happy?

31 Aug 01 - 06:05 PM (#539293)
Subject: happy?
From: Abby Sale

  
	       A tragic memorial date for US sailors..
  
	       The last regular liquor rations for the
  
	       US Navy were drunk August 31st,  1862.
    

	Come, messmates pass the bottle round
  
	Our time is short, remember,
  
	For our grog must stop and our spirits drop
  
	On the first day of September
    

	cho:    For tonight we'll merry, merry be,
  
		For tonight we'll merry, merry be,
  
		For tonight we'll merry, merry be,
  
		Tomorrow we'll be sober.
    

	"Farewell To Grog" composed by Caspar Schenk on August 31, 1862.
  
	(see DigTrad filename[ FARWLGRG)
  
	(The UK navy hung in there until 1970)
  

Does anybody know
1) If this was the origin of the tune &/or chorus?

2) The pipe call for "All hands to splice the main brace" as reported in the song?

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31 Aug 01 - 06:31 PM (#539314)
Subject: RE: happy?
From: Gareth

Correction.

The death of the Tot was more conected with
1/. The inability of shore based Sailors to drive home, without being breathalised after the Tot. 2/. The inability of Sailors afloat to opperate computer based guns or missiles after thier tot.

Jack can still draw a ration, but its cans of beer these days.

For information, see the Patrick O'Brien Novels when time after time Jack Aubery would withhold the Grog till after action.

Dudley Pope " The 'Ramage' works of fiction" would do the same.

The bonus was, after action, the Pusser would issue rum acording to his books, on the number alive at the start of the day

Hence the tradition in the Submarine Service of writing of a Flagon or so, after a severe depth charging as destroyed by enemy action. - I doubt if it actually reached the bilge.

Mark you, when you look at what the USN did, sober, and without the issue of Rum We can't complain.

Gareth

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01 Sep 01 - 06:44 AM (#539539)
Subject: RE: happy?
From: Snuffy

The original(?) version is in the DT as THREE JOLLY COACHMEN, but in England it's usually known as THE FLOWING BOWL and it's a Bristol tavern, not an English one.

Wassail! V

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01 Sep 01 - 09:33 AM (#539595)
Subject: RE: happy?
From: The Walrus

>Does anybody know.....

>2) The pipe call for "All hands to splice the main
brace" as reported in the song?

Wasn't the order "Splice the Main-brace" but the pipe "Up Spirits"? [or "Up Spirits (Stand fast the Holy Ghost)"].

Walrus

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01 Sep 01 - 11:15 AM (#539633)
Subject: RE: happy?
From: Abby Sale

Snuffy: Of course it is! Thank you - it just wouldn't get into my head.

Walrus: I don't know at all. Can you whistle it for me? Hmmm.

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01 Sep 01 - 05:27 PM (#539825)
Subject: RE: happy?
From: 8_Pints

Would this be sung to the same tune as "Come Landlord Fill the Flowing Bowl"?

The chorus looks suspiciously familiar, but I don't know its origins.

Bob vG

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01 Sep 01 - 07:04 PM (#539876)
Subject: RE: happy?
From: Gareth

Walrus - The pipe was (for the normal issue) up sprits RN on special occasions ie an extra issue - The signal or order was splice the main brace.

The main brace being probably the most important bit of the standing rigging was never spliced, but always replaced. Hence the adoption of the signal to signify an extra issue of liquor.

The drun beat was "Nancy Dawson" to signify up spirits.

Gareth

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