The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #125846 Message #2790878
Posted By: autoharper
17-Dec-09 - 08:39 PM
Thread Name: Is alcohol the only drug...? (songs praising drugs
Subject: Lyr Add: TOBACCO'S BUT AN INDIAN WEED
Perhaps the oldest one is "Tobacco's But An Indian Weed"
attributed to Thomas D'Urfey, around 1719. Often mistaken as a song about the dangers of lung disease, the song uses tobacco smoking as a metaphor for the the transient nature of existence. Larry Hanks recorded an excellent version of this song on his "Tying a Knot in the Devil's Tail" CD.
1. To-bacco's but an Indian weed,
Grows green at morn, cut down at eve
It shows our de-cay,
We are but clay;
Think of this when you smoke to-bacco!
2. The pipe that is so lily white,
Wherein so many take delight,
It's broken with a touch,
Man's life is such
Think of this when you take tobacco!
3. The pipe that is so foul within,
It shows man's soul is stained with sin
It doth require
To be purred with fire;
Think of this when you smoke tobacco!
4. The dust that from the pipe doth fall,
It shows we are nothing but dust at all
For we came from the dust,
And return we must;
Think of this when you smoke tobacco!
5. The ashes that are left behind,
Do serve to put us all in mind
That unto dust
Return we must;
Think of this when you take tobacco!
6. The smoke that does so high ascend,
Shows that man's life must have an end
The vapor's gone,
Man's life is done;
Think of this when you take tobacco!
-Adam Miller