American Old Time Song Lyrics: 45 Shingling The Rum Sellers Roof

Theater, Music-Hall, Nostalgic, Irish & Historic Old Songs, Volume 45

Shingling the Rum-Seller's Roof.
Copyright, 1894, by Andrew Lagerquist.
Words by Rev. Robert Whitaker
Music by Andrew Lagerquist.

One night a poor wretch in a wayside saloon,
Who lingered half-drunken about,
Heard the voice of the rum-seller's wife, as she said,
"Go, put yonder drunken fool out."
The ruin-seller laughed as he shrewdly replied,
In tones that would brook no reproof,
"Let him stay if he will, he is doing no harm-
The fellow Is shingling our roof."

Chorus.
Are you shingling the rum-seller's roof
Are you shingling the rum-seller's roof
While your own house decays,
Are you spending your days
In shingling the rum-seller's roof

The months passed away, but he came not again,
The rum-seller noted with pain;
And seeking him out with hospitable air,
He begged his "old friend "to explain.
"You want me to visit again your saloon,
And ask why I linger aloof?
With thanks for your kindness, allow me to say,
Because I am shingling my roof." - Chorus.

Ye men who are shingling the rum-seller's roof
By robbing yourselves and your own,
Remember the winter of life draweth nigh,
And soon will the summer have flown;
'Twill little avail in the day of God's wrath
To offer high heaven the proof
That your house is now desolate only because
You've shingled some rum-seller's roof.- Chorus.

And woe to the man with the rum-seller's heart,
Who covers himself at the cost
Of manhood and womanhood, marred and despoiled-
Whose gain is that others are lost.
In the day when his house shall fall in on himself
The weight of his sins shall have proof:
When the lost whom he ruined shall crush him and cry,
"We shingled the rum-seller's roof." - Chorus.