Interesting Facts about the Cheerily Man – Halyard
“Cheerily Man – Halyard” is a halyard shanty, it is probably the most primitive, and one of the oldest of all these heaving and hauling songs of the sea. This song was really obscene, so most of the verses were camouflaged. The word “cheerily” means “quickly” and was often used at capstan and halyards when exhorting the men to harder efforts. “Cheerily” when used in shanties has to mean that heave or haul is slow and steady, this gives us the intuitive answer to the tempo which definitely suits long haul halyard shanty. This song will be reconstructed as the halyard long haul shanty.
The source of this sea shanty
The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 310).
The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 310, 311).
The Record of the Cheerily Man – Halyard
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
Cheerily Man
Oh, Nancy Dawson, aye yeo,
– Cheerily man!
So sez the Bosun, aye yeo-o,
– Cheerily man!
Has flannel drawers on, aye yeo-o,
– Cheerily man!
Oh, hauley aye yeo!
– Cheerily man!
* 2 *
Oh, Sally Racket, aye yeo!
In her pea-jacket, aye yeo!
Shipped in a packet, aye yeo!
* 3 *
Oh, Flora Fernanah
Slipped on a banana,
Can’t play the pianner.
* 4 *
Oh, Susie Skinner
Sez she’s beginner,
Prefers it to dinner.
* 5 *
Oh, Missus Duckett,
She’s kicked the bucket,
Oh, nip an’ tuck it.
* 6 *
Oh, Polly Riddle
Has a hole in the middle
Of her new fiddle.
* 7 *
Oh, Betty Baker,
Kissed by a Quaker,
Oh, rock ‘n’ shake ‘er.
* 8 *
Oh, Jenny Walker,
Kissed by a hawker,
He wuz a corker.
* 9 *
Oh, Jennifer Bell,
She drinks as well,
An’ never will tell.
* 10 *
Oh, Katie Karson
Slept with a parson,
She’s got a bar-son.
* 11 *
Oh, Polly Hawkins
In her white stockings
Has done some rockin’s.
* 12 *
Ooh, haughty cocks,
Ooh, split the blocks,
Ooh, stretch her luff.
* 13 *
Ooh, rouse ‘n’ shake ‘er.
Ooh, shake ‘n’ wake ‘er.
Ooh, go we’ll make ‘er.
* 14 *
Avast there, avast!
Make the fall fast,
Make it well fast.