> Folk Music > Songs > Padstow Drinking Song / See, See, the Cape’s in View / Pass Around the Grog / Push the Bowl About

Padstow Drinking Song / See, See, the Cape’s in View /
Pass Around the Grog / Push the Bowl About

[ Roud 1252 , 5384 ; Ballad Index WT089 ; Bodleian Roud 1252 ; Wiltshire 668 ; trad.]

Dave and Toni Arthur sang the Padstow Drinking Song in 1967 on their Transatlantic record Morning Stands on Tiptoe. They noted:

This song was collected by Mr. David Cooper just outside Padstow at Easter 1966. The grocer who sang it to him did not have a title for a song so Mr. Cooper has called it the Padstow Drinking Song. A version of the song, again with no title, was published in Inglish Gundry’s collection of Cornish songs Canow Kernow. The last verse used here is two lines taken from Here’s a Health to King George published in Alfred Williams’ Folk-Songs of the Upper Thames, a song with a similar theme.

Padstow singer Tommy Morrissey sang this song as Pass Around the Grog as the title track of his and Charlie Pitman’s ca. 1987-89 Veteran Tapes cassette Pass Around the Grog (VT122). This track was included in 2004 on the Veteran CD of folk songs sung in the West Country, Old Uncle Tom Cobleigh and All.

Jon Boden learned this drinking song as See, See, the Cape’s in View “from Paul Davenport and Jess Arrowsmith who both sing it at the Kelham Island Tavern in Sheffield at the monthly unaccompanied singing session—well worth getting to.” He sang it as the 15 November 2010 entry of his project A Folk Song a Day.

The Davenports sang the Padstow Drinking Song in 2024 on their Hallamshire Traditions album Strange Vagaries. They noted:

sometimes called, The Game’s in View. We know it by the name given here and Paul and Liz first heard it sung by Dave and Toni Arthur back in the 1960s.

A variant of this is Push the Bowl About from Alfred Williams, Folk-Songs of the Upper Thames.

Lyrics

Dave and Toni Arthur sing the Padstow Drinking Song

Pass the good old bumper ’round and never count the score
Drink the good old liquor down and boldly ask for more

Chorus (after each verse):
For ’tis he who will not merry, merry be
Shall never taste of joy,
See, see, the Cape’s in view
And forward, my brave boy.

Here’s a health unto our majesty, and long may she reign,
Queen of all the seven seas and the pride of the Spanish main.

But one thing more I’ll ask of you before we count the score:
Give to me the girl I love and the key to the cellar door

Once more unto her majesty then let the health go ’round
Confusion to her enemies wherever they are found

Tommy Morrissey sings Pass Around the Grog

Pass around the grog, me boys and never mind the score,
Drink the good old liquor down before we call for more.

Chorus (after each verse):
For to see who will not merry, merry be
Shall never taste of joy,
See, see, the Cape’s in view,
And forward, my brave boy.

Here’s a health unto our majesty, and long may she reign,
Queen of all the seven seas and the pride of the Spanish main.

There’s one more thing I’ll ask of you, before you call for more,
Give to me the girl I love and the key to the cellar door.

Jon Boden sings See, See, the Cape’s in View

Pass the good old bumper ’round and never count the score
Drink your good old liquor down and boldly ask for more

Chorus (after each verse):
For it’s he who will not merry, merry be
Shall never taste of joy,
See, see, the Cape’s in view
Hark! Forward, my brave boys

Here’s a health unto her majesty and long may she reign
Queen of all the seven seas and pride of the Spanish main

There’s one more thing I’ll ask of you before you count the score:
Give to me the one I love and the key to the cellar door

Once more unto her majesty and let the toast go ’round
Confusion to her enemies wherever they are found

Push the Bowl About

Come push the bowl about, my boys and never mind the score!
And when this good liquor’s gone, we’ll boldly call for more.

Chorus (after each verse):
As to him that will not merry, merry be,
May he never taste of joys!
See! See! the game’s in view
And follow, my brave boys.

The misers are the worst in this world, they ofttimes count the score.
But give to me contentment, I’ll never ask for more.