> A.L. Lloyd > Songs > Whiskey Johnny
> Louis Killen > Songs > Whiskey Johnny / Whiskey Is the Life of Man
> Bellowhead > Songs > Whiskey Is the Life of Man

Whiskey Johnny / Whiskey Is the Life of Man

[ Roud 651 ; Ballad Index Doe015 ; DT WHISKJON , WHISKEYO ; Mudcat 172713 ; trad.]

Thames barge skipper Bob Roberts sang the halyard shanty Whisky Johnny in a recording made by Peter Kennedy in the 1950s on the Saydisc CD Sea Songs & Shanties. He also sang Whiskey Johnny in on his 1978 Topic LP Songs From the Sailing Barges where A.L. Lloyd noted:

… As for the work-shanties, Haul Away, Joe, Whiskey Johnny and Leave Her, Johnny, Bob converts them into lyrical social songs for the sake of their choruses.

Ewan MacColl sang Whiskey Johnny with A.L. Lloyd singing chorus in 1957 on their Tradition album Blow Boys Blow. Lloyd noted:

Devoted antiquarians who imagine the shanties are ancient songs (in fact, few are more than a century-and-a-quarter-old) declare that originally it was malmsey that had the serious effects outlined by the shantyman. Chapter and verse for this statement are not given, however. Sailormen, interrogated on the point, have given the enquirer a sidelong glance and passed on. This halyard shanty was most often sung when the men were working aft near the skipper’s quarters, in the enduring hope that his heart might melt, and he would order a tot for all hands.

Louis Killen sang this shanty as Whiskey Johnny in 1970 on his South Street Seaport Museum LP 50 South to 50 South and in 1973 with the Clancy Brothers as Whiskey Is the Life of Man on their album Greatest Hits (which was reissued in 2000 with a few extra tracks as the CD Best of the Vanguard Years).

Danny Spooner sang Whiskey Johnny on his 1988 album We’ll Either Bend or Break ’Er.

Bellowhead sang Whiskey Is the Life of Man in 2008 on their CD Matachin. Jon Boden noted:

Another shanty sung in both England and North America, this is based on the version sung by singer, Yorkshireman, international jet-setter and bearded legend Mr Graham Metcalfe to whom we dedicate the track.

This video shows Bellowhead at BBC Christmas Session in 2009:

Lyrics

Bob Roberts sings Whisky Johnny

O whisky is the life of man
    Whisky—Johnny
O I’ll get whisky where I can
    Whisky for me Johnny

Chorus (after each verse):
O whisky here and whisky there,
    Whisky—Johnny
O I’ll get whisky everywhere
    Whisky for me Johnny

O whisky made me pawn my clothes
And whisky gave my this red nose

O whisky killed my poor old dad
And whisky drove my mother mad

O whisky hot and whisky cold
O whisky new and whisky old

O whisky up and whisky down
O whisky all around the town

O champagne’s good and rum is free
But whisky’s good enough for me

Ewan MacColl sings Whiskey Johnny

Oh whiskey is the life of man
Always was since the world began

Chorus (after each verse):
Whiskey-o, Johnny-o
Rise her up from down below
Whiskey, whiskey, whiskey-o
Up aloft this yard must go
John rise her up from down below

Oh whiskey is the life of man
Whiskey from an old tin can

Whiskey made me pawn me clothes
Whiskey gave me a broken nose

I thought I heard the old man say
I treat me crew in a decent way

I treat me crew in a decent way
Give them whiskey twice a day

A glass of whiskey all around
And a bottle full for the shanty man

Louis Killen sings Whiskey Johnny

Whiskey is the life of man
I’ll drink whiskey when I can.

Chorus (after each verse):
Whiskey, O, Johnny, O
John rise her up from down below.
Whiskey, whiskey, whiskey, O
Up aloft this yard must go,
John rise her up from down below.

I like whiskey hot and strong,
I’ll drink whiskey all day long.

Whiskey made my mother cry
Of whiskey she was always shy.

Champagne is good, and so is rum
And beer is good enough for some.

I’ll drink it hot, I’ll drink it cold
I’ll drink it new, I’ll drink it old.

Whiskey made me sell my coat,
Whiskey’s what keeps me afloat.

Whiskey killed my sister Sue
Whiskey killed my brother, too.

Some likes whiskey, some likes beer
I wish I had a barrel here.

Whiskey made the bosun call
Hang together one and all.

Whiskey stole me brains away
One more pull and we’ll belay!

The Clancy Brothers sing Whiskey Is the Life of Man

Oh whiskey is the life of man
Always was since the world began

Chorus (after each verse):
Whiskey-o, Johnny-o
Rise her up from down below
Whiskey, whiskey, whiskey-o
Up aloft this yard must go
John rise her up from down below

Now whiskey made me pawn me clothes
And whiskey gave me a broken nose

Now whiskey is the life of man
Whiskey from an old tin can

I thought I heard the first mate say
I treats me crew in a decent way

A glass of whiskey all around
And a bottle full for the shanty man

Danny Spooner sings Whiskey Johnny

Whiskey is the life of man,
Bin this way since time began.

Chorus (after each verse):
Whiskey oh, Johnny oh,
Rise her up from down below,
Whiskey, whiskey, whiskey oh,
Up aloft this yard must go,
John rise her up from down below.

Whiskey giv me this red nose,
Whiskey make me pawn me clothes.

When whiskey comes so near me nose,
It’s up it comes and down it goes.

whiskey makes me friends, me foes,
It makes me fight the mate also.

A tot of whiskey for each man,
And a bucketful for the shantyman.

Whiskey stole me brains away,
But I can ’ear the bosun say.

Bellowhead sing Whiskey Is the Life of Man

Whiskey is the life of man
Whiskey from an old tin can

I like whiskey hot and strong
And I’ll drink whiskey all day long

Chorus (after each verse):
𝄆 Whiskey-o, Johnny-o
Rise him up from down below 𝄇
Whiskey, whiskey, whiskey-o
Up aloft this yard must go
Come rise him up from down below

I’ll drink it hot, I’ll drink it cold
I’ll drink it new, I’ll drink it old

Some like whiskey, some like beer
I wish I had a barrel here

Whiskey killed my sister Sue
And whiskey killed by brother too

Whiskey killed my poor old dad
And whiskey drove my mother mad

If whiskey comes too near my nose
It’s up she comes and down she goes

A glass of grog for every man
And a bottle full for the shanty man