When I was drunk I killed a man
What did he do to me
And now his ghost will follow me
Through all eternity
I'll never touch another drop
It shook me to the core
When I was drunk I killed a man
And now I drink no more
No more, no more
And now I drink no more
Oh, drink was all my pleasure, friends
To drink was my delight
A glass would help to numb the cold
And put the world to rights
It's company and a glass or two
Or even three or four
When I was drunk I killed a man
And now I drink no more
No more, no more
And now I drink no more
Oh, on Friday night in the Compasses
I was eight pints gone at least
The anger rose inside of me
And then out came the beast
A red-beardy spilled my drink. I said
"You're really not to blame
You can't help being a clumsy sod"
But I hit him just the same
No more, no more
And now I drink no more
Well, the bugger, he takes a knife to me
He cut me on the wrist
I grabbed the knife, but then my nose
Connected with his fist
I hit him with something heavy
And he lay still on the floor
When I was drunk I killed a man
But now I drink no more
No more, no more
But now I drink no more
Buried him down in Clerkenwell
In a sorry pauper's grave
The priest, he spoke of ashes and dust
And pilgrims being saved
He said there would be peace at last
Upon that distant shore
Ah, but when I was drunk I killed a man
And now I drink no more
No more, no more
And now I drink no more
No more, no more
And now I drink no more