Origins: Shove Around the Jug

Subject: RE: Origins: Shove Around the Jug
From: GUEST,Michael Shewmaker
Date: 30 May 21 - 03:10 AM

I can add some detail to the chain of transmission story.

John Mayberry learned the song from me when we were both at Pinewoods. I think this was when I was on crew in either 1990 or 1991. My singing was quite hit and miss; John caught me on a good day. At that time, I'd forgotten who I'd learned it from. I'd already spent a few years bewildered about how I knew this song. I later confirmed with Jeff Warner that he'd taught it at a Pinewoods family week that I attended as a kid the 1970s.

I learned the chorus as "Shove around the grog me boys, chorus around the room, for we're the boys who fear no noise although we're far from home". The "boys who fear no noise" line still resonates most.

As already noted, John changed it from grog to jug and added the two excellent new verses. Somewhere I've got a copy of a cassette John put out that might clear up the dates.

-- Michael Shewmaker

Subject: RE: Origins: Shove Around the Jug
From: GUEST,Julia L
Date: 13 Jul 20 - 08:46 PM

From The Maine Woods Songster, p. 17. Phillips Barry, ed. Copyright © 1939 by Kate Puffer Barry. “Text (previously printed in Eckstorm and Smyth [Minstrelsy of Maine], 60) and tune from Mrs. Annie V. Marston, Charlestown, Maine.”

Subject: RE: Origins: Shove Around the Jug
From: RTim
Date: 13 Jul 20 - 07:21 PM

My favorite line in almost ALL the songs I know, comes from this song :
    The cork is in the bottle,
    But the whiskey is in me!

I love that line....and my Whisky (note the spelling....)

Tim Radford

Subject: RE: Origins: Shove Around the Jug
From: GUEST,anglo
Date: 13 Jul 20 - 07:07 PM

The late Jerry Epstein recoded this. His notes say he learned it from the singing of Frank Warner (though not from the collection). John Mayberry added two new verses. Well done John, it's a great song.

As I recall, ithe chorus goes, "Shove around the grog boys, a chorus around the room…"

Subject: RE: Origins: Shove Around the Jug
From: DonMeixner
Date: 13 Jul 20 - 11:45 AM

Definitely that iteration is an Erie Canal song.

A little Canal History promotion here. My home is on the old canal and I am walking distance from the Jordan Lock. Syracuse has a wonderful canal museum in the last existing Weighlock on the canal. Definitely worth the trip if you are in Central New York. East bound on Interstate 90 from Rochester is an off ramp, no charge, to a beautiful canal Museum at Port Byron where you can walk through a lock and visit some canal structures that are being restored.

Don

Subject: RE: Origins: Shove Around the Jug
From: RTim
Date: 12 Jul 20 - 08:27 PM

Shove Around the Jug (Lewiston Falls)
This song has gone through the folk process with roots in Maine. This version is situated on the Erie Canal in New York State and comes to me from Bonnie Milner who got it from John Mayberry of the Toronto Morris Men.

Tim Radford

Subject: RE: Origins: Shove Around the Jug
From: Joe Offer
Date: 12 Jul 20 - 06:59 PM

Take a look at this page from Cliff Haslam:
http://cliffhaslam.com/?page_id=318

Subject: Origins: Shove Around the Jug
From: Joe Offer
Date: 12 Jul 20 - 06:46 PM

Doug Olsen sang this:

Shove around the jug me boys
Around the room
We're the boys that fear no noise
Although we're far from home
I courted a girl in Albany
One in Montreal
One in Philadelphy
But the best in Lewiston Falls
So shove around the jug me boys
Around the room
We're the boys that fear no noise
Although we're far from home
When you get to Albany
Give the girls a call
There's not a tart to be compared
With the ones from Lewiston Falls
So shove around the jug me boys
Around the room
We're the boys that fear no noise
Although we're far from home
When I came on from Ireland
I was just a lad
But working these canal boats
Is the only life I've had
So shove around the jug me boys
Around the room
We're the boys that fear no noise
Although we're far from home
A dollar in the tavern
Is very easy spent
If I'd had it in Ireland
I'd have to pay down rent
So shove around the jug me boys
Around the room
We're the boys that fear no noise
Although we're far from home
Amsterdam or Liverpool
Rome or Syracuse
You'd ever been to Lewiston Falls
It's the only place you'd choose
So shove around the jug me boys
Around the room
We're the boys that fear no noise
Although we're far from home
A drunkard in the tavern
A fish is in the sea
The cork is in the bottle
But the whiskey is in me
So shove around the jug me boys
Around the room
We're the boys that fear no noise
Although we're far from home
Oh shove around the jug me boys
Around the room
We're the boys that fear no noise
Although we're far from home