Beer Q&A: What is the origin of the '99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall' song?

Song has been around since at least the early 20th century.

Dec. 6, 2018

1:51 PM

Q. What is the origin of the “99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall” song?

A. Tim Nyberg’s definitive text, “99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall: The Complete Lyrics,” was published in 2006, but the song has been around since at least the early 20th century.

Folk historians report that this immortal — or is it interminable? — ditty is similar to a traditional British children’s song, “Ten Green Bottles,” only soaked in more alcohol.

Read more of Peter Rowe’s colum, here.

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Peter Rowe

Peter joined The San Diego Union-Tribune in 1984. A native Californian who grew up in Encinitas, Rowe is a graduate of UC Berkeley and Northwestern University. He is past president of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists and a former Fulbright scholar. He has won a few journalism awards, but would trade them all for a chance to avenge his 1994 “Jeopardy!” loss. Married to a terrific woman who has saved him from errors in writing and in life, he has three sons. At the U-T, Rowe writes profiles and features and is even paid to review beers, which hardly seems fair.

Beer Q&A: What is the origin of the ’99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall’ song?

Song has been around since at least the early 20th century.

Keep reading