costello, elvis
the night before larry was stretched
oh the night before larry was stretched well the boys they all paid him a visit a bit in their sacks too they fetched for they sweated their duds till they rivered for larry was always the lad when a boy was condemned to the squeezer would fence all the duds that he had for to help his poor friend to a sneezer - - and warm his own god 'fore he died well the boys they came crowding in fast and they threw all their stools 'round about him six glims round his trap-case was placed for he couldn't be well-waked without them when one of them asked "could he die without having duly repented?" said larry "that's all in the eye and first by the clergy invented - - for to get a fat lid for themselves" oh and algie cut up like a pie: "i may not from me buddy be parted." "you're in the wrong box then says i for bless me if they're so hard-hearted "a chalk on the back of your neck is all that jack catch does to give you then mind not such trifle's effect oh why should the likes of them grieve you? - - and now boys come tip us the deck." well the cards being called for they played until larry found one of them cheated,? a godflew was napperly made? for the boy he being easily heated "oh hold me the hokey you thief! i'll scuffle your knob with me dardle! you cheat me because i'm in grief ah but soon i'll be molish and muddle - - and leave you your claret to drink" then the clergy came in with his boon and he spoke him so smooth and so civil larry tipped him a kilmaven wink and he pitched his big wig to the devil then sighing he threw back his head for to get a sweet drop of the bottle and dutiful sighing he said "oh the hemp 'twill be soon 'round me throttle - - and choke me poor windpipe to death. "oh then sure it's the best way to die,? oh the dead are the better the living? for now in the gallows is hiding a journey that's surely to heaven." but what harasses larry the most and makes his soul poor melancholy is he thinks of the time when his ghost it will come in a sheet to sweet molly - - "oh sure it'll kill her alive" so moving these last words he spoke we all vented our tears in a shower for me own part i thought me heart broke for to see him cut down like a flower on his travels we watched him next day the throttler i thought i could kill him but larry not one word did say nor change did he come to king william - - and mutter "his color be white." when he came to the old dublin shed he was tucked up so neat and so pretty,? the rumbler jumped far from his feet? and he died with his face to the city he came to but that was all pride for soon you might see 'twas all over soon after the noose was untied in darkness we waked him in clover - - and sent him to take his ground sweat oh the night before larry was stretched well the boys they all paid him a visit a bit in their sacks too they fetched for they sweated their duds till they rivered for larry was always the lad when a boy was condemned to the squeezer would fence all the duds that he had for to help his poor friend to a sneezer - - and warm his own god 'fore he died - and warm his own god 'fore he died