Here's a Health to the Company

Not to be confused with the other Parting Glass, though sometimes titled as such — the two songs share similar subject matter, but are otherwise unrelated. The earliest written examples date from 1875,^[1] but at least one source claims it was performed as early as 1836.^[2] The Longest Johns' version was featured as the closing track on Cures What Ails Ya, released in 2020.

The song was the subject of the fourth TLJ Community Video Project, with submissions accepted January through March 2023; the finished project was released 19 July 2023, featuring 587 submissions.

Factoids

The song is often interpreted as the farewell of one preparing to emigrate; it was particularly popular in Ireland and Scotland in the early-to-mid 19th century, which both saw a great deal of emigration in that era due to unemployment, evictions, and famine.^[3]^[4]

Lyrics

These lyrics are based on the version performed by the Longest Johns in their livestreams.

Kind friends and companions, come join me in rhyme
Come lift up your voices in chorus with mine
Come lift up your voices, all grief to refrain
For we may or might never all meet here again

{Chorus}
Here's a health to the company and one to my lass
Let us drink and be merry all out of one glass
Let us drink and be merry, all grief to refrain
For we may or might never all meet here again

Here's a health to the dear lass that I love so well
For her style and her beauty, sure none can excel
There's a smile on her countenance as she sits on my knee
There's no man in this wide world as happy as me

{Chorus}

Our ship lies at anchor, she's ready to dock
I wish her safe landing, without any shock
If ever I should meet you by land or by sea
I will always remember your kindness to me

{Chorus x2}

Recordings

Streaming/Purchase

Cures What Ails Ya version

Commodore 1864 version

YouTube Videos

Gig Videos

Full Band Streams

Chill Streams

Gaming Streams

[1] ttps://www.fresnostate.edu/folklore/ballads/CrSe222.html

[2] ttps://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=49309&threadid=49309#744412

[3] ttps://www.johngraycentre.org/about/archives/brief-history-emigration-immigration-scotland-research-guide-2/

[4] ttps://www.britannica.com/event/Great-Famine-Irish-history

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