Interesting Facts about the Ten Thousand Miles Away
“Ten Thousand Miles Away” is originally a shore ballad and later a forebitter. Stan Hugill also tells us it was used at times as a capstan shanty. Song was sung first by street singers in Ireland in the early years of the XIX century. Under the name “Botany Bay” was a favorite song of the old London music halls of the 50s and 60s of the XX century. This version is given it comes from the mother’s father (J. Southwood) of Stan Hugill and it was a usual version that was sung as the capstan shanty or forebitter.
The song will be reconstructed by myself as the Forebitter.
The source of this Forebitter
The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 409).
The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 409,410).
The Record of the Ten Thousand Miles Away
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
Ten Thousand Miles Away
Sing ho! for a brave an’ a gallant ship,
an’ a fair an’ fair’-rin’ breeze,
Wi’ a bully crew an’ a cap’-n too,
to carry me over the seas.
To carry me over the seas me boys,
To me true love for away,
For I’m taking a trip in a Government ship,
Ten thousands miles away!
– Then–blow, ye winds, an’ blow!
– An’ a-rovin’ I will go,
– I’ll stay no more on England’s shore,
– To hear sweet music play, ay, ay, ay,
– For I’m on the move to me own true love,
– Ten thousand miles away!
* 2 *
My true love wuz beautiful,
An’ my true love wuz gay,
But she’s taken a trip on a Government ship,
Bound out to Botany Bay,
Bound out to Botany Bay, m’boys,
An’ though she’s far away,
I’ll never forget me own true love,
Ten thousand miles away!
* 3 *
Oh, it wuz a summer’s mornin’,
When last I seed my Meg,
She’d a Government band around each hand,
An’ another one round her leg,
An’ another one round her leg, m’ boys,
As the big ship left the Bay,
Adieu she sez remember me,
Ten thousand miles away!
* 4 *
I wisht I wuz a bosun bold,
Or a sailor widout fear
I-d man a boat an’ away I’d float,
An’ straight for me true love steer.
An’ straight for me true love steer, m’ boys,
Where the whales an’ dolphins play,
Where the whales an’ sharks are havin’ their larks,
Ten thousand miles away!
* 5 *
Oh, the sun may shine through the London fog,
Or the river run quite clear,
Or the ocean brine turn into wine,
or I forget me beer,
Or I forget me beer, m’ boys,
Or the landlord’s quarter-day,
But I’ll never forget me own true love,
Ten thousand miles away!