Let Nellie Sleep Under the Bar

On a cold winter's evening,
The guests were all leaving
O'Leary was closing the bar.
He stopped and he said to the lady in red,
"Get out! You can't stay where you are."

She wept a sad tear in her bucket of beer
As she thought of the cold night ahead.
When a gentleman dapper, stepped out of the ... PHONE BOOTH
And these were the words that he said:

Her mother never told her, the things a young girl should know,
About the ways of college men, [aside: "The girls all shouted 'Boys!'"]
And how they come and go. [aside: "The girls all shouted 'Mostly come!'"]
Now age taken her beauty, and sin has left its sad scar,
So remember your mothers and sisters, boys,
Let Nellie sleep under the bar.
Or in you car
B-A-R -- E

Transcribed from the singing of Sarah Curry. Learned mid-1960s at University of Arizona at "beer bust" parties.


Download recording here:
https://archive.org/download/jack_horntip_collection_field_recordings/0171%20Let%20Nellie%20Sleep%20Under%20The%20Bar%20%5BAka%20The%20Lady%20In%20Red%5D.mp3