Old Blind Dogs -- Pills of White Mercury

A fantastic song by Old Blind Dogs.

This is a song off the album Tall Tails, it featured the vocalist Ian F. Benzie, who is, in my opinion, the best vocalist the group has had. It's not that I don't like their new stuff, but I prefer their older work. This is one of my favorite songs they've done. I think you'll all enjoy it as well.

--Lyrics--

As I was a walking by the banks of the Ugie
Come my dear friends and a story I'll relate
I spied a dear comrade all dressed in white flannel
Dressed in white flannel and cruel was his fate

The mercury was beating, the limestone was reeking
His tongue all inflamed hung over his chin
A hole in his bosom, his teeth were a closin'
Bad luck to the girl that had gi'ed him the Phlegm

[Chorus:]
And had she but told me, oh when she dishonored me
Had she but told me of it in time
I might have been cured by those pills of white mercury
Now I am a young man cut down in my prime

My parents they warned me and oftimes they chided
With those young flash girls do not sport and play
But I never listened, no I never heeded
I just carried on in my own wicked way

[Chorus]

It's down on the corner two flash girls were talking
One to the other did whisper and say,
"There goes that young man who once was so jolly,
But now for his sins his own body must pay"

[Chorus]

Oh doctor, dear doctor before your departure
Take all these bottles of mercury away
And send for the minister to say a prayer over me
So they can lay my poor body in the clay

[Chorus]

Now get you six fellows to carry my coffin
Six pretty fair maids to bear up my pall
Give each of them there a bunch of red roses
So when they pass by me they'll not know the smell

[Chorus]

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Old
• Blind
• Dogs
• Pills
• of
• White
• Mercury
• Tall
• Tails
• Folk
• Traditional
• Ian
• Benzie

[StayGreenBDifferent]

I love this version. Musical ode to syphilis. I just try not to think of the meaning as I sing along.

[BarbaricGoose]

Hahaha, indeed.

If you don't pay much mind to the lyrics, the song is quite cheerful. Hard to not sing along.

[jacobitemoray]

ian benzies voice, is superb . i do mis him from old blind dogs. i love the way old blind dogs speed up the traditional tunes. have you heard the battle of harlaw, it is brilliant. i play it in the car everytime i pass by inverurie...

[xgalore77zerha268]

great song

[circle43cm]

I saw this live, Chico California late 90's , a small pub , Duffys - simply the best

[treceratops]

I do love this song. I think the live version with Ian is even better than this one

[TulilaSalome]

I love Old Blind Dogs! Satanic Scottish folk-music - no-one survives in their songs...

[carollizc]

Well, there were several - this being one, but the main influence on "Streets of Laredo" was the Irish song " The Unfortunate Rake". Several of the verses are nearly identical. Syphilis being the horrible disease that it is, and then uncurable, there were not a few songs lamenting the fates of young men afflicted with it, though in "Streets of Laredo", the young man has been shot.

[Otaku155]

This tune actually served as the melodic inspiration for 'The Streets of Laredo'

[ceanadach]

Awesome,been waitin fer someone tae post this one!

Tnx!

[NoRefillsLeft]

Love this song and CD - well, all their CDs. I too seem to enjoy the original line-up with Ian Benzie more (but I also like Jim Malcolm.) :)  Thanks for posting.