Beer, Tobacco and a Sailor's Regrets
'All For Me Grog' is one of the most widely recognised songs associated with sailors, sea shanties and maritime folk music. Although often performed alongside traditional working shanties, it is generally regarded as a sailor's forebitter rather than a true work shanty.
Today the song is a favourite in pubs, folk clubs and maritime festivals. Its humorous lyrics and memorable chorus have helped it remain popular long after the Age of Sail ended.
What Is Grog?
The word grog originally referred to diluted rum issued as part of the daily ration aboard Royal Navy vessels. Over time the term came to refer more generally to alcoholic drink among sailors.
The song tells of a sailor who spends his money on grog, tobacco and good times ashore before finding himself broke and needing to go back to sea.
How Old Is the Song?
The exact origins of the song are unclear. It appears in the Roud Folk Song Index as number 475 and has also been known as 'Good Brown Ale and Tobacco' and 'Across the Western Ocean'.
Versions were collected during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, showing that it was already well established among sailors and working people.
A Sailor's Tale
Verse by verse the singer discovers that his boots, clothes and possessions have disappeared as a result of his spending habits. Despite this, the song remains humorous and good natured.
Like many maritime songs, it reflects the cycle of earning wages at sea, spending them ashore and then signing on for another voyage.
Shanty or Forebitter?
Historians generally classify 'All For Me Grog' as a forebitter, meaning it was sung for entertainment rather than to coordinate work aboard ship.
"And it's all for me grog, me jolly jolly grog..."
Why We Still Sing It
- It captures the humour of traditional sailor life.
- Its chorus is easy for audiences to join in with.
- It preserves an important part of maritime musical heritage.
- It remains one of the most entertaining songs in the folk repertoire.
The Selsey Shantymen regularly perform 'All For Me Grog' as part of our repertoire, and its lively chorus never fails to encourage audience participation.
Further Reading
- A. L. Lloyd, English Drinking Songs.
- George Gardiner Folk Song Collection.
- Roud Folk Song Index No. 475.