01 - lucky break 

i woke up this morning, hung over and fell twice
i stepped under the shower, the water cold as ice
i reached out for some food, it was all eaten by mice
now can anybody tell me, just who did throw the dice?

took the wrong bus, arrived at work too late
foreman shouted at me, "what’s the story mate?"
i mumbled some excuses, his look was full of hate
i knew there would be trouble, when me wage was to be paid

nothing ever comes my way,
not much more that i can take
i just pay and pay - for my piece of the cake
another lousy day, while feck i need a lucky break

i got home knackered, no one waiting there for me
nothing in the fridge, and nothing on tv
so i went down to the pub, for some friends to see
but i knew no one there, booze was my only company

and the horse of course, i betted my ticket on
despite its name, didn’t even start to run
that’s when i lost, my father's watch i had to pawn
except for debts, now everything is gone

nothing ever comes my way,
not much more that i can take
i just pay and pay - for my piece of the cake
another lousy day, while feck i need a lucky break

so now i lay in bed, i’m pissed and all alone
my heart it is still beating, but it feels cold as stone
i hope for better times, and though i’m trying not to moan
i lay wandering what for, i work my fingers to the bone

is this a bad case of bad luck, or is this just my fate
can i change my destiny, or could it be too late
i’m not the anxious type, but i start to get afraid
that even saint peter, won’t be waiting at the gate

nothing ever comes my way,
not much more that i can take
i just pay and pay - for my piece of the cake
another lousy day, while feck i need a lucky break

02 - back in the day

back in the day, back in the day
back in the day, it all just went astray
back in the day, back in the day
but as from today, i'm gonna have it all my way
but as from today, i'm gonna have it all my way

back in the day, i went unnoticed by the girls
oh man they drove me mad, their laughter and their curls
when i asked them for a date, they'd say i was a bore
kissed another boy, never to talk to me no more

back in the day, back in the day
back in the day, it all just went astray
back in the day, back in the day
but as from today, i'm gonna have it all my way
but as from today, i'm gonna have it all my way

so i bought me this flash car, man it made me feel so proud
the girls gave me the looks, all assured me a night out
man i was so excited, to be in for some luck
that i spinned the car around, smashing it against a truck

back in the day, back in the day
back in the day, it all just went astray
back in the day, back in the day
but as from today, i'm gonna have it all my way
but as from today, i'm gonna have it all my way

ah

i started wearing fancy clothes, had my hair cut up to date
studied manners in the movies, of men i thought were great
then my dad came up to me, said "son, time to awaken
you better be yourself; everyone else is already taken"

back in the day, back in the day
back in the day, it all just went astray
back in the day, back in the day
but as from today, i'm gonna have it all my way
but as from today, i'm gonna have it all my way

03 - middle of nowhere

i love the city's endless bustle
couldn't live without it's lively hustle
sometimes it all just gets too much
then i wish i could be out of touch

i love to be among the crowd
go to gigs and shout along real loud
sometimes it all just gets too much
then i wish i could be out of touch

i wanna be (wanna be), wanna be (wanna be)
in the middle of nowhere, you and me
i wanna hide (wanna hide), wanna hide (wanna hide)
in the middle of nowhere, by your side
in the middle of nowhere, by your side

i love the buzz of a brimming pub
and be on the stands of my favourite club
sometimes it all just gets too much
then i wish i could be out of touch

i love to have a job well done
and getting the stress of another one
sometimes it all just gets too much
then i wish i could be out of touch

i wanna be (wanna be), wanna be (wanna be)
in the middle of nowhere, you and me
i wanna hide (wanna hide), wanna hide (wanna hide)
in the middle of nowhere, by your side
in the middle of nowhere, by your side

you think i live my life too fast
you fear this way i might not last
but i know i’ll end up – yes i do
in the middle of nowhere just with you

don't mind to be in a traffic jam
or a commuter train, and get real cramped
sometimes it all just gets too much
then i wish i could be out of touch

i really love to party down
with family and friends around
but sometimes it all gets too much
then i wish i could be out of touch

i wanna be (wanna be), wanna be (wanna be)
in the middle of nowhere, you and me
i wanna hide (wanna hide), wanna hide (wanna hide)
in the middle of nowhere, by your side
in the middle of nowhere, by your side

