American Old Time Song Lyrics: 26 High License

Theater, Music-Hall, Nostalgic, Irish & Historic Old Songs, Volume 26

HIGH LICENSE
Tune- "I Owe $10 to O'Grady."
Composed and Sung by Budd Harris.

Kind friends, I'm bothered in my mind and very much perplexed,
The liquor question in the town has got me sorely vexed;
To get my license from the big four I have tried in vain,
The way they jumped upon me, it has drove me quite insane.
At the polls in days gone by on each election day,
I've did the best that I could in the thickest of the fray;
And now to think republicans can give me no relief.
No license will they grant, me And they treat me like a thief.

Chor.
I went down the court to get my license.
You'd thought I was on trial for my life;
They made me think I had committed murder,
And they asked me if I ever licked my wife.
They told me that I had sold beer on Sunday,
They said for thieves my house was a resort;
And they made me think it was a crime to drink.
When I tried to get my license from the court.

On many a night in Winter, when the stormy winds did blow,
The coppers worked my side-door and came in out of the snow;
Smoked my cigars and drank my beer, and sometimes took a drop
Of something that was stronger, just to keep their insides hot.
Now the poor cop must go dry, no liquor can he get.
No stove to warm his shins when he comes in out the wet;
No backroom to sleep it off when he gets badly boozed,
What will the police do now since my license got refused?-Chorus.

Now for something else to do I must look out, of course,
I might get in the custom house or on the police force;
Out in Fairmount park perhaps they'll send me cutting grass,
Or maybe boss McManus will put me at making gas.
Maybe I can get a job as spy for lawyer Vail,
Perhaps I might get in the mint, or keeper of the jail;
Anxiety to get a job has got my poor heart bruised,
I must come down to hard work since my license got refused.-Chorus.