Living History & Reenactment Music
IN TUNE WITH THE TIMES
Musical Rambles Through History © by Sara L. Johnson

One Bottle More
This tune, "One Bottle More", has been in print since the 18th century, with a variant called Paddy MacRory. It has been attributed to the blind Irish harper Turlough Carolan (1670-1738), although not with certainty. It is certainly in his style and was known in his district. Carolan's tune or not, here's a drinking song to it, taken from the Edinburgh Musical Miscellany, p. 218-219, published in Edinburgh, 1793.

1. Assist me ye lads, who have hearts void of guile, to sing in the praises of old Ireland's isle.
Where true hospitality opens the door, and friendship detains us for one bottle more.

Chorus: One bottle more, arra, one bottle more,
Then repeat last phrase of verse, e.g., "And friendship detains us for one bottle more."

2. Old England, your taunts on our country forbear; With our bulls, and our brogues, we are true and sincere,
For if but one bottle remain'd in our store, We have generous hearts to give that bottle more.

3. In Candy's, in Church-street, I'll sing of a set Of six Irish blades who together had met;
Four bottles a-piece made us call for our score, And nothing remained but one bottle more.

4. Our bill being paid, we were loath to depart For friendship had grappled each man by the heart; Where
the least touch you know makes an Irishman roar, And the whack from shillella brought six bottles more.

5. Slow Phoebus had shone thro' our window so bright, Quite happy to view his blest children of light.
So we parted with hearts neither sorry nor sore, Resolving next night to drink twelve bottles more.

Sheet music and lyrics are on the music pages. You will have to find your own bottles and your own shillellagh.