Interesting Facts about The Handy Bandy Barque
“The Handy Bandy Barque” – is the very popular song at the pumps and capstan, very popular on the South American Saltpetre Trade. Stan Hugill’s version comes from McArty, who served many years in this trade. Song was well known to Liverpool seamen and lasted until the end of sail. McArty, whose last ship was the “Falls of Garry”, told to Stan Hugill, that it was a fine song for getting out the anchors after having laid in some West Coast port for two or more months, and that there were many more verses, but these were all could remember.
I will reconstruct this song as a pump shanty.
The source of The Handy Bandy Barque
The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 471).
The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 471,472).
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
The Handy Bandy Barque
Oh, this story I’d take to tell – about a voy’ge to hell –
In that handy, bandy barque the Campanayro,
– ‘Tween the skipper, bosun an’ th’ pump –
– They nearly druv me off me chump,
– In that handy, bandy barque the Campanayro,
– An’ if ever I go to sea, no more West Coast Packets for me,
– Like that handy, bandy barque the “Campanayro”!
* 1 *
Now I’ll have ye all to know that where-ever ye may go
If ye see this name a-runnin’ fore an’ aft-O,
Don’t join her or ye’ll pay ‘Cos ye’ll never forgit th’ day
In that handy, bandy barque th’ “Campanayro”!
* 2 *
I wuz not very long ashore in a place called Baltimore,
When I shipped away to Rio de Janeiro,
This packet oh I jined, I wuz sorry that I’d signed
Ch. In that handy bandy barque the Campanayro!
* 3 *
Oh, she had a shanghaied crew from Hell an’ Timbucktoo,
An’ the bullies in six lingoes they did swear-O!
Her skipper wuz a dandy-O, far too fond o’ brandy-O,
Ch. In that handy bandy barque the Campanayro!
* 4 *
In the roundin’ of Cape Stiff, we had a little tiff,
With the snifters of Tierra del Fuaygo,
It blew like hell all day, carried our tops’le all away,
Ch. In that handy bandy barque the Campanayro!
* 5 *
In Cally-o we lay, just inside the Bay,
When the wind it blew up so bloomin’ rare-O,
It blew like Barney’s Bull, an’ it nearly wrecked our hull,
Ch. In that handy bandy, etc.
* 6 *
A dose of Yeller Jack put the bullies on their back,
An’ it even made the Old Man share his grog-O,
A Jonah’s bitch wuz she, not meant for you or me,
Ch. Oh, that handy bandy, etc.
* 7 *
I skinned out in the port, by the jaunties I wuz caught,
But their hoosegow wuz a pleasant place to stay-O,
It wuz a home from home, better far than havin’ to roam,
Ch. In that handy bandy, etc.
* 8 *
Ye may sail the whole world round, but never I’ll be bound,
Will ye find a worser barque that this’n ‘ere-O,
If ye’ll take my advice, ye’ll never jine her twice,
Ch. Oh, that handy bandy, etc.