Lyrics
All For Me Grog
Fo’c’sle Song
Traditional
Chorus
And it’s all for me grog, me jolly’, jolly’ grog
Resp: All gone for beer and tobacco
Well I spent all me tin with the lassies drinking gin
Resp: Far across the Western Ocean I must wander
Where are me boots, me noggin’, noggin’ boots?
Resp: All gone for beer and tobacco
Well the heels they are worn out and the toes are knocked about
And the soles their looking out for better weather (Chorus)
Where is me shirt, my noggin’, noggin’ shirt?
Resp: All gone for beer and tobacco
Well the collar it is worn, and the sleeves they are all torn
And the tails are looking out for better weather (Chorus)
Where is our ship, our noggin’ noggin’ ship?
Resp: All gone for beer and tobacco
Well the masts are all torn down ‘cause we ran the ship aground
And I think we’re going to have to steal another (Chorus)
Where is me bed, me noggin’ noggin bed?
Resp: All gone for beer and tobacco
Well the sheets they are all tore, cause I lent them to a whore
And the springs are looking out for better weather (New Chorus)
New Chorus
Well it’s all for me grog, me jolly jolly grog
Resp: All gone for beer and tobacco
Well, I spent all me loot in a house of ill repute
And I think I’ll have to go back there tomorrow.
Where is my verse, me noggin’ noggin’ verse?
Resp: All gone for beer and tobacco
Well the nouns they are all gone and the adjectives, “So Long!”
And the verbs are lookin’ out for better weather (New Chorus)
Well I’m sick in the head and I haven’t been to bed
Since we came ashore with our plunder
I’ve seen cads and smelly rakes and their giving me headaches
And I think I’ll have to go away off yonder (New Chorus)
And I think I’ll have to go back there tomorrow.
Yes, I think I’ll have to go back there tomorrow!
WHERE TO FIND IT
Song Notes
Rum distillation began in the Caribbean in the early 17th century. When Britain captured Jamaica in 1655 the navy switched its sailor’s daily ration of French brandy to rum. Around 1740 British Admiral Edward Vernon commanded that the rum ration be watered down with water to prevent the sailors from hoarding until they had sufficient quantity to become inebriated with. This thinned-out drink was nicknamed Grog, perhaps apocryphally after the grogram cloak Vernon preferred to wear. Through the pubs that sailors frequented when back in port this song has achieved wide notoriety and is sung in many folk and entertainment genres.
Jeff Gee, who played “Fiddler Davey” in Bristol Renaissance Faire’s ensemble cast appearance as The Seadogs, first brought this tune to our circle. It is actually the first maritime music tune I’d ever sung! Bounding Main proudly brings this song to audiences today – in its own inimitable style.
The use of the term “Western Ocean” was a common way of referring to the Atlantic Ocean.
– Dean Calin