The Real McCoy
Edinburgh Shanty Night Original - Written by ESN attendee Peter Adams
Heave ho McCoy!
We’ll raise our glasses high
Temp’rence bailed when Tomoka sailed
For rum and whisky and rye!
Bill McCoy was an honest crim
He sailed to the line where the law was thin
He brought the grog and the wine and gin
And rum and whisky and rye!
Burlocks full of the golden stuff he
Packed in his schooner when the times got tough
The folk on the land couldn’t get enough
Of rum and whisky and rye!
He heaved from Bimini to and fro
From Nassau Port sailing up Rum Row
and Mabel Willebrandt wouldn’t know
’Bout rum and whisky and rye!
Honest Bill poured a measure braw
The coastguard swept on a folly yaw
Not a penny paid to the gang or law
For rum and whisky and rye!
They sent the Seneca to arraign him
Fifteen gentlemen to detain him
The shells they fell all around like rain
On rum and whisky and rye!
Bill saw a shot go across the bow
But the Real McCoy wouldn’t be kowtow’d
Out came the tommy gun pow pow pow
For rum and whisky and rye!
