Interesting Facts about the Whisky Johnny A
The “Whisky Johnny A” is the first shanty that opens the family of the shanties with the name Johnny, in its lyrics. This shanty is a halyard one, usually used at either t’gallant or tops’l halyards, and from time to time it even was used at the capstan.
Here is the list of versions given to us by Stan Hugill:
(a) The advantages and disadvantages of whisky drinking,
(b) Shanghaiing version,
(c) The limejuice skipper, and
(d) Crabfish, crayfish, or lobster version.
The text for this version Stan Hugill took from Mr. Butcher. This song will be reconstructed as the Halyard shanty.
The source of this sea shanty
The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 274).
The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 274, 275, 276).
The Record of the Whisky Johnny A
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
Whisky Johnny A
Ooh, whisky is the life of man
– Whisky Johnny!
Ooh, whisky from an old tin can,
– Whisky for my Johnny!
* 2 *
Whisky here, whisky there,
Oooo! whisky almast everywhre,
* 3 *
Whisky up an’ whisky down,
Oooh! whisky all around the town.
* 4 *
I’ll drink it hot, I’ll drink it cold,
I’ll drink it new, I’ll drink it old.
* 5 *
Whisky made me sell me coat,
Whisky’s what keeps me afloat.
* 6 *
Whisky fills a man with care,
Whisky makes a man a bear.
* 7 *
Whisky gave me many a sigh,
But I’ll swing whisky till I die.
* 8 *
Whisky made me mammy cry,
Whisky closed me stabbud eye.
* 9 *
Whisky killed me poor ol’ Dad,
Whisky druv me mother mad.
* 10 *
Whisky made me pawn me cloes,
Whisky gave me a broken nose.
* 11 *
Whisky made me shun the booze,
Put me in the calabooze.
* 12 *
Whisky gave me a big, fat head,
But I’ll drink whisky till I’m dead.
* 13 *
If I can’t have whisky, then I’ll have rum,
That’s the stuff to make good fun.
* 14 *
Whisky killed me Sister Sue,
Whisky killed me brother too.
* 15 *
I had a sister an’ her name wuz Lize,
She puts whisky in her tea.
* 16 *
My wife an’ I could never agree,
She’d put whisky in her tea.
* 17 *
Some likes whisky, some likes beer,
I wisht I had a barrel here.
* 18 *
Oh, the mate likes whisky an’ the skipper likes rum,
The sailors like both but we can’t git none.
* 19 *
Oh, a tot of whisky for each man,
An’ a bloody big bottle for the shantyman.
* 20 *
If whisky wuz a river an’ I could swim,
I’d say here goes an’ I’d dive right in.
* 21 *
If whisky wuz a river an’ I wuz a duck,
I’d dive to the bottom an’ never come up.
* 22 *
I wist I knew where whisky grew,
I’d eat the leaves an’ the branches too.
* 23 *
The Divil came from the worl’ below,
That is where bad whisky do grow.
* 24 *
Oh, whisky straight an’ whisky strong,
Gimme some whisky an’ I’ll sing ye a song.
* 25 *
If whisky comes too near me nose,
I tip it up an’ down the hatch she goes.
* 26 *
Here comes the cook with the whisky-can,
A glass o’ grog for every man.
* 27 *
Whisky made me scratch me toes,
Whisky makes me fight me foes.
* 28 *
I say Ol’ Man it is a sin,
To make us work widout any gin.
* 29 *
Whisky made the bosun call,
Hang over hand, lads, ye must reach.
* 30 *
Whisky made the Ol’ Man say,
One more pull, lads, than belay!