Interesting Facts about the Derby Ram
“Derby Ram” according to Stan Hugill’s friend Bill Fuller, had it from an old-timer sailor along with information that it was used mainly at the pumps, and from time to time at the capstan. The song refers to the town of Derby and has many folk-song versions, probably older than the original shanty version.
The song will be reconstructed by myself as the pump shanty.
The source of the Derby Ram
The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 437).
The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 437, 438).
The Record of this sea shanty
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
Derby Ram
Oh, as I wuz goin’ to Derby, ‘Twas on a market day,
I met the finest ram, sir that. Ever wuz fed upon hay,
– That’s a lie sir, that’s a lie, sir,
– Oh, yes, me bullies, yer know yer tellin’ a lie!
* 2 *
This ram an’ I got drunk, sir, as drunk could be,
An’ when we sobered up, sir, we were far away out at sea,
* 3 *
This wnnerful ol’ ram, sir, wuz playful as a kid,
It swollered the cap’n’s spy-glass along wid bosun’s fid.
* 4 *
The night wuz very rough, sir the wind like ice did feel,
He borrowed me suit of oilskins an’ took me trick at the wheel.
* 5 *
He climbed aloft so full of vim to stow the tops’l tight,
But halfway up he lost his nerve, he had an awful fright.
* 6 *
One mornin’ on the poop, sir, afore eight bells wuz struck,
He climbed up to the skys’l yard an’ sat down on the truck.
* 7 *
This wonderful ol’ ram, sir, he tried a silly trick,
He tried to jump a five-barred fence an’ landed in a rick.
* 8 *
This wonnerful ol’ ram, sir, it grew two horns of brass,
One grew out o’ his shoulder blade, t’other turned into a mast.
* 9 *
An’ when this ram wuz killed, sir, the butcher wuz covered in blood,
Fife and twenty butcher boys wuz carried away in the flood.
* 10 *
An’ when this ram wuz dead, sir, they buried it in St. Joan’s,
It took ten men an’ an elephant to carry one of its bones.
* 11 *
The crew of good ship “Toxteth” in handsome, strong an’ brave.
The finest crowd of Jack-srites that ever sailed over the wave.