Interesting Facts about the Haul The Bowline A
“Haul The Bowline” is the shanty that opens the fourth part of the “Shanties From The Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill. Song also opens the family of the shanties with the word “haul”. Stan Hugill tells us that it is quite possible that this is the most ancient of the shanties, seeing that the bowline was a rope of prime importance in medieval times. In more modern times “bowline shanties” were used at tacks, sheets, or “sweating-up” shanties, and the pull came on the last word of the chorus.
This version has been learned by Stan Hugill from Mr. Dowling of Bootle, the sailor from the Colonial Packets.
And in the end, due to the specifics of the “sweetening up” job (final pulls), would not take more than three or four verses at the most. For my reconstruction, I select the first eleven verses which are more than enough for the described job.
The source of this sea shanty
The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 354).
The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 354).
The Record of the Haul The Bowline 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
Haul The Bowline A
Ha-ul the bowline – for Kitty she’s me darlin’,
– Haul the bowline – the bowline HAUL!
* 2 *
Haul the bowline – Kitty lives in Liverpool,
* 3 *
Haul the bowline – Liverpool’s a fine town.
* 4 *
Haul the bowline – so early in the morning.
* 5 *
Haul the bowline – before the day wuz dawnin’.
* 6 *
Haul the bowline – the fore ‘n’ main t’bowline.
* 7 *
Haul the bowline – the fore t’gallant bowline.
* 8 *
Haul the bowline – the Cape Horn gale’s a-howlin’.
* 9 *
Haul the bowline – the cook he is a-growlin’.
* 10 *
Haul the bowline – we’ll either break or bend it.
* 11 *
Haul the bowline – we’re men enough ter mend it.
* 12 *
Haul the bowline – an’ bust the chafin’-leather.
* 13 *
Haul the bowline – oh, haul away tergether.
* 14 *
Haul the bowline – we’ll hang for finer weather.
* 15 *
Haul the bowline – we’ll bowl along tergether.
* 16 *
Haul the bowline – the bonnie, bonnie bowline.
* 17 *
Haul the bowline – the packet is a-rollin’.
* 18 *
Haul the bowline – the long, the long-tailed bowline.
* 19 *
Haul the bowline – the Old Man he’s a-moanin’.