And it’s all for me grog, me jolly, jolly grog
All for me beer and tobacco
For I 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 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
And it’s all for me grog, me jolly, jolly grog
All for me beer and tobacco
For I 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
And it’s all for me grog, me jolly, jolly grog
All for me beer and tobacco
For I spent all me tin
On the lassies drinking gin
Far across the western ocean I must wander
Where is me bed, me noggin’, noggin’ bed
Gone for the beer and tobacco
The springs they got the twirls
So I sold it to the girls
And the sheets are looking out for better weather
And it’s all for me grog, me jolly, jolly grog
All for me beer and tobacco
For I spent all me tin
On the lassies drinking gin
Far across the western ocean I must wander
Where is me wife, me noggin’, noggin’ wife
She’s gone for the beer and tobacco
The door she walked out
For me love of the stout
And I’m sure she’s looking out for better weather
And it’s all for me grog, me jolly, jolly grog
All for me beer and tobacco
For I spent all me tin
On the lassies drinking gin
Far across the western ocean I must wander
I’m sick in the head and I haven’t been to bed
Since I came ashore with me plunder
I’ve seen centipedes and snakes
And I’m full of pains and aches
And I’ll have to make a path for way out yonder
And it’s all for me grog, me jolly, jolly grog
All for me beer and tobacco
For I spent all me tin
On the lassies drinking gin
Far across the western ocean I must wander
And it’s all for me grog, me jolly, jolly grog
All for me beer and tobacco
For I spent all me tin
On the lassies drinking gin
Far across the western ocean I must wander
Variant - All Through the Ale
The hat that I have on, it is so greasy gone
And as you can tell by its shining
It used to fasten up with a button and a loop
But now it’s all worn out to the lining
All through the ale, the confounded ale
All through the ale and tobacco
With a whack-fol-the-day, fol-the-diddle, fol-the-day
All through the ale and tobacco
The coat that I have on, it is so far run down
It’s out at the sleeve and the elbow
It’s needing of repair like a soldier in despair
That’s been seven years in the battle
All through the ale, the confounded ale
All through the ale and tobacco
With a whack-fol-the-day, fol-the-diddle, fol-the-day
All through the ale and tobacco
The breeches I have on, they are so far run down
My legs you so plainly can see them
Pockets I have two but it’s long since they were new
And I never have a penny to put in them
All through the ale, the confounded ale
All through the ale and tobacco
With a whack-fol-the-day, fol-the-diddle, fol-the-day
All through the ale and tobacco
Stockings I have two, but I never had a shoe
And my boots they are open to all weathers
I’ve pulled them off and on till the undersoles are gone
And shockingly destroyed the upper leathers
All through the ale, the confounded ale
All through the ale and tobacco
With a whack-fol-the-day, fol-the-diddle, fol-the-day
All through the ale and tobacco
As for my rags, I don’t give a jag,
I’m not afraid that anyone should rob me
And when I am dead you can put it on my grave
I left this old world as it found me
All through the ale, the confounded ale
All through the ale and tobacco
With a whack-fol-the-day, fol-the-diddle, fol-the-day
All through the ale and tobacco
From the liner notes of Roy Harris’s 1972 album The Bitter and the Sweet:
In the latter days of sail our seamen had a favourite foc’sle song, good for bawling, called “Noggin Boots” or “Across the Western Ocean”, concerning the sailor, boots scuffed, shirt-tail looking out for better weather, who has spent all his money on liquor and ladies, and now faces a dismal transatlantic trip. Australian bushworkers had their similar version, called “Across the Western Plains”. Both songs are based on the English farmworker’s complaint called “All through the Ale.“
Featured On:
Songs of the Lakes, Rivers, and Seas
• Recordings I Learned From Or Like •
About the Song:
“All For Me Grog” is an English drinking song, long drag (or halyard) shanty, and capstan (or windlass) shanty first collected by Cecil James Sharp from Louie Hooper of Somerset, England in 1904. Grog is watered down rum that was introduced to the British Navy commanded by Vice-Admiral Edward Vernon. A long drag shanty was used to accompany jobs that required heavy labor over an extended period of time such as raising or lowering a heavy sail. A capstan shanty is a type of sea shanty written to accompany jobs with regular rhythmic patterns like raising an anchor. According to Mike Yates, “it was a custom in southern English pubs to perform All for the Grog as an ‘action’ song: the singer removing his clothes as the song progressed!”
Other titles: Across the Western Ocean, ‘Noggin Boots, All Through the Beer, Good Brown Ale and Tobacco
Parent Song: All Through the Ale
Variants: Across the Western Plains