04 - katusja kalashnikova

a young lad was i and travelling light
when i met katusja in moscow one night
almost twice my age, but still a stunning beauty
words cannot describe: you should have seen that booty

oh sweet katusja k’lashnikova
made me feel like a casanova
if all the girls are stars, she was a supernova
no one matched katusja kalashnikova

we walked down some streets and went into a bar
drinking champaign and eating caviar
it was all on her, she picked up all the bills
my passion compensated my lack of russian skills

oh sweet katusja k’lashnikova
made me feel like a casanova
if all the girls are stars, she was a supernova
no one matched katusja kalashnikova

she took me to her house, where quickly she undressed
my head was feeling light, i was never so impressed
then i knew my life, would be the same no more
when suddenly her husband came walking through the door

oh please katusja k’lashnikova
made me feel like a casanova
if all the girls are stars, she was a supernova
no one matched katusja kalashnikova

so i fled from russia, and took a different name
i go from place to place, and i never dress the same
at the end of the cold war, my life became real tough
always on the run for mikhail kalashnikov

oh sweet katusja k’lashnikova
made me feel like a casanova
if all the girls are stars, she was a supernova
no one matched katusja kalashnikova

05 - hey barkeeper

i loved my baby girl, and i did all i could
to be a good dad, any good father would
i thought i did fine, she was fond of her dad
she made me real proud, boy that made me so glad

but then she grew up, started pulling some shit
i thought it would pass, cause she still is my kid
now she’s living with this stupid dick i abhor,
and told me she don’t want to see me no more

hey barkeeper, pour me some more
just these few drinks, they can't ease the sore
the sore of her going, the sore of her gone
so pour me some more, cause my drinking ain't done

i loved my dear wife, and i did all i could
to be a good man, any good husband would
she did her part, tried to put up with me
we quarrelled sometimes, still we lived happily

till one evening in spring, it came out of the blue
she said she was leaving, she met someone new
she said "you gave it -no doubt- your very best shot
thought you were mr. right, but you’re sure as hell not"

hey barkeeper, pour me some more
just these few drinks, they can't ease the sore
the sore of her going, the sore of her gone
so pour me some more, cause my drinking ain't done

i loved my dear mum, and i did all i could
to be a good boy, any good son, he would
she didn't always approve, of what i thought was right
but always took care of me with all her might

she lived to grow old, all her friends passed away
i seldom found time for a visit to pay
last week there was a call, my dear mom passed away
tomorrow i’ll mourn, on her funeral day

hey barkeeper, pour me some more
just these few drinks, they can't ease the sore
the sore of her going, the sore of her gone
so pour me some more, cause my drinking ain't done

hey barkeeper, pour me some more
just these few drinks, they can't ease the sore
the sore of her going, the sore of her gone
so pour me some more, cause my drinking ain't done

hey barkeeper, pour me some more
just these few drinks, they can't ease the sore
the sore of her going, the sore of her gone
so pour me some more, cause my drinking ain't done

06 - sky over rotterdam

the sky over rotterdam is peaceful now
but my old man, he still remembers how
that war made that sky such a restless place
and airplanes were never hard to trace
first them planes brought war, then they raised hopes high
and in the end, they dropped food from the sky
the sky, the sky, the sky, over rotterdam
 

one morning in spring, german planes were all around
that brought their bombs, burnt our town to the ground
people ran for their lives, many trapped by the fire
and for five years to come, life would be harsh and dire
 

the sky over rotterdam is peaceful now
but my old man, he still remembers how
that war made that sky such a restless place
and airplanes were never hard to trace
first them planes brought war, then they raised hopes high
and in the end, they dropped food from the sky
the sky, the sky, the sky, over rotterdam

in years to come, allied planes would rule the air
and foreign towns, were handed the same nightmare
as people starved from hunger, in the rotterdam streets
they often said a prayer, to support them allied fleets
 

the sky over rotterdam so peaceful now
but my old man, he still remembers how
that war made that sky such a restless place
and airplanes were never hard to trace
first them planes brought war, then they raised hopes high
and in the end, they dropped food from the sky
the sky, the sky, the sky, over Rotterdam

then one fine day, planes flew in really low
no bullets, no bombs, but food they let go
never before, did the sun shine so bright
after five long years, people danced into the night
 

the sky over rotterdam so peaceful now
but my old man, he still remembers how
that war made that sky such a restless place
and airplanes were never hard to trace
first them planes brought war, then they raised hopes high
and in the end, they dropped food from the sky
the sky, the sky, the sky, over rotterdam

