There’s a saying or a toast that I read a long time ago that I remember as: “Here’s to us, and all like us! Who’s like us? Damned few, and they’re all dead!” It came to mind today and I decided to try to find out if I remembered it accurately and where it was from. I searched the web in various ways for it, and found many variations, some in Scottish dialect, but no clear idea of its origin.
Is anyone here familiar with this or know where it came from?
I just remember it being sung in Merrily We Roll Along, “Old Friends”
Here to us! Who’s like us? Damn few!
I don’t know where it came from either, but Return to Zork used it when you encountered the character Boos (Booz?) early on. The version from the game was “Here’s to us. Who’s like us? Damned few. And they’re aaall dead!”
According to this pageof Heritage Whiskey Toasts on a Scottish travel site it is, I guess obviously, a Scottish Whiskey Toast! Searching google for the more Scottish sounding spelling below yields hundreds of results so I think they are correct.
Oops, I forgot to actually mention the origin. It was by Scottish poet Robert Burns according to Great Toasts By Andrew Frothingham.
Cool. Thanks!
Actually the link doesn’t say it’s by Burns at all. It’s just one of the graces used at Burns Night and both the Selkirk Grace and this one probably long predate Burns.
For instance, Although the “Selkirk Grace” is attributed to Robert Burns, a version of the stanza was known in the 17th century as the Galloway Grace.
Can’t add to the origins but I believe it’s a toast used pretty freely by the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (a regiment of the British army).
That’s the first and only place I’ve ever heard it too. (Excellent memory on his name BTW!)
“Want some Rye? 'Course you do!”
Reminds me of the humorously self-congratulatory compliment, “You’re a gentleman and a scholar, and there are damned few of us left!”
…Boos hands you a glass.
Pour glass into plant.
Clink glasses with Boos. “Who’s like us?”
“Keys? Sure, give 'em here!”
“Want some rye? Course ya do!”
Boos hands you a glass.
Pour glass into plant.
Clink glasses with Boos. “Damn few!”
“My keys? Here. I’m too drive to drunk…”
And then he passes out and reveals the trapdoor. But don’t go down into the darkness-- that’s where grues live.
Anyone who hasn’t seen Zork is missing out, BTW.