All For Me Grog
"All For Me Grog" is a traditional folk song, also known as Good Brown Ale and Tobacco, that was originally popular with sailors and later adopted by folk music performers and pub singers.[1][2] It tells the tale of a man who sells all his possessions, and even his wife, to pay for drink and tobacco. Although the song is effectively about a man's ruin through drink, it is upbeat and celebratory rather than regretful, with the intention to go back to the sea to find a new fortune. It is usually performed as a raucous chorus song. Grog originally referred to a daily ration of rum that used to be given in diluted form to sailors in the Royal Navy. It later came to refer to all types of drink.
| "All For Me Grog" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single by The Dubliners | ||||
| B-side | "A Pub With No Beer" | |||
| Released | 6 July 1967 | |||
| Genre | Folk, Irish | |||
| Length | 3:01
| |||
| Label | Major Minor | |||
| Songwriter(s) | traditional | |||
| Producer(s) | Tommy Scott | |||
| The Dubliners singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
There is an Australian version of the song called Across the Western Plains.
The song was recorded as a single by The Dubliners which charted at No.10 in Ireland in July 1967.[3][4] It had previously been recorded by The Watersons on their eponymous 1966 album and, more recently, by The Mary Wallopers on their eponymous 2022 album.[5][6]
Serbian band Orthodox Celts recorded a version of the songs for their 1994 self-titled début album.[7]
Charts
| Chart (1967) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Ireland (IRMA)[8] | 10 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[9] | - |
References
- "All for Me Grog – Irish folk song about a sailor's carefree attitude". Irishmusicdaily.com. 2014-06-20. Retrieved 2016-09-30.
- https://mainlynorfolk.info/lloyd/songs/goodbrownaleandtobacco.html
- "The Irish Charts - All there is to know". Irishcharts.ie. Archived from the original on 2009-06-09. Retrieved 2016-09-30.
- "The Dubliners - All For Me Grog (Vinyl)". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2016-09-30.
- https://www.discogs.com/master/609144-The-Watersons-The-Watersons
- https://marywallopers.bandcamp.com/track/all-for-me-grog-2
- Orthodox Celts at Discogs
- "Chart Track: Week 00, 1967". Irish Singles Chart.
- "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
