History Main / TheDrunkenSailor

* ''WebVideo/PiratesSMP'': A handful of the pirates seem to have substance use issues, especially when it comes to alcohol. Jokes have been made since Day 1 about how the in-universe reason for server lag and technical difficulties is that various players are drunk on brewed beverages. Cleo, Redd, and Acho seem to be the most vocal about being raging alcoholics. The other pirates also consume alcohol, but usually far more sparingly.

* ''WesternAnimation/CaptainPugwash'': Although never shown drunk, Swine--one of Cut-Throat Jake's pirates--almost always has a mug of grog in his hand.

* Captain Haddock and whisky (specifically the then-fictional ''Loch Lomond'' brand) from ''Franchise/{{Tintin}}''. He clearly inherited the tendency from his ancestor [[Recap/TintinTheSecretOfTheUnicorn Sir Francis]] [[Recap/TintinRedRackhamsTreasure Haddock]]. Sir Francis' tipple of choice however was something else, as featured in his CatchPhrase "Ration my rum!".

* ''LetsPlay/PiratesSMP'': A handful of the pirates seem to have substance use issues, especially when it comes to alcohol. Jokes have been made since Day 1 about how the in-universe reason for server lag and technical difficulties is that various players are drunk on brewed beverages. Cleo, Redd, and Acho seem to be the most vocal about being raging alcoholics. The other pirates also consume alcohol, but usually far more sparingly.

This is a case of TruthInTelevision due to the disinfecting abilities of alcohol; mixing it with water was the only way to keep water potable during long voyages, especially on early boats when cooking had to be limited due to fire risk (or on open decked boats where it was impossible to do). Also, a drunk crew was a crew less capable of {{The Mutiny}} due to the horrific conditions (this being the "rum" part of those great Naval traditions of "rum, [[HelloSailor sodomy]] and [[ATasteOfTheLash the lash]]"), and the strength of alcohol could be varied as punishment or reward as the captain saw fit. It continues to be true because when you take a bunch of generally adult persons and put them in a [[CabinFever cramped space for an extended period of time]] with limited and ever diminishing supplies... well it rather builds tension.

This is a case of TruthInTelevision due to the disinfecting abilities of alcohol; mixing it with water was the only way to keep water potable during long voyages, especially on early boats when cooking had to be limited due to fire risk (or on open decked boats where it was impossible to do). Also, a drunk crew was a crew less capable of {{The Mutiny}} due to the horrific conditions (this being the "rum" part of those great Naval traditions of "rum, [[HelloSailor sodomy]] and [[ATasteOfTheLash the lash]]"), and the strength of alcohol could be varied as punishment or reward as the captain saw fit. It continues to be true because when you take a bunch of generally adult persons and put them in a cramped space for an extended period of time with limited and ever diminishing supplies... well it rather builds tension.

->''What shall we do with a drunken sailor''
->''What shall we do with a drunken sailor''
->''What shall we do with a drunken sailor''
->''Early in the morrning?''

-->''What will we do with a drunken whaler?''
-->''Slice his throat with a rusty cleaver''
-->''Slice his throat with a rusty cleaver''
-->''Slice his throat with a rusty cleaver''
-->''Early in the morning''

[[/folder:Comic Strips]]

%%%

%% This page has been alphabetized. Please add new examples in the correct order. Thanks!

%%%
%% Image selected per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1305940967078362500
%% Please do not change or remove without starting a new thread.

** Parodied in ''Anime/ProjectAKo'' with a female Harlock {{Expy}}, whose cool detachment [[VillainousBreakdown swiftly vanished]] when her glass was empty.

[[folder:Comics]]

* The pirates from the ''Comicbook/{{Asterix}}'' series.
* Turns up frequently in ''ComicStrip/HagarTheHorrible.''
** This image was even used to promote [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gK7n1Q-fDeA Skol Lager.]]

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
* Captain Jack Sparrow from ''Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean'' likes his rum.
** Rum is always a standard motivational tool among {{Pirate}}s, although, historically, their lawman opponents used it just as much for reasons listed above.
*** It's uncertain whether in-story lawman Commodore Norrington is aware of this though--he's arguably the drunkest of the lot at one point, but more like TheAlcoholic--or at least heavily [[DrowningMySorrows drowning his sorrows]] than this usually cheerful trope.
* ''Film/MasterAndCommander'' (the movie): one of the sailors refuses to salute a superior and it's later revealed he was drunk at the time. Aubrey doesn't care that the sailor was drunk, just that he didn't respect the chain of command.

