Rakes of Mallow
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John Renfro Davis
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This is a well-known Irish drinking song. The tune was first printed circa 1740.

For those of you who didn't grow up on Regency novels (Georgette Heyer being the best and Barbara Cartland another) a rake (short for rakehell) was an ammoral man who lived a life of debauchery.

There is another version of lyrics: The Galway Piper

Beauing, belleing, dancing, drinking,
Breaking windows, cursing, sinking
Ever raking, never thinking,
Live the Rakes of Mallow;
Spending faster than it comes,
Beating waiters bailiffs, duns,
Bacchus' true begotten sons,
Live the Rakes of Mallow.

One time naught but claret drinking,
Then like politicians, thinking
To raise the "sinking funds"when sinking.
Live the Rakes of Mallow.
When at home, with da-da dying,
Still for mellow water crying;
But, where there's good claret plying
Live the Rakes of Mallow.

Racking tenants, stewards teasing,
Swiftly spending, slowly raising,
Wishing to spend all their days in
Raking as at Mallow.
Then to end this raking life,
They get sober, take a wife,
Ever after live in strife,
And wish again for Mallow.
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Information and Lyrics From Digital Tradition Folk Song Search