Riding the High Stool - Christy Moore

I was riding the high stool, expandin' and expoundin'

On the price of rice in Siera Leone and the height of the beef mountain

As to where did Jack Doyle meet Movita.

How many wives did the Aga Khan

Dismountin' from my high horse, I couldn’t find the handle of the bar room door!

Yeah sure I knew it all then up again' the counter

I’d weigh you up in ten seconds flat

Ya see I was a great judge of character, my instincts always tellin' me exactly

what kinda guy I got

'Til I turned to go that is, whereupon I couldn’t tell my arse from my

well-bent elbow

I was heading down the streets of Laredo singin' Red Sails in the Sunset

Sure it was no wonder, we knew it all then

Twas like drinkin' porter off a sore leg sez Ber Murphy

«Would ye ever ask me bollix», sez Kenny Barry

I showed them the colour of me money when I got back from Katanga

There’s no business like show business sez Titch Maher in Flood’s bar

After snaggin' turnips for the Holy Fathers

But after it got dark, much later;

down by the pinkeen bridge.

I cried buckets

in the river

When Mickser sang «Oh gentle Swallows»…oh gentle swallows

For knowin' it all is a lonely place to be.

Yet still I found it very hard to

say

«Hey man, this load is too much for me, til I was completely terrified

Whereupon a light ship came upon my way, and caught me in its beam

Before I went under, yet again, for the very last time

I was ridin' the high stool, expandin' and expoundin'

Swimming in the wine lakes and climbing the beef mountains

Ridin' the high stool expandin' and expoundin'

On the price of rice in Siera Leone and the height of the beef mountain

Ridin' the high stool expandin' and expoundin'…