Rosin The Bow

When I'm dead and laid out on the counter,
A voice you will hear from below;
Sayin' send down a hogshead of whiskey,
To drink with old Rosin the Bow.

To drink with old Rosin the Bow-o,
To drink with old Rosin the Bow;
Sayin' send down a hogshead of whiskey,
To drink with old Rosin the Bow.

And get ye a half dozen stout fellows,
And line them all up in a row;
Let them drink out of half gallon bottles,
To the memory of Rosin the Bow.

To the memory of Rosin the Bow-o,
To the memory of Rosin the Bow;
Let them drink out of half gallon bottles,
To the memory of Rosin the Bow.

And get this half dozen stout fellows,
And let them all stagger and go;
And dig a great hole in the meadow,
And in it put Rosin the Bow.

And in it put Rosin the Bow-o,
And in it put Rosin the Bow;
And dig a great hole in the meadow,
And in it put Rosin the Bow.

And get ye a couple of bottles,
Put one at me head and me toe;
With a diamond ring scratched upon them,
The name of old Rosin the Bow.

The name of old Rosin the Bow-o,
The name of old Rosin the Bow;
With a diamond ring scratched upon them,
The name of old Rosin the Bow.

I feel that old tyrant approaching,
That cruel, remorseless old foe;
And I lift up me glass in his honour,
Take a drink with old Rosin the Bow.

Take a drink with old Rosin the Bow-o,
Take a drink with old Rosin the Bow;
And I lift up me glass in his honour,
Take a drink with old Rosin the Bow.

Spoken:

Let's hear ya now!

Take a drink with old Rosin the Bow-o,
Take a drink with old Rosin the Bow;
And I lift up me glass in his honour,
Take a drink with old Rosin the Bow.

####.... Author unknown. Variant of a British and American broadside ballad, Old Rosin The Beau, published by J. Andrews, #38 Chatham St (New York) sometime between 1853 and 1859, and archived in the American Song Sheet Collection, Rare Book and Special Collections Division of the U.S. Library of Congress, archive manuscript: as110360. Arranged by the Sharecroppers (Home, Boys! ©2003 John Harvey Newman Publishing SOCAN) ....####

See more songs by The Sharecroppers.

Liner note: Here's a great old tune that tells a fine story of everyone raising a glass even after you're dead.