Thin Lizzy - 'Whiskey In The Jar' (official music video)

As I was goin' over the Cork
And Kerry mountains
I saw Captain Farrell
And his money he was countin'
I first produced my pistol
And then produced my rapier
I said, "Stand and deliver, oh,
Or the devil he may take ya"

I took all of his money
And it was a pretty penny
I took all of his money, yeah
And I brought it home to Molly
She swore that she'd love me,
No never would she leave me
But the devil take that woman, yeah
For you know she tricked me easy

Musha ring dum a doo dum a da
Whack for my daddy-o
Whack for my daddy-o
There's whiskey in the jar-o

Being drunk and weary
I went to Molly's chamber
Takin' money with me but
I never knew the danger
For about six or maybe seven
In walked Captain Farrell
I jumped up, fired my pistols
And I shot him with both barrels

Musha ring dum a doo dum a da
Whack for my daddy-o
Whack for my daddy-o
There's whiskey in the jar-o

Now some men like fishin'
And some men like the fowlin'
And some men like to hear,
To hear the cannon ball a roarin'
Me, I like sleepin' especially
In my Molly's chamber
But here I am in prison,
Here I am with a ball and chain

Musha ring dum a doo dum a da
Whack for my daddy-o
Whack for my daddy-o
There's whiskey in the jar-o
Whiskey in the jar-o
Musha ring dum a doo dum a da

Το "Whiskey in the Jar" (μας πληροφορεί η wikipedia) είναι παραδοσιακό Ιρλανδικό τραγούδι, το οποίο έχει στο επίκεντρο έναν "Rapparee" που προδίδεται από την γυναίκα του (ή την ερωμένη του).

Το τραγούδι αυτό είναι ένα από τα πιο πολυερμηνευμένα Ιρλανδικά παραδοσιακά τραγούδια και συγκεκριμένα από τη δεκαετία του '50 κι έκτοτε έχει "υποστεί" πολυάριθμες διασκευές. Οι ρίζες του προέρχονται από το από το παραδοσιακό τραγούδι "The Highwayman and the Captain".

Η πρώτη διασκευή έγινε από το συγκρότημα Peter, Paul and Mary. Άλλη επιτυχημένη διασκευή εκείνη του 1968, από τους The Dubliners. Στις Ηνωμένες Πολιτείες το τραγούδι έγινε περισσότερο γνωστό από τους The Highwaymen. Το 1973 έγινε και η (κλασική στους rock κύκλους) διασκευή των Thin Lizzy, η οποία έφθασε στο νούμερο ένα των Ιρλανδικών και των Βρετανικών charts.

Ο δίσκος "Vagabonds of the Western World" (στον οποίο ανήκει και το εν λόγω μουσικό κομμάτι) επανακυκλοφόρησε τον περασμένο Νοέμβριο (σε τετραπλό βινύλιο και τριπλό cd συν dvd) με αφορμή την συμπλήρωση μισού αιώνα από την αρχική του κυκλοφορία...

Δελτίο τύπου: «Whiskey In The Jar, one of the most recognisable rock songs of the 70s, started out with Phil Lynott messing around in Thin Lizzy’s rehearsal studio, as he started busking the old Irish folk song ‘Whiskey In The Jar’, which dates back to the 1700s.

Their then manager remarked upon it and insisted that the band recorded, against their gut instincts. The single was released in November 1972 and rose to number 6 on the UK singles chart. However, the song didn’t sit well with the band, and despite its success, they left it off their forthcoming album.

Since then, the song, in arrangements influenced by The Lizzy version, has gone on to be covered by artists such as U2, Metallica, Belle & Sebastian, The Pogues, Pulp, Bryan Adams, Gary Moore and Simple Minds. After a two-year struggle for recognition, Thin Lizzy had finally scored a breakthrough hit.

It paved the way for the 'Vagabonds Of The Western World' album, the sound of nascent Lizzy finally finding their feet and starting on their journey to be one of the greatest rock bands of the 70s and for Philip to be recognised as one of the best songwriters of his generation.»