nutty:

I do understand that "To Anacreon in Heaven" was not totally unknown, as the taverns where the Anacreon Society met and sung it were public places, but what I was saying was that it was not any where as well known as many of the other standard tavern songs. For that reason "Anacreon" is not found in most of the contemporary songbooks where many other drinking songs were found.

Although it may have been sung in a number of taverns, the source and reason for the song had nothing to do with revelry. It is not that
unusual today to hear "The Star Spangled Banner", "God Bless America", "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?", "Amazing Grace", and other "serious" songs sung in a bar or party. I have sang all of the above in bars & clubs from California, to Wisconsin, Maryland, New Joisey, Florida, and points between, and would daresay none were written to be sung to the klink of a tankard of ale.

Eu