A Drinking Song - The Divine Comedy

Back at the house

A bottle is found

And opened in honour of those who have drowned

While we who have not are stricken with guilt

And dutifully see that not one drop is spilt;

We’re drinking to life

We’re drinking to death —

We’re drinking 'til none of our livers are left!

We’re wending our way down to the spirit store

We’ll drink 'til we just can’t drink anymore!

Raise your glasses high

Drink the cellar dry!

Well, bloody my nose

And blacken my eye!

If it ain’t some young Turk in search of a fight —

And Chanticleer’s chest is sagging with pride

For honour has yet to be satisfied

Well, heaven be thanked

We live in an age

When no man need bother

(Except on the stage)

With 'Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori' -

And definitely not tonight!

I can still remember

When I was just a kid —

I was free to do what I wanted to

But I never, ever did…

So now with years of discretion reached

May we not forget

Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité

For there’s life in the old world yet!

There’ll always be an England (oh yes there will)

An Ireland and a France (indubitably)

A Liechtenstein and Finland (absolutely right, completely undeniable)

And we have only one chance…

Earnest young man with an unhealthy tan

Puts a drink in my hand and says:

«I understand

You’re in search of the place

To continue the chase

Of the heavenly taste?

I suggest in that case

You all come with me

To my place by the sea

Where the glasses shall be overflowing with free

Alcoholic delights

And free love if you like

For what point has this life

If you can’t realise your dreams?!

"

Oh, raise your glasses high

And drink the town dry!

We’ll drink beyond the boundaries of sense!

We’ll drink 'til we start to see lovely pink elephants

Inside our heads, inside our beds

Inside the threads of our pyjama legs

So don’t shoot til you see the reds of our eyes

And an army of elephants marching behind!

From the day I was born 'til the night I will die

All my lovers will be pink and elephantine!