The Ballad of Ronnie Drew

Heres to the Ronnie, the voice we adore
Like coals from a coal-bucket, scraping the floor
Sing out his praises in music and march
And if you are not Irish, that isnt your fault
Raise up our voices like dogs in a pack
Thankful for honest man, we never lack
We got them by twenties, we got them by ones
Them and their daughters, and all of their sons
(Hey! Hey!)
Heres to you (Hey!), Ronnie Drew (Hey!)
Heres to you (Hey!), Ronnie Drew (Hey!)
Ronnie Drew (Hey! Hey !), we love you, yes we do
Heres to you, Ronnie Drew, heres to you
I watched them plenty, through right and er wrong
Whether Im easy or whether Im true
But as she lifted her petticoat easy and slow
I rolled up my sleeves for to buckle her shoe
Get up and work from five until five
When the whistle says better, well come back alive
Hell sing to the heavens, hes stormy as hell
And wherever he goes, well be wishing him well
(Hey! Hey!)
Heres to you (Hey!), Ronnie Drew (Hey!)
(Hey!) Heres to you (Hey!), Ronnie Drew (Hey!)
Ronnie Drew (Hey!), we love you, yes we do
Heres to you, Ronnie Drew, heres to you
The dawn and the dusk, the unwise, the unjust gives and gets him gaze
The unheard, the unseen, the unwashed, and the clean where the streets all have names
Baggot Street, meets the street right on St . Stephens Street lovers and loners who can peer on your shoulders
The gods and the rapers, immigrants and traders, sing about him
A man for a man and a hand for a hand
Trust in the music, strike up the band
The more that we sing, the less that we find
Time and again, this is brood to be right
Build you a statue on St. Stephens Green
No fairer monument there to be seen
A statue of Ronnie Drew, holding the hand
Of a girl with her hair in a black velvet band
(Hey! Hey!)
Heres to you (No stranger to dare), Ronnie Drew (Or angels to devil)
Heres to you (A friend of a friend of a friend of a), Ronnie Drew (A friend to you)
Ronnie Drew (Ronnie Drew), we love you, yes we do
Heres to you, Ronnie Drew, heres to you
Heres to you, Ronnie Drew, heres to you (Ronnie Drew )
I watched them plenty, through right and er wrong
Whether Im easy or whether Im true
But as she lifted her petticoat easy and slow
I rolled up my sleeves for to buckle her shoe