Interesting Facts about the A Long Time Ago (F)
A Long Time Ago, including version A Long Time Ago (F), was probably, in the nineties of the XIX century the most-used halyard shanty of them all. Even the Germans and Scandinavians popularized versions in their tongues. This song was very popular on English and American Ships. This song was sung as a halyard shanty. The stanzas from stanza 5, as suggested in the book (see “A-Rovin'”), comes from “A-Rovin'” from pages 48, and 49 (same book 1st edition).
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).
The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 101).
The Record of the A Long Time Ago (F)
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 (F)
In ‘Frisco Town there lived a maid,
– Timme WAY, hay, HO,high ho!
An’ she wuz mistress of her trade.
– Oh a LONG time aGO!
* 2 *
One night I crept from my abode,
To meet this fair maid down the road.
* 3 *
I placed my arm around her waist,
Sez she, “Young man, yer in great haste!”
* 4 *
I put me hand upon her knee,
Sez she, “Young man, yer rather free!”
* 5 *
I put my hand upon her thigh,
Sez she, “Young man, yer rather high!”
* 6 *
I towed her to the Maiden’s Breast,
From south the wind veered wes’sou’west
* 7 *
An’ the eyes in her head turned east an’ west,
And her thoughts wuz as deep as an ol’ sea-chest.
* 8 *
We had a drink – of grub a snatch,
We sent two bottles down the hatch.
* 9 *
Her dainty arms wuz white as milk,
Her lovely hair wuz soft as silk.
* 10 *
Her heart wuz poundin’ like a drum,
Her lips wuz red as any plum.
* 11 *
We laid down on a grassy patch,
An’ I felt such a ruddy ass.
* 12 *
She pushed me over on me back,
She laughed so hard her lips did crack.
* 13 *
She swore that she’d be true to me,
But spent me pay-day fast and free.
* 14 *
In three weeks’ time I wuz badly bent,
Then off to sea I sadly went.
* 15 *
In a bloodboat Yank bound round Cape Horn,
Me boots an’ clothes wuz all in pawn.
* 16 *
Bound round Cape Stiff through ice an’ snow,
An’ up the coast to Callyo.
* 17 *
An’ then back to the Liverpool Docks,
Saltpetre stowed in our boots an’ socks.
* 18 *
Now when I got back home from sea,
A soger had her on his knee.