One More Drink for the Four of Us explained

"One More Drink for the Four of Us" (aka "Glorious" or "Drunk Last Night") is a traditional drinking and marching song. It became popular during the First World War, and has been widely repurposed for other marches, college bands, and social clubs. It is referenced in Ulysses[1] and Finnegans Wake.[2]

The song talks about a family of drinkers, whose name is sometimes modified to refer to the group that is singing it. Other lines are sometimes added at the beginning or the end.[3]

History

The origins of the song are uncertain. It was popular during the First World War, and noted by Ralph Barton Perry as a popular marching song in Impressions of a Plattsburg Recruit from The New Republic in 1915.[4]

It is referenced in military stories from that time, such as William Brown's Adventures of an American Doughboy (1919).[5] James Joyce referred to it in Ulysses (1918-1920).

"One More Drink" appeared in the song anthology Immortalia, published in 1927.[6] The song was sung on college campuses and across the United States throughout the 20th century.[7] The chorus has been included as part of many other drinking songs, such as "There Are No Airborne Rangers",[8] "Glorious" (1950s college song),[9] "The Souse Family",[10] and"The California Drinking Song".[11]

Conversely, other short songs and doggerel have been included as verses of this song.[12]

Core lyrics

(Drink, Drank)

Drunk last night. Drunk the night before,

Gonna get drunk tonight like I never been drunk before,

For when I'm drunk I'm as happy as can be;

For I am a member of the Souse family

Chorus
  • Singing Glo-ri-ous! Glo-ri-ous!
  • One keg of beer for the four of us!
  • Singing glory be to God that there are no more of us;
  • For one of us could drink it all alone! [13]

    Other verses

    Many other verses and variations have been added in different parts of the world. A common second verse in the 20th century:

    And the Souse family is the best family

    That ever came over from Old Germany.

    There's the Highland Dutch, the Lowland Dutch;

    The Rotterdam Dutch and all the other damn Dutch.

    or

    Oh the drunk family is the best family

    That ever came over from Old Germany.

    There's the Highland Drunks, the Lowland Drunks;

    The Amsterdam drunks and the other damn drunks.

    The California Drinking Song features lines very similar to the second verses:

    And the Souse family is the best family

    That ever came over from Old Germany.

    There's the Highland Dutch, the Lowland Dutch;

    The Rotterdam Dutch and the Irish.

    External links

    Notes and References

    1. https://books.google.com/books?id=fE9mkomQHEQC&lpg=PA328 12.238-239
    2. Book: Annotations to Finnegans Wake - Roland McHugh - Google Boeken . 9780801883828 . 2014-06-18. McHugh . Roland . 2006 .
    3. The Hash House Harriers, rugby teams and fraternities all have used versions of the song.
    4. Web site: Impressions of a Plattsburg Recruit. Ralph Barton Perry . The New Republic, Volume 4. books.google.com . 2012-04-16 . 2018-09-02.
    5. Web site: The adventures of an American doughboy . Brown, William. [from old catalog]; Tuttle, Birdeena, Mrs., [from old catalog] comp . Tacoma, Wash., Press of Smith-Kinney co . Archive.org . 2001-03-10 . 2014-06-18.
    6. Immortalia: An Anthology of American Ballads, Sailors' Songs, Cowboy Songs, College Songs, Parodies, Limericks, and other humorous verses and doggerel was published in 1927 and republished four times in later decades.
    7. Book: Germany and the Americas: O-Z . Google Books . 9781851096282 . 2014-06-18. Adam . Thomas . Kaufman . Will . 2005 .
    8. Web site: There are no Airborne Rangers . ArmyStudyGuide.com . Everone [sic]: Sing glorious victorious, one keg of beer for the four of us, praise be to god that there are no more of us, cuz one of us could drink it all alone, damn near pass the beer to rear of the company, hey . 2014-06-18.
    9. Web site: "Glorious (One Keg Of Beer For The Four Of Us)" Song Lyrics w/Free MP3 Download . Horntip.com . 2013-09-23 . 2014-06-18.
    10. Web site: SOCIAL REUNION: THE SOUSE FAMILY. The James T. Callow Computerized Folklore Archive, University of Detroit Mercy Libraries & Instructional Design Studio . 4 September 2018.
    11. Web site: "California Drinking Song" - Cal Songs . https://web.archive.org/web/20120818001901/http://calband.berkeley.edu/media/cal-songs/#California%20Drinking%20Song . dead . 2012-08-18 . University of California Marching Band . 1969-02-18 . 2012-08-18 .
    12. Web site: steve on the slow train . Home in the railroad earth: A Song My Father Taught Me . Ontheslowtrain.blogspot.com . 2009-03-30 . 2014-06-18.
    13. Web site: Basic lyrics and score . Sniff.numachi.com . 2014-06-18.

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