Drinking Gin

DESCRIPTION: "A-drinking gin through all the day And then at night attend the play Will on a man infer a curse And find the bottom of his purse." Drinking leads to starving children and poor clothing; the singer is urged to set sail
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1831 (DCHS archives)
KEYWORDS: warning drink sailor poverty
FOUND IN:
REFERENCES (1 citation):
Huntington-TheGam-MoreSongsWhalemenSang, pp. 343-344, "Drinking Gin" (1 text, 1 tune)
Roud #25999
NOTES [50 words]: The final verse of this alludes to 1 Timothy 5:23, where Paul advises Timothy to take a little wine for his stomach's sake rather than drinking just water -- decent advice in places where the water is bad, less good where there is clean water. The whole song seems rather confused in that regard. - RBW
Last updated in version 4.2
File: HGam343

Go to the Ballad Search form
Go to the Ballad Index Song List

Go to the Ballad Index Instructions
Go to the Ballad Index Bibliography or Discography