Rye Whiskey (Version 1, handwritten, key of A)
Public domain - full karaoke IMMHA-L389
Credit: Traditional · traditional
Origin: Traditional American song (Roud 941), author unknown, collected by John Lomax by 1910; public domain. Version 1 of 2: handwritten in blue ink (cursive) with chords, 3/4 time, key of A, 'Traditional'. The PDF copy (pdf1-1/pdf2-1) is the same page.
Source: https://balladindex.org/Ballads/R405.html
Lyrics sheet: courtesy of Country Roads Folk Music Camp, Mount Madonna County Park, California (about the camp)
Original scan: from John's songbook (scan to be posted on @IMMHACAL)
Chords as printed on the original song sheet. Chords as handwritten (A and D).
Chorus: A D A Rye whiskey, rye whiskey, rye whiskey I cry D A If I don't get rye whiskey I surely will die. D A It's whiskey, rye whiskey, I know you of old D A You robbed my poor pockets of silver and gold. - Chorus - D A It's beefsteak when I'm hungry, rye whiskey when I'm dry A A greenback when I'm hard-up, oh heaven when I die. - Chorus - D A I'll go to yonder holler and build me a still D A And I'll sell you one gallon for a two-dollar bill. - Chorus - D A If the ocean was whiskey and I was a duck D A I'd dive to the bottom and never come up. - Chorus - D A But the ocean ain't whiskey and I ain't a duck D A So I'll play Jack-o-Diamonds and trust to my luck. - Chorus -