Story Behind The Song

Written and recorded at The Beer Barrel Saloon in Put-In-Bay, Ohio, home of the World's Longest Bar and one of the top showrooms in the US.

Song Description

The captain of the boat tells the guys "Whatever ya do tonight just save the beer." When the boat goes down and the crew has the choice to save the beer or the captain, they save the beer. And then when they are on a raft stacked high with beer, they have

Lyrics

A battered 40-footer left from Cleveland Friday night
Chuggin' out for Put-In-Bay where they would spend the night
When the Captain stocked the boat up his intentions had been clear
Four-hundred-fifty cases of Old Milwaukee Beer

Before they even left the Flats the sky was lookin' bad
And when a gale began to blow the Captain told the lads
Down below I've piled and stacked an awful lot of brew
So if we should go down tonight this is what to do

CHORUS
Save the beer lads Save the beer
Whatever you do tonight just save the beer
Lake Erie's got us in her grip but Put-In-Bay is near
We may be goin' down but save the beer

The storm it blew its hardest Three miles from the docks
They heard a mighty crash below as if they'd hit some rocks
But it was just those cases smashin' holes below
Letting in Lake Erie as they hurtled to and fro

The Captain crawled across the deck and no one knew quite how
He fell into the water as a wave crashed on the bow
The crew was in a quandry as they thought of what he said
They could have saved the Captain but they saved the beer instead

CHORUS

As the boat was sinking they found timbers from a pier
They lashed 'em all together and they loaded on the beer
By then the storm was over that had caused the boat to sink
They might have lost the Captain but they had enough to drink

They drifted for an hour or two when something caught their eye
Four waitresses from Hooter's who's boat had sunk nearby
Their shirts were torn and hangin' loose as they bobbed in the swell
Now they had some women and lots of beer as well

CHORUS

But when the Hooter's waitresses climbed aboard the craft
The extra weight from silicone began to swamp the raft
The crew began to scramble They had a choice to make
Four bodacious women or beer thrown in the lake

The women's chests were heaving as they began to cry
They got down on their knees and said, "We'll do anything for you guys"
Their wet t-shirts were tempting but still the choice was clear
They said "Throw back the waitresses, By God let's save the beer!"

LAST CHORUS
Save the beer lads, save the beer
Whatever ya' do tonight just save the beer
They've got a hundred waitresses on Put-In-Bay I hear
So row a little more and save the beer
Whatever ya' do tonight just save the beer