The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #133494   Message #3030651
Posted By: GUEST,^&*
12-Nov-10 - 05:02 PM
Thread Name: DT Corr: Two Young Brethren
Subject: RE: DT Corr: Two Young Brethren
But do any of us have the wherewithal?

In addition to the prepositional usage described by GUESTleenia, "withal" can be used adverbially to mean "at the same time" (Concise Oxford Dictionary). That's probably what was intended in the song. Either way, the origin is from Middle English "with + all", apparently.