Interesting Facts about the A Long Time Ago (B)
According to Stan Hugill the patterns sang to this shanty He knows including Interesting Facts about A Long Time Ago (B), are:
(1) “The ‘Frisco Ship” (from an A.B. of the New Zeland tops’l schooner Huia);
(2) The “If” version (Captain Kihlberg, ex-scots barque “Fasces”);
(3) The “Noah’s Ark” version (Bosun Chenoweth, ex-“Mount Stewart”);
(4) A “Roll the Cotton Down” version (this version was very popular);
(5) A “Blow the Man Down” version (from the singing of Paddy Delaney);
(6) An “A-rovin'” version (mainly bawdy);
(7) A “Time for us to go” version;
(8) A “China Clipper” version (from the singing of Jock Anderson).
The song will be reconstructed by myself as the halyard shanty.
The source of this sea shanty
The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 97). I try to recreate this song from hearted Stan Hugill’s version from the album “Shanties From The Seven Seas” (1962).
The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 98, 99).
The Record of the A Long Time Ago (B)
You also can find this record on my YouTube channel here or directly listen below. Additionally, if you want to share your opinion about the record or share your opinion you can do it in my Facebook forum here, or leave a comment at the bottom of this blog article.
The full lyrics
A Long Time Ago (B)
A ship lay becalmed off Portland Bill,
– Timme WAY, hay, HO,high ho!
If she hasn’t a fair wind she’s layin’ there still.
– Oh a LONG time aGO!
* 2 *
There once wuz a family which lived on a hill,
If they’re not dead they’re livin’ there still.
* 3 *
There once wuz a sailor shipped a ballon,
An’ if he’s still floatin’ he’s now reached the moon.
* 4 *
There once wuz a farmer in Norfolk did dwell,
If he went off an’ died, oh, he’s sure bound to hell.
* 5 *
There wuz an ol’ woman that lived in a shoe,
If she’d had ten bras more, oh, she’d have forty-two.
* 6 *
There wuz an ol’ lady who lived in Dundee,
If she hadn’t been sick she’d have gone off to sea.
* 7 *
There wuz an ol’ yokel in Sussex did dwell,
He had an ol’ wife an’ he wished her hell.