© Bunch of Bastards

07 - sing with us bastards

sing with us bastards, drink with us bastards
together, we’re one big bunch of bastards
sing with us bastards, drink with us bastards
hell yeah, we’re one big bunch of bastards

sing with us bastards, drink with us bastards
together, we’re one big bunch of bastards
sing with us bastards, drink with us bastards
hell yeah, we’re one big bunch of bastards

hear the bunch of bastards are a-flow
reap the tunes and the music that we sow
watch this bunch of bastards show
the love of the party that we throw

sing with us bastards, drink with us bastards
together, we’re one big bunch of bastards
sing with us bastards, drink with us bastards
hell yeah, we’re one big bunch of bastards

hear the box, the banjo and the bass
feel the drums, the guitars, they are ablaze
no, we have no time to waste
move on, if our songs they ain't your taste

sing with us bastards, drink with us bastards
together, we’re one big bunch of bastards
sing with us bastards, drink with us bastards
hell yeah, we’re one big bunch of bastards

we are part-time punks, but full force folkies
midweek metal-heads, but full force folkies
rock 'n' roll ain't bad, but we’re full force folkies
full force folkies, is what we are

sing with us bastards, drink with us bastards
together, we’re one big bunch of bastards
sing with us bastards, drink with us bastards
hell yeah, we’re one big bunch of bastards

we know, we sure aren't the first
we hope, we’re not among the worst
to sing about the lucky and the cursed
to sing about the quenching of our thirst

sing with us bastards, drink with us bastards
together, we’re one big bunch of bastards
sing with us bastards, drink with us bastards
hell yeah, we’re one big bunch of bastards

08 - michael malloy

in new yorks driest days
a group of six men
were down and out
and came up with a plan
to collect life insurance
on the life of a man
so they picked homeless mike
and their project began

tony, one of the six
owned a blind pig
gave the victim free booze
he was already sick
but all the drinking
did not do the trick
it revived ‘iron mike’
as would soon be his nick

they fed him antifreeze and turpentine 'till he fell on the floor
but the next day he walked back into the door

not easy to kill
michael malloy
this tough irish bloke
was hard to destroy
not easy to kill
michael malloy
but it made a great tale
for us to enjoy

horse liniment, rat poison
they did all they could
raw oysters mike ate
soaked in alcohol wood
a carpet-tack sandwich
he even withstood
they had to attempt
something different than food

so in the freezing cold they laid him soaking wet to be no more
but the next day he walked back into the door

not easy to kill
michael malloy
this tough irish bloke
was hard to destroy
not easy to kill
michael malloy
but it made a great tale
for us to enjoy

our six got annoyed
no luck so far
put mike onto a road
to get hit by a car
michael stood up
with not even a scar
and walked right back
into tony’s bar

so they put him back on the road and made a car hit him much harder than before
but after some weeks he walked back into the door

not easy to kill
michael malloy
this tough irish bloke
was hard to destroy
not easy to kill
michael malloy
but it made a great tale
for us to enjoy

one january night
mike breathed his last
they got him drunk
and they killed him with gas
a shallow grave
but the insurance would pass
they heard of the scam
and police caught their arse

so they dug up michael’s grave, and he was buried with pride
and the six killing men got the chair and they died

not easy to kill
michael malloy
this tough irish bloke
was hard to destroy
not easy to kill
michael malloy
but it made a great tale
for us to enjoy

