Composed for the Beer Boutique’s Burns Night Rampage. Drink a finger for every reference to boozing.

 

Here’s a bottle and an honest friend!

The devil’s away and the devil’s away.

Oh, nought but love and sorry joined.

The devil’s away and the devil’s away.

 

Here brewer Gabriel’s fire’s extinct.

The devil’s away and the devil’s away.

We’ll make our malt, and we’ll brew our drink.

The devil’s away and the devil’s away.

 

The devil’s away and the devil’s away.

Will ye go to the Highlands with me?

The devil’s away and the devil’s away.

And aye we’ll taste the barley bree.

 

O there, beyond expression blest –

The devil’s away and the devil’s away –

The dew sat chilly on her breast.

The devil’s away and the devil’s away.

 

Come, bumpers high, express your joy.

The devil’s away and the devil’s away.

Believe me, happiness is shy.

The devil’s away and the devil’s away.

 

The devil’s away and the devil’s away.

Morality, thou deadly bane.

The devil’s away and the devil’s away.

Go fetch me up a pint o’ wine.

 

By word, or pen, or pointed steel!

The devil’s away and the devil’s away.

O leeze me on my spinnin’ wheel.

The devil’s away and the devil’s away.

 

Strong ale was ablution. That I shall swear!

The devil’s away and the devil’s away.

For a big-belly’d bottle’s the whole of my care.

The devil’s away and the devil’s away.

 

The devil’s away and the devil’s away,

And in your wicked, drunken rants –

The devil’s away and the devil’s away –

Warlocks and witches in a dance.

 

With two Scots pounds (twas all her riches) –

The devil’s away and the devil’s away –

He mutters, glowrin’ at the bitches.

The devil’s away and the devil’s away

 

Down headlong hurl, wild-eddying swirl –

The devil’s away and the devil’s away

Pimps, sharpers, bawds and opera-girls.

The devil’s away and the devil’s away

 

The devil’s away and the devil’s away.

Thou man of care and ceaseless sigh –

The devil’s away and the devil’s away –

Thy drink thou can’t part with and neither can I.