* The ship's surgeon on ''Film/TheBounty'' drank himself to death in Tahiti. As punishment at one point, Lt. Bligh stops all grog rations to the men.
* The merchant sailors aboard the SS ''Glencairn'' know that they should not go on a drunken spree when they reach land. They know that they usually blow all their money and have to sign up for another voyage. They do it anyway.
* A {{lampshade|Hanging}}d aversion in ''Film/MuppetTreasureIsland'', in which Captain Smollet insists there will be no consumption of alcohol on the ship, despite Silver offering the officers a bottle of "best brandy, [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buckfast_Tonic_Wine laid down by the brothers of Buckfast Abbey]]". Played straight earlier, with Billy Bones demanding "Rum til I float!"
* In ''Film/MisterRoberts'', the sailors regularly brew up "[[MilitaryMoonshiner jungle juice]]" from unspecified ingredients in order to while away the endless tedium. And when they're granted liberty on Elysium (after many months of uninterrupted duty), many of them get so utterly soused that they have to be hauled back aboard in a cargo net. As for the ones who can still walk, their antics are so outrageous that the ship is permanently banned.

* In ''Film/AssaultOnAQueen'', Linc Langley appears to be borderline alcoholic: often seen with a drink in his hand, and usually perma-buzzed if alcohol is available. At one point, Victor says he does not relish being cooped up in a tin can with 'a caramel lush'.
* In ''Film/FrankensteinIsland'', Shipwrecked seafarer (and probable pirate) Jocko drinks any chance he gets and spends much of the movie in a drunken stupor.
* ''Film/PoolOfLondon'': Engine Room Officer Trotter who, according to Dan, has not been ashore in 20 years except to change ships. He spends the three days the ''Dunbar'' is in port locked in his cabin, drinking three bottles of brandy, reading poetry and becoming maudlin.

%%* Captain Redbeard Rum from ''Series/{{Blackadder}} II''.

[[folder:Religion And Mythology]]

* In the Literature/BookOfGenesis in ''Literature/TheBible'', Noah famously builds and sails the Ark, then after the flood, he proceeds to plant a vineyard and get dead drunk. That might just make him the UrExample.

* ''VideoGame/PuzzlePirates'' plays with this: The length of a voyage is limited by your available charts, your and your crew's patience, and the amount of rum you have aboard. Running short of rum is a bad thing and impairs your crew.

* ''The Irish Rovers'' mentions a crewmember named Slugger O'Toole who "was drunk as a rule."

%% Image selected per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1305940967078362500
%% Please do not change or remove without starting a new thread.

* Captain Greldik of ''Literature/TheBelgariad'' and ''Mallorean'' series is a chronic drunk and the best sailor alive.

* The real Captain Morgan, Admiral Sir Henry Morgan, actually died of dropsy mostly caused by his [[TheAlcoholic huge alcoholism]].
* The real [[FourStarBadass Admiral Nelson]]'s body was preserved in a barrel of cognac after his [[TheHeroDies shooting death]] at the battle of Trafalgar, so that his body could be brought home to England for burial. According to legend, his men would [[ImAHumanitarian sneak drinks from that barrel]], (apparently not actually true--said barrel was allegedly under round-the-clock guard by marines, just as Nelson's person would have been in life) leading to the [[AffectionateNickname nickname]] of "Nelson's Blood" for any alcoholic beverage and "tapping the Admiral" for surreptitious drinking on duty.

