Interesting Facts about Lower The Boat Down
Here halyard version of the shanty “Roll the cotton down”, described by Joanna C. Colcord in her “Roll And Go – Songs Of The American Sailormen” (1924), “Lower The Boat Down”. Joanna Colcord claims this song has Negro origin, and is almost the same as a version (C) from Stan Hugill’s book, without a grand chorus. Miss Colcord claims the words are very likely borrowed from shanty “Rolling King”, However, Stan Hugill is closer to the theory that words are from “South Australia”. To make the case even more complicated, Cecil Sharp gives similar words in his version of “One More Day”.
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 154 ).
The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 159). The first stanza comes from “Shanties From The Seven Seas”, and the second from Cecil Sharp’s “English Folk-Chanteys”. (1914).
The Record of the Lower The Boat Down
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
Lower The Boat Down
There’s only one thing grives me,
– Oh, lower the boat down!
It’s my poor wife and bayby,
– Oh, lower the boat down!
* 2 *
I’m bound away to leave you
Don’t let my parting grieve you