Tam he woke tae find a shadow by the bed
Blamed it on the vapors still beleaguerin' his head
Scrubbed his chops & dragged an oily bug rake through his hair
And wiped the mirror tae find the bogey mimickin' his stare

He boilt the jug tae quench his mug & baked a lump o' toast
Hid behind the racin' pages from the hoary ghost
"Awfy ghostie if yer here tae make me dead
Spare me life & bother me wife or Mother-in-law instead!"

"Tam McCorty I'm not here to make you cry
I know youre just a broken man wi' longing in his eye
I'll say my say & go my way a-carving through the rye
Tam McCorty, its not your day to die."

"By the way ye've hung yer tools o' trade & mantle I can tell
Ye willnae leave until ye've seen me safely intae hell
So follow me down the 'Horse & Crown' of liquor I'm sae fond
I'll drink meself tae death & haunt the witches from beyond."

"Tam McCorty I'm not here to make you cry
I know youre just a broken man wi' longing in his eye
I'll say my say & go my way a-carving through the rye
Tam McCorty, its not your day to die."

They drank to fallen heroes, they spat & cursed the Queen
They argued o'er 'Black Caviar' - The finest ever seen?
They smoked cigars & played at cards for pots o' Gilbeys Gin
Roarin' as the fiery liqour, it spilled all down their chin
"Tam McCorty I'm not here to make you cry
I know youre just a broken man wi' longing in his eye
I'll say my say & go my way a-carving through the rye
Tam McCorty, its not your day to die."

They staggered home along the tracks & pissed against a post
The dogs a' barkin' madly, all as though they'd seen a ghost
"Oh take me now I beg you, pick yer mark & pick it well
I'm tired o' livin' & there I think I hear the hounds o' HELL!"

"Tam McCorty I'm not here to make you cry
I know youre just a broken man wi' longing in his eye
I'll say my say & go my way a-carving through the rye
Tam McCorty, its not your day to die."

Death threw his cloak across him where he passed out in his chair
And whispered in a frosty tone directly in his ear
"Best you learn to live again, forgive yerself yer past
For when you see me next Tam, it'll be your last."

"Tam McCorty I'm not here to make you cry
I know youre just a broken man wi' longing in his eye
I'll say my say & go my way a-carving through the rye
Tam McCorty, its not your day to die."

"Tam McCorty I'm not here to make you cry
I know youre just a broken man wi' longing in his eye
I'll say my say & go my way a-carving through the rye
Tam McCorty, its not your day to die
Tam McCorty, its not your day to die
Tam McCorty, its not your day to die."