All For Me Grog
More actions
"All For Me Grog" is a traditional drinking song with origins in 18th century Scotland. It tells of a sailor who has frittered away their money and clothing in pursuit of pleasure, and now must return to sea.
The Roud Index lists a very early iteration of the song appearing in a 1740 collection called Tea Table Miscellany under the title "If E'er I Do Well 'Tis a Wonder";[1] like the modern version, it features the singer bemoaning their spendthrifty ways and cataloguing the sorry state of their various articles of clothing, though it lacks the modern chorus.[2] The song's trail then goes dark for over a century, with the next known example collected in Yorkshire in the 1880s-90s under the modern title.[3] It has become a folk music staple, recorded by numerous artists including A.L. Lloyd, The Watersons, and The Dubliners.
The Longest Johns released a version of the song on 7 March 2023 as the lead single from their EP The Longest Pony in collaboration with El Pony Pisador.
Factoids
Grog originally referred to watered-down rum given to Royal Navy sailors as part of their daily rations. It got its name from Admiral Edward Vernon, nicknamed "Old Grog" for a cloak he wore made of grogam (a coarse woven fabric), who ordered the water to be added in an effort to prevent drunkenness.[4]
Noggin can have several meanings, including a small mug or a measure of alcohol, but here it is simply a nonsense word; other versions of the song sometimes substitute "naggin'", or occasionally stronger words in less polite company.
An Australian version of the song referring to bushwhackers instead of sailors emerged in the late 19th or early 20th century, under the title "Across the Western Plains".[5]
Lyrics
Lyrics very kindly provided by JD.
And it's all for me grog, me jolly jolly grog
It’s all for me beer and tobacco
Well I've spent all me tin on the lassies drinking gin
Far across the western ocean I must wander
Where are me boots, me noggin', noggin' boots,
They're all gone for beer and tobacco.
For the heels they are worn out and the toes are kicked about
And the soles are looking out for better weather.
{Chorus}
Well it's all for me grog, me jolly jolly grog
It’s all for me beer and tobacco
Well I've spent all me tin on the lassies drinking gin.
Far across the western ocean I must wander
Where is me shirt, me noggin', noggin' shirt,
It's all gone for beer and tobacco.
For the collar is all worn, and the sleeves they are all torn,
And the tail is looking out for better weather.
{Chorus}
(Instrumental)
Well I'm sick in the head and I haven't been to bed,
Since first I came ashore with me plunder
I've seen centipedes and snakes and me head is full of aches
And I'll have to make a path for way out yonder
{Chorus 3x}
[fading out]
And it’s all for me grog (grog), me jolly, jolly grog (grog)
It’s all for me beer (grog) and tobacco (grog)
Well I've spent all me tin on the lassies drinking gin
[ad libbing, laughter]
Recordings
Streaming/Purchase
YouTube Videos
Gig Videos
- Winchester Cathedral, Winchester, UK (8 Feb 2025) (with El Pony Pisador)
Full Band Streams
- Stream Lantern (27 Sep 2023)
- Streamy Todd - The Demon Streamer of Fleet Street (15 Jan 2025)
- Streamger Things (14 Jan 2025)
- ↑ https://www.vwml.org/record/RoudFS/S460849
- ↑ Ramsay, Allan. The tea-table miscellany: a collection of choice songs, Scots and English. In four volumes. ... By Allan Ramsay. Vol. 4, printed by William Phorson, 1793. Eighteenth Century Collections Online, link.gale.com/apps/doc/CW0112813828/ECCO?&pg=43. Accessed 7 Mar. 2023.
- ↑ https://www.vwml.org/record/FK/3/153#
- ↑ https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grog
- ↑ https://mainlynorfolk.info/lloyd/songs/goodbrownaleandtobacco.html