Interesting Facts about the Blow Boys Blow (B)
Blow Boys Blow (B) was a shanty in which the singer often repeated the solo lines, to string out on a long haul.
This shanty has three patterns:
(a) The Guinea Slaver;
(b) The Buck Ship (A Yankee China Clipper);
(c) The Harry Tate Ship (English skit on Yankee Packets);
This version is the A Yankee China Clipper.
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 226).
The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 227, 228).
The Record of the Blow Boys Blow (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
Blow, Boys, Blow (B)
Blow,me boys, I long ter hear yer,
– BLOW, boys, BLOW!
Ooooh, blow, me boys, an’ I long ter hear yer,
– BLOW, me bully boys, BLOW!
* 2 *
A yankie ship came down the river,
Her masts and yards they shine like silver.
* 3 *
How d’yer know she’s a Yankee clipper?
By the blood an’ guts that flow from her scuppers.
* 4 *
How d’yer know she’s Yankee liner?
By the stars an’ bars streamin’ out behind her.
* 5 *
How d’yer know she’s a Yankee packet?
She fired her guns an’ we heard the racket.
* 6 *
She’s a Yankee ship an’ she’s bound to China,
And a bunch o’ bastards they have signed her.
* 7 *
How d’yer know she’s bound for China?
By the flyin’-fish sailors what ‘ave gone an’ joined her.
* 8 *
Who d’yer thinks the skipper of her?
Why, Ol’ Bully Forbes is the skipper of her.
* 9 *
Who d’yer thinks the chief mate of her?
Some ugly case what ‘ates poor sailors.
* 10 *
Who d’yer think wuz second mate of her?
Saccrappa Jim was the second mate of her.
* 11 *
What d’yer think they had for breakfast?
Why, the starboard side o’ an ol’ sou’wester.
* 12 *
What d’yer think they had for breakfast?
Why, the starboard side o’ an ol’ sou’wester.
* 13 *
What d’yer think they had for dinner?
Belayin’-pin soup an’ a squeeze through the wringer.
* 14 *
What d’yer think they had for supper?
Oh, handspike hash an’ a roll in the scuppers.
* 15 *
What d’yer think they had for carger?
Five hundred whores from Yokohammer.
* 16 *
Ye’ll wish ye all wuz dead an’ buried,
An’ cross the river lets all git ferried.
* 17 *
Six days work as ye are able,
On the seventh day, bullies, ye will chip the cable.
* 18 *
On this bloodboat there ain’t no laybacks,
Get haulin’, all ye lazy shellbacks.
* 19 *
Blow today an’ blow termorrer,
Blow for this hell-ship all in sorrer.
Related to this sea shanty
De Hoffnung – English Translation