Time was
when a shop stood drowned in shade
when we girls and boys came to play by water.

And drunken John
sat on and on
behind the shop. He sang
and the neighbors' girl
grew sad
don't you forget me
don't you forget me
and remember
drunken John.

We roamed the neighborhood
with the birds
we flew toward the shop
with piles of roses
and drunken John
kept busy drawing on the walls
the picture of the neighbors' girl.

The neighbors' daughter is pretty
She eloped on the night of a feast
The shop came down
and a new house went up
in its place
and still
on the walls of oblivion
drunken John draws
the picture of the neighbors' daughter