* Although usually a comic trope, it can also lead to tragedy. It was long rumored that Joseph Hazelwood, skipper of the ''Exxon Valdez'' was [[DrinkingOnDuty drunk at the time of the accident]], which caused the grounding and terrible oil spill. This theory was confirmed in the [[UsefulNotes/AmericanCourts United States Supreme Court]] case ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exxon_Shipping_Co._v._Baker Exxon Shipping Co. v. Baker]]'',[[note]]In which the court decided exactly how much the plaintiffs could take in punitive damages from Exxon; the case was heard primarily to set a precedent within the federal system of admiralty law.[[/note]] in which Justice Souter (who wrote the majority) saw fit to note that Hazelwood had had five double vodkas the previous night, "enough that a non-alcoholic would have [[SophisticatedAsHell passed out]]," and was sleeping it off when the ship ran aground.
** Unfortunately, the man frequently gets MisBlamed, because while he ''did'' have a known alcohol problem and ''was'' drunk during the grounding, he was explicitly ''off'' duty, and not on the watch at the time: having completed his watch, he went down to "unwind" so to say,[[note]]During the same hearing it was revealed that Exxon had been routinely running its tankers with skeleton crews, resulting in 10-14 hour shifts, and had also failed to repair major malfunctions for years to save on the maintenance, which added to the crews' stress.[[/note]] and the one who actually ran aground was [[EnsignNewbie an inexperienced third mate]] because [[CorruptCorporateExecutive the ship's radar was broken and not repaired]] ''[[CorruptCorporateExecutive for the whole year]]'' [[CorruptCorporateExecutive to save money]]. This is actually reflected in the court decision, as while Hazelwood was relieved of shipboard duty, he wasn't otherwise heavily punished (he received just a $50000 fine and 1000 hours community service).

* Invoked by UsefulNotes/RonaldReagan in a joking criticism. "We could say [Democrats] spend money like drunken sailors, but that would be unfair to drunken sailors. [[InsultToRocks It would be unfair, because the sailors are spending their own money.]]"

* Searats in ''Literature/{{Redwall}}'' are fond of seaweed grog.
* ''Literature/TheOdyssey'': Odysseus is finally within sight on his home, but the sailors spot a small bag he carries with him. Thinking it contains wine (treasure in other versions), they open it, unleashing the winds it contained and driving the ship far off course.
* Billy Bones in ''Literature/TreasureIsland'' in all its iterations, deeply fond of rum, which possibly contributes to the strokes that eventually kill him. Later, on board the ''Hispanola'', the first mate, Mr. Arrow, is constantly inebriated to the point that he eventually drunkenly falls off the ship. No one really laments his loss.

* Captain Redbeard Rum from ''Series/{{Blackadder}} II''.
* Harry Mudd and Cyrano Jones from ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'' were both fond of a tipple or two. Out of the main characters, Scotty was often seen indulging.
** Romulan Ale is the drink of choice for all ''Franchise/StarTrek'' incarnations, with all crews indulging at some point.
** Klingons. They absolutely love getting drunk.
** Worth mentioning that Romulan Ale is actually illegal in the Federation, but it's all over the place regardless (it seems to hold roughly the same status as Cuban cigars do in the U.S. today). There are a number of other drinks as well, including the Klingons' Blood Wine, which they're almost always seen drinking (except Worf, who prefers prune juice), and Synthehol (a synthetic alcohol replacement) since Starfleet officers aren't really supposed to get drunk. That's without even getting into the dozens of alcoholic beverages which are name dropped, some of which seem to be their eponymous species' only export (Saurian Brandy, for instance.) Suffice it to say the trope is alive and well in Trek's future.

* On ''Series/SeaPatrol'' the tolerance range of the sailors goes from being unsteady on their feet but being able to beat up mooks...to crashing a golf buggy into the lake. Although there were other reasons that added up to it.

* ''Series/CoronationStreet'''s Peter Barlow is the show's only recovered ([[OffTheWagon at least this week]]) alcoholic and is a retired Chief Petty Officer. It has been noted that people justified Peter's drinking at times because of this trope.

* Music/GreatBigSea practically runs on this trope, being from Newfoundland, a province with an extremely strong tradition of seafaring and drinking (and seafaring while drinking).

* The song is used in one of the WaxingLyrical sketches on ''Radio/JohnFinnemoresSouvenirProgramme'', with a modern naval hearing for an Able Seaman charged with being drunk on duty, which is derailed by one admiral who keeps suggesting the punishments from the song, adding that "the ear-''li''-ness of the morning" is an essential part of them. He's eventually given three months suspension without pay, and required to attend alcohol management sessions. But as a compromise, the sessions are to be held ear-''ly'' in the morning.