09 - run ’n’ drink

run and drink, run and drink
run and drink, and i seldom think
run and drink, run and drink
run and drink, and i seldom think

i am an ordinary lad, and i like my pint
and only little, i look behind
to think twice, about the things i’ve done
what i could have been, and what i ‘ve become

i’m an average bloke and i try my best
though seldom, do i pass the test
of meeting targets, i did set
if lucky, it’s halfway they’re met

some times are good, some times are bad
but much too little i think ahead
‘bout what i want and what to do
and how to make my dreams come true

some times are good and some times are bad
but much too little i think ahead
what i want and what to do
and how to make my dreams come true

i am an ordinary lad, i like my pint
and only little i look behind
to ask myself, why did i do
running drinking, losing sight of you

i’m an average bloke and i try my best
though seldom, do i pass the test
to live up to my promises
it made you love me less and less

some times are good, some times are bad
but much too little i think ahead
‘bout who you want and what to do
and how to make your dreams come true

some times are good and some times are bad
but much too little i think ahead
who you want and what to do
and how to make your dreams come true

and i run and drink (run and drink)
run and drink, and i seldom think
and i run and drink (run and drink)
i run and drink, and i seldom think

i am an ordinary lad, and i like my pint
and only little i look behind
on why i think of me, not us instead
why i’m such a selfish prick, and make you sad

i’m an average bloke and i try my best
thought seldom, do i pass the test
to be part of this relationship
we’re holding hands but losing grip

some times are good, some times are bad
but much too little i think ahead
‘bout what we want and what to do
and how to make our dreams come true

some times are good, some times are bad
but much too little i think ahead
what we want and what to do
and how to make our dreams come true

and i run and drink (run and drink)
run and drink, and i seldom think
and i run and drink (run and drink)
i run and drink, and i seldom think

10 - the dutch

who boosted up slavery
and kept it till the end
bragged about their bravery
and stole from foe and friend

made the term apartheid
a universal word
pushing others aside
not to be misheard

those were the dutch
didn’t care all that much
those were the dutch
with their own special touch

draining all their colonies
the dutch got very rich
making no apologies
'cause memory is a bitch

proud of their successes
they sang many a song
what better way expresses
that heroes can't be wrong

those were the dutch
didn’t care all that much
those were the dutch
with their own special touch

surviving internationally
they kissed the biggest boots
trading values rationally
white collars in black suits

money or position
beats morals every time
always on a mission
for status or a dime

those were the dutch
didn’t care all that much
those were the dutch
with their own special touch

with the law they’re struggling
to make them legal thugs
cause they’re the kings of smuggling
and captains of drugs

porn and weapon industry
they serve you all the trash
other people’s misery
makes so much better cash

those are the dutch
they don't care all that much
those are the dutch
with their own special touch

afraid of their identities
immigrants should be
no cultural amenities
but fit in and agree

culture budgets shrinking
leaving art to bleed
no one even blinking
until you touch black pete

those are the dutch
they don't care all that much
those are the dutch
with their own special touch

11 - live again

i wish that you could live again
live again without your pain
i wish there was some new tomorrow
that would relieve you of your sorrow
till then i'm sorry for each tear
you cry in pain, you cry with fear
with fear you may not live again
that this is it, with all its pain

in good times you want, all you can get
in bad times you’re pale, your voice is flat
on good days your eyes, they shine and sparkle
on bad days, it just appears so dark all
on good nights, you're my dreamt-of mistress
but bad nights, silence you with distress

i wish that you could live again
live again without your pain
i wish there was some new tomorrow
that would relieve you of your sorrow
till then i'm sorry for each tear
you cry in pain, you cry with fear
with fear you may not live again
that this is it, with all its pain

so many times, i’ve seen you cry
so many times, you’ve asked me why
and each time i stand, lost for words
what can i do, to lift your curse?
but i’ll be there, that’s all i can do
this godless soul, he prays for you

i wish that you could live again
live again without your pain
i wish there was some new tomorrow
that would relieve you of your sorrow

