we hit the dark rooms at the dying of the light 
and for developments await 
the day beginning with the coming of the night 
i take my breakfast at eight p.m. 

i list the promises i've given to myself 
the world's at fourty degrees 
messages in bottles wait upon the bar-room shelf 
i count them off in twos and threes 
there's something ironic 
in unspoken jest 
my nerves take a tonic 
and the world takes the rest 

alcohol is an ambulance, a fighting ship 
alcohol gives the hand that shakes a steady grip 
alcohol is the scorpion in a lucky dip 
alcohol, alcohol 

i wall my thoughts up with a plaster skim 
like chewing gum they all congeal 
through glasses, darkly, i observe that's me that's him 
some kind of skeleton is hazily revealed... 
nothing's the matter 
nothing has changed 
i'm mad as a hatter 
but feeling no pain 

alcohol is the angel's kiss upon your lips 
alcohol is the sorceror's apprenticeship 
alcohol is the parachute that never rips 
alcohol is the jacket that you can't unzip 
alcohol is the searchlight and a neon strip 
alcohol is the answer at your fingertips 
alcohol - the casino where you cash your chips 
alcohol, alcohol, alcohol 

alcohol is an ambulance, a fighting ship 
alcohol gives the hand that shakes a steady grip 
alcohol is the scorpion in a lucky dip 
alcohol is the jacket that you can't unzip 
alcohol is the searchlight and a neon strip 
alcohol is the answer at your fingertips 
alcohol - the casino where you cash your chips 
alcohol, alcohol, alcohol 

alcohol is the angel's kiss upon your lips 
alcohol is the sorceror's apprenticeship 
alcohol is the parachute that never rips 
alcohol is the jacket that you can't unzip 
alcohol is the searchlight and a neon strip 
alcohol is the answer at your fingertips 
alcohol - the casino where you cash your chips 
alcohol, alcohol, alcohol