C G
The French drink wine, the English tea
C G C
The Yankee gulps his hot black coffee
C G
The child drinks milk nine times a day
C G C
The Scotsman sips his whiskey toddy
[Verse 1]
C G
You can keep you wine and keep your tea!
C G C
My curse on him that brings me coffee!
F G
I'll have porter, if I may
C G C
It makes me feel content and happy
[Chorus]
C G
Porter quaffed down with a laugh
C G C
The gentry have their aching livers
C C
Water is all right in tea
C G C
For fish, and things that swim in rivers
[Verse 2]
C G
The poor man and the beggar, too
C G C
The poet in the corner thinking
F G
If they had money enough to spend
C G C
It's pints of porter they'd be drinking
[Chorus]
C G
Porter quaffed down with a laugh
C G C
The gentry have their aching livers
C G
Water is all right in tea
C G C
For fish, and things that swim in rivers
[Verse 3]
C G
The miser hoards and stores his gold
C G C
The bee collects the summer honey
F G
When that miser's dead and cold
C G C
Someone else will kiss his money!
[Chorus]
C G
Porter quaffed down with a laugh
C G C
The gentry have their aching livers
C G
Water is all right in tea
C G C
For fish, and things that swim in rivers
[Verse 4]
C G
Some go in for counting beads
C G C
More go in for chasing women
F G C
The scholar stays at home and reads
C G C
Give me the glass with porter in it
[Chorus]
C G
Porter quaffed down with a laugh
C G C
The gentry have their aching livers
C G
Water is all right in tea
C G C
For fish, and things that swim in rivers