12 - let's call it a day

first time i got into a fight
left me beaten up and bruised
my eyes they turned as black as night
to eat a straw i used
it made a dent into my pride
i was less than amused
and though it was an ugly sight
this was the thought that soothed:

hey let’s call it a day, yeah let’s call it a day
this day will pass but the future will stay
yeah let’s call it a day, yeah let’s call it a day
head’s up tomorrow, and you will be okay

first time out drinking with my friends
we drank a lot of ale
and all night we had pints in hands
i told the tallest tale
the way home taught that drinking tends
to a destructive trail
although we would have made amends
we sang that night in jail

hey let’s call it a day, yeah let’s call it a day
you know there's always a piper to pay
yeah let’s call it a day, yeah let’s call it a day
head’s up tomorrow, and you will be okay

first time a lover said goodbye
left me shattered and in pain
no river deep, no mountain high
could have made me more insane
i said “i’ll stay alone until i die
and never love again”
i cried until my eyes went dry
then sang this sweet refrain:

hey let’s call it a day, yeah let’s call it a day
let bygones be bygones as they always say
yeah let’s call it a day, yeah let’s call it a day
head’s up tomorrow, and you will be okay

let’s call it a day
if you cling to your problems, they won’t go away
let’s call it a day, let’s call it a day
head’s up tomorrow, and you will be okay
head’s up tomorrow, and you will be okay

13 - many a good reason

there's many a good reason, to drink many a good pint
to toast to the new season, or to dreams we left behind
to make the right decision, or to get things off your mind
there's many a good reason, to drink many a good pint
there’s many a good reason, to drink many a good pint

there's always cause for drinking, that one more final glass
it makes for clearer thinking, and for a brighter past
big problems are sent shrinking, solutions appear fast  
there's always cause for drinking, that one more final glass
there's always cause for drinking, that one more final glass

there's always some excuse, to sink a few more stouts
to soothe the pain of bruises, or to wash away some doubts
that other guy she chooses, a pain you can do without
there's always some excuse, to sink a few more stouts
there's always some excuse, to sink a few more stouts

and if in doubt one day, remember what they say:
a pint a day, keeps the doctor away
and if in doubt one day, remember what they say:
a pint a day, keeps the doctor away

and if in doubt one day, remember what they say:
a pint a day, keeps the doctor away
a pint a day, keeps the doctor away
a pint a day, keeps the doctor away

there's many a good reason, to drink many a good pint
to toast to the new season, or to dreams we left behind
to make the right decision, or to get things off your mind
so there's many a good reason, to drink many a good pint
there's many a good reason, to drink many a good pint
there’s many a good reason, to drink many a good .... pint

14 - whiskey in the jar

as i was a going over the cork and kerry mountains
i met with captain farrell and his money he was counting
i first produced me pistol and then produced me rapier
and said "stand and deliver" for he was a bold deceiver

mush-a ring dum-a do dum-a da
wack fall the daddy-o, wack fall the daddy-o
there's whiskey in the jar

i counted out his money and it made a pretty penny
i put it in me pocket and i took it home to jenny
she sighed and then she swore that she never would deceive me
but the devil take the women for they never can be easy

mush-a ring dum-a do dum-a da
wack fall the daddy-o, wack fall the daddy-o
there's whiskey in the jar

i went up to my chamber, all to take a slumber
i dreamt of gold and jewels and for sure it was no wonder
but jenny drew me charges and she filled them up with water
then sent for captain farrell to be ready for the slaughter

mush-a ring dum-a do dum-a da
wack fall the daddy-o, wack fall the daddy-o
there's whiskey in the jar

it was early in the morning, just before i rose to travel
up comes a band of footmen and likewise captain farrell
i first produced me pistol for she stole away me rapier
but i couldn't shoot the water, so a prisoner i was taken

mush-a ring dum-a do dum-a da
wack fall the daddy-o, wack fall the daddy-o
there's whiskey in the jar

if anyone can aid me it’s me brother in the army
if i can find his station in cork or in killarney
and if he will go with me, we'll go rovin' in kilkenny
i'm sure he'll treat me better than my own a-sporting jenny

mush-a ring dum-a do dum-a da
wack fall the daddy-o, wack fall the daddy-o
there's whiskey in the jar
mush-a ring dum-a do dum-a da
wack fall the daddy-o, wack fall the daddy-o
there's whiskey in the jar