Lyrics

The Night Before Larry Was Stretched

From Andy Rynne (Incomplete)

The night before Larry was stretched the boys they all paid him a visit
A bait in their bags too they fetched and they sweat in their gobs till they riz it
For Larry was ever the lad if a boy was condemned to the squeezer
Would fence all the duds that he had to treat an auld friend to the sneezer
And moisten his gob before he died

The boys they came crowding in fast they drew all their stools round about him
Six glimps of the porter were placed for he wouldn’t be well waked without them
When one of us asked would he die without having duly repented
Sez Larry that’s all in my eye and first by the clergy invented
To gain a fat bit for themselves

Then I’m sorry poor Larry sez I to see you in this situation
And blister my limbs if I lie I’d have soon it had been my own station
A chalk on the back of the neck is all that Jack Catch cares to give you
And mind such trifles a feck for why should the likes of them grieve you
And now boys come tip us the deck

The cards being called for they played till Larry found one of them cheatin
Quick he made a hard rap at his head for this lad was easily beaten
So you’ll cheat me because I’m in grief be the Jasus if that be your reason
I’ll have you to know you damn thief that your crack and your jokes out of season
And I’ll throttle your knob with me fist

They clergyman came with his book and spoke to him so neat and so civil
Larry tipped him the Kilmanham look and tossed his big wig to the divil
Then Larry he raised up his head and taking a sup from the bottle
He cried like a baby and said the rope will soon round my neck throttle
To squeeze my poor windpipe to death

So moving these last words he spoke we all vented our tears on a shower
For my part I thought my heart broke to see him cut down like a flower
On his travels we watched him next day and the hangman I thought I could kill him
But Larry not one word did say until he came to King William
When his collar grew horribly white

When he came to the gallows at last he was tucked up so neat and so pretty
The rumblers jogged him off his feet and he died with his face to the city
He kicked too but that was all pride for soon you could see ’twas all over
Soon after the rope was untied and at dark we waked him in clover
And sent him to take his ground sweat