"Seven Drunken Nights" is a humorous Irish folk song dating back to the 18th century. The song humorously narrates a gullible drunkard's recurring discoveries of evidence suggesting his wife's infidelity, only to be duped by increasingly implausible explanations.
The song gained global popularity with The Dubliners' recording of "Seven Drunken Nights," reaching number 7 on the UK charts in 1967 and topping the charts in Ireland. Despite being banned from the Irish national broadcasting station, the song enjoyed widespread success.
Various versions and adaptations of the song exist, with different lyrics and regional variations. The song's humorous narrative structure revolves around the protagonist's nightly discoveries, including a horse, coat, pipe, boots, head, hands, and a thing. The wife's explanations become increasingly absurd, leading to comical exchanges between the characters.
Though song's later verses are often considered too risqué for some audiences, they add to the song's irreverent charm, which is why we usually save this song for later in the set when hopefully most of the wee ones have drifted off to sleep. If we get a request for it though, we'll be sure to suggest “ear muffs” before we get to the weekend!