When The Reaper came a calling,
I knew that I must stall him,
I must keep The Reaper talking,
Or with him I must go walking.
Just to give me time to think,
And though his drink was spiced,
He said it was quite nice.
He got drowsy and so sleepy,
But he still looked pale and creepy,
And his voice was slurred and slow,
When he said it's time to go.
I offered him another one,
And I could see that he was having fun,
His scythe forgotten on the ground,
And his singing made an eerie sound.
As I was praying for the dawning,
I must keep him here till the sun was up,
So I offered him another drop.
He slept right through till past midday,
Then said we must be on our way,
Then I pulled the curtains and let in the light,
And The Reaper got an awful fright.
You tricked me fair, he said to me,
You have tricked your way from eternity,
And when night falls down I will leave alone,
And leave you living in your home.
But do you mind if I call sometime,
To share your whisky and your fine wine,
Because it was the best time I've ever had,
And you must surely see that I'm not that bad.
Now every month when the moon is full,
The Reaper calls when his work gets dull,
From dusk till dawn we sit and drink,
Then he falls asleep as the sky turns pink.
But his company sure wears me down,
And when drunk he looks like an evil clown,
And my suffering wife gets real upset,
Because our house just reeks and stinks of death.