The Old Black Rum

Click Here for guitar tabs (two sets)

I drank sixteen doubles for the price of one,
Trying to find the courage to talk to one;
I asked her for a dance, not a second glance,
My night had just begun.

Well, I drink to the Father or the Holy Ghost,
I'm kneeling at the altar of my nightly post;
So I'll raise the glass, not the first or last,
Come join me in this toast.

Because the old black rum's got a hold of me,
Like a dog wrapped 'round my leg;
And the old black rum's got a hold of me,
Well I'm here for another day... hey!
Well I'm here for another day...

Well, the queen of George Street just a-walking on by,
Walking on by with some guy who don't care
That she stood in line since half past nine,
And spent three hours on her hair... on her hair

Well, my friend is looking at me with an evil grin,
I think the bloody racket might soon begin;
I must have said something to the George Street queen,
And the boys are joining in.

Because the old black rum's got a hold of me,
Like a dog wrapped 'round my leg;
And the old black rum's got a hold of me,
Well I'm here for another day... hey!
Well I'm here for another day...

So, I drank all of my money and I slept out in the rain,
Every day is different but the nights are all the same;
You never see the sun on the old black rum,
But I know I'm gonna do it again.

Because the old black rum's got a hold of me,
Like a dog wrapped 'round my leg;
And the old black rum's got a hold of me,
Well I'm here for another day... hey!
Well I'm here for another day...

####.... Bob Hallett of Great Big Sea (Rant & Roar, 1998). Based on an Irish traditional ....####

See more songs by Great Big Sea.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Notes On Guitar Tabs:
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
All guitar tabs have been contributed by visitors to this site and represent their interpretation of the tune. We are unable to verify their accuracy.

I [G] drank sixteen doubles for the [D] price of [G] one,
[C] Trying to find the courage to [D] talk to one,
I asked her [C] for [D] a [G] dance, not a [C] se- [D] cond [G] glance,
My night had just [D] begun.

Chorus:
Because the [D] old black rum's got a [G] hold of me,
Like a [C] dog wrapped 'round my [D] leg,
And the [D] old black rum's got a [G] hold of me,
Well I'm [C] here for [D] another [Em] day... [C] Hey!
Well I'm [C]here for [D]another [G]day.

(Capo 3rd Fret)

I drank [D] 16 doubles for the [A] price of [D] one,
[G] Trying to find the [D] courage to [Em] talk to [A] one,
I asked her [G] for [A] a [D] dance, not a [G] se- [A] cond [D] glance,
My night had [G] just be- [A] gun.

Well I [D] drink to the father and the [A] holy [D] ghost,
I'm [G] kneeling at the [D] alter of my [Em] nightly [A] post,
So I'll [G] raise [A] a [D] glass, not the [G] first [A] nor [D] last,
Come join me [A7] in this [D] toast.

Chorus:
Because the [A] old black rum's got a [D] hold on me,
Like a dog wrapped [G] round my [A] leg,
And the [A] old black rum's got a [D] hold on me,
Will I live for a-[A7] nother [D] day? [G] Hey,
Will I [D] live for an- [A7] other [D] day?

Well, the [D] Queen of George Street is just [A] walking [D] by,
[G] Walking on [D] by with some [Em] guy who don't [A] care,
That she [G] stood [A] in [D] line since [G] half [A] past [D] nine,
And spent three [G] hours on her [A] hair.

Well her [D] friend is looking at me with an [A] evil [D] grin,
I [G] think the bloody [D] racket might [Em] soon [A] begin,
I must have [G] said [A] some[D] thing to the [G] George [A] Street [D] Queen,
The boys are [A7] joining [D] in!

So I [D] drank all of my money and I [A] slept out in the [D] rain,
[G] Everyday is [D] different but the [Em] nights they're all the [A] same,
You never [G] see [A] the [D] sun of the [G] old [A] black [D] rum,
But I know I'm gonna [A7] do it a- [D] gain!

[G] Hey, will I [D] live for an- [A7] other [D] day?

~ Alternate chords contributed by Bob Dumais ~