Interesting Facts about the Paddy West
“Paddy West”, according to Stan Hugill many collectors state that song has always been Forebitter, but Hugill says his informants (not named unfortunately), state that the song was used as the Capstan shanty. The song is as old as the time of the Western Ocean Packets (probably 40s of the nineteenth century). The man from the title, Paddy West was a real historical person, he lived in Great Howard Street, Liverpool, where he was the owner of the sailor’s boarding house. The uniqueness of the way how he keeps his boarding house, he can turn the farmer into able-bodied seamen, in a couple of days. I think the lyrics of the song best explain the methods of the Paddy West to coaching the farmers, and after all this way of acting with farmers was way better than Shanghaiing.
The source of this sea shanty
The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 335).
The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 335, 336).
The Record of the Paddy West
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
Paddy West
Oh, as I wuz a rollin’ down Great Howard Street,
I stroled into Paddy West’s house,
He gave me a plate of American hash,
an’ swore it wuz English scouse,
Sez he, “Look ‘ere, young feller, yer very jist in time,
To go away in a big clipper ship, an’very soon ye’ll sign.
– Then it’s put on yer dungaree jacket,
– An’ give the boys a rest,
– An, think of the cold nor’wester that blows,
– In the house of Paddy West’s!
* 2 *
Now he axed me if I had ever been to sea,
I told him not till that morn;
‘Well, be Jasus,’ sez he, ‘a sailor ye’ll be,
From the hour that jiz wuz born;
Just go into a perlour, walk round the ol’ cow horn,
An’ tell the mate that ye have been, oh, three times round the Horn!”
* 3 *
When I got into ol’ Paddy West’s house,
The wind began to blow;
He send me up to the lumber-room,
The fore-royal for to stow;
When I climbed up to the attic, no fore-royal could I find,
So I jumped upon the window stilland furled the winder-blind.
* 4 *
It’s Paddy, me bhoy, he pipes all hands on deck,
Their stations for to man.
His wife, Sarah Ann, stood in the backyard,
A bucket in her hand,
His wife let go the bucket, the water flew on its way;
‘Clew up yer fore t’gallant, me sons, she’s takin’ in a say!’
* 5 *
To every two men that graduates,
I’ll give wan outfit free,
For rwo good men on watch at once
Ye never need to see;
Oilskins, me bhoys, ye won’t want, carpet slippers made o’ felt
I will dish out to the pair o’ ye, an’ a ropeyarn for a belt.