The First Love in Life

I am a young fellow that's fond of my fun
And Ferlin in Derry is where I've begun
All over the country, I've spent all my cash
With Kitty and Ginny and Mary McNash
My father disowned me for being such a rake
And for spending my time in such frolicksome ways
The girls, they are sweet, but I'll have you all know
That my first love in life is the pure whiskey, oh!
Riddley-i-di, riddley-i-di-di, riddley-i-di-day

If I chance for to go to the town of Kildare
All the girls all around me they flock on the square
Some bring me a bottle and some bring me cake
And they do it behind their old pure parents' back
There's one from McCorville and one from Carlisle
And another one from Derry my heart has beguiled
But I'd trade every one for a drop of the pure
For my first love is whiskey. The heart it can cure
Riddley-i-di, riddley-i-di-di, riddley-i-di-day

To worry for riches, I'm never inclined
For the greatest of misers must leave them behind
With a glass in my hand and a girl on my knee
There's all a man needs for his pleasure, you see
For I knew a man who had plenty of gold
And I knew another who had twenty times more
But they're both on their backs among nettles and stone
So, my first love is whiskey and whiskey alone
Riddley-i-di, riddley-i-di-di, riddley-i-di-day

And now for the future, I mean to be wise
And I'll look for the women that treated me kind
I'll marry them all on the next Market Day
If the clergy agree to the things that I say
And when I am dead and my soul is at rest
These women will come for to cry at my wake
And they'll cover me over with whiskey so pure
And I'll dance on the lid of my coffin and cheer
Riddley-i-di, riddley-i-di-di, riddley-i-di-day