In 1968, the predecessor of the Juno’s named The Irish Rovers Canada’s, “Folk Group of the Year”, and the following year, they received a Grammy nomination for “Folk Performance of the Year”.
As hosts of three national television series in Canada and Ireland, through the 1970's and 80s, The Irish Rovers increased the popularity of Irish music by way of the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation).
Canada's Prime Minister, Pierre Elliott Trudeau, personally asked the band if they could “please become Canadian” so that they could officially represent Canada throughout the world. Since then, they have represented Canada at no less than five world Expos, and in recognition for a quarter century of contributions to the International music world, The Irish Rovers won the Performing Rights Organization's (PROCAN) 'Harold Moon Award'.
Although all members of the band hail from Ireland, a number of their biggest hits were often "non-Irish". Their own rousing, traditional Irish compositions, however, do comprise the bulk of their music.
By the 90’s, their songwriting was even more prolific than their early years, and production of albums wasn’t about to slow down. Since they desired the freedom that as a younger band, they could not afford, in ’93 The Irish Rovers established their own record company, Rover Records. Their songs tell the story of the Irish, whether it’s a lost love, a sailor on leave, or the simple good taste of a Guinness. Rover Records has put out their last eleven albums, including Celtic Collection, Come Fill Up Your Glasses, Down by the Lagan Side, Another Round, Still Rovin', a Christmas album, and their greatest hits, 40 Years A-Rovin'.
Founding member George Millar is from Ballymena, original member Wilcil McDowell is from Larne, John Reynolds from Belfast, Sean O'Driscoll from Cork, Ian Millar from Ballymena, and percussionist Fred Graham is also from Belfast.
Former members include founding member Jimmy Ferguson who passed away in 1997 and Joe Millar.
All For Me Grog
The Irish Rovers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Me jolly, jolly grog
All for the rum and tobacco
Well I spent all me tin
On the lassies drinking gin
Across the rainy ocean I must wander
Where are me boots, me noggin, noggin boots
they're all gone for beer and tobacco
And the toes are kicked about
And the soles are looking for better weather
And it's all for me grog
Me jolly, jolly grog
All for the rum and tobacco
Well I spent all me tin
On the lassies drinking gin
Across the rainy 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 for better weather
And it's all for me grog
Me jolly, jolly grog
All for the rum and tobacco
Well I spent all me tin
On the lassies drinking gin
Across the rainy ocean I must wander
Oh, where is me bed me noggin' noggin' bed
It's all sold for beer and tobacco
You see I sold it to the girls
And the springs they got all twirls
And the sheets they're looking out for better weather
And it's all for me grog
Me jolly, jolly grog
All for the rum and tobacco
Well I spent all me tin
On the lassies drinking gin
Across the rainy ocean I must wander
Where is me wench me noggin' noggin' wench
She's all gone for beer and tobacco
For her teeth has fallen out
And her??? flops about
And her??? is looking out for better weather
The Irish Rovers' song "All For Me Grog" is a traditional folk song about a man who has spent all his money on alcohol, tobacco, and women. The word "grog" is a slang term for any alcoholic beverage, but it is often associated with rum. The song is sung from the perspective of a man who has squandered all his money, leaving him with nothing but worn-out clothes and a depleted bank account. The first verse establishes the central idea of the song - the singer's devotion to alcohol and tobacco. The second verse addresses the state of his shoes, which are in disrepair from excessive drinking and carousing. The third verse discusses the condition of his shirt, which has also been ruined by his lifestyle. The fourth verse mentions his missing bed, which he has sold to feed his addiction. The final verse refers to his missing woman, who has abandoned him due to his destructive behavior.
The lyrics of "All For Me Grog" make use of repetition and wordplay to create a sense of lightheartedness despite the song's dark subject matter. The chorus, which repeats throughout the song, is catchy and easy to sing along to. The use of the word "noggin" adds an element of whimsy to the lyrics, and the mention of body parts that are "looking out for better weather" is a clever euphemism for disrepair.
Overall, "All For Me Grog" is a humorous but cautionary tale about the dangers of excessive drinking and reckless behavior. Its upbeat melody and catchy chorus have made it a popular drinking song, and it continues to be performed by folk musicians around the world.
Line by Line Meaning
And it's all for me grog
All the things I have lost, I don't really care because I am spending everything on alcohol.
Me jolly, jolly grog
The alcohol that I am consuming is making me feel jovial and lighthearted.
All for the rum and tobacco
All the money I am spending is solely for the purpose of buying rum and tobacco.
Well I spent all me tin
I have spent all of my money, leaving me with nothing else.
On the lassies drinking gin
I spent most of my money on the ladies who were drinking gin.
Across the rainy ocean I must wander
As I have squandered all my money, I have no choice but to travel across the sea to look for a better life.
Where are me boots, me noggin, noggin boots
I can't seem to find my boots as I may have exchanged them for beer and tobacco.
they're all gone for beer and tobacco
I have traded my boots for beer and tobacco.
For the heels they are worn out
My boots' heels are damaged and beyond repair, perhaps because of excessive walking or dancing.
And the toes are kicked about
The boots toes got crushed, broken or tampered with maybe because of a wild party or a fight.
And the soles are looking for better weather
The boots' soles are also worn-out and need to be replaced; they need better weather so they won't be exposed to wear and tear.
Where is me shirt me noggin, noggin shirt
I can't seem to find my shirt because it may have also been sold for beer and tobacco.
For the collar is all worn
The shirt's collar is damaged and could not be fixed or stitched anymore.
And the sleeves they are all torn
The shirt's sleeves are destroyed, it could've happened because of a physical altercation or an accident.
And the tail is looking for better weather
The shirt needs better weather because it is worn-out and can't be used without repair.
Where is me bed me noggin' noggin' bed
I can't seem to locate my bed as I might have sold it for beer and tobacco.
It's all sold for beer and tobacco
I have traded my bed for beer and tobacco.
You see I sold it to the girls
I sold the bed to the ladies who were drinking alcohol.
And the springs they got all twirls
The bed's springs are damaged and needs repairing before it can be used again.
And the sheets they're looking out for better weather
The bed's sheets are torn and cannot be used without repair; it needs to be kept in better weather for better handling.
Where is me wench me noggin' noggin' wench
I cannot find my lady love as she may have also gone to buy beer and tobacco.
She's all gone for beer and tobacco
My wench has gone to the store to buy beer and tobacco.
For her teeth has fallen out
My lady love's teeth have fallen out due to poor oral hygiene caused by excessive drinking or smoking.
And her??? flops about
My lady love is too drunk to stand up straight and is stumbling around aimlessly.
And her??? is looking out for better weather
My wench looks for better weather so that she can find a safe place to rest without being exposed to the elements.
Contributed by Muhammad H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Ian Burt
on Bluenose
You have missed out a verse.