[Verse 1]
It’s eighteen four nine,
By a creek near the western pine.
I know a man at the mine,
And he shares my thirst for the ole’ jug wine.
And when the work is done,
Then we drink to the setting sun.
And like his father before,
He’s a claim-jumpin’ hillbilly miner’s son.

[Chorus]
Hey give me rye whisky, rye whisky dry gin,
Give me glowin’ yellow water ‘till the rush comes in.
Never rich from the riches and we don’t ask why,
Gonna drink ‘till the liquor runs dry.

[Verse 2]
Damn Californian sun,
Hits ya sooner than the day’s begun.
Out along the river trail,
Panning through the gravel on the miner detail.
But the river was thin,
And we thirst for the taste of the bootleg gin.
So then we drank like sin,
Having worked like the devil just to bring the gold in.

[Chorus]
Hey give me rye whisky, rye whisky dry gin,
Give me glowin’ yellow water ‘till the rush comes in.
Never rich from the riches and we don’t ask why,
Gonna drink ‘till the liquor runs dry.

[Verse 3]
And the creek was dry,
Panning just to get us all by.
With little sign of guilt,
Dredging others’ claims through the cloudy silt.
Left home long ago,
With the summer scent of roses and that leather on willow.
And so the old juice flows,
Tryin’ to kill a little time until a rich vein shows.

[Chorus]
Hey give me rye whisky, rye whisky dry gin,
Give me glowin’ yellow water ‘till the rush comes in.
Never rich from the riches and we don’t ask why,
Gonna drink ‘till the liquor runs dry.

[Bridge]
Oh San Francisco now you got me on my knees.
But it’s gold for fools, we’re just working mules.
Here for next to nothin’ fees.

[Chorus]
Hey give me rye whisky, rye whisky dry gin,
Give me glowin’ yellow water ‘till the rush comes in.
Never rich from the riches and we don’t ask why,
Gonna drink ‘till the liquor runs dry.

[Chorus]
Give me rye whisky, rye whisky dry gin,
Give me glowin’ yellow water ‘till the rush comes in.
Never rich from the riches and we don’t ask why,
Gonna drink ‘till the liquor runs dry.
Gonna drink ‘till the liquor runs dry.