There Is a Tavern in the Town

"There Is a Tavern in the Town" is a traditional folk song first appearing in the 1883 edition of William H. Hill's Student Songs. The song was the college anthem of Trinity University College, and provides the melody for the children's tune "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes".

It was famously performed by Rudy Vallée as "The Drunkard Song." While recording the last verses of the song, Vallée started to laugh uncontrollably given the corny lyrics. He and his band recorded the song again without laughing, but Victor released both takes in 1934. He also performs the song in the film Sweet Music.

While the song is usually performed up-tempo, a balladic version appeared in "Ripper Street" third season episode "Ashes and Diamonds", arranged for Charlene McKenna as the character Rose Erskine on BBC One and Amazon Prime Instant Video.

Lyrics

There is a tavern in the town, in the town
And there my true love sits him down, sits him down,
And drinks his wine as merry as can be,
And never, never thinks of me.

Chorus: Fare thee well, for I must leave thee,
Do not let this parting grieve thee,
And remember that the best of friends
Must part, must part.

Adieu, adieu kind friends, adieu, yes, adieu,
I can no longer stay with you, stay with you,
I'll hang my harp on the weeping willow tree,
And may the world go well with thee.

He left me for a damsel dark, damsel dark,
Each Friday night they used to spark, used to spark,
And now my love who once was true to me
Takes this dark damsel on his knee.

And now I see him nevermore, nevermore;
He never knocks upon my door, on my door;
Oh, woe is me; he pinned a little note,
And these were all the words he wrote:

Oh, dig my grave both wide and deep, wide and deep;
Put tombstones at my head and feet, head and feet
And on my breast you may carve a turtle dove,
To signify I died of love.