“One day crossin’ the avenue, a big car knocked me down.
I was stretched out tying up traffic and crowds came from blocks around
While the police were searchin my pockets, before they sent me to the funeral parlour,
One of those cops touched my bottle, Jack, I jumped straight up and commenced to hollar

Gimme that wine (Gimme that wine)
Gimme that wine (Gimme that wine)
Gimme that wine (Gimme that wine)
I just can’t get well without Muskatel

One real dark and dreary night while I was staggering home to bed, y’all
A bandit jumped from the shadows and put a blackjack ’side my head.
That cat took my watch, my ring, my money, and I didn’t even make a sound,
But when he reached up and got my bottle, you could hear me for blocks around

Gimme that wine (Gimme that wine)
Gimme that wine (Gimme that wine)
Gimme that wine (Gimme that wine)
Beat my head outta shape, but don’t touch my grape.

One day my house caught fire while I was laying down sleeping off a nap
And when I woke up everything was burning with a pop and a crackle and a snap.
Well the fireman broke up my TV set and they tore my apartment apart,
But when he raised that axe to my bottle, Jack, I just cried with all my heart…

I said gimme that wine (Gimme that wine)
Gimme that wine (Gimme that wine)
Gimme that wine (Gimme that wine)
I’ll just have one toast before I roast.”

Written by Jon Hendricks. Listen to The E Street Band’s version here.