe sow I never saw before
And when I came home Tuesday night as drunk as could be
, I saw a coat behind the door where my old coat should be.
Well, I called myself wife and I said to her: Could you tell me
who is the owner of that coat? the door where my old coat should be
Ah, you’re drunk
you’re drunk what a fool old fool,
still can’t see
That’s a woolen blanket he sent me to my mother
Well it’s more than a day I’ve traveled a hundred miles or more
But the buttons on a blanket sure I never saw before
And when I came home Wednesday night as drunk as could be
, I saw a pipe on the chair where my old pipe should be.
Well, I called myself wife and I said to her: Could you tell me
who owns that pipe? in the chair where my old pipe should be
Ah, you’re drunk
you’re drunk what a fool old fool,
still can’t see
That’s a precious mother whistle that you sent to me
Well it’s more than a day I’ve traveled a hundred miles or more
But tobacco a tin whistle sure I never saw before
And when I came home Thursday night as drunk as could be
, I saw two boots under the bed where my old boots should be.
Well, I called myself wife and I said to her: Could you tell me
who owns those boots underneath? the bed where my old boots should be
Ah, you’re drunk
You’re drunk, silly and old fool
you still can’t see.
They are two beautiful pots of geranium that my mother sent me
Well it’s many days that I’ve traveled hundreds of miles or more
But laces on geranium pots I never saw before
And when I came home Friday night as drunk as could be
, I saw a head on the bed where my old head should be.
Well, I called myself wife and I said to her: Will you kindly tell me
who owns that head? the bed where my old head should be
Ah, you’re drunk
you’re drunk old fool
you still can’t see.
That’s a baby my mother sent me.
Well, it’s been many days that I’ve traveled a hundred miles or more.
But a baby. with his mustaches in sure that I never saw before
And when I went home Saturday night as drunk as could be
, I saw two hands on her breasts where my old hands should be.
Well, I called myself wife and I said to her: Could you kindly tell me
who owns his hands? your breasts where my old hands should be
Ah, you’re drunk
you’re drunk what a fool old fool,
still can’t see
That’s a beautiful mother evening dress that you sent to me
Well it’s more than a day I’ve traveled a hundred miles or more
But on the fingers an evening dress sure I never saw before
When I came home Sunday night as drunk as could be
, I saw something in your thing where my old thing should be.
Well, I called myself wife and I said to her: Could you kindly tell me
who owns that thing in your house? thing where my old thing should be
Ah, you’re drunk
you’re drunk what a fool old fool,
still can’t see
That’s a precious mother whistle that you sent to me
Well it’s more than a day I’ve traveled a hundred miles or more
But hair on a tin whistle I sure never saw before
Seven Drunk Nights: An Irish Song?
Well the jury is well and truly on that … a version of this song, titled “The Merry Cuckold and the Kind Wife”, was printed in a London side around 1760, and another version was recorded (as in »written« , there were no smartphones with a recording function at the time) in Scotland about ten years later. German translations followed, and the song was known as far away as the fjords of Scandinavia and the plains of Hungary.
On March 30, 1967, The Dubliners released their version of “Seven Drunken Nights” as a single (this, kids, was a small 45 RPM vinyl record), reaching number 1 on the Irish charts and number 7 on the charts. the United Kingdom. , leading to the appearance “Top of the Pops” by the hirsute Irish. Since then, it has been considered an Irish song …
