Mark Seymour & The Undertow - Thirsty Old Men lyrics

Down by the river The old men go drinking Growing taller and younger They do all their thinking They throw down the numbers And their tools of the trade They drown their sorrows without sinking They gather ‘round the campfire The smoke keeps on drifting Eyes full of laughter And a lifetime of lifting Nothing is sacred and no one's to blame They drown their sorrows without sinking Down by the river They lie without blinking Talk up their women Nudging and winking They make their excuses And go home to their wives They drown their sorrows without sinkin' She said “Put up or shut up Is this some kind of set up? Baby don't you lie when you come home to me?” She took no excuses Just small time abuses That I paid out so a blind man could see Down by the river the ghosts keep forgiving The crimes and misdemeanours The price of hard living Pa** me the bottle and I'll drink to the stars I'll drown my sorrows without sinking