Interesting Facts about the Oh Susanna
Oh, Susanna, another song from the time when the Gold Rush of 1849 happens was “Oh, Susanna”. Stan Hugill says, is that this song has never been in print, with the exception of Miss Colcord’s fragmentary version listed in her book as a fo’c’sle song.
So this is what Joanna C. Colcord gives us in her book (“Songs of American Sailormen” – 1938, in the “Roll & Go” – 1924, in both books we can find, the same amount of verses):
“It was singular that with all the vast pride and delight of the sailor in his ship, so few songs were sung in celebration of the qualities of individual vessels. There was about California clipper “Sovereign of the Seas”, which went to the same tune as the ‘fourty-niners’ song”…
The source of this sea shanty
The music: “Songs of American Sailormen” – by Joanna Carver Colcord (1938).
The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 116).
The Record of the Oh Susanna
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 musical notation
The full lyrics
Oh, Susanna
* 1 *
Holystone the cabin,
And get down on your knees,
None of your limejuice touches,
In the Sovereign of the Seas!
* 2 *
Oh, Susanna,
Darling, take your ease,
For we have beat the clipper fleet,
The Sovereign of the Seas!