* Pirates in the ''VideoGame/MonkeyIsland'' series of games love their grog.
* ''VideoGame/RatchetAndClank'' has Space pirates and their beverage, Grog.

* There is one drunken sailor in ''VideoGame/{{RuneScape}}'' in Port Sarim. His examine option refers to the drunken sailor song.
* ''VideoGame/ChibiRobo'': Arr, I likes the taste of water...
* ''VideoGame/PuzzlePirates'' plays with this: The length of a voyage is limited by your available charts, your and your crew's patience, and the amount of rum you have aboard. Running short of rum is a bad thing and impairs your crew.
* Pirates in ''VideoGame/{{Dubloon}}'' [[BoozeBasedBuff gain magic by being drunk]], so it's only logical that they would be drinking beer and grog all the time.

* The song is used in one of the WaxingLyrical sketches on ''Radio/JohnFinnemoresSouvenirProgramme'', with a modern naval hearing for an Able Seaman charged with being drunk on duty, which is derailed by one admiral who keeps suggesting the punishments from the song, adding that "the ear-''li''-ness of the morning" is an essential part of them. He's eventually given three months suspension without pay, and required to attend alcohol management sessions. But as a comprimise, the sessions are to be held ear-''ly'' in the morning.

[[folder:Film]]

** Klingons, UpToEleven. They absolutely love getting drunk.

** In "Retribution", Acting Captain Buckland who, sadly, was not born to lead, deals with his unenviable situation by [[INeedAFreakingDrink shots of alcohol]] and then continues to [[DrowningMySorrows drown his sorrows]].

* A very large amount of SeaShanties concern drunkenness (including ''"What shall we do with the Drunken Sailor"'', the {{Trope Namer|s}}), whether on board or during shore leave.

* Captain Morgan Rum is built on this trope, as are Admiral Nelson, Sailor Jerry, and a few other spirits of varying ranks.

* Billy Bones in ''Literature/TreasureIsland'' in all its iterations, taken to ludicrous extremes by Billy Connelly in ''Film/MuppetTreasureIsland''.

* Klingons, UpToEleven. They absolutely love getting drunk.

** Romulan Ale being the drink of choice for all ''Franchise/StarTrek'' incarnations with all crews indulging at some point.

** Worth mentioning that Romulan Ale is actually illegal in the Federation, but it's all over the place regardless (it seems to hold roughly the same satus as Cuban cigars do in the U.S. today). There are a number of other drinks as well, including the Klingon's Blood Wine, which they're almost always seen drinking (except Worf, who prefers prune juice), and Synthahol (a synthetic alcohol replacement) since Starfleet officers aren't really supposed to get drunk. That's without even getting into the dozens of alcoholic beverages which are name dropped, some of which seem to be their eponymous species' only export (Saurian Brandy, for instance.) Suffice it to say the trope is alive and well in Trek's future.
* Klingons UpToEleven . Klingons absolutely love getting drunk.

This is a case of TruthInTelevision due to the disinfecting abilities of alcohol; mixing it with water was the only way to keep water potable during long voyages, especially on early boats when cooking had to be limited due to fire risk (or on open decked boats impossible to do). Also, a drunk crew was a crew less capable of {{The Mutiny}} due to the horrific conditions (this being the "rum" part of those great Naval traditions of "rum, [[HelloSailor sodomy]] and [[ATasteOfTheLash the lash]]"), and the strength of alcohol could be varied as punishment or reward as the captain saw fit. It continues to be true because when you take a bunch of generally adult persons and put them in a cramped space for an extended period of time with limited and ever diminishing supplies... well it rather builds tension.

Sailors and alcohol go together like white on rice, going back to [[OlderThanFeudalism Homer]]. In fiction, if a sailor isn't already drunk, expect them to be well on the way to it or pining for the lack of it. Often a defining quality of a FatherNeptune, expect also a SeadogBeard and some [[TalkLikeAPirate Talking Like Pirate]] Yarrrr!

Sailors and alcohol go together like white on rice, going back to [[OlderThanFeudalism Homer]]. In fiction, if a sailor isn't already drunk, expect to be well on the way to it or pining for the lack of it. Often a defining quality of a FatherNeptune, expect also a SeadogBeard and some [[TalkLikeAPirate Talking Like Pirate]] Yarrrr!