So I guess Barrington's innovation was combining the two pre-existing songs "John and Moll" and "Whiskey, You're a Villain"? If so, the recent popularity of that version shows that he had a good inspiration!

On his album "Ye Lovers All," Len Graham recorded a wonderful, bouncing song which he just titled "The Whiskey Song" - he says he got it from Fintan McManus's mother Rose McManus. The refrain is from "Whiskey, You're a Villain" but the verses are not like anything I've so far found anywhere else.

THE WHISKEY SONG
As sung by Len Graham

REFRAIN:
Oh, whiskey, oh, whiskey, you've led me astray,
Over hedges and ditches and briars far away.
If I rattled you I'd fall, but I own you won the day.
I'll meet you on some other early morning.

As John walked o'er the floor to his mother he did say,
"Oh, mother, dearest mother," aye, and this to her did say,
"Will you loan me a few shillings before I go away?
And I'll pay you when I come back in the morning."

"To loan you a few shillings it's a thing I don't intend.
I never used the means that I ought to have done in time,
And to loan you a few shillings, sure you know they are but few,
I need them for the grocer in the morning."

"Throw your coat around your shoulders and come along with me,
We'll join for a pint and we'll have ourselves a spree,
And when my money is all spent you'll buy a pint for me,
And we'll all be in good humour in the morning."

On looking o'er my shoulder and to my great surprise,
The old lady with the pot-stick at me she made a rise.
I jumped out of her road right manfully and this to her did say,
"It's a fine excuse for stopping out 'til morning!"

Of all the good in whiskey that ever yet was known,
It makes the girls so frisky and good about their own.
The more that they drink of it, sure the less they think of home.
I long to see my darling in the morning.