All for my Grog is a traditional folk song popular aboard ships and within pubs. It tells the tale of a man who sells all he can for alcohol and tobacco, leaving him with only the most decrepit belongings. The title of this song is often given as some variant of "Across the Western Ocean" due to the chorus, but the melody is distinct from the better known song of that title.
Grog originally referred to the daily ration of rum, sometimes watered down, afforded to sailors in the Royal Navy. It has since taken to mean any variety of alcoholic beverage, especially in sailing contexts.
The earliest written records of this song are in manuscripts collected by Cecil Sharp (1904) and Gardiner (1906). Peter Kennedy's version was taken from the singing of Bill and Harry Westaway of Belstone in 1950. Helen Creighton, in Songs and Ballads of Nova Scotia (1932), records of her version:
It is quite possible that this song was composed for music-hall entertainment by one who had knowledge of the sea. The chorus has probably been borrowed from a genuine sea song. Both in words and music this is faintly suggestive of The Little Old Shanty, and is sung to the same air as the verse. Lomax (Cowboy Songs), pp. 187, 189, which in its turn is a parody of The Little old Log Cabin In the Lane.
The Dubliners version reached No. 10 on the Irish charts in 1967.
A tile in the Kennedy version is a hat.
Oh, I only got one cap, and the crown of it's all gone
And the peak is all tore to a slunder,
And if I don't get no more, I'll put this cap in store
And across the western ocean I shall wander.
Then hurrah for your grog,
Your jolly, jolly grog,
Hurrah for the rum and tobacco,
For I've spent all my tin
On a lassie drinking gin,
And across the western ocean I shall wander.
Oh, I only got one shirt, and the neck of it's all gone
And the back is all tore to a slunder,
And if I don't get no more, I'll put that shirt in store
And across the western ocean I shall wander.
Oh, I only got one coat and the back of it's all gone
And the sleeves is all tore to a slunder,
And if I don't get no more, I'll put that coat in store
And across the western ocean I shall wander.
Oh, I only got one pair of pants and the buttons they are gone gone
And the legs is all tore to a slunder,
And if I don't get no more, I'll put them pants in store
And across the western ocean I shall wander.
Oh, I only got one pair of shoes and the heels they are gone
And the toes is all tore to a slunder,
And if I don't get no more, I'll put them shoes in store
And across the western ocean I shall wander.
I've got a coat, and a nobby, nobby coat
I've got a coat a-seen a lot of rough weather
For the sides are near wore out and the back is flying about
And the lining's looking out for better weather
Here's to the grog, boys, the jolly, jolly grog
Here's to the rum and tobacco
I've a-spent all my tin with the lassies drinking gin
And to cross the briny ocean I must wander
I've got me breeches, me nobby, nobby breeches
I've got breeches a-seen a lot of rough weather
For the pouch is near wore out and the seat's all flying about
And me knees are looking out for better weather
I've got a shirt and a nobby, nobby shirt
I've got a shirt a-seen a lot of rough weather
For the collar's near wore out and the sleeves are flying about
And me tail's looking out for better weather
I've got me boots, me nobby, nobby boots
I've got boots a-seen a lot of rough weather
For the bottoms' near wore out and the heels flying about
And me toes are looking out for better weather
I've got a tile, a nobby, nobby tile
I've got a tile a-seen a lot of rough weather
For the brim it is wore out and the brown is flying about
And the lining's looking out for better weather