Online liner notes on Acres Of Clams / Rosin, The Beau

    Acres Of Clams was written by Judge Francis D. Henry in 1874 in the Pacific Northwest.  The tune he used was that of a much older song, Rosin, The Beau.  Both the song and the tune have alternate titles such as The Old Settler’s Song and Rosin The Bow but these are the titles I like best.  There are many more verses but we shortened it down to the bare bones.

    Acres Of Clams was, for a little while, the state song of Washington State.  It was deemed too frivolous and disrespectful, however, and so was dropped in favor of another song. 

    Judge Henry’s song received a resurgence of interest in the 1940’s as the theme song of a Seattle, WA radio show.  Later on Ivar Haglund, the host of the show, opened a restaurant called Ivar’s Acres of Clams for which he used the same theme music, in turn.  Ivar’s was the scene of local folk society meetings and many informal traditional music jams.  http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=2499

    One of my fondest memories is of stopping in for the fried clams at McIntyre’s in Rowley, Mass. after a day of sailing with my family on the Ipswich Bay.  That may explain why the last chorus of the song is one of my favorite lines to sing to this day.

 

 

Rosin, The Beau

words and music Traditional

I've traveled all over this world,
And now to another I go.
And I know that good quarters are waiting
To welcome old Rosin the Beau.

To welcome old Rosin the Beau. (x2)
And I know that good quarters are waiting
To welcome old Rosin the Beau.

When I'm dead and laid out on the counter
A voice you will hear from below,
Saying "Send down a hogshead of whisky
To drink with old Rosin the Beau.

To drink with old Rosin the Beau". (x2)
Saying "Send down a hogshead of whisky
To drink with old Rosin the Beau".

Then get a half dozen stout fellows
And stack them all up in a row
Let them drink out of half gallon bottles
To the memory of Rosin the Beau

To the memory of Rosin the Beau (x2)
Let them drink out of half gallon bottles
To the memory of Rosin the Beau

Then get a half dozen stout fellows
And let them all stagger and go
And dig a great hole in the meadow
And in it put Rosin the Beau.

And in it put Rosin the Beau. (x2)
And dig a great hole in the meadow
And in it put Rosin the Beau.

Then get ye a couple of bottles.
Put one at me head and me toe.
With a diamond ring scratch upon 'em
The name of old Rosin the Beau.

The name of old Rosin the Beau. (x2)
With a diamond ring scratch upon 'em
The name of old Rosin the Beau.

I feel that old tyrant approaching,
That cruel remorseless old foe,
And I lift up me glass in his honour.
Take a drink with old Rosin the Beau.

Take a drink with old Rosin the Beau. (x2)
And I lift up me glass in his honour.
Take a drink with old Rosin the Beau.

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