Belly Up to the Bar--Phrase Origin

Posted by R. Berg March 17, 2001In reply to Belly Up to the Bar--Phrase Origin posted by Paula Davis on March 16, 2001

I'm a reference librarian with a patron who wants to know the origin of the phrase "belly up to the bar." My colleagues and I have searched numerous word and phrase origin dictionaries and various word/phrase origin sites on the Internet. Does anyone perchance know the origin of this phrase. I know there's a song from "The Unsinkable Molly Brown" with this title, but I believe its usage has to be very old. Thanks for any and all assistance.

Paula Davis
Reference Librarian
San Antonio Public Library
600 Soledad
San Antonio TX 78205

This is the entry from Eric Partridge, Dictionary of Catch Phrases: American and British, from the Sixteenth Century to the Present Day:

"belly up! belly up to the bar, boys!" Drinks on the house, boys!: Canadian: 20th century. Cf. the US underworld, mostly pickpockets', catch phrase "belly up?," Have a drink!--c. 1930-50. Prompted by the English-speaking world's toast "bottoms up!"

Replies

There is more than one way to skin a cat Graham 03/20/01
Belly Up to the Bar--Phrase Origin Bob 03/19/01
- Belly Up to the Bar R. Berg 03/20/01