Interesting Facts about The Gals O’ Dublin Town (B)
The Gals O’ Dublin Town (B) is an old Capstan song with other titles: “Harp without the Crown” or “The Shenandoah”. Miss Joanna Colcord gives it shanty to us as a forebitter. She also said it; was sung by sailors to a tune almost the same; as that of “The Banks of Newf’n’land”.
The “Harp without the Crown” is a phrase hearkening back to rebellious times in Ould Ireland. According to Miss Colcord, Captain Jim Murphy of the “Shenandoah”, in actual fact, flew the Irish flag beneath the American one aboard his ship.
Stan Hugill gives us as a capstan shanty, but because they are two versions, one I will recreate as forebitter and another as capstan shanty. Both versions come from Stan Hugill’s shipmate Paddy Delaney (ex-blackball line sailor).
The song will be reconstructed by myself as the capstan shanty.
The source of this sea shanty
The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 141). I try to recreate this song from hearted Stan Hugill’s version from the album “Chants des Marins Anglais” (1992).
The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 141,142).
The Record of The Gals O’ Dublin Town (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
The Gals O’ Dublin Town (B)
Sometimes we’re bound for Liverpool; sometimes we’re bound for France,
But now we’re bound to Dublin Town to give the gals a chance.
– Hurrah! Hurrah! for the gals o’ Dub-a-lin Town,
– Hurrah for the bonnie green flag an’ the Harp without the Crown!
* 2 *
Sometimes we’re bound for furrin’ parts, sometimes we’re bound for home,
A Johnny’s always at his best whenever he may roam.
* 3 *
Sometimes the weather’s fine an’ fair, sometimes it’s darn well foul,
Sometimes it blows a Cape ‘Orn gale that freezes up yer soul.
* 4 *
Sometimes we work as hard as hell, sometimes our grub it stinks,
Enough to make a sojer curse, or make a bishop blink.
* 5 *
Sometimes we wisht we’d niver jined, sometimes we’d like to be
A-drinkin’ in a pub, me bhoys, a gal sat on each knee.
* 6 *
Sometimes we are a happy crowd, sometimes we’ll sing a song,
Sometimes we wish we’d niver bin born, but we do not grouse for long.
* 7 *
An’ when the voyage is all done, an’ we go away on shore,
We’ll spend our money on the gals, ‘n’ go to sea for more!