The Beer Drinking Briton
A Taste of Ale track 12
"A new song… set by Mr Arne", printed in the Literary Magazine, January 1757. We have retained Mr Arne's original bass-line and instrumental "Symphony" between the verses.
Songs often present beer and hops as symbols of Englishness (or, when required, Britishness) while deriding the Frenchman and his meagre vineyards. Often these sentiments arise simply from the centuries-old animosity between England and France, but when this song appeared the two countries were actually on opposing sides in the Seven Years War.