{"id":325,"date":"2013-07-01T09:32:26","date_gmt":"2013-07-01T13:32:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thejovialcrew.com\/?page_id=325"},"modified":"2026-02-23T21:45:01","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T01:45:01","slug":"good-ale","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/thejovialcrew.com\/?page_id=325","title":{"rendered":"Oh Good Ale, Thou Art My Darling!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Good Ale\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0<\/em>\u00a0 One of our all time favourites! \u00a0Most famous for its being of the repertoire of the Copper Family of Rottingdean, Sussex Downs, England. \u00a0It is of such taste that it made its way about the British isles and each country therein seems to have a tradition that they themselves would be the origins of this delightful ode, but in fact it is English and dates to around the late 18th century in this form… (The Traditional Ballad Index places it to the 1790 book “The Banquet of Thalia or Fashionable Songsters Pocket Memorial”, song #77 – see image of that page below… There are references to this lyric poem cum song some 20 to 40 years earlier). It is derived from rather similar songs with variable melodies and lyrics to the turn of the 18th century and some determined fellow claims to have dated it well into the earlier century still (“Bring Us In Good Ale” dating to around 1460). \u00a0It is believed that this song with this melody was among the earliest of the Copper Family collection, although I have no evidence either way. \u00a0I will happily entertain anyone’s research into this – with citations.<\/p>\n

Jos. Morneault<\/p>\n

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It is of good ale to you I’ll sing,
\nAnd to good ale I’ll always cling.
\nI like my mug filled to the brim
\nAnd I’ll drink all you’d like to bring.<\/p>\n

Chorus (after each verse):<\/em>
\nOh Good Ale, thou art my darling,<\/em><\/strong>
\n Thou art my joy both night and morning.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

It is you that helps me with my work,
\nAnd from a task I’ll never shirk
\nWhile I can get a good home brew;
\nAnd better than one pint, I like two.<\/p>\n

I love you in the early morn,
\nI love you in daylight, dark, or dawn.
\nAnd when I’m weary, worn, or spent
\nI’ll turn the tap and ease the vent.<\/p>\n

It is you that makes my friends my foes,
\nIt is you that makes me wear old clothes.
\nBut since you come so near my nose
\nIt’s up you comes and down you goes.<\/p>\n

And if all my friends from Adam’s race
\nWas to meet me here all in this place,
\nI could part from all without one fear
\nBefore I’d part from my good beer.<\/p>\n

*And if my wife should me despise,
\n*How soon I’d give her two black eyes.
\nBut if she loved me as I love thee,
\nWhat a happy couple we should be.<\/p>\n

You have caused me debts and I’ve often swore
\nI never would drink strong ale anymore.
\nBut you, for all that, I’ll forgive
\nAnd I’ll drink strong ale as long as I live.<\/p>\n

* I modified this during one performance to the lines “And if my wife should thee despise, and sooner give me two black eyes…” which seems to bring it more into today’s line of thinking.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A version found in “Folk-Songs of the Upper Thames, with an essay on folk-song activity in the upper Thames neighbourhood.” Alfred Williams. London: Duckworth & Co. 1923<\/p>\n

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